Archive

Archive for November, 2009

Discount Property Listings

If you really interested in investing on the real estate market, then the best thing to do is find discount property offers. However, there are many resources out there and for someone who is a first-timer the avalanche of information can be quite burdening. Don’t fret, as you have professional ready to help you discover interesting facts about property investment. You can start by joining a property club and checking out the offers they send to you!How does being a member of a property investment club work out for you? It’s simple. You are a member; they send a list of discount property offers to you. You look at what they have to present and decide whether you are interested in investing or not. There is nothing to lose and you can definitely find some pretty interesting properties sold below market value. These companies have extensive experience on the real estate market and they can definitely discover many exciting offers. It depends on you if you want to jump in the offers.Property investment requires experience and a fairly good knowledge of the real estate market. You cannot jump on the first opportunity that you come across, hoping that it will be a success in the near future. This is where a company that specializes in offering discount property comes in. They have realistic expectations and know how to choose the right properties for investing. The years of experience ensures their credibility, making all of their clients perfectly satisfied with the listings sent to them.Even if a discount property is found, there are many things to take into consideration before investing. As property investment is their main area of expertise, these guys will do all the research for you and present with important information about things like financing and development. They will take care of you and your needs, offering discount property listings on a regular basis. All you have to do is look at the overseas properties they send and pick out your favorites. They deal a lot with emerging real estate markets and this is why you will probably notice that there are lots of properties in tourist areas. These guarantee a great return investment.What you have to understand about a company that specializes in property investment is that they do not offer unrealistic opportunities. They base their offerings on careful and extensive research, guaranteeing profit for discount property at all times. These properties are sold below market value at impressive discounts, as they have been in distress for some time now or repossessed by the bank. There are many benefits when it comes to working with such a professional company and you will have to discover them as each day passes.Deciding to enter the world of property investment is a big thing to consider. However, taking into consideration the benefits offered, it seems to be worth it. You can easily become the owner of a discount property that is located overseas and start cashing in the profit. Finding a professional company is only the first step and you have to continue by checking their offers on a regular basis, deciding which properties are more suitable for your investment needs!Resource box: If you are looking for property investment, then you are in the right place. Become a member today and you will receive discount property offers on your email every day. Are you ready to start investing?

Different Ways Of Making A Living From Property Investment

Any good property investor should not focus on just one method of sourcing below market value property. Employing clever marketing techniques to source property is the intelligent way of buying below market value property. Here, we discuss various sources of cheap property and how a property investor can use different techniques for quick profit.
Buying properties that will ultimately be repossessed can be a great way to harness quick profit from property. These are properties where the mortgagors are adjudged in default and are held liable to pay the mortgage debt. Hence, the property is already a subject of a repossession proceeding. The owners of these properties will often sell for below market value rather than face the consequences of repossession.
It is also profitable to buy properties that have already been repossessed. These properties are usually owned by banks and financial institutions after the repossession proceedings, but before they have been sold on.
Some property owners end up in financial trouble because they have secured debt on their property. Unable to pay their debts, their house faces imminent repossession. An investor can often come in at this stage, pay off the secured debt and buy the property from the current owner for a much reduced price.
Another source of good value property is to buy direct from the property developer. Here, it is always better to deal with the senior manager rather than the admin staff who sit in the office. Using clever negotiation techniques you can often secure property for over 20% discount of its true value.
A lot of property developers also purchase land with potential for development. There are various things you can do here. For example, you could obtain planning permission, subdivide the land and resell lots for profit. This is definitely a lucrative way to earn a living and definitely worth considering. Alternatively, you could obtain an option to purchase land and only exercise the option if you are able to secure planning permission. If you do purchase the land, it is then up to you whether you want to build on the land yourself, or resell at a heightened price, achieved as a result of the planning permission obtained.
Buying properties and not immediately disposing of them is another income generating strategy. Here, you could hold the property and allow its price to increase as a result of market conditions or you could obtain cash flow from rental income. Whichever strategy you do choose, you will need to be aware of any maintenance, taxes and financial factors which come into play. Alternatively, rather than holding the property, you could choose to dispose of it immediately for market value and pocket the difference in prices.

San Antonio Home Foreclosures – Buying A Home In San Antonio For Below Market Value

San Antonio is currently one of the top choices for those who want to settle down and buy a house. This city is considered as a perfectly balanced city with urban culture with great South Texan foundations. Because of the growth in tourism in the city, real estate prices have also gone higher than ever. However, one can look into foreclosures to find the perfect properties in this wonderful city. You can find database for foreclosures wherein listings of foreclosed properties in the city are available. There are properties with real low prices and you can find one which is just right for your budget. Foreclosures usually grow in number as the economic crisis caused many to default on their mortgage payments and thus pushed the lending agencies to move the properties to the San Antonio Foreclosures listings.Checking out the latest foreclosure listing will provide you information on properties available at 10 to 50 percent discounts. Placing properties on foreclosure lists help banks regain their money and allows investors to gets deals that will fit their budget. You can buy a home for less than market price. You get to take advantage of depressed home prices. This allows you to save thousands and get into a bigger home than you normally could afford.San Antonio is a city which seems to celebrate things all year, and there are a lot of reasons why investors are attracted to choose the city above anywhere else. So as you go on checking out the San Antonio foreclosures, think of the many attractions that the city can offer such as the educational institutions, the large health care industry, and the low property tax that would greatly benefit investors.So get on down to county courthouse and wait for the new foreclosure listings and get your new home for below market price.

Property Auction UK: The Demand Continues

Despite continued reports on the doom and gloom in the property market in the UK, there are auction houses who say that their businesses are performing very well. Even in the midst of a property slowdown, property auction UK remains generally healthy due to the popularity of the benefits of buying at auction compared to purchasing houses through the traditional estate agency method.

Property auctions have been a widely held option for many people because of the benefits they offer to participants. A property auction UK is an accepted way of obtaining property because of the speedy transaction involved and the opportunity to acquire bargain properties. Regardless of the stabilising property market in the UK, auction houses have continued to report healthy business prompted by property investors looking to buy cheap properties quickly to convert into an investment property.

Robust sales at property auctions

Blundells Auction House in Sheffield has bucked the trend with its three auctions held in 2008 totaling over £4million worth of property sold under the hammer. While figures from the Essential Information Group signify that the percentage of lots sold across the UK is 62%, Blundells exceeded this with an astounding 88% of lots sold for 2008. This proves that there are still buyers out there who are more than happy to find and purchase the right property for them.

North East estate agents Pattinson is likewise reporting a healthy demand from property investors looking for houses via property auction UK. According to Pattinson, their monthly bidding session was becoming more popular, with over 100 listed homes for sale at their final auction for 2008. The firm says that vendors were making the most of reserve prices for additional security during the present market decline. The demand also stems from the preference for a quicker sale with a guaranteed reserve price.

Aside from these two auction houses, Sutton Kersh has also reported that it generated more than £2.5 million after selling 50% of its 68 offered lots at its final Liverpool property auction for 2008. This is aside from the post-auction sales that are yet to be completed. The company also reports that the number of residential lots it sold at auction in the UK in November increased by 40% year-on-year.

A new auction fad?

From the figures presented by auction authorities such as the EIG, it cannot be denied that property auction UK remains a recognised method of obtaining properties. But of late, there has been a new trend that many experts claim is bound to surge in popularity, too. It is called a Dutch auction.

A Dutch auction is a type of auction where the auctioneer starts with a high asking price and gradually decreases it in stages until a participant accepts the auctioneer’s price, or until a predetermined reserve price is attained. When either of the two options is reached, the winning participant then pays the announced price. In theory, this kind of auction is comparable to a sealed first-price auction. A Dutch auction is particularly advantageous when there is a need to auction a property immediately. The reason is that with this type of auction, a sale never requires more than a single bid.

On the whole, many investors will always consider a property auction UK to be a profitable option because it offers the opportunity to provide a quick sale and the chance to acquire properties below market value – regardless of the condition of the property market.

Real Estate Investing: Tips for Locating Profitable Properties

With current economic conditions, real estate investing is a precarious venture. Between skyrocketing unemployment rates, foreclosure and bankruptcy filings, few people can afford to take the risk of investing in real estate.

Previously, real estate investing was considered one of the most secure and profitable investment practices. Today, there is a gigantic question mark above real estate and financial investing opportunities. In order to profit, investors need to thoroughly understand market conditions and become savvy with financing options.

As real estate prices continue to decline there are numerous opportunities for profit. The best way to uncover hidden gems is by taking time to conduct research and attend real estate investing seminars.

Educational seminars are offered in most cities and towns across the country. The Internet provides a wealth of learning opportunities where classes can be attended in the comfort of your home via webcasts or by purchasing seminars presented on DVDs, CDs or audio files.

Investing seminars can help participants determine which type of real estate is best suited for their financial situation and management ability. Investment properties can range from single family dwellings to commercial endeavors such as retail outlets or office buildings.

Many real estate investors engage in joint ventures to purchase commercial real estate. Newbie investors would do best to engage in small joint venture projects until they obtain sufficient experience. Investing in commercial real estate is an entirely different ballgame and involves a wide range of legal procedures not typically associated with residential properties.

One popular investment technique is purchasing real estate for the purpose of house flipping. Flipping houses involves buying distressed properties below market value, rehabbing the home, and selling it quickly for profit.

Distressed properties can include foreclosure or bank owned homes, short sale real estate, and probate properties. Rehabbing distressed real estate oftentimes creates numerous unexpected expenses. It is imperative to conduct due diligence and obtain a professional property inspection prior to presenting a purchase offer.

Short sales are rapidly becoming a popular investment choice. Mortgage lenders engage in short sale transactions when borrowers are facing foreclosure and owe more than the appraised property value. Banks will accept less than is owed on the loan if the borrower is able to sell the property quickly.

Short sale properties are sold through the loss mitigation department of the originating mortgage lender. Buying short sale real estate can be complicated and time-consuming. It is best to work with a realtor or investor experienced with the short sale process.

Wholesale real estate is one of easiest and most profitable forms of real estate investing. Investors purchase properties at wholesale cost and resell in “as-is” condition. Investors who engage in wholesaling typically purchase bank portfolios consisting of multiple properties. Oftentimes, these properties can be bought for as little as sixty cents on the dollar.

Real estate investing offers an abundance of opportunities to profit. However, investors must develop a solid plan which includes short and long term goals. Investors can improve their chance of success by networking with real estate professionals including attorneys, lenders, brokers, real estate agents and other investors.

Off Plan Property Investment â?? The Future of Property Development

Property investors have long been buying off plan â?? that is buying a property before it has even been built.

At the initial stage of a development project properties are sold at heavily reduced prices, far below market value, to attract early buyers. Developers use this income to help finance the project and as extra assurance to their creditors.

Investors stand to make a killing by reselling completed properties at market value, while others buy to rent, settle down or to use the property as a holiday home. Depending on the purpose of the investment, buyers need to take into consideration a number of factors. While an investor buying to resell will benefit from a low price, ensuring a certain quality standard is essential so as to make the finished property attractive to the end buyer, typically private people seeking a holiday home or a place to settle down.

When buying to rent, price is key to achieving the highest yearly return with quality much less important as rental properties tend to get damaged much quicker than private properties.

When  intending to live in the specific property, buying without having seen a finished property in the development can be a risky venture as dimensions and the look and feel of a property are hard to gauge from a piece of paper.  To avoid disappointment, it may viable to buy at a later stage and slightly increased cost when a sample property in the actual development can be viewed. Infrastructure and utility issues should also be taken into consideration.

Regardless of the purpose of an off plan purchase, buyers should always carefully assess the market and country in which they are planning on buying. Popular markets include Brazil, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Brazil and Argentina. Turkey looks to be one of the most promising markets with Turkish banks eager to provide mortgages and property prices said to have hit rock bottom and expected to quickly start recovering.

Whether buying to resell, to rent, settle down or to have a holiday home, off plan property investment seems a great opportunity as long as the project is careful planned and researched.

Top Ten Tips for Successful Investment in a Reo Property or Bank Owned Property

Buying REO Homes or REO Properties are excellent opportunity for a beginner real estate investor or buyer. But is not the same as buying a home through the normal channels. Before starting the process of buying REO Homes, you need to understand what is involved.REO for stands for “real estate owned” and REO homes are houses which have been subject to foreclosure, but failed to sell at a foreclosure auction. The house became the property of the lender (usually a bank), which needs to be sold as soon as possible. This can be a good opportunity to get a property below market value, with a clear title and free possession.A word of caution in areas where there are a large number of executions taking place, you can find that in fact, REO properties are selling at 20-30 per cent less than market value. But we should not count on it. The bank wants to recover as much money as he can, he will try to sell close to market value. Therefore, to check market prices for homes in the region and calculate the cost and repair time, before deciding on a property is a good deal.So how will the purchase of a REO home?1.    The first step should be participating in REO auctions – no need to buy the properties, but to find properties that do not sell. Note addresses and drive until you see a sale was announced. Then contact the property owner. Remember that only a few specialize in selling REO sales, so even if they lose one deal always there are others are on their books2.    Each lender has its own procedure for the sale of REO homes. So once you have identified a property, check out the procedure of the bank which is selling the Reo property.3.    Before making an offer, contact your bank if there are any pending offers. Ask your agent to check for the consent for any extension of the property.4.    Usually Bank won’t accept an offer directly to you. Banks Accept offers only from a real estate agent or broker.5.    If you need a loan, get your loan application not only pre-approval or pre-qualified but underwritten also. (Note that banks give loans only on properties they sell.)6.    When you make a purchase offer, the bank will almost certainly respond with an counter-offer. this is just to show their auditors that they had done everything possible to get the best price, so you should always negotiate to get the best price 7.    The bank will not do or pay for any repairs. you will be buying the property as is , but they can clear termites. you will have access to do inspection immediately. Make sure your offer includes an inspection contingency that allows you to withdraw if the inspections reveal significant problems. Note that sometimes, if it declares its intention to withdraw, the bank has cut its prices to avoid the hassle of putting the house back on the market.8.    Remember banks are exempt from disclosure regulations, so usually you will not get a disclosure about history, conditions, etc. However, if there are real estate agents involved (yours or theirs), they are required to provide you with any disclosure statements they have.9.    The bank will ask you how quickly you can close escrow – you must be able to close within 10 days for the best chance of acceptance and if its bid is subject to nothing, for example, the sale of his current residence. They can also check your credit score.10.    Sometimes, lenders carry out renovations. However, it is advised to buy the house before the renovations. You get a better price and you can also control the work and its quality. The reason why some banks to do is to improve the price they can get, but the work cheaper and often of poor quality.Buying a Reo property is not a simple and straightforward as some imagine. After going through all these procedures, you May still find the bank that allows you to keep open while trying to find a better offer. For the best chance, after going to houses that were on sale for 30 days or more. If you know the process and can negotiate all entrances and exits, is an opportunity to find a very good deal.

Selling Your Home in a Dramatically Changed Indian real estate Market

If you bought or sold your first home then you may be perplexed by the current market. Potential buyers are taking weeks or months to make a decision about a property. They are no longer willing to pay top rupees for a home in poor condition. They might look at a fixer if it is priced right but will not pay a premium price for a marginal property.

First things first, what can you afford? This is one of those times when you will have to sit down and come up with a budget, I know it sounds boring but its better to spend an hour on this now than to find out you can’t make rent in two months! Take into account food, utilities, transportation, entertainment, and shopping. With a return to traditional OnlineGhar.com – real estate markets , selling your home is not the slam dunk process it used to be. Here are some questions you need to consider when selling.

• Is the house ready to be sold?
• Are you properly focused on the correct attributes of the property?

The decision to sell your home is one that should not be taken lightly. Make sure you understand the ramifications. If you decide to sell, put your best foot forward

with the property. Those who are finding a home at first Find a realtor, and start looking. Keep in mind that the faster the realtor can rent you a place the more time

they will save and conversely the more money they can make. Take your time; look at a number of apartments. Make sure to take notes on which apartments you

liked and why. If your home has been on the market over three weeks without an offer and few people are showing up at the Sunday Open House… Relax… Do not

panic and frustrated. You did not choose the wrong agent… This is just a return to a normal market. A prospective purchaser will buy when they perceive a definite

value. They will no longer be willing to overpay on the assumption that the home will double in value in 6 months. This does not mean that prices are dropping

drastically because they aren’t. It does mean prices will increase at a slower pace.

Many Sellers have a hard time adjusting to a slower market. Many Sellers get into trouble and wind up chasing a down market. They continue to list at a price higher

then market value in the hope that someone will still pay their price.

For more information on the Indian real estate market visit at http://www.onlineghar.com the total real estate information website. They are returning to the more

traditional scenario where you have to actually put some effort into selling the property .They describe their website how you get a home in real market value.

Their website synopsis follows …………………………..
Take a good look at your home.
Look at the exterior of your home.
Price your property at market value.
Have realistic exceptions.
For any further information please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Mahajan on email art@onlineghar.com

About Author:
Mrinal Dutta For http://www.onlineghar.com
For listings of real estate auctions, please visit http://www.onlineghar.com/ (India Property Portal) OnlineGhar.com – India

Property Portal

Understand Commercial Real Estate Market Values

One of the biggest differences between single family and commercial real estate, other than the obvious number of units, is the way in which the properties are valued. Residential real estate, including most single family homes, is valued almost always as a function of recent sales, or “comps”. Commercial real estate, by contrast, is valued based upon income. The reasons for this are primarily three in number.

First, residential homes are usually in a lot of company. When there are plenty of similar properties in a given area to compare to, the ability to use comparable and recent sales is enhanced. It also makes the valuation of residential real estate much easier because sales trends are pretty easy to track with modern technology. By contrast, commercial properties have fewer properties out there to compare to, making a comparable sale model far less effective.

Second, residential real estate is primarily owned by homeowners, making the income production of property rather in irrelevant feature, from the standpoint of assigning property value. Sure, some neighborhoods have more rental homes, but there are still usually enough comparable sales to determine a value that way.

Commercial properties are less often owned by someone who also lives in the property. This is more common among income properties that have 2-4 units but these are also typically valued similar to single family homes. Larger commercial properties are primarily purchased as investments so the income model works most effectively when valuing them.

That leads us to the last reason for different valuation, and that is the type of buyer the properties most appeal to. Residential properties appeal most to owner occupants, who place the greatest value upon what other homes in their area have sold for recently. Commercial properties (especially larger ones) are almost always purchased by investors, who appreciate the importance of numbers (or at least should) and want values to be based upon the property’s value as an investment.

This last point is a big plus for investor purchasers of commercial real estate. We can often find bargains because properties that are expense heavy, under rented (value wise), or both are going to be valued accordingly. Motivated owners who don’t manage their expenses well or who do not perform updates that will command higher rents are often left with undervalued property.

A new owner who gets expenses under control and who brings rents up to market levels can often dramatically increase the value of a property in a short period of time. This ability is due to the income based value model for commercial real estate and is one you simply need to be aware of when looking for good deals.

How to Determine Rental Property Value with a Cap Rate

Using the cap rate approach to arrive at a property’s market value can be used for any rental income property. Including, multi-family units, office buildings, warehouses, retail strip malls, or similar properties that generate rental income.

This is particularly helpful when you want to arrive at a rough listing or resale price quickly and easily. When you might want to suggest a price for a particular rental property based on the market cap rate or a customer’s desired capitalization rate, for example.

In this article, we’ll use a mock situation and walk you through the process. Let’s assume that you were asked by a customer to suggest a selling price for his 8-unit apartment complex.

A) Determine net operating income

So you understand. Net operating income (or NOI) is one of the most important calculations made in regard to any real estate investment because it represents the property’s potential income after all vacancy and operating expenses have been subtracted; consider it as the investment property’s productivity, or measure of cash flow.

When the property is financed, for example, NOI represents the cash flow available to pay the mortgage; if the investor pays all cash for the property, and thus eliminates a mortgage payment, then it becomes the annual cash flow (i.e., cash flow before taxes).

As your first order of business, then, you would want to determine the net operating income for the property.

Here’s the calculation.

Gross Scheduled Income (GSI) less Estimated vacancy and collection losses = Effective Gross Income (EGI) + Income from other sources such as late fees, vending machines, and so forth = Gross Operating Income (GOI) less Annual operating expenses such as real estate taxes, utilities, insurance, maintenance and repairs, landscaping, management fees, legal and accounting, and so forth = Net operating income (NOI)

For our example, we’ll assume that the income property has a $54,000 GSI, $2,700 vacancy loss, $600 income from sources other than rent (i.e., coin-operated washers and dryers), and $20,760 annual operating expenses.

$54,000 (GSI) less 2,700 (Vacancy) = $51,300 (EGI) + 600 (Other Income) = $51,900 (GOI) less 20,760 (Operating Expenses) = $31,140 (NOI)

B) Determine the desired rate of return Next, we have to determine the capitalization rate we want to use for our calculation using one of two approaches. Either we research the market for similar income properties to arrive at a market cap rate or we use the customer’s desired rate.

For our example, let’s say that other similar apartment complexes in the area reveal an average cap rate of 6.23% and in turn make the decision along with the seller to use that rate. Bear in mind, however, if the seller is adamant about using his own desired rate, and it’s different from the market rate, we would side with the customer.

In other words, if our seller preferred to use a capitalization rate of, say, 5.5%, then we would calculate his rental property value based upon that rate of return.

C) Calculate the real estate value Lastly, now that we have the property’s net operating income of $31,140), and plan to use the market rate of 6.23%, we can calculate our customer’s income property value with this formula: Net operating income / Cap rate = Real estate value, or $31,140 / 6.23% = $500,000

Okay, now you’re ready to call your customer. Based upon a net operating income of $31,140 and a market cap rate of 6.23%, you estimate that the customer’s apartment complex has a market value of $500,000.

Of course, for our purposes, we kept it simple. In a real life situation you, naturally, would want to use credible and accurate (not pie-in-the-sky) numbers to arrive at the property’s NOI. Moreover, you would want to consider other factors that could influence the property’s value.

Upside rent potential, for instance, or the ability to add more units to the property would surely increase its market value. Whereas, perhaps an impending zoning regulation that would make it a less desirable rental, and maybe negatively impact the rents or decrease occupancy levels, would drop its market value. But you get the idea.