Dost & Co Immobilien

Buying a home is a stressful and emotional time. You want to find the best home at the best price.

Every buyer is looking for a good deal. The good news is that with a lot of knowledge and a little bit of luck, you can find a good deal waiting for you.

First, you need to see how many homes will fit your family. For example, if you are looking for a three bedroom, two bath home with a garage, you may be looking at potentially hundreds of homes within your home town. But if you are looking for a four bedroom, three bath, next door to an elementary school, there may only be one or two homes that fit your requirements.

Knowing how many homes meet your needs lets you know how much negotiating power you have. If the home you want is a dime a dozen, you can play a little hard ball. If the home is only one of two, the seller holds a little more power.

If you want the best possible deal, you should always stick with the home with the most choices.

Another way to find a good deal is to look towards vacant properties. In many cases, the seller has already purchased a new home. They don’t want to carry two mortgages, which makes them more flexible to work with. The longer the vacant home is on the market, the more motivated the sellers will be to negotiate with buyers.

You might want to look for a diamond in the rough. Often, all a home needs is a little paint and some minor repairs. A home that sits on the market usually becomes a good deal. With a little work, it becomes a great deal.

Let your agent know that you are willing to take the risks that go along with getting a good deal. Let the agent know what you will and will not overlook.

Sometimes, sellers are looking for more in a buyer than just money. Often, sellers must be able to close by a certain date. They may be trying to move to another city or close on their new home. Whatever the reason, being able to match your closing date with the seller’s will often get you a better deal. Make sure you know when the seller wants to close before you put in your offer, then do your best to meet it.

Ask your Realtor about properties that are on a tight schedule to sell. These include properties where the seller must move for a new job, has already purchased a home or is financial difficulty. With delinquencies and foreclosers on a rise across the country, many homes will be in this category in major metro areas. When a home must sell quickly, you are able to negotiate for a better deal.

The biggest key to getting a good deal is patience. Shop around and really compare homes and prices. Know what properties are selling for in your area. Be confident that what you are doing is the right thing, and you will find a good deal in no time at all.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Martin Lukac

Virginia Water is located in the affluent county of Surrey. Virginia Water is one of most expensive areas in the country, with its millionaires neighbourhood at the Wentworth Estate. And as a result of large number of families with high income, there is a big supply of private schools in and around Virginia Water:

Woodcote School in Windlesham is the ultimate family-run boarding and day school. Owned by the Paterson family since 1931, they seek to provide a ‚home from home‘ for 100 boys between the ages of 7 and 13. Many aspects of life at Woodcote are unique to their school. Courtesy towards others, high standards of personal conduct and a balanced education really matter at Woodcote.

Sunningdale School is a small country preparatory boarding school which offers an outstanding all round education to 100 boys. This is a family run boys‘ prep school in Berkshire founded in 1874 it stands in 25 acres of mature gardens and grounds.

Bishopsgate School here children learn and play in a beautiful woodland setting on the edge of Windsor Great Park. The grounds provide a wonderful learning resource and there are acres of space for healthy play. A recent school inspection report gave the top grade of „Excellent“ in each of the 8 key areas.

Sir William Perkins founded by a wealthy Chertsey merchant, in 1725 to educate the town’s children. Today this girls school has around 580 pupils aged eleven to eighteen and is situated on attractive Green Belt land.

St Georges College in Weybridge is a leading independent co-educational Roman Catholic day school in Surrey for 3-18 year olds offering a values led education for all. St George’s College is proud to have a reputation for being a friendly school where all students are individually known and valued equally whatever their strengths and weaknesses.

Hurst Lodge an independent day and weekly boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-18 set in twenty acres of beautiful Berkshire parkland. Here children are offered challenging and diverse opportunities, teaching in small classes and the opportunity to develop new skills and interests.

Licensed Victuallers is co-educational, independent day and boarding school for young people aged 4 to 18, based in Ascot, Berkshire. Good Schools Guide 2012 said: „A school with timeless values that makes non-selectivity the starting point for success rather than a justification for its absence.“

St Georges in Ascot is a thriving boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18. Founded in 1877 boys‘ Prep School, with 41 pupils this was school the school that Winston Churchill attended at the tender age of seven. It became a girls‘ school in 1904 when Miss Pakenham-Walsh opened it as a finishing school.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Sarah Basford

When one seeks to sell the regular, average, residential property/ home, the best way to determine the listing (offering) price, is based on a Competitive Property Analysis, where one examines similar properties, known as Comparables, and either adds or subtracts, based on features, inclusions, etc. This is the most common method used in real estate, and is generally effective, when seeking to find the fair market value, or, at least, what one believes it will be. Of course, the market value is only determined by the price a qualified buyer offers and is willing to pay for a particular property. However, there are certain circumstances where this method can’t be used effectively, either because of a lack of Comparables, or the type of property (something unique, etc). Let’s briefly examine 4 factors, which go into one’s determination of the Replacement Value, of a particular property.

1. Value of the land: How much would it cost to buy the land, itself, the structure is located on? One might begin his search on Multiple Listing Service, to see if there are Comparables, however, if there are an insufficient number, one of the best ways to determine this, is to discuss valuation of land, with several local builders (how much they would pay, and why?).

2. Cost of Materials: What will it cost to purchase the necessary building materials? Are you planning to merely fix the existing structure, or demolish it, and replace it, with a structure serving a different purpose? Remember, demolition is an expense, so factor that cost in, as well. Sometimes, one finds difficulty estimating these costs, so, builders often estimate costs, based on the unit price, or price – per – square – foot.

3. Cost of Labor (including legal, architecture, construction permits, etc): How many man – hours might be necessary, to complete your endeavor? What will these workers costs amount to? What types of permits and/ or variances might be needed, and what would they cost? Those using the unit cost – method, often factor these expenses into their total costs per square foot!

4. Purpose, or re – purpose: Are you planning on replacing something, for the same purpose as it presently has, or is the goal to re – purpose it? For example, one might purchase an old fire house, and replace it with a strip mall, individual store, restaurant, etc. You have to have a clear picture of what the end – result you seek is, or how will you be able to estimate the replacement cost.

Obviously, this is a complex, complicated procedure, which one should obtain assistance with. This help should come from a combination of real estate professionals with relevant experience, architects, builders, lawyers, etc.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Richard Brody

Why do some homes, attract large numbers of qualified potential buyers, while another, seems to struggle, attracting the right buyer? Since every house, is, somewhat, different, isn’t it, important, for an agent, to properly market, it, with a clear focus, on attracting, a specific niche, to attract buyers, most likely to be attracted, to it? Many believe, marketing and selling, real estate, is, simply, a number’s game, but, rather, while it is impossible, to sell, any house, unless/ until, it’s viewed, this will only get the most desirable results, when the right buyers, are viewing it. Homeowners should hire a real estate agent, who, tells them, what they need to know, not just want to hear (TM), which includes, thoroughly examining and considering their house, and creating a logical strategy, based on niche – market, pricing, etc. With that in mind, this article will attempt to consider, examine, review, and discuss, a few examples, which might be relevant.

1. Configuration of house: An agent should do, a thorough, walk – through, of a house, and, consider, what the niche market, might be. Obviously, the size and layout, are obvious factors. How many bedrooms, bathrooms, size of kitchen, entertainment areas, etc, should be considered! Smaller houses, are generally, sought, as, either a starter home, or by, individuals, wanting to down – size! However, before coming to this conclusion, examine, the overall, lot size, and, whether, it may also attract, individuals, wanting to renovate, or tear – down, and customize a house.

2. School system: While buyers, with families, consider, the quality of the local public schools, to be a major factor, this, often, also influences, home values, and desirability. One should examine, a combination, of the particular house, as well as the suitability, for families, when identifying a niche!

3. Convenience to transportation: How convenient, is mass transportation, to this property? This may be a major factor, which helps to attract potential buyers, who commute to work, daily. How near to highways, may also be an important factor!

4. Price range: Think about the buyers, who might, be most attracted, to houses, in a specific price range! How does this house, compare, to the others, on the real estate market?

5. Competition: Begin with a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA), in order to better understand, the right price, as well as, the niche market! Smart agents know the competition, and use it, to their advantage!

Interview real estate agents, before you hire, the best one, for you, and your circumstances! When an agent, and homeowner, are on the same – page, the transaction period, becomes far more convenient!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Richard Brody

There is no doubt in my mind that there are plenty of reliable real estate agents out there, but how do you know when you’ve picked the right one? Even though many are reliable there are a lot of them that will just leave you out in the cold after working with you. I know many agents who don’t even answer their freaking phone or respond to their emails! So how can we weed these losers out and find a real estate agent who is passionate about their career and providing great service?

Is it a Numbers Game? There are many real estate agents out there ready to serve you and only you can find the best one. This is a numbers game which gives you the opportunity to find the best. Thank goodness there isn’t only one agent out there that would be a disaster for the client and you know what I mean if you’ve dealt with the cable company. There is a lot of competition out there for agents so they need to cater to you in order to earn you as a client. Go online and search for Keller Williams, ExecuHome, RE/MAX etc… to find agents. You can also search for real estate agents on Facebook and LinkedIn. Call or email these people and see how fast they respond.

Do they Follow up? The faster the real estate agent responds may give you an indication on how fast they will take action and execute. When you have them on the phone ask them how many clients they have, how often they work and what can they do to make sure that your house will sell quickly. This process is very important, once you have the answers you want to setup a meeting with them. Remember your time is very important in this business.

Meet Up With them You should have 3-5 agents that you definitely want to work with by just talking on the phone with them. Now it’s time to meet up with them to discuss further on what you want from them. When you meet them you can see what kind of person they are and see if they meet the criteria you are looking for. You can also evaluate their character and see how they interact with others in public and maybe even in their office. Try to see if any of these real estate agents have clients or testimonials who can back their word up. Having a real estate agent that’s a people person is always a plus.

Learn More About Them Just by asking other agents you meet with about another real estate agent can help you in making your decision. Beware while using this tactic some agents may bad mouth another in hopes of gaining you as a future client. At the same time there are several resources online that rate real estate agents that are free to use.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Marcel Umphery

Staying fit and healthy is the best thing that people can do for themselves. Good food, regular exercise and healthy lifestyle are just about the right ingredients to longevity. Eating the right food in the right amount is what people need. Too often they indulge in a specific food and tend to leave out those that they don’t like.

The body needs just enough of everything to function properly. When it functions properly, normal metabolic rates bring about better health conditions. Regular exercises can be simple exercises like walking, strolling or jogging. Some people may want a little more so they can do sit-ups, jumping jacks, push-ups or stretching. Still others would like to do exercise at the comfort of their homes so they have the option to check on exercise machines or equipments. There are a few reminders though that people need to note when selecting the best exercise equipment. Exercise enthusiasts should not always believe everything. Proper assessment and wise judgment is needed before they part with their hard earned cash. Sometimes people are lead to believe statements that are not true about a product. Claims such as losing weight in a few days are worth thinking about especially when you know that it is something impossible to accomplish given the time frame and the factors to be considered.

It is not just the food that people eat that makes them fat. People must be aware of fat burning products such as lotions or ointments that claim to burn fat just by applying it topically on specific areas of the body where they want the fats out. Burning fat needs some form of physical activity and proper diet. The only true testimonial to fat loss or weight loss is that if people themselves have actually experienced it. People differ from each other not just in body build but in genetic make-up as well. One health program or exercise regimen may not be applicable to all types of people. Before buying a fitness machine or equipment, consumers must read all that there is to know, how to use it and how it really helps to reduce their weight or lose their fat. There may be some added costs too especially when paid on installment basis. People may be given low monthly bills but in the end would cost twice as much because of added interest. Some products may come with a money-back guarantee to convince people but usually, it will take them a fortune to return the equipment considering all the cost that they will have to incur to return it. Calling customer service may help them with your queries. It is better to know more of the product before making a purchase. They would gladly give customers the information that they need. Whether people do simple exercises or make use of fitness machines or equipments, it would be more effective if it they do it regularly not only when they feel like doing it. A little discipline, correct attitude and proper mental frame will make any kind of exercise effective.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Jonathan Yeo

1) How much of a Down Payment do I need to come up with?

In the recent past, people used to think 20% down was necessary to qualify for a home loan or to have a reasonable mortgage payment. For the most part, this is no longer the case. There are many types of mortgage programs that allow for low down payment options or no down payment in some cases. You also don’t have to be a first time home buyer to qualify for these programs either.

FHA Loans are one of the most popular types of mortgages applied for in today’s market, this is mainly because of low down payment options and the flexible qualifying requirements. Without down payment assistance, you just need a minimum of 3.5% down. A lot of people think FHA is strictly for first time home buyers, but that is not true. it’s a government-backed home loan, but they don’t require you to be a first time home buyer. FHA stands for Federal Housing Administration.

Conventional Loans have been gaining a lot of traction over the last few years and will soon replace the FHA loan program as the most popular loan product on the market. Conventional loans allow for a minimum down payment as low as 3% down and also allows for several creative ways to buy out the monthly PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance). This strategy helps reduce the monthly payments while increasing your buying power.

Minimum Down Payment requirements for each loan type below:

VA Loans – No Down Payment required

USDA Loans – No Down Payment required

FHA Loans – Minimum 3.5% Down Payment required

Conventional Loans – Minimum 3% Down Payment required

You can use gift funds for any of the programs listed above. Also, If you are a first time home buyer be sure to ask your loan consultant if you qualify for any down payment assistance program.

2) What Credit Score do I need to qualify for a Mortgage?

Aside from income verification, one of the biggest determining factors in qualifying for a mortgage is your credit score. The higher the credit score the better your chances will be in qualifying. When a mortgage company or bank checks your credit for a mortgage application they will pull what is known as a tri-merge. That is when a credit report is combined with data and individual scores from the 3 major credit bureaus. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The middle of the 3 scores will be used to determine your qualifying score. Ideally, you want to have a middle credit score of 680 or above. In most cases, the higher your credit score is, the better your rate and terms will be as well.

There are minimum credit score requirements for every loan program, but to ensure you get qualified for the most competitive terms it is important that you do everything you can to learn how to increase and improve your credit.

Below are the minimum credit score requirements for each loan program:

VA Loans – 620 (some lenders may allow for as low as 580+)

USDA Loans – 620

FHA Loans – 580

Conventional – 620

3) What are the Income Requirements and Guidelines for a Mortgage?

Proving your ability to repay the loan is one of the most important requirements in the qualifying process. That is why showing sufficient and consistent income documentation is crucial when going through the pre-approval or qualification process. If you are a W2 employee and paid a salary then the verification process is fairly simple. However, can be more difficult for people that receive and/or rely on commissions, bonuses, overtime, etc. For borrowers that are self-employed and/or receive a 1099 it can be even more difficult and complex especially since you can have a lot more write-offs and deductions when you’re self-employed.

First and foremost you need a 2-year work history to even qualify using any income source. However, for full-time hourly or salaried employees that doesn’t mean you have to be at the same company or industry for 2 years. That used to be a requirement but not anymore unless the lender/bank has their own overlay. If you receive and want to use commission, bonus, overtime or other types of income then you have to show a minimum of a 2-year history and the bank/lender will use a 24 month average for qualifying purposes. Self-Employed borrowers are now able to qualify with 12-24 months bank statements for certain nontraditional (non-QM) loan programs.

Qualifying Income Sources:

* Full-Time W2 Income/Salary

* Income from Part-Time Jobs (must be at the job for a minimum of 1-2 years in some cases)

* Income from a second full or part-time job

* Overtime, Commissions, Bonuses (must average over 24 months)

* Seasonal (must prove 2-3 years consistency)

* Self-Employed Income

* Bank Statements (12-24 months)

* Permanent Disability

* Retirement/Pension

* Child Support/Alimony (Sufficient documentation required)

* Asset Depletion

What are the Required Documents Needed?

There are specific required documents needed that your loan consultant will request in order to process your loan approval. You should at least have the below list of documentation readily available and be ready to provide more depending on your particular situation.

* Complete Federal Personal and/or Corporate Tax Returns for the past 2 years (ALL SCHEDULES)

* W2’s for the past 2 years

* 1 Month worth of Pay Stubs

* Bank Statements (may need anywhere from 2-24 months)

* Retirement/Pension and/or Social Security Award Letters

* Disability Award Letter

* Divorce Decree

* Business License

* Asset Documentation

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Jason Pollington

Cheap, Bargain, Real Estate; Good Deals, Below Market, Low Priced properties are available if you know how to buy them. By Jody Hudson – Realtor since 1972. How to FIND and BUY: Cheap Bargain Real Estate, Good Deals, Below Market, Low Priced and Less Expensive; homes, lots, land, businesses, and condominiums. They are everywhere and easy to find. Here is how to find and buy them from anyone, anywhere. This article lays out the steps: How to find and buy a Bargain, A Good Deal, in real estate; that is; how to get it real cheap! Yes, there are ways! Nearly every call or e-mail that I get is asking me to find the buyer a bargain. We all feel that way when we are buying as well. All of us want a good deal. We all want to get cheap real estate. And we can all do it. There is a bit of a challenge however. Every single buyer that I’ve ever had in my thirty two years of selling real estate has wanted to sell the property they have for more than it is worth. Herein lays our challenge as Realtors — and of course for you as purchasers. To get those HOT deals in real estate there are at least three things you must do: 1. First of all as a buyer you must be able and willing to act faster than any other buyer. 2. Second you must be able to know a bargain when you see one. This takes experience and education in the specific market . Any assumptions made from other markets, about the subject-inteded market, will sentence you to certain failure… 3. Third you must BUY it. That is write a deposit check and write a contract that will win over the other contracts that may be presented at about the same time as yours. This group of three steps, sounds simple, but only about one buyer in each ten year period is willing to do these three things in order to get the cheap property they have asked us to find for them! I have several people, and so do most Realtors, that are the most; ready, willing and able and we call them first! If you want to be one of the ones called you must be MORE ready, willing and able! Recently, August 2002 the waterfront home next to ours was listed for sale for $249,000 and it was worth at the time about $350,000. Kate and I called each of our family members, our wonderful neighbors on the other side (one of whom is a local builder and the other a mortgage broker) and some of our best clients and a best friend of ours, a builder and investor, who had already said he liked the fine home. (Note that property is now worth about $800,000 Sept. 2004). We explained that the home was going on the market in a few hours and that they must act fast. Our neighbors on the other side, the most knowledgeable of the bunch wanted to make an offer of $180,000 saying they thought that was all the property was worth. They knew better or at least should have and they should have bought it. They just „hoped“ they could get it for less and that they didn’t have to move fast. The offer they made was ignored and wasted our time. They did however get another property in a few days, for a lot more money, that was worth a lot less, as a result of improved alertness and awareness after losing the one next to us. Our savvy investor friend put in a couple of offers below the asking price with several contingencies. Meanwhile we are telling everyone to write a contract for full price with no contingencies and calling on both our phones as fast as we could call. None of our best friends or family would pay attention. They were ALL too greedy. They knew the property was far under-priced but wanted it for even less… Lesson: when it’s a good deal – ACT instead of getting more greedy and losing the deal totally. Then our lovely new neighbors came and saw the property. They also were knowledgeable about similar properties, and had lost several properties they liked by moving slow, writing unreasonable contracts and not paying attention to real values. This time they did it correctly. In fact they wrote a contract on the spot, with no contingencies, and for MORE than full price so that if anyone did offer full price they would still have the best chance. They paid $5,000 more than the full price on the spot, told the sellers they could have settlement any time they wanted it and before they even heard back from the sellers they arranged for a mortgage of MORE than they needed and asked for the money to be immediately available. They did not ask for a home inspection, a survey, or for the sellers to fix anything. The home is 30 years old and has not had one bit of maintenance. There was a burst hot water tank, a roof that needs replacing and a few HUGE cracks in the foundation. All these problems cost them about $15,000. They have, as I write this, owned the property for several months and worked on it every weekend, before they could take a break and enjoy it. They love it. If they were to fix all of the things that need fixing, paint the trim and freshen up the yard and landscaping; we could get $900,000 to $950,000 for this home for them in a few months on the market. And, city sewer will be here in a few years, at that point the property will instantly go up another $200,000 and all the people we called knew about the pending sewer too. The buyers didn’t find out about the sewer coming to town until after they had contracted to purchase the property. The sewer is still not in — WOW. They are glad they did the One, Two, Three to make it happen! By doing the three things listed above the purchasers of the home next to us have made the wisest purchasing decision thus far in their lives and have one of the best bargains that have been available in the last several years. The sellers are happy too as they just wanted to sell it as fast as they possibly could, due to a sudden and dangerous illness of one of the owners. I’m writing this article to serve you the reader. But you must know it is self serving as well. Much of our time as Real Estate Agents is spent trying to successfully educate our buyers and sellers. If they would take our advice they could be far, far, more successful in selling or buying. The articles I write here [http://www.kate-jody.com/essays/index.html] are those advices that I give my customers and clients – if they ask. Most don’t and when they do, very few take the advice. Just like in every other profession, we the professionals do what we can to help those who come to us but it’s up to them to take the advice. Bargain homes are always available – but hard to sell. They are homes that are in need of some repair or cosmetic improvement or that are in an area of transition. We have several on the market right now and they are hard to sell. Someone with vision will eventually purchase them, fix them up and perhaps sell them at a huge profit – often to someone who says they want a bargain but won’t do what it takes to get a bargain. Funny isn’t it, and this sort of thing happens all the time. It has consistently happened in my 35 years in the real estate business and being a licensed Realtor since 1972. Just know this, if you want a fixer-upper, so does everyone else, but you need to be very, very, educated and able to spend the time and money to renovate the property effectively and affordably. And, you need to do One, Two, Three! If you want a bargain; educate yourself and be ready to DO — One, Two, and Three. We’ll try to help you. By Jody Hudson Copyright 2002-2004 www.Kate-Jody.com Jody Hudson: MrJodyHudson@earthlink.net

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Jody Hudson