Buyer Tips -

Benefits of Owning Your Own Home

• The Best Investment
• Income Tax Savings
• Stable Monthly Housing Costs
  Forced Savings
• Freedom and Individuality
• More Space
  

Important Things To Avoid Before Buying a Home

• Don't Move Money Around
• The Effect of Changing Jobs
• No Major Purchases of Any Kind

Don't Buy a Car - or Did You Already Buy One?

• When Income Grows and You Want to Buy "Stuff"
• Debt-to-Income Ratios and Car Payments
• How Buying a Car Reduces Your Purchase Price

The Business Cycle and Buying a Home

• Recession and Expansion
• Supply and Demand
• Should You Try to "Time the Market"?

Comparable Sales and Your Offer Price

• Determining Your Offer Price
• Comparable Sales in the Public Record
• Comparable Sales in the Multiple Listing Service
• Comparable Sales - Pending Transactions
• Other Factors Influencing Your Offer Price

Major Factors Influencing your Offer Price

• How Property Condition Affects Your Offer
• How Home Improvements Affect Your Offer
• How Market Conditions Affect Your Offer
• How Seller Motivation Affects Your Offer
• The Final Decision on Your Offer Price

Offering to Purchase Real Estate- the Basics

• Introduction and Overview
• Contingencies in a Purchase Offer
• Earnest Money Deposit
• The Closing Date
• Transfer of Possession

Writing an Offer - Safeguards Regarding the Property

• Disclosures From the Seller
• Condition of the Property Upon Transfer
• Inspections You Should Require
• Final Walk-Through Inspection

How Financing Details Affect Your Offer

• Down Payment
• Interest Rates
• Closing Costs and Financing Incentives
• Seller Financing
• Cash Offers
• Other Financing Details in Your Offer

How FHA and VA Financing Affects Your Offer

• Extra Costs for the Seller
• VA and FHA Appraisals

Selecting Service Providers

• You and the Seller Must Agree
• Escrow and Settlement
• Title Insurance
• Termite and Pest Inspection
  

Sellers Tips -

Getting Your House Ready to Sell

• Introduction: Emotion vs. Reason
• De-Personalizing the House
• Removing Clutter, Though You May Not Think of it as Clutter
• Fixing Up the House Interior
• Fixing up Outside the House

Want to Start Off With a High Sales Price? Beware!

• Meeting with Realtors
• Which Realtor Do You Choose?
• What Happens Behind the Scenes
• Dropping Your Price...Too Late?

Types of Listing Contracts

• Open Listings
• One-Time Show
• Exclusive Agency Listings
• Exclusive Right to Sell

Details of a Listing Contract

• Price and Terms of Sale
• Lockbox - Yes or No?
• Real Estate Commission
• Multiple Listing Service
• Agency Duties of a Listing Agent
• Resolution of Disputes

Listing Commissions and Related Issues

• Is the Commission Negotiable?
• How and When the Commission is Earned
• "Hot" Market Under-Pricing Strategy - Commission Issues

The Listing Agent & Marketing Your Home

• The "Real" Role of a Listing Agent
• Preliminary Marketing - the "For Sale" Sign
• Preliminary Marketing - Flyers and the Brochure Box

The Listing Agent - Marketing Your House to Other Agents

• The Multiple Listing Service
• Office Preview
• Broker Previews and Culinary Delights
• Office Flyers
• Marketing Sessions

The Listing Agent - Marketing Your House to Homebuyers

• The Purpose of Advertising in General
• Real Estate Company Advertising
• Individual Agent Advertising
• Neighborhood Announcements
• Open Houses

Showing Your House to Home Buyers

• Convenience and Availability
• Why You Should Not Be Home
• Lighting, Fragrances, Pet Control and More
• Keeping the House Tidy and Neat