Real Estate Scams

How to Avoid Real Estate Scams

Real estate is such a precious commodity. When there is a good deal, people can get desperate. Scammers play on this vulnerability and, as a result, there are plenty of real estate scams. Anyone can fall prey to a real estate scam but if you know what to look out for, you’re a lot more likely to stay safe. Here are some common scams and tips on how you can keep yourself protected.

Transferring Money to the Wrong Person

During a real estate transaction, you may be asked to email someone your banking information. While this is a convenient way to pass on information, it also comes with the chance that your money gets into the wrong person’s hands. To avoid this, make sure you are sending the money to your real estate agent or another person you can trust and don’t accept last minute changes to banking details.

Renting Property that Isn’t Real

Have you ever seen a great deal on a property that seems too good to be true? But when you try to check out the property you find that you can’t actually access it. There is probably some story attached like ‘the landlord is out of town’ or something clever like that. You might even be taken to check out the exterior of the property, but you can’t get inside. If this sounds a little fishy to you, it probably is. In scams like these, you will often end up paying a deposit only to find out the property was never available in the first place.

If you are dealing with an agent that seems less than honest, here’s how you can tell whether the property is imaginary or not.

·        Check the records to find out who the owner is and make sure that is the same person you are dealing with. The records will also tell you if the home is in foreclosure.

·        Talk to the current tenants or neighbors in the area to see if you can get any information on the home.

Title Fraud

Title fraud happens when a third party produces fraudulent home ownership documents in your name. Then they go to the bank and take out a new mortgage on the property. Once they have the cash from the transaction, they disappear leaving you with the payments. The only way to avoid this is to keep your personal records safe. Make sure no one has access to your information and be careful when you are making credit card transactions and large money transfers. Title insurance can also protect you from title fraud.

Sellers Withhold Information

This is a common scam that can occur in a legitimate sale. It involves sellers withholding information from you concerning the property’s condition. After you move in, you may be faced with expensive repairs on damage you didn’t know about. To keep this from happening, ask as many questions about the property as you think necessary. View homes with an experienced agent who will make you aware of any issues. If the home is being sold in ‘as is’ condition, certain things will need to be disclosed before the sale is made final. Being aware of scams and knowing how to avoid them can help protect you.

Home Staging

Staging a Home and Why It’s Important

When you are selling a home there are a few approaches you can take. You can sell your home while you are living in it, you can sell your home when it’s empty after you’ve moved out, and you can stage it.

Staging a home involves filling it with furniture to make it appear lived in. This can be a beneficial step in selling your home. Read on to find out why homeowners that are selling may want to go this route.

It Will Make Your Photos Stand Out

When you advertise your home on the internet, posting attractive photos can be extremely beneficial in getting it sold. Staging your home so that it looks its best will allow you to take great looking photos that will help your home attract more buyers and sell quickly.

It Will Help People Imagine Living in Your Home

When people see an empty home, it can be difficult for them to imagine living in it. When you add the right furnishings, they can get decorating ideas that will allow them to see your home as a place they can move into and enjoy. It can also forge an emotional connection that can motivate them to make an offer.

It Will Allow Buyers to See Your Home’s Potential

A good staging will help people discover your home’s potential. For instance, if you have a storage space, they might think it could make a good third bedroom. But if you actually stage that space to be a third bedroom, you can greatly increase the sell-ability factor.

It Can Make the Home Look Bigger

If you stage your home well, you can make the space look bigger. Spacing properly, opening windows and doors and producing an uncluttered look will work to make for a more spacious appearance. A bigger space is more likely to sell than one that looks small and cramped.

How Do I Stage My Home?

Most people will hire a professional to stage their home. Staging professionals will bring in all the furniture and arrange it to make your house look its best.

The cost of staging will vary according to the size of your home, where you are located and what you need done. However, in general, you can expect to pay anywhere from few hundreds to several thousands of dollars.

The cost of staging can add to expenses that you already have while selling but will help you achieve a higher purchase price. For this reason, staging is definitely something to consider.

We wish you the best of luck getting the most out of your home’s sale.

Get Your Home Ready to Sell

Eight Tips That Will Get Your Home Ready to Sell

You’ve finally decided to move on and sell your home. Your next step is putting it on the market…but not so fast.

To ensure your home sells quickly, and for top dollar, you want to get it in the best condition possible. You also want to make sure you’re getting a fair price.

With that in mind, here are some things you will want to do to get your house ready to sell.

Research the Housing Market

Start by researching your local housing market. This will give you an idea of what homes in your area are selling for. Find homes with similar square footage and numbers of baths and bedrooms. This will give you an idea of what your home should be selling for.

Find a Listing Agent

I highly recommend using Uri Chotzen. Your agent will lay out a plan for how to sell your house and use his expertise to bring in prospective buyers.

Declutter

A house that has a lot of clutter in it is not inviting. More than that, clutter makes the house look smaller. Get your home ready for open houses by eliminating as much clutter as possible. You may consider renting a storage unit to hold your stuff until the house is sold.

Deep Clean Your Home

A clean home will make a great first impression on prospective buyers. Clean every nook and cranny. You might even want to get a professional cleaner in.

Call a Handy Man

A handy man will be able to take care of little repairs that need to be done in your home. A broken closet door or doorknob can make potential buyers think the house is in disrepair in general. Little fixes can make all the difference when it comes to getting your house sold quickly.

Get a Paint Job

A good paint job will do a world of good in making your interior look its best. When painting, go for a light, neutral color. This way, buyers will feel that they have an open palette that they can use to do whatever they want. They will also know that they won’t have a problem painting over the walls if they choose to do so.

Pay Attention to the Outside

Curb appeal is another important factor. Make sure your home looks good from the outside too. Trim the grass and hedges and see to it that exterior repairs are taken care off.

Hire a Professional Photographer

When you list your home on a web site, you want it to look as attractive as possible. A professional photographer will take pictures that put your home in the best light. This will get people interested so more potential buyers come to check out your home.

If you are in the process of getting your home on the market, it’s important to get it looking its best. These tips and tricks will be extremely useful in ensuring your home sells quickly. We wish you the best of luck.