Save Yourself The Headaches: 10 Steps to Selling Your Home

Selling your home may be the most daunting project that you'll ever undertake! But did you know that these 10 steps to selling your home can add thousands of dollars to the selling price and save you headaches in the long run? You should have a checklist of things to do in preparation for selling your home-from the time you make that all important decision to the moment you sign your name on the dotted line. Here's a ten step plan that will help selling your home go more smoothly.

Step One: Have Your Home Formally Inspected and Appraised By a Professional
Any Realtor will tell you that the key to selling your home is to offer it at the right price, and the best way to come up with that price is to get a professional to tell you what your house is worth. An initial home inspection will also help you determine what, if any, problems you will need to repair before your house is marketable.

Step Two: Readjust Your Thinking
The moment you decide to sell, you need to stop looking at your home as YOUR home. In other words, you'll need to put aside your sentiments and emotions and see your home as a house - a piece of merchandise that you're preparing for sale. Take a brutal, honest look at your home, inside and out, and make a note of anything that is less than perfect.

Step Three: Make Repairs and Improvements

The number one rule of thumb in doing work on your house is: improve when you buy, repair when you sell. In most cases, you won't come anywhere near recovering the cost of any major improvements that you make just before you sell. This is the time to take care of those repairs that you've put off, such as fixing broken roof tiles, repairing gutters and trim, or taking care of that loose hinge that makes the shutter on the bedroom window hang crooked.

Step Four: Take Care of the Cosmetics

This is also the time to consider repainting, inside and out. You'll get the biggest return on your investment on cosmetic improvements - a new paint job, new carpeting, or new landscaping.
Step Five: Decide If You're Going to Sell Your Home Yourself, Or Hire a Realtor
There are definite pros and cons to either option. In general, if you need a quick sale, or if you don't have the time to put into marketing your home yourself, a Realtor will likely be your best option. Realtors have the expertise to market your home to the right buyers, and the time to do it right. If, on the other hand, you have time to sell, or want to save the commission fee that you'd pay a Realtor, there are many options available to the sell-it-yourselfer.
Step Six: Do Some Market Research
Whether you're selling your home on your own or contracting with a Realtor or real estate agent to sell for you, you should do a bit of market research. The price you list your home for will be the single most important factor in how quickly it sells, or if it sells at all. Find out how much similar homes in your neighborhood have sold for in recent weeks, and adjust your expectations accordingly. Remember, even if your home has been appraised far above the prevailing community prices, pricing it according to the appraisal rather than the neighborhood is a poor business decision. Buyers buy location as much as they do 'house'.
Step Seven: Set the Stage
Depersonalize your house. Put away all personal memorabilia. Take family photos off the walls and mantelpieces and tuck knick-knacks away out of sight. After you've put away all your personal accents, take a look around. If it's bare, perk things up with a few potted plants or 'neutral' accents. Remember, the more potential buyers can visualize the house as "theirs," the better chance you'll have for a sale.
Step Eight: Advertise Your House for Sale
If you've decided to sell on your own, you'll need to advertise. Get your house listed in local 'Home for Sale' magazines, place ads in the local newspaper, put up a sign on your lawn and at the end of the street, and put your home up on the web on a sell-your-own-home site. See ( forsalebyowner.com ) as an example.

Step Nine: Hold an Open House

Open houses are a great way to have your house seen by many people at once. Plan a weekend open house when you first put your house on the market, and make sure that the Realtors in your area are aware of it so that they can bring their buyers to see your house.
Step Ten: Have Inspections Done Beforehand So That You Will Have All the Paperwork On Hand
While some buyers will still insist on having their own inspections done, many will be grateful to be spared the expense and time. It's one more thing that can expedite the selling process once the offer is made.
It's not impossible to have smooth transaction throughout the process of selling your home-it only takes a little planning and organization!
Brian Shelton makes it easy to sell your house fast.

Cheap Second Homes – Get One, Enjoy It and Make Money

You want a cheap second home, you want it in a great area you can enjoy and you want your property to make money as well this is easy.
You just need to look at different locations and pick the best and thats what this article is all about.

If you are American you may find the cost prohibitive in the southern US states, as cheap second homes are just not available.

Look just a little further a field and just 3 hours from Miami, you can pick yourself up a cheap second home in a paradise location that gives you a lot for your money and can make you money to.

Record numbers are buying a cheap second homes in Costa Rica check out the facts below and you will see why and why this could be your best purchase ever.
1. Proximity
Just 3 hours from the US with regular cheap flights.

2. Low Cost
Buy a second home in Costa Rica and you get more for your money as real estate costs up to 70% cheaper than in Florida and Arizona and the cost of living is low.
You can live comfortably on just $2,000 a month, you simply get more for money here.

3. Lots to do
Costa Rica has it all rolling hills, pristine beaches, volcanoes mountains and much more. Fancy a round of golf or maybe some fishing or a rainforest tour? Costa Rica has them all and is ranked as one of the best adventure tourism spots in the world.

You also get quality shops, vibrant nightlife and all the comforts of home.
4. Safe, stable and friendly
The country is safe and stable, serious crime is rare and Costa Rica has a history of strong ties with the US and if you buy you get the same rights as residents.

5. Tax efficient and capital growth
Its extremely tax efficient and capital growth on real estate here is great. You may by a cheap second home but it will go up in value and property prices are up 500% in the last 10 years!
When your not enjoying your cheap second home you can take advantage of the buoyant rental market and make even more cash.

Record numbers of Americans are buying?
Maybe you should to.

You get a cheap second home in a paradise location, just three hours from the US and the potential to enjoy it and make a lot of money on your investment as well.

As the real estate market in the US is over priced and runs out of steam, more people are buying cheap second homes in Costa Rica in fact, their buying in record numbers.
There getting more for their money and a lifestyle that has variety and quality.

The best cheap second home location for value and lifestyle
Maybe you have not considered a cheap second home in Costa Rica but the advantages as you have seen are huge and it really is a slice of paradise thats affordable to all.

There is not enough room to cover all the benefits of buying a cheap second home in Costa Rica here but if you want to enjoy your ne home or make money from it, you should look at Costa Rica and you will be glad you did.

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Property in Costa Rica – Where Second Homes Are a Good Investment

If you’re thinking of buying a second home, then you should consider buying property in Costa Rica - as prices are currently still inexpensive, but are rising rapidly.
By buying property in Costa Rica, you’ll be able to take advantage of a real estate boom that’s set to continue for many years to come.

Let’s look at why buying a property in Costa Rica is such a good investment:
Property Prices in Costa Rica are rising
Investors that purchased a $30,000 property 15 years ago, now find that their property is worth as much as $750,000.

Another example of the Costa Rica property boom is the Marriot Corporation, which built the Los Suenos Resort, pre selling fifty condominiums of 2000 square feet for $250,000.
The following year, Marriot sold another fifty at $350,000. This year’s upper end units are being sold for as much as $450,000 to $850,000!
The biggest change in property in Costa Rica during the past decade is that prices have dramatically increased as Costa Rica has attracted more foreign buyers - and prices have doubled, or tripled, from 10 years ago.

Property in Costa Rica is Inexpensive
Despite these huge property price rises, Costa Rican real estate is still cheap compared to countries such as the US. A lovely three bedroom property can be purchased for as little as $60,000, and prices for beachfront properties cost up to 75% less than in US states such as Florida and Arizona.

Property prices in Costa Rica will continue to increase in value over the coming years, but there’s another way to ensure that your properties value exceeds what is already an excellent average growth rate - and here we need to look at location:
The Importance of Location
When buying property in Costa Rica, you need to look at the infrastructure - which can improve an area’s value.

Here are examples of three infrastructure changes that will increase property prices in adjacent areas:
A New Freeway: Scheduled to be completed shortly, which will link the largest metropolitan cities to the Pacific Coast, thereby generating an increased flow of traffic and fueling buying interest in adjacent areas.

A New Marina: The largest marina in Costa Rica,is due to be completed soon in the Town of Quepos.
A New Airport: A new international airport is planned for the town of Orotina in the near future.
When buying property in Costa Rica, being in ahead of the crowd - before an important part of the infrastructure is completed, will enable perceptive buyers to take advantage of price rises after the infrastructure is completed.
If you’re buying property in Costa Rica, (or anywhere else for that matter) then you need to consider location before buying.

Buying Property is Easy
Where else in the world can foreigners come to a country which has a stable democracy, no military, a government that encourages investors with no restrictions, and where foreigners are entitled to the same ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens?
Throw in low costs and no capital gains tax, and its no wonder foreign buyers are looking at Costa Rica. Buying property is Costa Rica is easy - and that’s one of the major attractions.
A Demand Driven Market
Buying property in Costa Rica will continue to be a sound investment, as foreign buyers look for an affordable place to live with a great lifestyle.

Costa Rica is beautiful, and has a great climate with no weather extremes, a low cost of living, no serious crime and an infrastructure that is on par with many industrialized nations.
Buying property in Costa Rica offers a slice of paradise at a cost anyone can afford - and as more buyers invest, prices will rise.

Big Rewards for Savvy Investors!
We’re still at the start of a boom in property prices in Costa Rica, and now’s an ideal time to get in on the action. Buying property in Costa Rica is a solid investment, which looks set to reward savvy investors with great capital gains in the near future.
Buying property in Costa Rica can change your financial future, and if you’re thinking of investing in property, there is no better market to get involved in.

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Swedish Real Estate Could Be the Key

What is the fourth largest property market in Europe? Would it shock you to learn that it is also the home of Ikea, and Saab? Sweden, is the fourth largest land mass in Europe, and has a population of nine million. Britain, by comparison is home to about 59 million people who live in an area half the size of Sweden. Sweden is commonly perceived as being expensive and cold. It's true the cost of living in Sweden is higher than Britain; but property prices are lower, and its actually hotter in the summer than the UK, and not nearly as wet in winter.
Sweden is a member of the EU, although like Britain it has not adopted the euro as its currency, Sweden's GDP per capita is approximately 15% above the EU25 average, placing it well within the 10 wealthiest nations in Europe. The cost of living is high by UK standards, but property prices are surprisingly low with country cottages priced from €40,000 (£27,500) and villas from €100,000 (£69,000).

Gothenburg, on the west coast, is a major port and industrial centre. It's also home to a world-class opera house, and has a lively down town area. Malmo, on the south coast, arguably has the greatest economic potential of all Sweden's cities following the completion of a 16 kilometre-long bridge and tunnel linking it to Copenhagen, Denmark, where workers are choosing to work in in Copenhagen, and live in Malmo where house prices are cheaper. The disparity between house prices in Sweden and its neighboring countries is due to the Swedes – typically preferring to rent rather than buy property as supply and demand for tenanted occupation is one of the most favorable anywhere in the world. In Stockholm people often stay on housing lists for five years before finding something suitable. The downside is that the rental market is over-regulated, and rents have been kept artificially low. Vast numbers of properties are now being sold to the private sector therefore rents in the cities should rise fast. Depending on your finance arrangements, you may wish to hire an independent surveyor, which is common practice in Sweden. You are not obliged to have a solicitor but it is strongly recommended you do so when buying a property overseas. Once the transaction is completed, it is the buyer's responsibility to apply for deeds of title within three months of the sale transfer and submit them for registration.

In practice, your solicitor will do this on your behalf. Expect to pay 1-4% in solicitor's fees. Stamp duty is charged on registration of the title deeds at approximately 1% of the purchase price. Property tax is payable at an annual rate of around 1.5% of the property's regularly assessed value at 75% and will be charged on tax registered foreign ownership. Newly built homes or renovated homes are exempt from property tax for the first five years with the next five years at a 50% reduction.

Another popular method of property ownership/investment within the Scandinavian region is syndicated property ownership. These are typically set up as limited companies registered with the equivalent of companies house in the appropriate country. The single purpose of the registered business is to purchase, manage tenants, collect rental income, and sell the property, at the end of the investment term – and make all the necessary returns to all the investors involved. Returns from rental income are typically paid back to investors during the investment term either; quarterly or annually, and any capital appreciation of the property is paid in a lump sum at the end of the investment period.

Nicholas Marr is a lifetime property investor and CEO of Marr International Ltd a UK based property marketing company that is responsible for one of the worlds leading overseas property web sites at http://www.homesgofast.com/home/Sweden/

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Overseas Investment Property - How to Make Big Gains with Low Risk

you want to make money from overseas investment property you need to keep one major factor in mind when doing so – most overseas investors don’t and get burned.
If however you can learn to avoid this common mistake, then you can make huge gains – overseas property can be cheap and have huge profit potential for the savvy investor if they play it safe.

The risk of emerging markets
Each week it seems there is a new property investment destination to look at that could give you huge gains.
The problem here is with the word “could” - most new destinations simply don’t emerge.
Sure, you hear about the people who became millionaires by being in first, but their small minority.
If you want to be a pioneer go ahead, you could get rich but remember most of the pioneers got arrows!
Buy an established trend.

You will hear this phrase a lot in the stock market and its true, a trend in motion is more likely to continue than reverse.

It’s the same in buying overseas investment property.
Once a market has taken off, it will continue for years or decades, as most people buying or living overseas want to be surrounded by the comforts of home and people who they can relate to.

When the market develops it becomes more popular, as the infrastructure expands to provide what is in effect a home from home.

Central America
Consider the favourite country for US investors Costa Rica.
The growth that has been seen in Costa Rica in the last 15 years has been stunning.
For example, a $30,000 property bought just 15 years ago near the popular town of Jaco is worth as much as $800,000 today.

In fact property prices have increased by 300% in the last 10 years.
Costa Rica remains popular as it has the best infrastructure and home comforts for Americans and cheap affordable beach front property at up to 80% less than in the US and its only a short flight away, so the odds of the trend continuing are high.

30% + gains or more are still be made by investors with low downside risk.
Now you can get the property cheaper in say Nicaragua, but it’s poorer, lacks the infrastructure and involves more risk.

If you want to be surrounded by street children and poverty it’s great – but Costa Rica is the safer bet.
Its property boom has been running longer, the trend is up and infrastructure makes Americans and other foreign nationals feel comfortable.

With beachfront property still great value, the baby boomer generation retiring and the opportunity to make a rental income as well as great capital gains and you have the recipe for further great gains in the years ahead.

The lesson in overseas property investment is
Trade established trends you can make great gains with low risk.
Everyone wants to be in first and make a killing, but more often than not this leads to financial disaster.

In most cases tomorrow’s property investment “hot spot” soon becomes yesterdays and is forgotten by everyone, except those who have lost money.

If you want big gains trade the trend and get bigger profits with low risk.
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For more info on all aspects of Costa Rica investment property visit our website for a huge resource of articles, features and downloads and at http://www.net-planet.org/index.html

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The Best (& Most Expensive) Home In The World

France Property Market 2007

A leading market economist has said that France is set to become the ideal place for savvy investors to buy property, it has been reported.

Jean Luc Brouillet, managing director of one of France's leading banks, told news provider Functionpix that country is the "new destination for long term European growth".
He added that this year has seen the most significant jump in terms of foreign property investment in France.

Land and property purchases in France
But why are so many Brits choosing their nearest neighbor as the best place to purchase a holiday home or to retire to?
Mr Brouillet explained that the main reason is because France offers "an amazing quality of life, coupled with traditional family values and a strong market economy".

He added that factors such as the country's close proximity to Britain, cheap property prices and affordable services were also encouraging investors to the market.

"Towns and villages around the Upper Normandy Seine Valley have proved very popular with British buyers due to it's proximity to ports such as Le Havre, Dieppe and airports at Rouen," he said.

Guides to investment in France
According to Functionpix, those who choose French buy to let mortgages are almost guaranteed a return of at least 22 per cent a year across most regions in France.
Some regions such as Normandy are particularly profitable for investment and can fetch more than a 30 per cent increase.

With interest rates in the UK on the rise and tourists preparing to flood into France during the summer months, now certainly looks set to be a good time to buy for the first time property investor.
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