24. May 2011 by Michael McFarlane.

A couple of posts back we discussed some of the changes technology has made in the real estate business.  The last article focused on how a potential home buyer finds their home.  Those very changes have also changed the way we do business.

On the buyer’s side, as a real estate agent, and more specifically a Realtor® (not all agents are!), our job still includes helping you find your home by pointing you to the right information and helping you make sense of all that information.  But that is just the beginning.

From the seller’s side, we are familiar with the market.  We know how to present your home so interested buyers will look at it.  We know how to protect your investment by protecting YOU!  We have the connections and experience to put together a transaction, and the ability to see it through to completion.

Although you should consult a lawyer for legal advise, or a financial professional for financial advise, we are very familiar with these fields with respect to real estate.  We can often point you in the right direction with the necessary questions to a situation; one that you may not even have known existed. 

Perhaps you have heard the term Real Estate BROKER?  It refers to the fact that we don’t make the deal, or even participate in it.  What we do is round up all the parts and help you tie it all together.  In today’s complex transactions that is a lot of parts; a lot of different specialists each needing to do their part in a timely manner. 

Did you know that most FSBO (For Sale by Owner) transactions FAIL?  The reason for that failure rate?  85% of failed FSBO transactions fail due to the high stress level created in trying to keep every aspect of the transaction on track.  The stress is so high that the interested parties end up at ends with each other, or are otherwise unable to things accomplished within the time frame required.

Questions about YOUR best action? Contact us today for your free, no obligation consultation.

For ALL your real estate related needs and/or questions call ((530 315-2808) or visit us8 on line at EncoreRES.com or any of the links below. Please note: all visits to our sites are secure AND confidential. We do NOT track your activity!

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Posted in Buying a Home, Selling Your Home | No Comments »

17. May 2011 by Michael McFarlane.

It is an all-too-common problem today.  A buyer would like to purchase your home but they can’t get a loan through the conventional avenues.  Maybe a temporary job loss or reduction has put them behind in payments.  Or even worse (from the bank’s point of view) they were recently foreclosed upon.

But you know these people.  They are not flakes!  How do you get them into the home you are selling if the banks won’t finance them?  It is called “owner financing”!  This is not a new concept, in fact it is how I purchased my first home.  This alternative method of financing is gaining in popularity again.

It is not without risk, and is not for the faint of heart.  However, if you are in the position to manage it, or even if the position you are about to be in dictates you do it, it can work very well.  Is it for everyone?  NO!  Every buyer?  NO!  Every seller?  Again, no.  But there are cases where it works well for both sides.

According to Realtors® Property Resource 52,991 homeswere financed with some sort of owner financing last year.  That’s up 56% from previous years, and 1.5% of all home sales in the U.S. for 2010! 

$ read more: San Francisco Chronicle ð

Is this for you?  Questions about YOUR best action?  Contact us today for your free, no obligation consultation.

For ALL your real estate related needs and/or questions call ((530 315-2808) or visit us8 on line at EncoreRES.com or any of the links below. Please note: all visits to our sites are secure AND confidential. We do NOT track your activity!

Subscribe to Listings Updates              Free Home Warranty

      Search the MLS          Over the Back Fence

Home Rescue Group                Free Home Market Analysis

              Yuba-Sutter Real Estate Today

Posted in Finance | 1 Comment »

12. May 2011 by Michael McFarlane.

There’s no doubt about it, technology has changed our lives.  Real estate has felt that change as well; maybe even more than many industries.  We have the ability to get much more information to our clients, and it can be done in a more cost effective manner.

In the Olden Days a client relied almost totally on an agent for information.  What homes are for sale?  What homes fit your price range and criteria?  In fact, what is your price range?  What is the neighborhood like?  What school district is a home in?  Yes, you could have found most of this on your own given enough time, but you were busy at your job.  You needed someone who could spend the time getting this information during regular business hours.

Today much of this information is just a few mouse clicks away!  And it can be done at whatever time is convenient for you.  So what do you need an agent for?  For one, allowing you to continue with your life while this information is gathered for you and presented in a meaningful format.  Secondly, do you know all the important questions to ask?  Your agent should.

Do you remember the time before the MLS?  To purchase a home you went to an office (often starting with a big name company) and an agent showed you what their company had for sale.  Or if you saw a yard sign you called the office/agent listed on the sign.  If you liked what you saw you purchased from that agent.  That agent would send you to their favorite lender to arrange your loan.  Just like buying a bar of soap, you pretty much accepted the terms handed you, or you walked.

Pick your own agent, someone you are comfortable working with and trust?  No way!  In fact, the buyer’s agent is a relatively new concept.  And it is totally to your benefit!  YOU pick the agent you want to work with.  This agent now represents YOU; not the home owner or their agent/office; YOU!

A good buyer’s agent will get to know YOU!  They will strive to understand your needs and desires.  This agent can then narrow the huge and confusing list of available properties down to only what fits you.  All that information we discussed earlier?  Your buyer’s agent can hand you that for each property you are interested in!  He/she will also know the right questions to ask and of whom to ask them.  And remember, this agent represents YOU!

What is a fair price?  Are neighborhood prices going up?  Are your needs short term or long term?  A good agent will know that this can make a huge difference in what is important to you.  If you plan to move within 5 years the short term neighborhood appreciation might be much more meaningful to you than long term.  It can also make a difference on the type of financing that will best benefit you.  These are all things a good buyer’s agent will consider because he/she represents YOU.

Check back for segment two.  We would love to hear your thoughts.  Please leave your comments in the box below, or you can email (:) or call (( 530 315-2808) us directly. 

Questions about YOUR best action? Contact us today for your free, no obligation consultation. And, as always, consult your legal advisor for legal advise.

For ALL your real estate related needs and/or questions call ((530 315-2808) or visit us8 on line at EncoreRES.com or any of the links below. Please note: all visits to our sites are secure AND confidential. We do NOT track your activity!

Subscribe to Listings Updates                       Free Home Warranty

Search the MLS                                  Over the Back Fence

Home Rescue Group                         Free Home Market Analysis

Yuba-Sutter Real Estate Today

Posted in Real Estate Market | 1 Comment »

3. May 2011 by Michael McFarlane.

Let me preface this post by reminding everyone I am not a lawyer.  However, my business forces me to deal with legal issues on a regular basis.  In order to serve my clients, I must keep abreast of the legal issues involved.  My final advice is always “consult an attorney specializing in the field of your question”.

That said, one of the issues we have heard discussed lately is the attempt to limit liability, by contractors specifically.  Like so many things in the legal arena, there is a lot of gray area here.  What are the limits, and to what do they apply?  Are they fractional (a portion or multiple of the amount paid), or are they absolute (at set dollar amount)?

Our experience has been that damages as a direct result of intentional wrong-doing or negligent actions are not limit-able by contract.  Damages caused by or in the course of committing an illegal act are also excluded from limitation by contract, and may even be cause for legal action.  We also believe that one can not sign away one’s constitutional or legal rights.

To see some specific examples please read the Q&A below by Janet Portman. 

$ read Q&A by Janet Portman  ð

Questions about YOUR best action? Contact us today for your free, no obligation consultation.  And, as always, consult your legal advisor for legal advise.

For ALL your real estate related needs and/or questions call ((530 315-2808) or visit us8 on line at EncoreRES.com or any of the links below. Please note: all visits to our sites are secure AND confidential. We do NOT track your activity!

Subscribe to Listings Updates             Free Home Warranty

Search the MLS           Over the Back Fence

Home Rescue Group                    Free Home Market Analysis

Yuba-Sutter Real Estate Today

Posted in Home Maintenance, Home Improvement | 1 Comment »