Friday, June 8, 2012
4 ways to curb rising insurance costs
NEW YORK – June 8, 2012 – Homeowners’ insurance premiums have been on the rise lately with many homeowners seeing double-digit hikes and a rise in average annual premiums now over $1,000. Real estate professionals can help show their clients how they may be able to curb their homeowners’ insurance costs.
A recent article at Money Magazine offers the following tips:
Shop around. “If your rates rose 5 percent or more (in the last year), make sure to call the company for an explanation,” the article says. “Knowing whether the increase resulted from changes in your risk profile or from broad-based increases in the marketplace will help you negotiate and comparison-shop – which you should do at every renewal or at least every couple of years.”
Look for discounts. Bundling your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company could possibly save you up to 15 percent, for example. Insurers will also usually give a discount if you install a security system, storm shutters or new roof.
Evaluate the deductible. Most experts advise homeowners to go for the highest deductible they can afford in order to lower their premiums. But be sure to note that “many insurers are retooling deductibles from set dollar amounts to percentages, which can often represent a substantial change,” Money Magazine notes.
Base your coverage on the right number. Base your level on the recent per-square-foot replacement costs in your area, not on the home’s appraised value, says Kevin McCarty, president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. To obtain that information, check with the local homebuilders association.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Buffett: ‘I’d buy up a couple hundred thousand’ homes
WICHITA, Kan. – March 1, 2012 – Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO, said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” recently that he’d “buy up a couple hundred thousand” single-family homes if it was practical.
Buffett said that’s because he believes purchasing a home with ultra-low mortgage rates and holding it for the long-term has become a better investment than stocks right now.
“Housing will come back, you can be sure of that,” Buffett wrote in his annual letter to shareholders recently.
Buffett forecasts an increase in household formations, as more people who moved in with their parents or family members during the recession look to move out and get their own home soon.
“People may postpone hitching up during uncertain times, but eventually hormones take over. And while ‘doubling-up” may be the initial reaction of some during a recession, living with in-laws can quickly lose its allure,” Buffett said.
Buffett said the recovery in the housing market could vary quite a bit among local housing markets, however. He did not provide a timeline of when he expected a full housing recovery, admitting that his prediction last year that a housing recovery will take shape within the year turned out to be “dead wrong.”
Source: “Housing Market Forecast Beyond 2012 From Warren Buffet,” International Business Times (Feb. 28, 2012) and “Warren Buffet on CNBC: I’d Buy Up ‘A Couple Hundred Thousand’ Single-Family Homes If I Could,” CNBC (Feb. 27, 2012)
Buffett said that’s because he believes purchasing a home with ultra-low mortgage rates and holding it for the long-term has become a better investment than stocks right now.
“Housing will come back, you can be sure of that,” Buffett wrote in his annual letter to shareholders recently.
Buffett forecasts an increase in household formations, as more people who moved in with their parents or family members during the recession look to move out and get their own home soon.
“People may postpone hitching up during uncertain times, but eventually hormones take over. And while ‘doubling-up” may be the initial reaction of some during a recession, living with in-laws can quickly lose its allure,” Buffett said.
Buffett said the recovery in the housing market could vary quite a bit among local housing markets, however. He did not provide a timeline of when he expected a full housing recovery, admitting that his prediction last year that a housing recovery will take shape within the year turned out to be “dead wrong.”
Source: “Housing Market Forecast Beyond 2012 From Warren Buffet,” International Business Times (Feb. 28, 2012) and “Warren Buffet on CNBC: I’d Buy Up ‘A Couple Hundred Thousand’ Single-Family Homes If I Could,” CNBC (Feb. 27, 2012)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Selling a rented home can pose challenges
NORTH BETHESDA, Md. – Jan. 25, 2012 – Some homeowners turned into reluctant landlords and rented out their homes to earn extra income while the housing market was sluggish. But now some of these homeowners are ready to sell.
However, real estate agents often caution clients that trying to sell a home when a tenant still lives there can be tricky since many renters – who have no financial stake in the matter – aren’t always so eager to help market a home and keep it tidy and neat on their landlord’s behalf.
Nevertheless, “it’s pretty common in this market to be selling a home with a tenant in it,” Chris Hager, a real estate professional with Long & Foster Real Estate in North Bethesda, Md., told the Washington Times. “There are lots of reluctant landlords out there who opted to rent their property rather than sell it, and now they want to put it on the market. There’s the potential for conflict between the tenant and the landlord, especially if it was not made clear to the tenant from the beginning that the owners wanted to sell.”
Landlords should make a point to clearly communicate their intentions to sell, and not “sneak” the house on the market without telling the tenants first, real estate professionals say.
Landlords might want to offer a concession on the rent to tenants in exchange for them keeping the home in clean, good condition while it’s on the market – such as 10 percent off each month’s rent while it’s on the market. But be sure to communicate expectations for cleanliness, such as keeping the dishes out of the sink and making the bed. Experts also suggest setting established hours for showing the property to make it easier on the tenant.
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so it is particularly important to have the place in strong showing shape on the first and second weekends on the market,” says Nick Pasquini, broker-owner of Century 21 Redwood Realty in Washington, D.C., and Arlington and Ashburn, Va.
However, real estate agents often caution clients that trying to sell a home when a tenant still lives there can be tricky since many renters – who have no financial stake in the matter – aren’t always so eager to help market a home and keep it tidy and neat on their landlord’s behalf.
Nevertheless, “it’s pretty common in this market to be selling a home with a tenant in it,” Chris Hager, a real estate professional with Long & Foster Real Estate in North Bethesda, Md., told the Washington Times. “There are lots of reluctant landlords out there who opted to rent their property rather than sell it, and now they want to put it on the market. There’s the potential for conflict between the tenant and the landlord, especially if it was not made clear to the tenant from the beginning that the owners wanted to sell.”
Landlords should make a point to clearly communicate their intentions to sell, and not “sneak” the house on the market without telling the tenants first, real estate professionals say.
Landlords might want to offer a concession on the rent to tenants in exchange for them keeping the home in clean, good condition while it’s on the market – such as 10 percent off each month’s rent while it’s on the market. But be sure to communicate expectations for cleanliness, such as keeping the dishes out of the sink and making the bed. Experts also suggest setting established hours for showing the property to make it easier on the tenant.
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so it is particularly important to have the place in strong showing shape on the first and second weekends on the market,” says Nick Pasquini, broker-owner of Century 21 Redwood Realty in Washington, D.C., and Arlington and Ashburn, Va.
Friday, January 20, 2012
3 ways to sell a home that’s not selling
NEW YORK – Jan. 20, 2012 – Surveys suggest that a high number of real estate deals are falling apart due to financing issues, and today’s sellers might need to get creative if they want their property to sell. Options to consider:
• Sellers could back a second mortgage for the buyer at an amount that enables the buyer to meet the lender’s downpayment requirements, providing the lender agrees.
• Sell the home “subject to the existing mortgage,” which means the buyers take over the sellers’ existing mortgage payments for a specified time, after which time they must obtain a new loan. This arrangement relieves sellers of their mortgage debt and helps buyers with credit scores too low secure a traditional loan. And while it forces buyers to get a mortgage as specified in the contract, experts say banks will not foreclose if payments are made on time.
• Sellers willing to finance the sale can unload properties for a low downpayment by adding a sweat equity clause to the contract, which requires the buyers to bring the home into tip-top shape. The renovation details are written into the contract, and buyers must complete the repairs by the agreed-upon date to qualify for long-term seller financing.
Source: RealtyBizNews (01/16/2012) Robinson, Donna
© Copyright 2012 INFORMATION, INC. Bethesda, MD (301) 215-4688
Related Topics: Seller services
• Sellers could back a second mortgage for the buyer at an amount that enables the buyer to meet the lender’s downpayment requirements, providing the lender agrees.
• Sell the home “subject to the existing mortgage,” which means the buyers take over the sellers’ existing mortgage payments for a specified time, after which time they must obtain a new loan. This arrangement relieves sellers of their mortgage debt and helps buyers with credit scores too low secure a traditional loan. And while it forces buyers to get a mortgage as specified in the contract, experts say banks will not foreclose if payments are made on time.
• Sellers willing to finance the sale can unload properties for a low downpayment by adding a sweat equity clause to the contract, which requires the buyers to bring the home into tip-top shape. The renovation details are written into the contract, and buyers must complete the repairs by the agreed-upon date to qualify for long-term seller financing.
Source: RealtyBizNews (01/16/2012) Robinson, Donna
© Copyright 2012 INFORMATION, INC. Bethesda, MD (301) 215-4688
Related Topics: Seller services
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