How you conduct yourself will largely determine your credibility. Are you confident, knowledgeable, and straightforward in your conversations? Do you have a good idea of what you want and what you like about a particular property? These things are important, but not deadly if you do not have them.
You should invest in some business cards, even if they are the kind you print yourself on specialized office supply store paper. Without the card, someone will probably lose your contact information after they write it on a scrap of paper. It is a little thing, but business cards say that you are in business - that you are serious about your investing.
Often, a seller will reduce his or her price if the seller's agent will reduce his or commission. In a typical transaction for US Dollars 100,000 and a 6% commission, the listing broker will make US Dollars 6,000 and the seller will net US Dollars 94,000. The listing agent will almost always agree to split that commission equally with another broker if the other broker brings the buyer to the closing table. As a result, on this transaction the listing broker will make US Dollars 3,000 and the selling broker will make US Dollars 3,000.
The listing broker may be willing to reduce his or her commission to only 3% if he or she does not have to split it with anyone else. Your offer could then say, "I offer to pay US Dollars 97,000 purchase price, with the listing agent to receive US Dollars 3,000 and no selling agent involved." The listing agent receives the same fee he or she would if you had an agent. The seller receives the same net amount he or she would otherwise. You save US Dollars 3,000. Everyone is happy.
When you are fairly comfortable that conversations and negotiations have given you enough information to make an offer, you should put it in writing. This allows you time to think about all the things besides price that should be included in your offer. It avoids misunderstandings because the other party can always refer back to your written offer instead of his or her perhaps faulty memory. In most states, real estate agents are required to submit written offers to their clients immediately, but may sit on verbal offers until something better comes in.
Finally, a written offer requires only the seller's signature to make it a binding contract. That efficiency is usually important to all parties. Ask real estate agents and lawyers if they will share with you any offer forms they have. Look on the Internet, and in forms books and office supply stores. While it is a lot of reading, you want to start building a checklist of things that should be in your own, personalized offers. Remember that investment properties are normally going to require more agreed-upon items than a typical home sale.
If you sign a purchase contract in your own name, you might want the closing in the name of a corporation, partnership, or something similar. For investments over a certain size, many lenders will require you to set up a special single asset entity to hold title to the real estate. Or, someone might offer you a healthy profit just to flip the property before you even close!
Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article. Webworldarticles.com is a free articles resource thus practically any visitor can submit an article. However if you notice any copyrighted material, please contact us and we will remove the article(s) in discussion right away.
This article was sent to us by:
Brian S. Kelley at
07042010
1. Cancun Real Estate Investing
All articles in this directory are property of their respective authors. Additionally, read our Privacy Policy
© 2010 WebWorldarticles.com - All Rights Reserved.