How to Sell Your Real Estate Note

Author: Tracey McKeown
Source: ezinearticles.com

This simple guide to selling your property has been split into 5 steps, the five ‘P’s of private selling.

1. Prepare
2. Price
3. Publicize
4. Paperwork
5. Prospects

Step 1- Prepare

Preparation with anything you sell is important, especially in real estate as your house only gets one first impression.

Have a good look at your property; walk by as a potential buyer. Does the house and yard look inviting? Ask your friends for their honest opinion as to what would improve the saleability of your house.

De-clutter, a cluttered house can make a space look smaller than it actually is. Mementos and collectibles that are special to you won’t mean anything to prospective buyers, so pack them ready to move. Excess furniture and goods not needed either store elsewhere or have a garage sale or donate to a charity.

Clean, clean and clean. This is just as important to the outside as it is the inside. So mow the lawns, prune trees and shrubs and even plant out the garden with plenty of colour.

Repair and refresh. Over time your house may need a few touch-ups and repairs. It’s amazing how a coat of paint can transform an old house into a show piece.

Flick through the pages of designer and display home books. These people are professionals and know how to present houses for sale.

A picture can say a thousand words, so take your time taking photos of your property to use when marketing your house. Take heaps of photos with your digital camera, different angles, lighting and then choose the best. If you aren’t able to capture your house as you would like, even spend a little and have a professional take the photos for you.

Step 2 – Price

When pricing your house for sale there is the price that your property is worth, the price you want and the price you are willing to take. The last two you decide but what your property is worth might take a little research.

There are a few options when determining what your property is worth, the most effective way is to enlist the services of a valuer. They charge around $500 and will let you know what your house is actually worth.

Real estate agents will give you a free appraisal, however bear in mind that this is a sales ploy so the price is generally just above market price and they are skilled at pressure sign-ups. So this may cost you more money in the long-term.

Research, have an unbiased look at what similar properties in your area are being listed and sold for, this will give you a good indication of what price your property will sell for.

Don’t forget buyers will generally wish to negotiate a lower price so allow for this when pricing your house. You can always decrease the price of your place but careful not to excessively over inflate the price and scare off potential buyers.

3. Paper-work

This is by far the most daunting thing when people think of selling privately but can be the easiest. When selling either privately or through an agent, solicitors or conveyancers are employed to do this job.

In most sales conveyancers are used and they complete all the paperwork, handle the transfer of funds and even do the transfer on settlement day. All you have to do is find the buyer and let them know your terms and they take care of the rest.

Conveyancer’s fee starts at around $600 and this fee can generally be taken out of the sale funds.

When you start advertising your property, find a conveyancer and let them know that you will require their services, that way if a potential buyer is interested they can start the process while the buyer is keen.

4. Publicize

To sell your property you have to let people know that it is for sale.

A ‘for sale’ sign is by far one of the most effective sales tools when it comes to selling your property. It allows people to see your house is on the market, directs them to which website it’s listed (or your contact details) and makes your property easier to find to those interested (much easier than looking for a house number)

Approx 2/3rds of people have internet on at home (not to mention those who research through work computes) so it pays to advertise over the internet to reach these people. Websites allow you multiple photos as well as a property description.

When choosing a website to list your property, you need to look at your budget and exposure. Some real estate private sales sites allow you to list on multiple websites and include signboards in their packages.

If your budget allows newspaper advertising and pamphlet drops can also increase your exposure. Pamphlets may be professionally designed or simply completed on your home computer. Make sure you do include a photo of the property and how to find the property online and/or contact details.

5. Prospects

Prospects are your potential buyers and will be those phoning you to look through your house.

If possible have your mobile phone as a contact number and carry it with you switched on. Some people don’t like to leave messages on answering services. If they do leave a message return it as soon as possible, strike before they look at multiple houses.

Always be professional in your manner either over the phone or in person, make them feel confident in dealing with you.

A lot of buyers won’t be familiar with buying real estate from a private seller so you may need to explain that the process is the same, both their and your conveyancers will deal with the legal and paper work, they just deal direct with you when it comes to saying yes to the purchase.

Make sure times that they come to view the house it is also clean and tidy. Eliminate odors with air fresheners and open curtains to let in natural light. Add that extra touch with fresh flowers and the smell of brewed coffee.

When the potential buyer says “yes”, phone your conveyancer and they will start the paperwork to complete your sale. Most settlements take a minimum of 30 days to go through and you will liaise with your conveyancer throughout the process.

I wish you all the luck in selling your property and hope these steps have taken some of the confusion out of selling privately.

Real Estate Listed
Increase your properties exposure online.
http://www.realestatelisted.com.au

Author: Lance Winslow
Source: articleage.com

Would it be wise for a real estate investment club to invest in carwashes securing their investment with carwash assets and real property? Could the revenue stream model of an average fixed site carwash, perhaps a new robotic high tech touch-less carwash, support such an investment? Many a real estate investor has thought here. Indeed even McDonalds is for the most part a real estate company, owning all their own properties right? So it stands to reason that a real estate investment club would ponder buying carwash properties.
Indeed this is being done, however not on a huge scale, but it could be done on a giant scale like McDonalds. Those investing should realize that the car wash equipment is not worth anything once it is used? And the Real estate if it was considered a separate investment and leased to the carwash might be a better long-term play. Two investment groups working together, could make this happen. Kind of like two-divisions of McDonalds, one specializes in the real estate the other make hamburgers and run a franchising company training at Hamburger University. If carwash does not work out, put self-storage on it, after all Public Storages strategy has made them an incredible success.
When the real estate appreciates and is worthy of the investment of a bunch of town homes, a Starbucks or McDonalds, scrape the property, move equipment re-set it up at another best guess for future appreciation location? We must also not forget too the seasonality of car washing and therefore the need to average over 1-2 year period, there are some issues with what you propose, so if the real estate investment club is not flush with cash flow, it could be problematic in slow months. Many a real estate investment club will go hog wild and buy more properties without regards to the absolute need for liquidity and cash flow. Cash flow after all is king and every thing else is BS and should walk.
There are perhaps better types of businesses for such a Real Estate model, however if done correctly, car washes could potentially be a worthy choice. There are a lot of things, which go on in a carwash business. In our country we do not have issues borrowing for equipment, fairly easy to get done thru vendors, so if a Real Estate Investment Club were to do this they may need to run the carwashes themselves in a separate division, as there may not be so many entrepreneurs so ready to sign up. Although the franchise model could also work as it has for McDonalds you see?
A real savvy group of billionaires or the Lloyds of London type group could use this strategy to rock the market and become the McDonalds or Starbucks of carwashes and there is definitely a demand for carwashes. This nation could take another 50,000 carwashes done correctly, convert all the competitors into units under one name and own this market. Sound like a plan? Think on it.
“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Author: Real Estate Pros
Source: articledashboard.com

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

University City is situated in central San Diego County next to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). There are approximately 36, 103 residents in this Zip code (92122) and 16,832 households. The median age of residents is 33.93 years.

TEMPERATURE

The temperature in University City is relatively moderate. The warmest time of year occurs in August during which temperatures reach an average high of 72?F. The coldest time of year occurs in December with average temperatures falling to 56? F.

HOME AND REAL ESTATE PRICES

The housing options in University City include single-family homes and properties, condominiums, townhouses, and apartments. The price of housing is as follows:

? One bedroom townhouse/condominium start in the high $100,000s.
? Two bedroom townhouse/condominium start in the low $300,000s.
? Three bedroom townhouse/condominium start in the low $400,000s.
? Two bedroom single-family homes start in the mid $500,000s.
? Three bedroom single-family homes start in the high $500,000s.
? Four bedroom single-family homes start in the mid $700,000s.

REAL ESTATE MARKET TRENDS

As with most products and services in the United States, price shifts in the real estate industry are subject to the forces of supply and demand. Whether it’s a buyers market or a seller’s market, it is useful to evaluate home sales data for the most recent month available (June 2006), compared against the same period in the previous year (June 2005).

The median price of single-family homes jumped from $705,000 in June 2005 to $780,000 in June 2006, which represents a 10.6% increase. Fewer homes sold in June 2006 (5 homes) than in June 2005 (19 homes). The average time to sell a home increased from 28 days in June 2005 to 41 days in June 2006. The ratio between the asking price to the sales price decreased slightly over the past 12 months. Sellers obtained 97% of their asking price in June 2005, and 96.6% of their asking price in June 2006.

The median price of condominiums and townhomes dropped from $450,000 in June 2005 to $390,000 in June 2006, which represents a 13.3% decline. One more unit sold in June 2006 (27 units) than in June 2005 (26 units). The average time to sell a unit increased from 41 days in June 2005 to 54 days in June 2006. The ratio between the asking price to the sales price remained relatively stable over the past 12 months. Sellers obtained 96.6% of their asking price in June 2005, and 96.3% of their asking price in June 2006.

Homebuyers and home sellers should keep in mind that the data above is simply a snapshot in time. Therefore, the data must be evaluated over a longer duration to understand enduring market trends.

Author: Robert K. Lear
Source: articleage.com

Consider these parameters for a real estate deal:

Property Value: $250,000 Purchase Price: $160,000 Repairs: $2,500

If you analyze the numbers, you see that the equity available in
this deal is $87,500 (Property Value minus Purchase Price minus
Repairs).

So here’s a hypothetical question for you: Assuming that the
information above is accurate, and the property is located in an
area that you view as acceptable and/or favorable, then:

If I offered to give you this deal in exchange for $10,000 in
cash, would you do it?

Remember – this is hypothetical. The real question here is this:

Would you exchange $10,000 in cash for $87,500 in equity?

For most smart investors, the answer is: Absolutely YES!

And this is called “Wholesale Real Estate Investing” – the
process of buying a lot of equity at a very significant discount
from another real estate investor who has already done the hard
work of finding a deal and getting it under contract.

Just think about that – consider how easy real estate investing
would be for you if you had a network of real estate investors
in your area (and maybe all over the country) who, several times
each month, offered you the opportunity to purchase significant
amounts of equity for a severe discount…

…It would be quite easy to become wealthy, wouldn’t it?

The answer is: Yes, it will.

You’ve got to admit – it will be a pretty wonderful thing when
you know how to find great real estate deals in which you can
trade a small amount of cash for a large amount of equity
without even having to find the deal yourself…

…and that’s exactly what wholesale real estate investing is
all about.

Wholesale real estate investing is conceptually very simple.
Here’s how it works:

First, “Investor A” finds a great real estate deal with a lot of
equity. Typically, Investor A will have spent a significant
amount of time, money and expertise to find the deal, negotiate
the term and get the property under contract. By putting the
property under contract, Investor A now has control of the
property, and the equity in the property.

(For this example, imagine that Investor A has found a property
worth $200,000 and has set a purchase price of $115,000 and he
also knows that there are $15,000 in repairs, which leaves an
equity position of $70,000).

Second, “Investor A” finds another party, “Investor B”. Investor
B recognizes that the contract that Investor A has established
is worth $70,000 in equity, and so he strikes a deal with
Investor A to turn the deal over to Investor B in exchange for
some amount of cash (we’ll use the value of $12,000 in this
example).

So Investor A is giving up $70,000 in “potential” profit in
exchange for $12,000 in current profit. And Investor A is paying
$12,000 because he believes he can make more than that on the
deal, since there’s a full $70,000 of equity.

This deal between Investor A and Investor B is called an
“Assignment”, because Investor A is assigning the contract to
Investor B.

Third, Investor B does his “due diligence” to confirm that the
deal is as good as he thinks it is.

Finally, Investor B closes the purchase of the property, and
Investor “A” receives the assignment fee from Investor B.

This is, obviously, a simplification of the process. But this is
essentially how it works – not so difficult, is it?

Author: John Lester
Source: download

Real estate auctions online can be a great way to locate properties and homes at competitive prices. Before venturing into the world of online real estate auctions, there are some things you should know in order to protect your best interests.
Buying real estate can be risky because essentially, you’re agreeing to purchase something that you haven’t seen in person. The property could need repair that you are unaware of. There could be issues with the title or deed. You will not have the added security of being able to physically tour the property and make sure everything is as it should be. Although many people buy and sell real estate online, there are a wide variety of things that could go wrong that you should make sure you are aware of before ever placing a bid.
Most online real estate auctions work in one of several ways. Sometimes, the auction is for the full purchase price of the real estate being offered. Or, you could be bidding on the first payment of a lease or a downpayment on a property. Still other auctions are placed simply to showcase real estate that is for sale in another venue. Make sure you understand exactly what your bid will get you.
Good news for bidders, and potentially bad news for sellers is that real estate transactions performed via online auction are not legally binding. This means if you want to change your mind, you will have the option. The legal sale and purchase of the property will take place after the close of the auction.
Ebay is the most popular online auction site that offers real estate listings, but there are others that can be unearthed with a little research. Yahoo! Auctions is another site that contains real estate listings and while not quite as widely used as Ebay, can still be a viable choice.
Other options for purchasing real estate online is through bank auctions. Bank auctions are usually on foreclosed properties and can give you the opportunity to purchase real estate at a dramatically reduced price.
Government auctions are yet another option available in the real estate auctions world. Government auctions usually for seized properties which is why they are able to be sold at such an affordable price. Although it’s possible to locate these on your own, there are lists that you can purchase that will direct you to government auctions quickly and easily.
When you decide that buying real estate via online auction is something you want to do, it’s a good idea to do as much research on the subject as you can handle. Buying real estate is an involved and often costly process that should not be entered into lightly. However when done right, you can locate and purchase properties for personal use or investment purposes that can save or make you a lot of money!
Copyright ? by John Lester
Staff@worldwidereviews.com
John Lester is owner and publisher of the acclaimed

real estate auctions website Worldwidereviews.

A free online resource of seized properties, bank foreclosures

and Government homes available for up to 90% off market value.

Real Estate Auctions

http://moneyemployment.worldwidereviews.com/SeizedRealEstate-GovBankProperties.htm

Author: Jeffery Gomes
Source: ezinearticles.com

If you are a real estate investor and want to clinch a few lucrative deals, then you will have to evolve and put in place a sound investment marketing plan. If you are haphazardly advertising and running after some real estate investment deals in an unplanned way, you will not succeed in seeing big profits in the tricky real estate business.

You definitely need a real estate investment marketing plan to be continuously successful in the business. It is rather unfortunate that there are so many who enter investing but without ant marketing plans and sales projections. It is only a small percentage of real estate investors who have real estate investment marketing plan to achieve success.

The real estate investment marketing plan must be very specific with time-bound targets. Putting your marketing plan on paper will help you to review progress and apply necessary correctives when things go wrong. One of the advantages of having a marketing plan is that it will help you delegate to others less important work and create time for you to play a more productive role and concentrate on key result areas to help overall success of the business. Many professionals opine that when you have a investment marketing plan, you will notice the business goals are attained much faster.

Any successful professional in today’s computer age will have to fully exploit all advantages the Internet offers. Real estate investment plan must include web presence to reach a huge buying audience. There are several web designers to advise about what you need to do with a website, how to set it up, what type of content required to draw visitors and increase search engine results. There is also ample scope for augmenting business through online social networking sites.

Here are some useful tips that should form part of the real estate investment marketing plan:

1. Buy houses below full market value- taking pains to identify sellers who sell homes for less than the home’s full value. The successful investor learns how to spot financially distressed home owners who have no choice but to sell for less than market value. The reasons may be many – loss of employment, sudden transfer of job, marriage breaks-down and divorce, unforeseen emergency expenses etc.

2. There are other motivated sellers of real estate and you have to hunt for them! One real estate investment marketing plan that is simple and yet very effective – door to door sales. With door to door prospecting you will buy and sell more homes quicker than any other method.

3. After identifying a motivated seller, you must imaginatively frame offers that provide benefits for both you and for the home seller. A good investor quickly learns that there is a way impress on the motivated seller. The home owner is obviously in a tight spot and you can save him from a lot of embarrassment and, in most cases, give him at least a little cash to get a new start. You must use creative techniques like, leases, option and taking over mortgage payments.

4. You should be vigilant and watch out for public notices for the announcement of foreclosure sales. Meeting with a home owner right after they have received a notice, will provide you the opportunity to deal with a very motivated seller. Other public notices that provide buying opportunities include probate, divorce and bankruptcy. You can follow the Homes for Sale listings both in your local newspapers as well as the Internet site.

5. Never make a purchase hurriedly till you have carefully determined exactly how you will sell to realize the projected profits. If you plan holding it as a long term investment, calculate if the monthly rental income is enough to cover the monthly mortgage payment. Think over if you can do some renovation and sell the property for a much higher value.

The author is an expert for Real Estate Investment. He has written articles Real Estate Investor Websites. For information visit our site Basics of Real Estate Investing.

Author: J Harris
Source: articledashboard.com

During the past decade, many people have jumped into residential real estate investing. This was never so true as during the recent real estate boom. People read all the “get rich quick” schemes that litter the book shelves of libraries and book stores ? use other people’s money, use no money of your own, and make millions! A lot of people did make great sums of money during the most recent boom; but now those, who did not get out before the market cooled, are seeing those investments in foreclosure due to their inability to make the mortgage payments.

Just because the real estate market isn’t over the top, as in the past few years, does not mean you no longer can make money in residential real estate. The difference between now (post-boom) and during the market boom is that the “get rich quick” schemes will not work.

Do You Have What It Takes?
Investing in real estate is not for the faint hearted, the non-risk takers. It is for investors who are in it for the long haul, who can easily sit on their investment (if need be) until the market shifts in their favor. It also is for those who truly enjoy this type of investment. They are the ones who are the most successful in real estate investing.

You must be willing to invest time ? upfront and before each potential investment. If you do not take the time to research the properties and your target market, you probably will not be very successful. You also must gather knowledge on how to make a real estate deal that works in your favor. That requires educating yourself to understand the jargon and game rules. Today, it takes a careful, methodical approach to residential real estate investing, especially when acquiring your first property.

Besides needing time and money, being a risk taker, and being willing to commit to a long-term investment, if needed, there are five additional factors you must consider each time before you make an investment in residential real estate.

Supply and Demand ? Where Is the Current Market?
The economics of supply and demand is what makes the long-term investors successful in residential real estate. They are willing to weather the ups and downs of the real estate market, waiting for an advantageous market to sell their property.

Supply and demand is influenced by many economic factors, which in turn affects the residential real estate market. Well-located residential real estate will endure fluctuations in the market and continue to appreciate in value. Knowing your market means knowing when to buy or not to buy, which deals will work when, and when to sit on an investment or sell it.

Your Creativity
Another factor to consider is your own creativity in managing your investments. Residential real estate is one type of investment that allows for a lot of creativity:

? You may invest for the long term, renting the property to continue making a profit while waiting to sell at a more advantageous time. You can purchase a home to fix up and resell immediately for a profit.

? There are many financing options available for residential real estate, allowing for even more creativity. You also can invest on your own, with a group of partners, with a corporation, or even with a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT ? a mutual fund with real property assets or mortgage securities).

? There is an abundant variety of residential real estate types in which to invest ? single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, and duplexes.

The more creative you are in creating and managing your real estate investments, the more profitable and successful you will be.

Other People’s Money
A third factor is knowing how you can use other people’s money to your advantage without landing in foreclosure, as so many people now are who subscribed to the “get rich quick” schemes during the boom.

You can begin with only a few thousand dollars, using other people’s money to underwrite the remaining mortgage. You must know all the different ways available to finance your investment. This goes back to taking the time to educate yourself, before you begin investing, and creatively making the best use of financing.

Other People’s Time
Whether you are fixing up real estate to sell or renting it, it will take time, effort and management. If you already have a full-time job and a family, you probably cannot do it all yourself, and I doubt you wish to be woke up at 2 a.m. by a renter with a plugged toilet.

Using contractors to fix up the property or experienced property managers to handle your rental real estate makes for less profit in your pocket on your individual investment properties. However, it frees up your time to invest in more properties, making your overall profits much higher.

Your Tax Advantage
Residential real estate investing is quite unique. It offers you tax write-offs not available in other types of investments. There are many deductions available to you ? deducting the mortgage interest or refinancing without being taxed are just two examples. There are many benefits to real estate investing that reduce your tax liability and increase your profits.

If you believe residential real estate investing is for you, begin by learning more about it. There are thousands of books and resources on the topic. Stay away from anything that sounds too good to be true. It probably is, especially in today’s real estate market.

Author: Eliza Maledevic Ayson
Source: articledashboard.com

All of us want to have their very own home. Yes, it is the biggest purchase one can ever make, so it really takes a lot of planning to achieve such goal.

If you desire to find your dream home at Tampa real estate, you need to plan carefully to make sure that you will be having the best out of your money. You have to bear in mind that people who had the best out of their money are those who spent some time to do their homework. Those people made their researched and gave a lot of their time and effort. So in order for you to be like them, you have to plan and to your own homework.

Yes, you may have the money, but you need to think and do a lot of things before actually purchasing a home for you to make sure you’ll be having the perfect home you ever dreamed of. The first thing you need to do is to make lists of the things you need and want in a home. In doing the lists, you have to be reasonable enough, just think of the important and necessary things that you need, like how many bedrooms you need, how many bathrooms, do you need a big yard or a small yard will do. These are just few of the things that you need to think about in planning to purchase a home in Tampa real estate.

Next, you can think about the amenities that you need and will be pleasant enough to have in your very own home in Tampa real estate. But in thinking about amenities, you have to be reasonable as well, make sure that the amenities that come in your mind are affordable.

Working with a real estate agent is an option; it is really up to you if you want to. But as a first time buyer of a home in Tampa real estate, it would be wiser on your part to hire one. As a piece an advice, in hiring a real estate agent, you have give some of our time in order to find the best one that can help you out with your quest of finding the best home for you in Tampa real estate.

The perfect way to find the best real estate agent is by asking for recommendation from family and friends. Then try to contact at least three real estate agents and schedule them for interview. Just make sure to make separate schedules to avoid uncomfortable situations. Take time to interview each real estate agent. Make sure to choose the one that you will be comfortable to work with for few months.

Give the lists of the features you like in a home to the real estate agent that you hired. Then this real estate agent will go to Tampa real estate and look or homes that match your criteria. The real estate agent will give you limited lists of homes that suits your needs and wants. The real estate agent will make some schedules for you to visit few of the homes.

Now, in choosing a home in Tampa real estate, there are few factors that you need to consider. Like if you have kids, you have to look if the home is near the school. But you have to know that in Tampa, you do not have to worry about the education of your kids, because Tampa is known for having excellent schools and universities.

In choosing a home, distance is very important. You have to find out the distance between your home and your office, make sure that it has access to transit, to avoid any inconveniences and problems.

Considering all these and with the help of our real estate agent, you will definitely find the best home your desire at Tampa real estate.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson
http://www.tampa-realestate.biz

Author: James Leitz
Source: ezinearticles.com

Traditionally, stock investing has been associated with good times. People tend to invest in gold in times of economic crisis; and real estate investing has been viewed as relatively safe. When stock investing loses its luster investors often react and turn to the other two investment options to make money and offset stock losses. Should you do the same?

Anyone who follows the stock market knows that there are bull markets and bear markets … good times and bad times. If you invest in gold you know that the same is true there. The recession of 2008-2009 reminded investors that real estate investing has its ups and downs as well.

The good news is that historically these three investment options have not marched to the beat of the same drummer. For example, in a bear market for stocks real estate can do just fine, and/or gold can soar. The experienced and truly savvy investor tries to time the markets to be in the right place at the right time.

Should you play this game? I suggest that you do not. There’s an easier way to make money investing as an average investor. Playing the markets is risky.

Let’s talk about the money you are willing to invest and put at risk in order to earn a higher return over the long term. Divide it up 4 ways: domestic stocks (U.S.), foreign stocks, real estate and precious metals (gold).

Find a mutual fund company (family) that offers funds in all four categories; and decide how to divide up your investment assets across these 4 investment options. This is called asset allocation. For example: 40% to domestic stock funds, 30% to foreign stock funds, 20% to a real estate fund, and 10% to a gold fund.

Invest according to the asset allocation targets (say 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%) you have chosen.

Over time these percentages will get out of line as all 4 of these investment options will perform differently. For example, stocks in general might take a hit when real estate and gold perform well.

Instead of selling what appear to be your losers or otherwise trying to time the markets, simply rebalance your portfolio periodically. In other words, move money around to get back to your original asset allocation target percentages. This way you will automatically be moving money to investment options that have gone out of favor and are selling at lower prices.

Plus, you will be lightening up on the investments that have already made the biggest gains. Remember, there are bull markets and bear markets in gold and real estate as well as in the stock market. Take advantage of them and make money the easy way.

And cover all the bases: stock investing, real estate investing and gold.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals.

Jim is the author of a complete investor guide, Invest Informed, designed for average investors or would-be investors of all levels of financial background and experience. To learn more about investments and investing and his new financial guide go to http://www.investinformed.com

Author: Michael Alves
Source: articleage.com

Real estate on the internet has become an online phenomenon.
There is a generally accepted trend online, that people will “research globally, but shop locally”. This is especially true for real estate. That’s why it is important for your website to be seen. There is also a recognizable pattern online that, most real estate customers use the first realtor they contact. As a realtor I’m sure that you have said to yourself “hey, I know those people, why did they list with that realtor instead of me”. Chances are, that is the first realtor that they came across.
Real estate online is so hot that Google is talking about creating a whole separate Google directory just for real estate. Yahoo already has a “lead buying” program just for realtors. HomeGain is reporting a record 5.5 million visitors to their website in the first part of 2006. Many of my clients have already gone through the process of buying leads at Yahoo and other real estate “lead capture” portals. Most of these lead buying programs can be expensive to join and the leads can also be pricey. I have spoken with many realtors all over the country that participate or, have participated in these programs. I hear good and bad things about these programs. However it is my opinion that you should spend your money on marketing your website and then all the leads that you get are yours to keep. Technology, especially the internet has forever changed the way people search for real estate and how they contact local realtors. The National Association of Realtors 2004 survey of home buyers tells us that 71% of home buyers used the internet to start the search for their new home. That is up from 62% in 2003.
Ok, so you know all of this. You have a website, now what?
How do your prospective customers find your real estate website and do business with you. There are two ways. One is “SEO” (search engine optimization) and the other is SEM (search engine marketing). Let’s look at the differences between these two and how they affect you and your real estate business.
SEO, “search engine optimization” is the application of several techniques to help a website rank higher in the “natural” search results.
To begin with let’s talk about “meta tags”. Meta tags are the first things that the search engines will read when visiting your website. Here are the main meta tags that you need to improve if you want to “optimize” your website.
They are your “title tag”, your “description tag” and your “keyword tag”.
Ok, so how do you find the meta tags on your website? You can check your meta tags by going to your website, at the top of the internet explorer window click on “view” and scroll down to “view “source”. A new window will open and you should see something like meta name=”description” meta name=”keywords”.
Let’s begin with your “title tag”, is also known as your “page title”. For example, on many websites if you click on the “about us” link or, the “contact us” link, that’s what you will see displayed at the top of the browser window in the blue bar. It is also known as your “anchor text”.
Search engines read like we do, from left to right and top to bottom of the page. Your “anchor text” is one of the first things that the search engine will read on your website. Your “anchor text” is what is displayed when your website is listed in the natural search results. It is the first thing your potential customers will read when they do a search. Your anchor text should include one or, two of your best keywords. For example: “Pittsford Real Estate 10 Years of Experience” or, “Professional Full Time Realtor, Pittsford”.
So, your title tag is both your page title and your anchor text. Again this is the first thing that your customers will read when reading the title of your search listing.
It should not say “welcome to my website” or “Joe bob’s website”. This is the first thing that your customers will read. It is your first opportunity to catch their attention. Using keywords like “Real Estate” and “Realtor” will tell the search engines that your page is about real estate. Even better, if you are a realtor in Pittsford, it will see the keyword Pittsford and display your website to anyone typing in “Pittsford real estate”.
Next, is your “description tag”. This tag provides the description that you see right under the anchor text. Most search engines will display about two sentences as a description. Both your anchor text and your description should include several of your best keywords.
Speaking of keywords. The next tag that we will talk about is your “keyword Tag”.
Keywords are important! Keywords are what describe your real estate services. Keywords are what people use to search for your website. And, keywords are what the search engines use to determine if they will display your website to someone searching for your real estate services. Including ten to fifteen of your best keywords into the meta tag keyword section of your website can help your page rank and can help people find your website.
So how do you know what keywords are searched for most often? There are many free keyword tools on the internet. Go to your favorite search engine and type in “keyword selector tool”. When you find a free keyword tool that suites you, type in a keyword phrase to see how many times it was searched last month. All the results that you get using this tool are tabulated by the month. Play around with different combinations and you will find that there are specific keyword phrases that are searched more than others. Those are the keyword phrases that you want to use as keywords in the meta tag keyword section of your website. For example, try “Pittsford realtor” or “real estate Pittsford” or try misspelling the word real estate. For example try, “Pittsford real estate”. Yes, misspellings count and can be used as a keyword in your meta tags.
Mike Alves is the Owner of http://www.Marketing4Leads.com
My only business is marketing realtor websites.
I create, publish and manage pay per click campaigns on Google full time, for real estate agents all over the U.S. I can start sending new real estate customers to your website in 48 hours.