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Home Warranties Offer Peace of Mind for Home Buyers

Mar 12

Posted by admin in Real Estate

Home buyers have many worries when purchasing a home, especially if it’s the first time. After finding the dream home , reality can set in after a property inspection has been completed. A hot water heater near the end of it’s useful life, a furnace that runs but hasn’t been properly serviced and a dishwasher that could have a mind of it’s own can make for some sleepless nights for home buyers before they sign the mortgage papers.

Home warranties offered by many national companies can make for restful sleeping by new home buyers. These warranties can be purchased by either the buyer or a seller of a property. They typically run for one year and can insure against unexpected repairs on a homes appliances and mechanical systems. Mark Nash author of four books including his latest 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and as a regular columnist for RealtyTimes. explains why a home warranty might be right for your new home.

-Costs for one year of coverage range from $350-$1,000, depending on size of home and optional coverage chosen.

-The typical standard coverage is for these items: Heating system, heat pump, air conditioning/ cooler, ductwork, plumbing system, sump pump, whirlpool tub, water heater, electrical system, exhaust fan, dishwasher, garbage disposal, built-in microwave oven, range/ oven/ cooktop, trash compactor, garage door opener and ceiling fans.

-Optional coverage includes: Washer/ dryer, refrigerator, water well pumps, swimming pool and spa equipment.

-If you need to make a claim with your home warranty provider, there is always a fee for a service call, typically less than $75. You must use contractors provided through the warranty provider.

-Home warranty companies provide 24/7 toll-free numbers to request service. If they service repair work fails the warranty company will repair work at no cost for 90 days on parts and 30 days on labor.

-Read the fine print carefully before buying a home warranty. They cover some parts of the above mentioned systems and appliances but not all and not in every situation. Example: Most warranties cover dishwashers entirely except for racks, baskets and rollers.

-Home warranties cover only single-family resale homes and not new construction.

-Warranties are renewable at the one year expiration date, typically these warranties begin the day of closing or escrow.

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TRIS Rating credit rating new debt “The Quality House” at the “A-”.

Feb 22

Posted by admin in Real Estate

TRIS Rating Co., Ltd. announced that its credit rating unsecured bond set in the amount not exceeding Baht 2,000 million, of Quality House Co., Ltd. at “A-” while still credit unsecured corporate bonds, and the current set of Company at the “A-” like the Bond series of the new replacement bond unsecured in the amount outstanding to 1,000 million, the firm has announced the credit to on May 10, 2010 The ratings reflect the work long in the property development business.

As well as a strong presence in the residential housing market and the low price levels. And recurring revenue from a variety of sources including Marble rental apartments and Office building The ratings also consider taking into account the financial flexibility of holding money. Investment in associate with these strengths, however, was partially offset by political uncertainty. Nature of the property development business is up and down cycles. And its ratio of loans is quite high when compared with other operators.

Rating Outlook “Stable” or “Fixed” reflects the effect of the increase of demand from new housing increased TRIS company is expected to maintain its leadership in the residential housing market prices. continue to be high as well as to maintain the proportion of housing products to be balanced to support. Changes in customer demand. The company’s debt issues have to be careful that the plan to expand the project should not affect the effort to build. Strength to the company’s balance sheet.

TRIS Rating reported The Quality House is one of the leaders in the Thai real estate market, which is famous. Market acceptance of the low housing prices. Founded in 2526 by Land & Houses Public Company Limited (), the largest shareholder of the company at the end of 2010, comprised of Land and House with family Asavabhokhin (25%) and The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Pte. Ltd. (11%) of the company’s competitive advantage comes from having a strong presence in the market. Housing prices. In addition, the exact source of income from rental property with the quality. The service includes Centrepoint Apartment and Office Building, Q. House.

It also has moderately priced housing Casa Ville and Casa City, which is known more. Company had a revenue recognition from the housing and apartment about 93% of total revenue during the first 9 months of the year 2010, while rental income from the project offices and serviced apartments out with about 7% price Average sales per residential unit in all of its projects in 2010 stood at 7-8 million baht steady decline ever since over 10 million in 2549, which shows the strategies that focus on customer revenue. more moderate at the end of September 2010 the Company had the land and construction projects in hand worth about 20,524 million Baht.

When compared to competitors. TRIS Rating said The Quality House is the type of assets that differ by 1 / 4 of total assets as rental property and investments in associates. In addition to real estate for rent by creating recurring revenue and cash of course but also enhance liquidity to the company because the company can sell real estate. Property were granted to real estate funds also investments in associated companies, 3 of which 2 of the securities traded on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and also one of the plans listed on the Stock Exchange, the company had income from cash dividends of approximately 300 – 400 million per year, which is funding the other hand. It also added liquidity to the company in the long term.

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Department of Land Legislation in Thailand extent the private advantage

Feb 22

Posted by admin in Investing, Real Estate

Control Condominiums small size specified must be higher than 3 stories they Eeuaun Ab extracted semi-detached to foreigners.

From the current operators of real estate development or condominium. Condominium out a furiously competitive market bang And the beginning of the condo development has become increasingly small. The latest is 22 square meters per unit. Director-General, Department of Lands

Proposed the concept of prevention of exploitation of real estate clients. By accelerating the November draft. Condominium Act 2008 enclosed stalls condo. Smaller with the height to more than 3 layers.

Up to Mr. Anuwat. Methi Wiboon adulthood. Director-General, Department of Lands Disclosed in this issue. Currently drafting the Land Department has changed. Condominium Act BE 2008, especially the issue of a particular form of condominiums that are defined more clearly. To prevent future problems of living space in the development of the legal structure of the housing that is not fair to consumers.

This is because the current expansion of the condo. Aluminium for housing was growing very There are currently condominium units, and a hundred thousand to 7.5 in Bangkok with over 200,000 units, and are likely to grow as ever-increasing demand.

If government agencies are not configured. Clear and concise and then. Future Suites (Con Condominium), perhaps the greatest ever smaller. And finally, may Will be made in a manner similar to the bathroom would be the dormitory. He has been modifying the legal framework to be more evident, such as building area within the room must have at least 30 square meters have bathrooms. A kitchen and bedroom to the building height from the ground floor at least 3 or more rooms are considered part of the minimum that should range from 10 rooms or 20 rooms or more.

By defining the form of condominiums. The original legislation has not been defined. Results in the past, some operators Eeuaun living space to house the law. Twin sold as condominiums to foreigners. Need to prevent problems in the future. The draft of these will need to be completed as soon as possible. Council of State to consider And proposed to the Council of Representatives for further consideration. It shall remain in their positions for 1 year, 6 months.

“This Act an amendment to protect not only in terms of unit size only. But also to close the gap in the law regarding the form of the buildings. Because the past, some operators rely on the legal gaps that are not there. Details of the image.

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Historic House for Sale in Europe

Feb 21

Posted by admin in Real Estate

Knoppenburg Manor is a 16th century manor house in Belgium which is now for sale . The estate consists of 46 hectares of vast land is enclosed by hedges and rows of trees. Nearby are two natural ponds enclosed by a natural population of trees.

The Manor building is approached via a splendid avenue. The estate consists of three building sections, arranged in a U-form. The main building stands in the centre, built in a classical style.

Two towers with onion domes close in from the left and right side wings. The outer walls were built partly with quarry stones and partly with perforated brick in the renovation phase.

Knoppenburg Manor is a feudal manor and had a historical mention in the 16th century under its original name “Hop op der Heyde” which means Court on the Heath. It has arisen from the restructuring of the old and significant Manor Belven from which it presumably split-off in the 16th century.

“Hop op der Heyde”

In 1612 Simon Bertholf bequeathed the property to Guillaume de Fischer as a gift. The family Fischer extended the building to include two side wings and two towers. The owners changed once more at the beginning of the 18th century and the estate belonged to the family Lamberts after 1717.

In the course of the Century Pierre-Ignace-Joseph de la Saulx, President of the District Court, Malmedy and later advisor at the Cologne Higher Regional Court acquired the estate through inheritance. The coats of arms of the family de la Saulx decorate the weathercocks on the towers of Knoppenburg Manor to this very day.

The main building made its debut in the classical style at the beginning of the 19th century, as can be seen today. Through marriage and inheritance, in the course of time the Manor became the property of the family de Blanchart.

In 1936 Joseph-Henri Guillaume van Laar purchased the estate. After the last change of ownership in 1998, extensive restoration and remedial work began.

Today, Kloppenburg Manor lies on the historical “Castle Trail” ? a fascinating route that links 20 palaces, castles and stately homes along 79km of the Belgian countryside

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Go for the ‘Reversible Decision’ – A Great Way to Leave Financial Regret Behind!

Feb 12

Posted by admin in Personal Finance, Real Estate

If you’re just fresh out of school, you may or may not have had the ?privilege? yet of regretting some of your financial decisions. But the time is coming for everyone?it just seems to go with the territory of growing up and living on your own. One of my goals as the president of Education for Reality? is to help you Sidestep the School of Hard Knocks?. What that means is that I want to do whatever I can to help you avoid that horrible feeling of regret over past decisions?it can bring you down in so many ways and, in really bad cases, even make you ill. I’ve said it in the past (in our Dose of Reality? e-newsletter) and I’ll say it again?you only get to spend each dollar one time?once you’ve spent it, it’s never coming back to your wallet for you to spend again.

But I’ve developed a strategy to help get around that just a bit?I call it ‘the reversible decision.? Basically what it entails is choosing the option that’s comes with the least commitment (the easiest one to ?get out of? or reverse if it doesn’t work out, or if your situation is only temporary to begin with).

If you’re not certain that you’re going to be staying in the same town for at least a few years, don’t even think of buying a condo or house’rent. The stress and potential for losing money when you end up having to sell a condo or house within just a couple years of buying it can completely derail your money goals.

When choosing a place to rent (or a place to buy, if you know you’ll be staying put for quite a while), rent or buy the smallest (and least expensive)place that will make you happy…you can always move up later, if you want, but it’s nearly impossible to move back down if your finances can’t handle the rent (or mortgage) payment on the larger place.

If you don’t own any furniture when you get your first apartment, and you think you might move to a new town relatively soon, you might even want to rent furniture?it will let you see if you like the style and pieces you chose, then, if your company ends up moving you to a new town (or you choose on your own to move to a new place), you don’t have to move the furniture…you can wait ’til you get settled in a more permanent situation before committing a load of money on furniture you’ll be living with for many, many years. And, because you’ll be buying the furniture after you move, you know it will fit in the space you’ve got (just imagine spending a bundle on a big, new bedroom set only to find that there’s no way it’ll fit in your new apartment…now what?).

The same can hold true for a car?if you need one now, but are hoping to move to ‘the big city? within a year or two and won’t need one anymore, lease a car rather than buy one that you’ll end up having to sell when you move downtown and start riding the subway. And just like with the condo or house, lease the smallest and least expensive vehicle that will do the job for you’move up later once your career and finances are more stable.

This strategy can work with real estate, too. When my family moved from the south side of Denver to the north side, our finances were such that we could hold on to our south-side house and rent it out when we bought the new house on the north side. If things didn’t work out in the north, we could move back into our beloved home in the south and rent the one in the north. Do you see how the reversible decision works? If we sold our home on the south side and things didn’t work out as we hoped on the north side, then what? There’s nowhere to go back to (and homes had appreciated in the south, so we couldn’t simply move back to the same size and type of house and keep that same, small mortgage we used to have).

This ‘reversible decision? strategy can be used in loads of situations, so when you’re faced with a large financial decision, see if you can figure out a reversible option for yourself…and maybe avoid a ton of regret (and lost dollars) later.

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Real Estate Market Conditions

Feb 9

Posted by admin in Real Estate

The winter season gives real estate agent/brokers a chance to sit back and evaluate the previous season-Yes? No! These days, the chance to sit back is merely a dream. Agents and Brokers must build their business with new market niches in order to stay on top of their field.

Yes, the ?bubble? has burst. Burst into a finely tuned, quickly burning engine that has grown to a new level of expertise and profits!! Real estate marketing IS changing, and the newer, inexperienced, hungry agent/broker is finding a level playing field on the new path of real estate.

Recently, the trade is encouraged by the fact that this year, unseasonably warm temperatures found across the nation are fueling not just tourism. The warm temperatures are attracting ready and willing buyers, matched with sellers willing to turn some profit. Mountains in Colorado, beaches in California, the list goes on and on regarding the traditional tourist locations visited by prospective real estate buyers.

Secondary purchase markets have reached new heights as our ?baby boomer? population retires into the most healthy, active retirement demographic documented. People are skiing, surfing, hiking, biking and partying into their 70′s and 80′s like never before. This demographic has the characteristics of an elevated lifestyle, higher purchasing power and savvy investment experience. Best of all, this demographic continuously proves that it wants to own real estate.

Where are the sales happening besides the high profile tourist places? They are happening wherever there is leisure. Mountain cabins are found not just in Colorado. Towns, Cities, and States are marketing themselves based on biking trails, the ever expanding ?wine country?, hot air balloon territory, Spa capitals, and quiet home towns that include a caf? and newspaper. These are the tip of the iceberg in ?leisure? locations.

Each client in this market is looking for something specific and requires an agent/broker that can not only understand those requirements, but market to them.

As real estate progresses into this decade, there are many changes to keep in mind. The clients are more educated in the real estate purchasing process. They are more developed in the home improvement process (thank you reality TV). Agents and Brokers need to continuously find their niches of clients, and market directly to them.

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Tax Assessment/Appraisal: How Do I Know What My Home is Worth?

Feb 6

Posted by admin in Real Estate

If you are in the home buying or selling market, it’s important to understand the difference between tax assessment and appraisal value. Concentrate on the appraisal value because this determines your asking price.

Understanding Tax Assessment

The tax assessment is a tool local governments use to exact a property tax rate on residents. The local government determines your home’s worth by reassessing the homes in the area you live in periodically. Some areas reassess every 2-3 years. But with today’s booming real estate market, the National Association of Realtors estimates 60-70% of U.S. tax assessments do not reflect the escalating market value on home sales. This is why the tax assessment is not always an accurate gauge of true home worth.

Tax assessment offers a general idea of home value. If you are curious about whether your tax assessment office is keeping up with the local market, telephone your local real estate board and local tax assessment office. Ask them about the local appreciation value on homes to determine if they are up-to-date.

Focus on the Appraisal Value

Home sellers should concentrate on the appraisal value, because a mortgage lender will write a loan on the home for this amount. Location is the prime factor in appraising a property. An appraiser will look at three homes that sold during the previous three-month period to determine what similar properties have sold for in the same neighborhood. If your home is in a rural area, or if the sales in your area have been sluggish, the appraiser can go within a five mile radius to locate similar homes for comparison. If there is home value inflation in the area, the appraiser will factor this in. A good appraiser will contact the realtor who sold the homes he or she is using as a comparison.

What Do Appraisers Look For?

An important rule of thumb of real estate is: location, location, location. Appraisers are mainly focused on the following to determine home worth:

  • square footage
  • condition and age of the home
  • location
  • lot size
  • number of bedrooms
  • number of bathrooms
  • total number of rooms
  • garage(s)
  • decks
  • screened porches
  • fireplaces

Secondary Enhancements Help a Home Sell

There are other bells and whistles the appraisers may factor in, but their impact on home value is marginal. Although these improvements do help the home sell, they do not impact the appraisal significantly.

Here are some examples:

  • ceramic tile
  • hardwood floors
  • crown molding
  • chair railing
  • specialty counter tops, cabinetry
  • sprinkler system
  • wainscoting
  • upgrades in light fixtures
  • upgrades in faucets, sinks, tubs and showers
  • swimming pool

Sell Your Home Quickly

Do not be mistaken – upgrades are worthwhile because they will help sell your home quickly. For example, eye-catching landscaping will lure people in to look at the home, because 80% of homebuyers decide if they like a house when they first drive up to the property.

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