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“Don’t Sell Your Property Without It”

By Andrew John Cocks | Selling

For most people, the prospect of selling their home can be positively daunting. First of all, there are usually plenty of things to do just to get it ready for the market. Besides the traditional clean-up, paint-up, fix-up chores that invariably wind up costing more than you planned, there are always the overriding concerns about how much the market will bear and how much you will eventually wind up selling it for.

Will you get your asking price, or will you have to drop your price to make the deal? After all, your home is a major investment, no doubt a rather large one, so when it comes to selling it you want to get your highest possible return. Yet in spite of everyone’s desire to get the top dollar for their property, most people are extremely unsure as to how to go about getting it. However, some savvy sellers have long known a little financial technique that has helped them to get top dollar for their property. In fact, on some rare occasions, they have even sold their properties for more than they were worth using this powerful financing tool. Although that might be the exception rather than the rule, you can certainly use this technique to get the most money possible when selling your property.

Seller carry-back, or take-back financing, has proven to be a surefire technique for closing deals. Even though most people do not think about when it comes to selling a property, they really should consider using it. According to sources, there are currently over 100 Billion dollars of seller carry-back (seller take-back) loans in existence. By any standard, that is a lot of money. But most importantly, it is also a very clear indication that more people are starting to use seller take-back financing techniques because it offers many financial benefits to both sellers and buyers. Basically, seller take-back financing is a relatively simple concept. A seller-take back loan is created when a property is sold and the seller performs like a lender by assisting in financing all or part of the total transaction. In effect, the seller is actually lending the buyer a certain amount of money toward the purchase price, while a traditional mortgage company usually funds the balance of the purchase price. A seller take-back loan is secured with the property. The loan then becomes the primary mortgage and is fully secured by the property. In most seller take-back financing transactions, the buyer repays the seller with interest in accordance to mutually agreed terms over a period of time. Usually, the terms call for the buyer to send the payments, consisting of principal and interest, on a monthly basis. This is advantageous because it creates a steady monthly cash flow for the note holder. And if the note holder decides to cash out, he or she can always sell the note for a lump sum cash payment.

Regardless of market conditions, seller take-back financing makes sound financial sense; whereas, it provides both buyer and seller with flexible financing options, makes the property easier to sell at higher price and shortens the sales cycle. It also has the added advantage of being an excellent investment that generates a steady cash flow and high return. If you ever need immediate cash, you can always sell the note through our office. If you are planning to sell a property, then consider the many benefits of seller take-back financing.

Feng Shui in Real Estate Sales

By Andrew John Cocks | Buying

Literally translated “Feng” means wind and “Shui” mean water. Deeply rooted in connection to nature, Feng Shui is the 4000 year old Chinese are of placement and philosophy that supports living in awareness and harmony with our surroundings.

As the awareness of Feng Shui increases, more real estate agents are being asked to show buyers homes with “good” Feng Shui. If a real estate agent has knowledge of this ancient and highly respected design philosophy will assists him/her to:

  • Increase the value, marketability, and emotional appeal of a home.
  • Build confidence with Feng Shui savvy buyers and sellers.
  • Provide solutions to remedy a home’s Feng Shui energy challenges.
  • Build referrals by selling “Feng Shui friendly” homes that support the well being of your clients and their sphere of influence.

This section will explain the 5 Feng Shui tips for your references.

Tip 1 : Main Entrance

The main door is like the mouth for the house. It is the gateway between the world and the privacy of the home and air currents literally enter and exit at this point.

  • The positioning of a main door can determine the fortune or misfortune of the occupants. Therefore you must keep the entrance clear of any clutter to allow the energies to flow freely.
  • Make sure there is nothing in direct alignment with the door such as a tree or telegraph pole. To remedy this place a Bagua mirror over the door so it is reflecting the Sha Qi.
  • Avoid facing a dark, pokey room, an interior staircase, mirror, stove, sink, fireplace, the door of a toilet, laundry, bathroom or bedroom. To remedy this keep the doors closed or place a screen between the doors.

Tip 2 : Bedrooms

Bedrooms should be sacred spaces where an adult or child can retreat and regenerate. Most people spent roughly one third of their lives in their bedroom, so maintaining balance and serenity in this area is essential.

Tip 3 : Kitchen

In any case, it’s better if you don’t see the kitchen immediately upon entering the house, as this can portend digestive, nutritional, and eating problems. Having the kitchen at the entry point can also mean that guests will come over and eat and then leave immediately, and such a placement can also encourage the inhabitants to eat all the time.

Tip 4 : Windows

A house should have sufficient windows. Windows are in very important to allow sufficient light or pleasant views into the room.

Tip 5 : Dining & Living Room

Whenever possible the dining room should be separate from the living room. It is a social area for family members, thus it better to have as big as possible.

Summary

So with the above tips, you as a real estate agent when meet with a Feng Shui savvy buyer, you can use the above tips to talk with them, the chances to close the deal is high because the buyer see you as a knowledgeable in Feng Shui and the property you propose to them must be good in Feng Shui. And Feng Shui is a very good topic when come to a price negotiation with the sellers, agents with Feng Shui knowledge might be able to negotiate a better selling price for their buyers and close the sale.