Archive for April, 2011

Un-stage Your Heart

We’ve all had it happen we pounce on an opportunity to buy only to realize soon after that we rushed into it. Now that the excitement of our new purchase has worn off we realize that we acted too fast and we’re stuck with a new reality: buyer’s regret. Sound familiar? In most cases we get over it and move on but what if you rushed into the wrong house? In today’s market more and more people are investing in the services of home stagers. These are designers whose job is spruce up a home in order to elicit an emotional reaction from you and help you feel connected to a property that under other circumstances you might not give a second look.

So how can you avoid being hooked? Well it’s useful to understand the tricks that stagers use. Don’t be fooled by sweet smells fresh flowers or soft music. If you are a first time buyer bring along that friend who sees all the flaws. Remember that you aren’t buying the furniture or the ambiance of the house you are buying the building itself so make sure you use a critical eye. If you are drawn to the furniture or color choices great! Make notes you can apply these to your new home.

Keep in mind that no amount of dressing is going to change the location layout or structure of the house. Staging will not make your home bigger so take a tape measure. Be sure you have accurate measurements of the rooms stagers have been known to use undersized furniture to make spaces appear larger.

And that’s not all: One buyer moved into a home only to discover that the bathroom had been painted over to disguise a poorly sealed tub surround. Within four months all the paint started to crack and the caulking was peeling off with black sludge oozing out from behind the tub surround. When we pulled it off we found that the wall behind it had rot evidence that this had been a problem long before we moved in. But they covered it up great for the sale.

Painting over problems or doing a poor job using inappropriate materials may make the place look better but it means unexpected work for the buyer so don’t be fooled. Having a professional home inspection may also uncover some of these flaws.

You should also do a thorough inspection for cosmetic details some stagers use strategically placed items to disguise problems. Chandra moved in to her new place only to discover a hole in the linoleum that had been previously covered by a large area rug. “It was unsightly” she says” so I replaced the flooring. I mean the floor wouldn’t have been a deal breaker but I would have lowered my offer. I also wonder what else they hid from me.” Beware of fancy curtains disguising problem windows or frames and wall hangings or paintings masking cracks or damage in the walls.

If you like the place you may end up bidding against others who are caught up in the staged magic even if you’ve got a good dose of reality. And even if staging doesn’t add real value to the property you’ll either have to shell out a higher price to compete or be willing to walk away. Remember you may find the house of your dreams that could be every bit as beautiful as the staged property with a little work for an unstaged price.

About the writer:  This article was written by the team at www.jakemarsh.com. Jake Marsh is a professional Denver real estate agent dedicated to building strong relationships and helping clients succeed. To find out more about Denver Colorado real estate visit Jake and the team online.

Dubai Sports City Not Just A Great Investment

Property investments in Dubai have never been easier. The city is divided into several planned zones each zone offering unique investment opportunities to overseas investors. Today construction is at its peak with new investments coming into the property sector. A visit to the city will reveal the largest cranes in the world working on building some of the most impressive structures in the world. Most new investments in Dubai are coming into newly built free zones. One of the most popular free zone investments is the Dubai Sports City.

If you are under the impression that Dubai is popular because of the shopping malls think again. Dubai has built the world’s first Sports City known as the Dubai Sports City. The city apart from having one the most advanced sports academics venues also has commercial and residential complexes.

If you are searching for residential complexes in Dubai you can choose from the beautiful and exotic villas penthouses and apartments. If you visit “The Cube” you will find several highrise condominium towers and apartments under construction. Another area in Dubai sports city that is developing fast is the “Eagle Heights” where several new apartment buildings are built. Apartment buildings are not the only structures that are constructed in Dubai Sports City. Many schools colleges medical centers and police stations have popped up in the city.

The center of attraction in the Dubai Sports City is the outdoor stadium having a capacity of seating 60000 people. Events like soccer track and field rugby and other national and international sports events will be conducted on a regular basis in this stadium. Next to this stadium will be a brandnew cricket stadium that will have a capacity of seating 25000 people. The excitement does not end here; you also have an indoor stadium capable of hosting games like basketball volleyball and hockey. Apart from games this 10000 seat arena is an ideal venue for concerts and shows. These sports facilities also boast of inhouse malls where visitors and residents can shop and eat. Dubai Sports City has health clubs swimming pools and other amenities to cater to individual requirements. Most of these worldclass facilities are completed or are on the verge of being completed.

You can learn your favourite sport in Dubai Sports City from any number of state of the art academies. The ICC Global Cricket Academy Butch Harmon School of Golf Lloyd Tennis Center and Manchester United Soccer School are some of the worldclass academies that are being built at Dubai Sports City.

The city will have a limited supply of residential buildings which is likely to create sustainable demand for residential housing. An increase in demand is likely to increase the prices of real estate.

Dubai Sports City will also have medical facilities that will house a sports rehabilitation centre and specialist sports medicine centre. These services will cater to the immediate and longterm requirement of sports athletes. These medical centres will include a 24hour emergency ward which will cater to urgent unforeseen requirements of athletes.

Foreigners look at Dubai Sports City not just as a great investment but also a dream city to live in.

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The Rookies Guide To Real Estate Investing

After a lot of thinking when you decide on some real estate investment and you want to earn money out of it you need to also think about how to go about it! Stop thinking and start acting! Remember you will always remain a rookie until you close your first real estate deal.

The best way to learn is from an expert. So hire the services of a good and recommended real estate broker. It might be a bit costly to pay him but think of it as the learning and earning experience together in one package. Observe him and learn from him about the dos and don’ts while dealing in real estate. His experience and contacts can build a strong base for your future deals. Check out how he identifies potential good deals. You can use that knowledge in future.

Once you have identified the house or commercial property which you intend to buy conduct some research about that neighborhood. Check out the current rates and the past rates in that neighborhood. Enquire about other properties in that neighborhood to get a feel of the property market. Since the first deal is always the trickiest mentally do not burn your fingers by going in for the biggest. Instead buy up a small apartment or a small home. If the appreciation is good then flip it i.e. sell it and book your profits or give it out on rent so that your installments get paid through them.

You can always sell if off once it appreciates to your liking. Also hire an efficient attorney to check out all the paperwork of your deals. Do not put your hand into badly maintained and old properties. Leave those properties alone until you have good contacts with contractors and architects and have gained some experience in dealing in properties. Your new deals should be in wellmaintained properties where you only have to buy and sell.

Also while negotiating with buyers and sellers try getting into their minds. Imagine yourself in their place and understand their needs and their weak points. Understand that price negotiation is part of business life. Do not take it personally but keep a cheerful and calm posture while dealing with buyers and sellers. You can also create your own Website. Make it informative and precise. You can list your property requirements and availabilities on your site. Also keep in touch with the mailmen and packers and movers in your neighborhood. They are a rich source of information regarding people shifting out. Follow up on all leads aggressively. You never know when a small tip could turn out to be a big hit.

In future you can also explore buying from auctions and going in for foreclosure properties. These will fetch you better profit margins but the paperwork involved is more challenging and timing is even more important in these deals. In foreclosure properties watch out for any attached liens on the property and stay aware of the local state laws which could vary from state to state.

So patience persistence and performance can easily turn you from a rookie to a master in real estate investing. Do not stand on the sidelines. Use these above tips and watch your investments rise to new heights.

About the writer:  Real Estate Investments in 14 cities are available now. These investment homes cannot be found under a MLS listings as they are part of our private wholesale investment home inventory. To see how we make Real Estate Investing easy visit our website at http://www.realnetusa.com.