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10 Common Homeowner Complaints
Home ownership is most people's dream come true. Don't let it become a nightmare.
1. Real Estate Fraud
“Someone forged my signature on a Grant Deed. The document says my property now belongs to someone I don’t even know.”
Contact your state's real estate commission.
2. Unlicensed Contractors
“I hired a guy who said he was licensed to make repairs to my kitchen. He started the work but never finished. I found out he isn’t licensed and that he recorded a mechanic’s lien against my house.”
Never hire an unlicensed contractor.
3. Foreclosure Consultants
“When I got behind on my house payments, I started getting mail from people saying they could save my home. I signed a contract with a guy who promised to make up the back payments and help me get a new loan. He didn’t do any of that. Instead, he sold my house to somebody else and now I’m being evicted.”
If you’re behind on payments, call your mortgage company and work out a payment plan.
4. High Interest Loans
“I thought I was getting a good deal on a refinance. Turns out, the interest rate is way too high and they charged me all kinds of junk fees.”
Shop around for the best rates and fees before getting a new loan and make sure your read the fine print.
5. Adjustable and Fixed-Rate Loans
“The loan representative said I was getting a fixed-rate, 30-year loan. Six months later, my interest rate jumped more than 3%.”
Review your loan documents before you sign. Interest rates must be disclosed by the lender.
6. Account and Billing Errors
“My mortgage company did not credit my account for the mortgage payments I’ve made.”
Send a letter to your mortgage company requesting a payment history. Be sure to include your account number in the letter.
7. Illegal Rooms
“I just moved into the house I bought and the city tells me that some of the rooms were added without building permits.”
You may be required to make changes. Be sure to check for building permits before you buy a home.
8. Repairs and Escrow
“Before I bought my house, the seller promised to make repairs. My agent said it was OK to sign and close escrow, even though the repairs were not done. It’s been 3 months and the seller still hasn’t made any repairs.”
Make sure repairs are completed before you close escrow.
9. Property Taxes Not Paid
“My mortgage company was supposed to pay my property taxes but didn’t. Now I owe past taxes and penalties.”
Call your mortgage company for an explanation. If they don’t take care of the problem, contact your state real estate commission.
10. Vacant Land Purchase
“I bought some vacant land in the desert to build a house on. The seller said there was water, sewers, electricity and phone service. Turns out, none of those are available.”
Check with the local Building and Safety Department before you buy vacant land.
Take your time and do your homework. Property purchases are usually the biggest investment you can make. Take time to read all of the documentation and if your don't understand something, ask questions. If necessary, hire a real estate attorney to protect your interests.
House Flipping for Profit
A lot of people these days are preaching about the buying and holding method of gaining wealth with real estate. There indeed may come a time in your life or business when you'll want to hang onto a piece of property, although you'll only be interested in keeping certain types of property. If you're just starting out, flipping a house may be an ideal way to get started.
Basically, there are three ways that you can flip a house, although each one has it's own terms, motivation, and type of property. The first method is known as retailing. What this means, is that you buy a house in bad shape, do the repairs to fix it up, then turn around and sell it. There are a variety of houses in need of repairs out there, and several ways that you can quickly flip a house to net profit. All you need to know are the techniques that will get you the most money in the least amount of time.
The second way you can flip a house is though wholesaling. Wholesaling involves finding a home for sale then flipping it to an investor for a fast, yet small profit. To do this, you'll need to know the real estate investors in your area, the types of homes that flip the best, and how to fund your property so you can flip it to them. If you live in a big area or a city, you'll find that using the wholesaling method of flipping houses is actually easier to accomplish.
The third way to flip a house is by assigning the purchase. Using this method, you'll commit to buy the house. Instead of closing the deal yourself, you'll assign it to a real estate investor - of course for a small fee. The investor will take the contract over and close the purchase themselves - flipping the house. This can be very profitable, especially if you invest in the right home. You don't need to have your contract worded any special way to be legal, although you will need to determine the assignment fee.
If you're looking to break into the real estate market and make big bucks, you'll need to learn all about flipping houses. Flipping houses is very profitable, especially once you have learned the basics. The first and third methods are the best, although they will both take quite a bit of work on your part. Restoring homes isn't easy, and you'll need to have a team qualified to handle any repairs. Assigning the purchase may be difficult when you first start out, although it will get easier with time. If you stay at it and do your best to make a profit - you'll be an expert at flipping homes in no time at all.
Does For Sale By Owner = Save Money By Owner?
Most Home Sellers Turn to Real Estate Agents
Although many FSBO home sellers have saved thousands of dollars in commissions, many others have lost money, and statistics show that 80% of FSBOs will eventually list their homes after unsuccessfully trying to sell their homes themselves. However, if you're thinking of trying to sell your home without the aid of a real estate agent, here are a few tips for getting the most from the experience:
Leave Your Emotions Out of Your Sales Process
Selling your home often can be a painful experience, so it's important to emotionally detach yourself from your house and try to think of it as an investment in your future. Try not to be affected by unkind remarks you may hear from prospective buyers trying to get you to lower your price by attacking various features of your house. And although you should call your house a "home" to prospective buyers, think of it as just a "house."
Set the Right Sales Price
Of course, you want to get the highest price possible, but pricing your home too high will keep it on the market too long, which will lead people to think there's something wrong with your house. Look at the other homes being offered for sale in your market and compare them to yours, in terms of square footage, number of bedrooms, lot size, and other features that are similar to yours. Be objective, and then price your home according to your findings. You might consider setting a price range, instead of a fixed price, if you're considering helping potential buyers with their closing costs.
Advertising
Signs: Pick up directional signs at a home improvement store, list your phone number and the address of your home on them, and then display the signs in prominent places around your neighborhood. Most buyers use the services of a real estate agent to look for a new home, but if your home's in a desirable neighborhood where other houses are also for sale, potential buyers may see your signs and come back later to visit your home. Place a professional-looking sign in your front yard, featuring your phone number in print large enough to be easily read from the street.
Flyers: Think like a marketing guru and create a sizzling sales flyer, listing all the benefits and features of your home.
Newspapers: Pick up copies of all the newspapers and advertisers in your area, and look at them, imagining that you're the one looking for a home in your area. Then create an ad of your own, copying ads that most attract your eye. Make sure to list benefits to potential buyers and not just the features of your home.
Showing and Safety: Ask prospective buyers for their phone numbers before you give out your address over the phone, and then call them back to verify the information. Also, make sure to have someone with you when you're showing your home to strangers.
Selling your home yourself should mean that you save money on real estate fees. But if you're not a savvy salesperson, you could actually make more money and sell your home faster by hiring a go-getter real estate agent.
Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher