Archive for September, 2009
Preparing Your Home For Sale By Installing Vinyl Exterior Shutters
A common mistake people make is to assume that their house is “ready for sale” just because it is a livable functional place that is not in need of repair. This mistake can not only make your home take longer to sell but can also mean you will be accepting thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars less for the home than the amount you can get with a few smartly done improvements.
As the old saying goes “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”. When dealing with selling your home this translates into creating a better “curb appeal” to draw in potential buyers. Many things can be done to improve “curb appeal” such as a fresh coat of paint installing new siding doing some simple yardcare and landscaping and adding “finishing touches” to the house. While the cost of such improvements can sometimes be prohibitive when doing them smartly yourself you can literally improve the value of your home with little more than some elbow grease and a few hundred dollars.
One of the best ways to get the most bang for your buck is by installing vinyl exterior shutters. Measuring for and installing exterior shutters can usually be done in a few hours depending on how many windows face the street and will give prospective buyers the “wow” effect you are hoping for.
There are 2 basic types of exterior vinyl shutters:
1. Custommade vinyl shutters
2. Prebuilt or stock shutters often called standardsized shutters
If measured correctly custommade shutters will always go from the top to the bottom of the window frame within 1/4″ of the actual height of the opening. Custom exterior shutters come in several widths usually starting around 6 inches wide and are available up to around 30 inches wide. Standard sized shutters usually only come in height increments of 2 or 3 inches and are only available in 12 inch and 15 inch widths.
While custommade shutters will certainly look the best it can cost 150250 more to buy custom shutters than stock sizes. Another thing to consider is that custom made shutters can take 2 weeks or longer to be built while stock sizes are prebuilt and ready to ship. This can be a major factor if you are in a hurry to sell and are on a budget. Of course custom made shutters can be made quicker and ship faster if you are willing to pay an additional shipping charge so be sure to ask the vendor if this is an option.
A good balance between cost and good looks is to order standard sized shutters for windows that are within an inch of one of the available heights and order custom made shutters for the windows that need a more exact fit especially the windows on the front of the house on each side of the front door.
The color of the vinyl shutters is also an important factor since painting can only be done if you order the paintable type of plastic. Black and white are the most popular colors and therefore they are usually shipped the soonest because they are typically stocked very well. Ordering the paintable type of plastic shutters is also a way to receive them quickly but of course will require you to put in some more work to paint them before installing them.
If you have more time it is possible to order a vinyl shutter color sample kit before ordering the shutters. This is a good way to get an exact match with your trim or to get the right color of paint if you have also decided to paint the house for the sale. Color samples can be ordered for as little as 5 and most places give you the cost of the sample back when you order the shutters. This is also a good way to get some idea of what the shutters will look like because the samples are moulded from the same vinyl material as the actual shutters.
Once the shutters arrive installing them is just a matter of drilling a few holes and either screwing them to the outside surface of your home or using shutterloks which can be tapped in with a few strokes of a hammer. Of course it is important to download the instructions from the web site that you buy them from as different shutter manufacturers recommend slightly different installation and not doing the installation correctly can result in a voided warranty. Some exterior shutter warranties are even transferable if you sell your home which can be another way to improve your home’s value for sale.
Additional shutter measuring and shutter installation instructions can be found at http://www.shuttercontractor.com/ as well as other helpful resources such as an exterior shutter glossary of terms. Good luck with your home makeover and sale!
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Rick Sarouk is an active nationwide real estate investor and certified appraiser. He has been investing in foreclosure and preforeclosure real estate for the past 18 years.
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Pre-foreclosures Deals Waiting To Be Made
Are you familiar with the term “preforeclosure”? Do you think this has the same meaning as a foreclosed home? If you have answered yes to these questions you are not alone. However if you answered yes you are not familiar with the advantages of buying preforeclosures.
Properties that are about to be reclaimed by the bank are in a stage of preforeclosure. What this means is that while the owner is still in charge of the property if they do not do anything to rectify their situation the bank is going to repossess the home.
There are many benefits when buying preforeclosures. Many people fail to get these homes because they do not have any idea what they are or how to could locate them.
The price that comes along with preforeclosures is their primary advantage. The owner will tend to listen to any offer that they receive since they have to sell the house before the bank acquires it. This means that it may be possible to find preforeclosures for up to half of their market value.
Along with the bargain price you can receive on preforeclosures you will also be able to deal with the owner directly. This is an advantage. If the home owner will not accept your offer and could not sell the property they will end up with nothing. However they are aware that if they sell the home they can at least break even or end up with a small profit.
The search for preforeclosures is done the same way as that for homes the bank already owns. You can look for preforeclosed homes in the newspaper online or by calling the lender directly over the phone. You can judge what is most effective and make your own decision.
Since most people are not aware of preforeclosures you will have a better chance of getting a home than you would from looking at homes already foreclosed. This is beneficial for receiving a great price as well as ending up with a home that you want in the long run.
Purchasing preforeclosures can be very profitable. If you’re in the market for a new home remember to take a look at these properties.
About the writer: When Andre Beudein started looking at Santa Clarita California real estate he had no idea what a preforeclosure was. Today he looks at many new homes in Santa Clarita that are in preforeclosure understanding exactly how the real estate business operates. With his trustworthy Valencia California homes behind him Andre looks for the best possible deals on the finest houses in the valley.
Preforeclosure Ecourse For Mortgage Lenders
The truth is folks that preforeclosure and short sales are the wave of today and the future. As someone who has had mortgage loan training and who Im sure pays attention to the news and realizes how many foreclosures are out there right now arent you ready to learn how you can profit from the current real estate economy and in doing so potentially earn 10 times what you would make for simply originating a loan? I sure would be. After all unless Im terribly mistaken marketing for mortgage customers has become extremely competitive and it doesnt matter how much mortgage loan training youve had.
My name is D.C. Fawcett and I am a successful investor who has mastered the art of working with foreclosure properties and offering foreclosure help to my many clients. I have benefited homeowners who are in pre foreclosure and I have purchased countless foreclosed homes whether they be HUD foreclosures real estate short sales government short sales or even at a foreclosure auction.
Instead of fighting over the few high credit clients out there that also have down payment funds wouldnt you like to learn how to again work with the types of clients who you used to work with years ago? Unfortunately many of these past clients of the mortgage industry got in over their heads and/or have suffered from the declining real estate values across the country. They need your help and there is tremendous profit in working with preforeclosure clients when you are working with a proven system that gets results.
Over the coming weeks and months stay tuned for a series of lessons that will walk you through my innovative short sale training program that is specifically catered for those of you in the mortgage lending business. I can assure you that this is not yet another example of loan officer training nor is it a mortgage seminar. In fact this is something completely different from the mortgage broker training that you may be more accustomed to. Whats different about it is what makes it great. I hope youll join me for what may be the best education youll ever receive and it has nothing to do with the mortgage lending business or issuing loans!
For more information visit: http://www.realestateforeclosuresinvesting.com
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About the writer: The author is a business building coach to The Foreclosure Industry. To get a Free Foreclosures Training Course Go here Pre Foreclosures For more information visit: http://www.realestateforeclosuresinvesting.com
