Real Estate, Real Property and Leased Land; Definitions, Discussion and Explanations by Mr Jody Hudson
We Realtors and Attorneys use the term fee simple to describe land that is being sold as real property; that is real estate. We used the term leased land or leasehold interest to describe land that is not transferring as real estate. This rather lengthy text is regarding Leased Land, Real Estate, Private Property, Chattels, Mobile Homes, Homes on Leased Land and a legal dissertation to define, describe and determine the differences. Terminology is important when discussing Real Estate, i.e. real property. Black’s Law Dictionary is the recognized, definitive source for legal definitions under our American Law; which is derived from English Law


Tax Deferred Exchanges of Investment and Business Real Estate by Mr Jody Hudson
Most Realtors, Attorneys and CPAs do not have sufficient expertise to guide you in a legitimate and defensible tax deferred exchange. The key here is defensible, as the IRS will usually audit the tax deferred transaction and if it's done correctly so that it is easily defensible you will sail right through the audit for little or no money. Your personal tax profile and that of your other business and family identities must be factored in the decisions. It may be necessary to legally refigure, adjust, and compartmentalize your purchase or sale - and document that appropriately, BEFORE you begin to put any part of the transaction in writing. Planning is legally done BEFORE and if it is done after the transaction you can be liable for fraud. The IRS does not take kindly to fraud especially regarding real estate.


Maximizing Curb Appeal and First Impressions to Sell your Home by Mr Jody Hudson
We all know that a home or property of any kind, in order to sell faster and at a higher price, should have what is known as curb appeal. Frequently, it is not the expensive things that make a difference. Here are some things that can be done.


Regarding Real Estate On Leased Land by Mr Jody Hudson
Why are there so many properties on leased land along the expensive beach front in southern Delaware? There are several situations here. Business and commercial land is often leased all over the world. In New York City, Tokyo, and other larger, older cities; land owners often lease the land that is underneath those skyscrapers and in some cases even the park land is leased to the city by the land owners. The United Nations is on leased land. The Twin Towers were on leased land. In Lewes Delaware, USA, all of the land east of the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal, what is known as Lewes Beach; is leased land. The land leases there are usually owned by the Town of Lewes and are usually for 99 years and renewable. Some of the properties on Lewes Beach, however, are leased for shorter terms by the town, but as a rule all of these are automatically renewable. When you buy a property on Lewes Beach you pay a fee to get the leased land re-assigned to you. That fee for a Bay Front Property, on the Delaware Bay; can be well over a half million dollars, depending on the size of the lot; and the value of the home and improvements is added to the lease assignment value. In other words, even though it is leased land on Lewes Beach; the price is commensurate with purchasing the land. This land has always been leased land, as prescribed by England, during our American Colonial Period and that ownership style remains.


Landscaping Adds Great Value to Real Estate And Helps You Sell by Mr Jody Hudson
Small shrubs, trees, and plantings add almost nothing, or actually nothing at all, to your home value on the open market -- until they are several years older! There is another way! Some savvy investors look for good homes that are poorly landscaped and after spending a couple of thousand dollars or less put the property right back on the market for much more money and sell it. In any given area there are seldom more than one of these folks who use the techniques described below.


How Much Home Can You Afford In Today's Market? by Mr Jody Hudson
If you haven't figured your credit worthiness and borrowing power lately, you might be surprised at how much home you can afford to buy in today's market! Mortgage Lenders are very optimistic about the future of the real estate market and as a result they are willing to loan more on properties than you might expect! And, lenders are making loans at rates not seen since the late 1960s. We,as your Realtor, will be most willing to align you with one of our favored lenders for a private and complete analysis of your borrowing power. There are many different mortgage programs available to you -- some that you may not have heard of or even imagined before. Now is a great time to take a look at what's available to you! Every day we help buyers find and finance their next dream home. We can help you, too -- if you call us. Here's what we'll do for you: Step 1:...


Why Do Realtors Advertise Your Home in Print,on the Radio, on Television, etc.? by Mr Jody Hudson
Realtors represent a huge part of the national advertising expenditure each year in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Every seller would like to see their home in a large, impressive ad. The seller wants the Realtor to run the ads large and constantly until the home is sold. Realtors on the other hand know, if they keep good records, that few buyers purchase as a result of any print ad. The advertising is done to find a person, any person, who is seeking to purchase some sort of property at some price. A prospective purchaser may call on a large, expensive, waterfront home and end up buying a small cottage in the country.


I have a buyer for your property and I can sell it now! by Mr Jody Hudson
"I have a buyer for your property and I can sell it now; perhaps for more money than the price your current real estate agent has it listed for." Have you heard this or a version of this? Or, "I have a buyer for your property and I can sell it now; for Big Bucks (with an incredibly high figure named) perhaps for more money than that." In the fiercely competitive real estate business, it is a too common practice for one real estate agent to entice a seller to re-list their property with the new Realtor. It is also against the Realtors regulatory requirements in several ways. If the Realtor will break the rules in his own professional organization where he has been and will be for years perhaps... how honest and ethical will he be with YOU a one time relationship?


Legal Information About the Real Estate Contract by Mr Jody Hudson
Legal Information About the Real Estate Contract The conclusion of final agreement between a seller and a buyer is the Agreement of Purchase and Sale. We know it as the real estate contract. There are five mandatory requirements for a contract under contract law:


List Your Property Correctly & Make More Money! by Mr Jody Hudson
Usually the FIRST FACTOR in a buyer's equation, as far as which property to look at, is based on price. Second is the buyer's perception of the relative value of the property; which they gain from the Web sites and from printed pictures and from driving by the property. They could care less what you WANT to sell your property for. The buyer wants to buy it for less than market value not more. If your property is obviously priced above the market, nothing we can do will get it shown or sold. Herein lays the difficulty... Yes, we can ask any amount of money for your property. You can direct us to ask any amount that you want to ask; however it is the purchaser that determines how much the property will sell for, not us, not you. That being said, there are things you can do to increase the price and perceived value of the property.


Where Does Your Real Estate Commission Fee Go - Why is The Commission so HIGH? by Mr Jody Hudson
Many who have bought and sold properties through Realtors numerous times; even many real estate agents themselves, don't know where the commission money goes. After all, when a property sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars and the commission is tens of thousands of dollars, it seems like there is a terrific amount of money charged as commission -- and there is.


What We Do To Sell Your Property! by Mr Jody Hudson
Once you have contracted a Realtor to sell your property we go to work for you to bring you the most money and best price for your property as quickly as possible. Some properties are faster selling than others based on the location, condition, size, price, of course, and type of the property. Price is always a consideration but proper marketing and selling techniques will usually garner you, at least, an extra 15% to 20% and that is where we shine! We go into action quickly with all of the modern and traditional methods of marketing, promoting and advertising your property. Our purpose in doing what we do is to find YOU a number of willing and able purchasers in order to encourage at least one to purchase your property -- quickly and at the highest price.


Real Estate: Buyer's Agent, Seller's Agent & Dual Agent (defined and explained) by Mr Jody Hudson
There is a relatively new and not always well understood practice in Real Estate sales; it is called Buyer Agency or Buyer's Agent. Until recently Realtors and agents usually represented the seller, in opposition to the buyer, during the real estate transaction. Even the real estate agent who drove you from home to home was not truly working on your behalf. By law, the agent was required to work on the seller's side in order to get the highest price and the best terms for the seller -- Period! Some agents still work this way. In the last few years, first the law and now the practice of representation has changed. We have an entirely different set of options and agreements when we are buying real estate. These options were previously only available and utilized by large companies or wealthy individuals. In the past, the buyer would get a buyer's representative by paying a fee up front and usually by the hour, until the transaction was complete.


High Tension for the Buyer and Seller of Real Estate Can Be Reduced by Mr Jody Hudson
Tensions can run high in both the selling and buying of real estate. After all, there is a lot of money and emotion involved! There are also time pressures and numerous privacy issues to deal with. The sale and purchase of real estate can be a lengthy process involving numerous professionals from many fields.


Safe, Scenic & Secure Sussex County Delaware by Mr Jody Hudson
As I write this, there is a considerable concern about the dangers of urban life, triggered by the terrorist attacks on the USA. As some of you know, I have been a student of disaster preparations and a real estate consultant for those seeking “secluded and survival properties” for over thirty years.


Quality of Life in Sussex County Delaware. Facts, Statistics, Observations and even opinions! by Mr Jody Hudson
We Sussex Countians are fortunate in many ways as we have a wonderful quality of life here. Sussex County Delaware has a winter climate and temperature that equals the Carolinas, Georgia and northern Florida. It has a summer climate and temperature that is more like New York and Massachusetts. The reason for this is the tempering effects of the large bodies of water that surround Sussex County have more local effect on keeping us cool in Summer and Warm in winter than the land does. The closer you get to the water the more this is true. The Eastern Sussex area is almost identical to Boston temperatures in the summer and Tampa temperatures in the winter.


Buying Country Acreage and Rural Properties, To Buy or Not To Buy by Mr Jody Hudson
Almost anyone can become a rural property owner; if you are willing to set goals, establish what your purposes are, plan ahead and set targets that are all aligned toward the same result. And, if you can be patient instead of requiring instant gratification. There is no more $50-an-acre land; unless you count some of the inaccessible and unusable properties that are sometimes available in blocks of 10,000 acres or more; and even these properties are rare. But you can get rural properties more reasonably now than in the past IF you are willing to be creative in your expectations and in the ways you use and modify the property. If you are in a big hurry to find rural property, you will likely not be able to find what you are looking for. Rural properties have fewer buyers who want to purchase them, but there are plenty of dreamers who have not considered the realities. There are seldom bargains available because most folks who own rural properties know exactly who to call first when they want to sell. If the property really is a bargain it is gone with one of the first ten phone calls the seller makes. However, if you are willing to "think outside the box" of convention you may end up with what is a bargain property for you.


Real Estate Local FAQs. by Mr Jody Hudson
There are many frequently asked questions and any local real estate area. In our area here at the local Delaware Beaches, the most frequently asked questions are how to get a good deal and if there are any fixer-uppers available.


What are the Elements in Real Estate? by Suzee Miller
Everything in the Universe is ENERGY. According to the Chinese, energy expresses itself as one of five Feng Shui Elements, they are: FIRE, EARTH, METAL, WATER and WOOD. These elements affect everything in our living, our listing and work environments. The goal to marketing and selling "more property" using Feng Shui is to balance the five elements in our listings.


Curb Appeal by Bruce Andrews
Thinking of selling your home? Does your home have "curb appeal"? Probably one of the most important questions to answer when you decide to sell but many people overlook its importance.


What to Look Out For When Buying Off Plan by Alan Forsyth
There are some keys points to be aware of when buying off plan, regardless of the country. As with any property purchase, you should be pleased with the value when you buy, and also have an idea of the way the market is going over the build time, but there are many other factors to take into account.


Staging® Your Home for Sale: a Superior Real Estate Home Marketing Technique: Part 1 by Jody Hudson
Every Realtor KNOWS that a home should be shown in its best light to help sell it faster and for more money! We also know that, properly done, it Is a lot more than putting fragrant pies, breads or cookies in the oven, opening the drapes and turning on all the lights; although even that helps greatly. Setting the stage to obtain the highest value, fastest, for a home has recently evolved into a real estate specialty that can pay of grandly for the seller and help the buyer overcome the immense emotional strain of making a decision on which, of many similar properties, to purchase. For a few hundred or a few thousand dollars; a seller can increase the speed greatly and add several percentage points to the sales price, simultaneously!


What Does It Take To Be A Donald Trump in Real Estate? by Suzee Miller
Since you are a business oriented person, you might be thinking: "oh, great, here it comes another fad that sounds to good to be true and I don’t have time for this now." Well, the fact is, like gravity you do not have to believe in Feng Shui for it to work. Whether you believe in the law of gravity or not it exists, and it affects everything you do. As Donald Trump said: “I don’t have to believe in Feng Shui, but I use it because it makes me money."


Panama is Hot - A World Class Retirement Haven That's Ripe For Profitable Real Estate Investment by Gene Wasosky
PANAMA IS HOT - A WORLD CLASS RETIREMENT HAVEN THAT'S RIPE FOR PROFITABLE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT - If you’ve followed any of the major survey agencies around the world that rate places for retirement, Panama has been on top of the list in many, and for a few years running. So, if you're looking for a place outside U.S. borders to retire, Panama should be given very serious consideration. Panama has a lot going for it.


Budgeting Your Log Home: Where Do You Start? by Mercedes Hayes
Ready to turn your dream home into a reality? Here is a starting point to figuring out a budget for your log home.


Personal Branding Techniques for Real Estate Agents and Brokers by Dan R. Vella
Personal Branding Techniques for Real Estate Agents and Brokers..


Real Estate Investing Myths That Steal Profits From Your Pocket by Lou Castillo
One of the things that distresses us about our industry is the amount of wrong or incomplete information available to investors. Some myths block what otherwise would be a great deal, while others would have you believe that a bad deal is actually great. Let’s take this opportunity to dispel 5 of the most common.


Budgeting Your Log Home - Creating a Checklist by Mercedes Hayes
Finding the manufacturer of your log home is only the beginning; it's time to start thinking about the constuction loan. Once you make a checklist of the different phases of your construction process, it will be easier to see where the money is going to be allocated.


Do You Want To Sell Your Rehabs Fast? by Lou Castillo
That’s an obvious question – we all do! So what is the trick? So much time and money is spent on systems updates, roofs, and structural issues, that many times there’s nothing left for what really makes the sale: what your potential buyers see. And more importantly, what they fall in love with. (Read On)


How Much Should I Pay For This House? by Lou Castillo
I probably answer this question for someone a couple times every week. The problem is that they don’t have a good formula for determining the most they can pay and still make a profit – so they’re scared to make any offer