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There is a common myth that renting a van or truck for a one way move is a good way to save money on moving expenses. However, an online company, Movers Moving Company shows how this can be a time-consuming and costly mistake. One way truck rental can actually be more expensive than hiring a full service mover.

On their website, this company offers helpful hints so you can quickly and accurately estimate the cost of moving. By the time you add up the cost of renting a truck, fuel, meals, accommodation and other expenses, you will find that moving house on your own is actually quite expensive. Then use their simple destination to get comparative quotes for full moving services. Your best moving quote is likely to be far cheaper than the cost of self-moving.

There are many other good reasons for choosing a full service moving company. Licensed Movers will guarantee the safe delivery of your precious belongings. They will save you a great deal of stress and anxiety at a time when you need stress the least – when you are moving to a new home. While it is an exciting time for the whole family, it is also a time of uncertainty. You are moving to a new location, perhaps a new job and usually unfamiliar surroundings. If you can arrive at your new home knowing that your belongings are in professional hands, you will be much better prepared for your new life in your new home.

Before you move, check out the many ways that professional moving companies can help you. Aside from perhaps saving you money, they can offer you peace of mind. A professional mover can move everything from your antique crystal to your grand piano and even your car safely, efficiently and inexpensively.

Appraisal – Valuation of Subsidized Housing

The purpose of this article is to analyze valuation methodology for several atypical types of apartments. Various circumstances and situations can cause an apartment complex to have above-or below-market rental rates, occupancy rates and operating expenses. This analysis examines the following two situations:

1. low-income subsidized apartments, which receive above-market rental rates from HUD or another government agency, and
2. projects that are part of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.

The LIHTC program was established by the U.S. Congress to encourage development of affordable housing in economically disadvantaged areas. Project developers receive a tax credit for following the guidelines established by the program. They typically sell these credits to Fortune 500 corporations for 45 percent to 60 percent of the total project cost, excluding land.

The first step in the valuation process is analyzing market value definitions. The following is the definition from the Texas Property Tax Code, Section 1.04 (7): market value means the price at which a property would transfer for cash or its equivalent under prevailing market conditions if:

a. exposed for sale in the open market with a reasonable time for the seller to find a purchaser,
b. both the seller and the purchaser know of all the uses and purposes to which the property is adapted and for which it is capable of being used and of the enforceable restrictions to its use, and
c. both the seller and the purchaser seek to maximize their gains and neither is in a position to take advantage of the exigencies of the other.

Section (b) of the Texas Property Tax Code further requires: the market value of property shall be determined by the application of generally accepted appraisal techniques, and the same or similar appraisal techniques shall be used in appraising the same or similar kinds of property. However, each property shall be appraised based upon the individual characteristics that affect the property’s market value.

The definition of market value, according to the 10th edition of The Appraisal of Real Estate published in 1992 by the Appraisal Institute, is: market value is the most probable price, as of a specified date, in cash, or in terms equivalent to cash, or in other precisely revealed terms for which the specified property rights should sell after reasonable exposure in a competitive market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, with the buyer and seller each acting prudently, knowledgeably, and for self-interest, and assuming that neither is under undue duress.

The term which requires further review in the above definition is “knowledgeably.” Is the purchaser knowledgeable regarding the effort required to comply with subsidized housing program requirements and tenants? Does he consider the effort to be rent for real estate or compensation for services? Does the purchaser of an LIHTC project understand that maximum rents are now established for at least 15 years based on deed restrictions? (LIHTC deed restrictions are now required for 30 years in Texas and most other states.)

Fee simple estate is defined in the third edition of the Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal published by the Appraisal Institute as: absolute ownership unencumbered by any other interest or estate, subject only to the limitations imposed by the governmental powers of taxation, eminent domain, police power and escheat.

The practice in Texas is to base the assessed value on the value of the fee simple estate as opposed to the leased fee estate. This analysis is based on valuation of the fee simple estate instead of the leased fee estate.

The definition of leased fee estate in the third edition of the Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal is: an ownership interest held by a landlord with the rights of use and occupancy conveyed by lease to others. The rights of the lessor (the leased fee owner) and the lessee are specified by contract terms contained within the lease.

The primary difference between the fee simple estate and the leased fee estate is that the tenant and landlord are each bound by commitments to pay rent and allow use of the property for a term. The contract rent agreed to between landlord and tenant may or may not be equal to market rent. For example, if a landlord entered into a 30-year lease for rent of %5 per square foot 15 years ago (when market rent was %5 per square foot) and the current market rent is %10 per square foot, the tenant has a substantial advantage. The tenant has a leasehold estate which may or may not have value depending on the term of the lease, the contract rent and market rent.

The Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal defines leasehold estate as the interest held by the lessee (the tenant or renter) through a lease conveying the rights of use and occupancy for a stated term under certain conditions.

Conversely, if the tenant agreed to a rental rate of %15 per square foot in a strong market 10 years ago, and is committed to pay that rent for another 10 years, there is a substantial advantage to the landlord, and the tenant has a leasehold estate with a negative value. Practice in Texas is to establish the assessed value based on the fee simple estate instead of the leased fee estate. Therefore, the relevant criteria for determining market value includes market rent, market expenses, market occupancy and market derived capitalization rates. If a taxpayer made a poor business decision 10 years ago and has substantially below-market rent, it is inequitable for the taxing entities to reduce their ad valorem tax due to the bad business decision of the property owner. Conversely, if a property owner made a fortuitous or wise business decision and entered into an above-market lease, it is not appropriate to collect an above-average level of ad valorem tax from him because of his luck or prudence.

Market rent is defined by the third edition of the Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal as: the rental income that a property would most probably command in the open market; indicated by current rents paid and asked for comparable space as of the date of appraisal.

Market rent is the compensation paid for the use of the real estate. It should not include compensation paid for factors other than the use of the real estate such as additional services which are not typically provided.

The next step in this process is to analyze valuation of properties which participate in subsidized programs which receive above-market rental rates. The final section will address valuation of projects in the LIHTC program.

Valuation of Subsidized Housing

This analysis will consider both the income and the sales comparison approaches to value. The cost approach is not utilized since it would provide similar results after calculating external obsolescence due to differences in rental rates.

Income Approach:

Apartment owners who participate in subsidized housing programs may or may not receive above-market rental rates. For many years, HUD offered above-market rental rates as an inducement to property owners to participate in the program. There are two reasons for HUD paying an above-market rental rate:

1. to compensate for the inconvenience of dealing with a bureaucratic government program which mandates detailed inspections not typically required in the private market; and
2. to compensate for working with residents who tend to be at the lowest socioeconomic level in our society.

It has not been unusual for HUD to pay contract rent of %0.70 to %0.80 per square foot per month for subsidized housing projects, even though the market rent for competing projects might only be %0.45 to % 0.50 per square foot per month. The rent and sales comparables used in this analysis are located in a neighborhood characterized by income levels in the bottom quartile of the Houston area, minimal new construction of residential or commercial buildings for 25 years and heterogeneous levels of quality and appeal. Some sections, such as Riverside, have experienced gentrification, but other areas are marked by poorly maintained properties. Both the market rent projects and the subsidized rent projects are located in the area south of downtown Houston, bound by 288 to the west, Interstate-45 to the east, and Almeda-Genoa to the south. Consider the following tables which list rental rates for projects which do not participate in a subsidy program (market rent projects) and projects which do participate in a subsidized rent program:

http://www.poconnor.com/article.asp?id=48

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3 Surefire Ways To Sell Your Homes On Steroids, While Other Investors Can’t Give Away Their Homes

So you need to sell your home?

This article is exactly what you need to do, to sell your home or create a bunch of leads of individuals, who are HOT prospects to buy your home.

Before, I share my 3 steroid ideas on selling your homes; you need to take a few simple steps…

PREPARATION

1. You need to locate and interview an aggressive Mortgage Broker, very knowledgeable, with a GREAT TRACK RECORD of closing deals, especially difficult ones.

I cannot stress enough the importance, of having a great broker on your power team. I own and run, the R.E.I.A. (real estate investor club / www.tcreia.com) in my area, so whenever I hear a member, say they got a difficult deal closed, I always make sure to inquire for an introduction, because this might be the broker who can get most of my deals funded.

Remember, you can sell a home ten times, if you can’t get the buyer funded by a mortgage company…who cares, your wasting your time.

2. You should make some effort in fixing the home up; even if it’s a hunker, I’d still get the lawn cut and maybe throw a coat of paint on the property. You’d be amazed at the improvement to even an ugly property, with a simple coat of paint on the front of the property.

3. Go to your local community financing office or local grant and home buyer bond office. For example in my area (South Florida and Palm Beach County), both counties run a FREE class for your buyers on becoming a first time home buyer and when they take the class, they then get a voucher from the county, giving them %10,000.00 toward the purchase of their first home. The best part is sometimes the loans are even forgiven, when certain criteria are met by the new homeowner.

LET’S DO SOME MARKETING ON STEROIDS

Let’s be frank, your going to have to be more aggressive, smarter and persistent than 99%PRCTG% of all your homes neighbors.

There’s no magic pill, but this has been working for both my students and me, for the last year, and we’re always testing and fine-tuning the system.

And I can tell you, that while every other investor, is sitting with their heads in their butts, my students and I are able to sell all of our properties, during one of the worst RE slowdowns in history, and this is in South Florida, one of the most depressed markets in the Country,

1. Buyer First System

Basically you create your own buyers. The best example would be converting a lifetime renter into the American Dream a homeowner. Just so happens, that while becoming the American Dream, they also end up buying your home.

Very simply, create a flyer or postcard, and market to communities of people who would be a great prospect to buy your home.

Who doesn’t want to be a homeowner in America? Nobody, that’s a stupid question, everyone wants to be a homeowner, and it’s bred into us as kids.

The real key is you must understand, that these individuals renting, most are under the impression they CAN’T get a mortgage. They might have tried in the past, and we’re shutdown and embarrassed, only to believe they would live the rest of their lives as a RENTER.

These are the best leads you can focus on, because it’s not a matter of IF they’ll buy your home, they will, the key is can you get them funded or is it the right house for them, financially affordable.

I must also share with you, this strategy will take some of your time and initiative, because their is hand holding involved, mortgage brokers, and helping them get any government help in First time homebuyer money.

2. Fish in some one else’s pond!

Go where the most prospects are for your home. I’ll give you some examples, you need to go where the most and the best prospects are to buy your home, assuming it’s a good deal (priced right, and there’s still built-in equity for your buyer).

If you have any contacts or a friend of a friend, now is the time for using it and your expectations are for these contacts to open doors for you, to their sphere of influence.

For Example, one of my students, Courtney, leveraged a contact he had, his cousin (she was a middle school teacher), and she introduced him into the schools, where it just happened that the schools are in the same area, that he was selling a great starter home.

He sold the home that he needed to the most, but then, once word spread of what he was able to do, the rest of the teachers came out of everywhere, wanting him to help them. He’s since helping the 1st teacher, sold another 5 homes, to 5 different teachers, earning him over %30,000.00 for this simple, leveraged relationship.

So what ponds can you fish in, with your marketing? Think about whom you know (friends, family members, and associates)?

BEST: Teachers, Cops, Firefighters, Government Employees, Bus Drivers, Department of Transportation. (These careers are loved by lenders, they mostly have good credit, and their income is basically guaranteed and very stable.)

GOOD: Large local employers: Supermarkets, Local telephone company (Bell South), Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc.

3. Use the Internet…

You should definitely have an individual website for your property.

You can get a simple site built for under %100.00.

? Use www.elance.com or www.rentacoder.com : Two great sites, for getting your site created, they are both similar to EBay. You post an auction about your project (your home website), and then companies bid on your job, and you get to see samples of their work and read all their feedback, after you decided who wins your job, you choose a winner. Oh by the way, both of these services cost you nothing, their completely FREE. ? Take some pictures with a digital camera of your home and you’ll end up emailing them to the site designer, to post on your site. (good example, is www.735airoso.com) ? Treat this as an online, digital brochure, basically being able to do whatever you can conceive. ? You can take a video of the home, with you walking through the home and then have it placed on your site. If you’re intimidated by video, like I was at first, don’t be, because your web site designer can do it for you, very easily.

Now, when ever you talk to someone on the phone or in person, they can quickly look at your property, on the web. This will be the best %100.00 you’ll ever spend on marketing of your home.

4. BONUS: Promote and hold your own, “First Time Homebuyer Seminar”.

Before you say anything, I don’t expect you to be Tony Robbins, if you can get 10 to 15 people in a room, your going to be successful.

We shared this strategy with my mentoring students, and it’s been working excellent for them, from the results I’ve been receiving back from my future millionaires. In fact, one of my students from Miami, Alex, has been executing this strategy like gangbusters.

Before writing this article, I received permission from Alex to share some of his feedback with you, on the Homebuyer seminars that have been very successful for him.

He’s now doing 1 a month, every month. Also, since he’s has a few successfully under his belt, he’s now selling sponsorship space to his seminars, to Mortgage brokers, credit repair companies, and he’s even worked out a joint venture with two different realtors, whom pay him for every property they sell to one of his prospects.

If you’re curious how he’s filling the room, all he’s doing is as follows…

-Flyers in Parking lots, I.E. Wal-Mart, Publix Supermarkets, and local churches.

-Free Advertising on www.craigslist.com

-He uses bandit style signs on the side of the road, 18 x 24, corrugated plastic signs.

-He’s even put up a website that the attendees, can pre-register for the seminar. (Sorry, he didn’t want me giving out the site, for obvious reasons)

-He also is giving them an ethical bribe for attending the seminar; he gives them a few nooks and tapes just for making it to the event. The best part is he received the books for free on the internet, and he’s also allowed to give them away for free and even rebrand them as his own books.

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3 Tips to Staging the Inside of Your Home Like a Pro

Are you considering putting your house up for sale, but not sure where to start? Afraid it will take too long to sell, or that you won?t get the price you want? Think about ?staging? your home, or in other words, setting the scene for immediate buyer interest in your property.

To be really effective, you need to look at both the outside and the inside of your home. Here are 3 tips to get you started with the inside of your home:

1. De-clutter. This is one of the most important things you can do. It might be easier to think of de-cluttering like this ? you?re moving anyway, so why not start packing now?

Pack up everything you don?t need and store the boxes out of sight in the garage (or consider temporarily renting a small storage locker).

2. Organize your closets – put similar colors together, pants together, skirts together, shirts together etc. Why? Because it will make the closets look bigger. (Really.) An organized closet appears bigger, and you want your closets to look as spacious as possible.

3. Make your home look like a model. You want to de-personalize as much as possible so potential buyers can imagine themselves and their own belongings occupying the space in your house. That means minimizing ? putting away everything you don?t need or use. Clear off kitchen counters as much as possible ? stash all those appliances you don?t use, and put miscellaneous small clutter in a few attractive baskets or boxes

And the biggest tip of all? Imagine yourself as a potential buyer looking at your property for the very first time. What impressions are you getting? Would YOU buy your house? What would you like to see changed before you put an offer on your house?

And don?t worry about spending several thousand dollars to get your house ready to sell ? you?ll get it all back when your house sells. Proper staging helps you sell your house in a shorter time and at the price you want.

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If you have been trying to take advantage of the low prices of real estate, but have been unable to because banks have turned down your application for a home loan, don’t give up. There are lenders who are willing to give home loans, even to people who have less than sterling credit ratings. In fact, you can even get them to compete for your business, if you know where to look.

The place to look is online. Advantage specializes in finding the best possible loans for you, no matter what your financial circumstances are. This website has a reputation for unimpeachable integrity. They are there to inform and help you, not just take your money. That’s why they have extensive informational pages on their website in addition to the capacity to get you comparative quotes.

Many loan websites are fully automated. This is fine for things like auto insurance. When it comes to mortgages, though, you need the one-on-one, personal touch. There is too much at stake and you need professional, personal attention. After you have read the Advantage Tutorials and informed yourself about all aspects of home loans, contact them directly and their representative will get back to you to discuss your personal needs with you in person.

Whether you have good credit or bad, you can take the Home Loan Advantage and get a loan at the most attractive mortgage rate possible. Contact Advantage today and your home ownership dreams may be realized tomorrow.

An alternative to using an estate agent to sell your property

Traditionally, anyone with a house to sell in the U.K. would use an Estate Agent. As they were ranked 2nd in a Radio 4 poll of ?least respected workers? (M.P.?s were 1st!), for many people they are seen as a necessary evil.

A small minority of people manage to sell their house privately by doing their own advertising and putting up their own For Sale board, but as their property does not appear in the Estate Agent?s press adverts or websites, this is very much a hit and miss affair.

Even when a sale is secured, the legal system in England & Wales means that until contracts are exchanged ? typically many weeks later ? the sale can fall through. In fact one in three agreed sales do not complete, meaning that the sale process has to start all over again.

For anyone relocating or emigrating this is frustrating and annoying as plans have to be put on hold. For people with financial difficulties or in danger of having their house repossessed, it can be very serious indeed.

A realistic alternative to Estate Agents

At last there is an alternative to using an Estate Agent. Using a specialist property-buying company offers the speed and certainty lacking if selling on the open market through an Estate Agent.

Companies like A Quick Sale (http://www.aquicksale.co.uk ) are now offering a service that more and more people see as a better alternative than waiting and hoping for an elusive buyer. They will normally make an offer to buy a property within a few days, completing at a date to suit you, so that people can move on with their lives.

So, what?s the catch? Well, the main one is that they will be looking to buy the property at a reduction from the open market value. How much of a reduction often depends on the type and size of property but is likely to be at least 10%PRCTG%.

The other thing to watch out for is that some of these companies charge an upfront valuation fee of several hundred pounds. Whilst this is usually refundable if you go ahead and sell to them, it is quite possible that their offer on your property will be unacceptable to you, leaving you out of pocket!

Questions to ask

If the speed and certainty of selling to a property-buying company appeals to you, what do you need to look out for?
Probably the first question to ask is ? will it cost me anything to get an offer on my property? A national house buying company featured on Watchdog last year after many complaints fro people who had paid a valuation fee and then offered much less than their property was worth.
(see http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/reports/home/home_20051122_2.shtml)

You wouldn?t expect to pay an Estate Agent for a valuation, so why pay these companies?

The next question most people need answering is ? can I rely on this company? Can they fit around me? These companies should be asking you about your timescales and deadlines and tailoring a solution around these. Look carefully at their literature and website to see if they are flexible and offer a range of solutions. It is also a good idea to ask them for examples or testimonials from previous customers.

So, if you have a property to sell, before you call an Estate Agent, it might be worth checking out a couple of these companies who can offer you a quick sale.

Disclaimer:
All information contained in this article, is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as advice under the Financial Services Act 1986.

You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

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Are FSBO’s Worth The Time & Effort?

Many people have asked whether or not FSBO’s are really worth the time and effort involved in the sale. The simple answer is, Yes! It stands to reason that the FSBO industry is based on some amount of success or else it would never have grown to the size it currently is. And the industry is growing in size every year. Part of the reason for this phenomena is the fact that home sellers are becoming more and more educated on the involved process and as such are demanding a level of service that many real estate agents are not willing to provide, or able to provide due to a high number of clients.

The resolution to this problem has been the education of sellers and the drive to eliminate the middle man. For years people were convinced the the only way to sell a home was to contact their local realtor and then wait for the offers. But what if that agent was not providing enough service to sell the home in a timely manner? Was there any real way to ensure that this was being done? It can be hard to trust someone in such a way when nothing appears to be happening. But you can trust yourself right? So, why not give yourself the tools you need to become your own real estate agent?

The part that cannot be stressed enough is the need to educate yourself on the process before you undertake the selling of your own home. Start investigating the rules and regulations concerning real estate contracts and conveyance. Find out about liens and easements and inspections. In selling your own home there are a lot of hats that you will have to wear. Of course it never hurts to get legal advice and guidance from a lawyer educated in real estate law. There is also an abundance of information available online to help guide your education. The web is a great resource for almost every aspect of the home sale process so take the time to investigate these things to the full extent. Good luck!

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Architect or Building Designer ? Who Do You Choose?

Thinking of building a new home or complex? Will you use an architect or a building designer? Both are involved in the design of buildings ? their appearance, layout, structure, and so on. But what?s the difference?

The simplest difference is a legal one. To be called an ?architect? in NSW, you have to be registered with the Board of Architects of NSW. The title ?building designer? can be used by anyone designing buildings.

But that?s hardly even scratching the surface. Brian Basford is a building designer and treasurer of the Building Designers Association of NSW. He suggests that building designers are generally less expensive, and mostly involved in less flamboyant buildings. ?It?s horses for courses. Most architects probably wouldn?t want to design a single bedroom extension for a pensioner, whereas I?ve done a lot of that.?

Brian also stressed that there are quite often overlaps between what architects do and what building designers do. There?s no simple rule. ?But no matter what the job, good building designers and good architects both produce quality work?, he says.

Architect Gary Kurzer agrees that architects are more likely to be involved with more distinctive, ?up-market? buildings. But not because of cost. ?Architects work to your budget just like building designers. The real reason is that architects are a little more likely to stretch the boundaries and challenge convention.?

According to Gary, you should generally choose an architect if you want more than just a literal translation of your brief. ?My clients normally have a rough idea of what they want. I take that idea and transform it into something they love, but could never have imagined themselves.?

The most important thing is knowing what you want from the service, and choosing someone that suits your job.

And whether you choose an architect or building designer, remember, qualifications are no guarantee of quality. Always ask to see previous examples of their work. Ask for references from previous customers. Ask to see their qualifications. Ask how long they?ve been working. Do they have professional indemnity insurance? Are they a member of an accredited body??

In the end, it?s like anything else? there?s no substitute for common sense.

Thanks to Gary Kurzer, Architect, 0411044448, and Brian Basford, Building Designer.

FAQs
Q: Are architects and building designers the same thing?
A: No. Architects must be registered with the Board of Architects of NSW.

Q: Will I get a better design from an architect?
A: Not necessarily. The only guarantee is a minimum level of qualifications. Architects must have a Bachelor of Architecture degree (5 years) as well as the demonstrated ability to deal with clients and satisfy their requirements. Generally this means at least a couple of years experience in an architect?s office.

Q: Are building designers more in touch with builders and other trades?
A: Not necessarily. Architects are trained to deal with and manage all aspects of the building project. It all comes down to the individual?s experience and abilities.

Q: Are Building designers ?would-be? architects?
A: No. Building design is a recognised profession with its own national body (the BDAA) offering 3 levels of accreditation based on experience and quality ? but registration isn?t compulsory. Many building designers have the qualifications to register with the Board of Architects but they choose not to because they don?t think the name ?architect? is worth the ongoing cost of registration.

Q: Are architects more expensive?
A: Not necessarily. An architect will work to your budget like a building designer. They can do anything from a simple design to very complex interior and exterior detailing to superintendence of the building process. Your building costs and ongoing running costs may also be less. For example, find out if your architect is incorporating cost-saving measures into the building process. They may also design to take advantage of natural lighting, ventilation, heating, cooling, etc. which will save you less in electricity.

Q: How do I tell if they?re really an architect?
A: Call the Board of Architects of NSW ? (02) 93564900 or visit http://www.boarch.nsw.gov.au/f_consumer.html.

Q: How do I look for an accredited building designer?
A: Call the Building Designers Association of NSW ? Sydney (02) 49264855 or visit http://www.bdansw.com.au or http://www.bdaa.com.au/index.htm.

Q: Where else can I go for further information?
A: http://www.architecture.com.au – Royal Australian Institute of Architects
http://www.bdansw.com.au – Building Designers Association of NSW

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Advantages to Shopping for Real Estate Online

The real estate market is one of the most complex markets in the entire world due to the fact that it is in a continuous change, thus making it a very dynamic market. The internet has a lot to offer consumers regarding real estate and as a result it is a great place to start shopping. Some of these advantages are:

- It is inexpensive, if not free to list your home in an online property listing service.

- It is a quick and easy method to advertise your property that is for sale/lease or if you would like to buy a property.

- The buyer and seller have direct access to information about the property in question. This makes other forms of communication between the buyer and the seller obsolete. The internet is easy in comparison to the old-fashioned method of answering dozens phones calls or setting up numerous meetings.

- Many websites that deal with real estate allow you to include up to 5 photos of your property. This is a lot more in comparison to a regular newspaper and you have complete control over the photos? quality. In addition you can highlight specific features about your property with the potential buyers. This can be very helpful if you are working to attract buyers from outside your local geographic area whom potentially need more explanation of certain elements.

- Once listed, your home is available until you will sell the property. This is a big advantage if you consider that for a newspaper ad you will systematically have to pay a fee week after week.

- These online real estate listing services have a nation-wide audience which will make your ad visible to the entire country;

- Searching for the right house is very easy as these websites have filters which will allow you to only see the houses that meet your specific requirements. Therefore you can spend time looking only out houses that meet your needs without having to waste time looking at houses you aren?t interested in.

Using the Internet for real estate will make you your own real estate agent without having to pay a great sum of money to an agent and also you will have full-control of the entire activity. Whether you are a home buyer or seller, it is very easy to search for the perfect house as the online offers are endless. Or, if you would like to sell a piece of real estate, there is no safer and quicker way to do it.

Online real estate has become popular and is consuming are looking to the internet more each day as an easy place to get good information. As a matter of fact, more than 5 million people use the internet for real estate issues every month. With numbers like this it is easy to see how the internet can improve your chances for selling or buying a home.

Another major advantage of real estate moving to the internet is that you won?t need a real estate agent to start your search. This is very important because we all know that real estate agents are of value but sometimes you just want to look.

All in all, there is no better, safer and easier way to search for a home or to sell one than online as the internet has a lot to offer in the real estate market and it is rapidly developing, gaining more and more consumers everyday and thus improving your chances for a profitable buy/sell.

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Affordable Homes: Real Estate in Nation’s 10 Most Cheap & Livable Metro Areas

The 10 most livable and most affordable real estate metro areas in the United States have a number of other favorable characteristics in common, according to a new HouseHunt ?Current Real Estate Market Conditions? survey conducted by HouseHunt, Inc., a consumer-oriented Internet firm that provides free information to thousands of homeowners, home buyers and home sellers across the nation. The survey shows median home prices range from %130,100 to %194,400 for existing homes for sale and also found:
? The majority of the 10 metro areas report balanced, good-to-active housing markets with sellers usually getting 95%PRCTG% or more of their asking prices. Inventories of unsold homes are mostly limited.

? The majority of the 10 metro areas are experiencing strong job and population growth and good economic news. They offer quality lifestyles, good schools and solid family recreation along with other amenities. Sales data shows that many recent home buyers are relocating from other, often more costly areas.

? All 10 metro markets are attracting both first-time and move-up buyers because of affordable prices, low mortgage interest rates and multiple financing options.

? Median real estate prices for existing single-family homes in the 10 metro areas range between %130,100 and %194,400, compared to the national median real estate price of %188,800. Four of the 10 areas reported double-digit price appreciation in the past 12 months.

? All 10 metro areas have major universities located there.

? Five of the 10 metro areas are popular tourism destinations. Nine of the 10 metro areas are located in warm to moderate climates.

The 10 most livable and most affordable metro areas as determined by criteria developed by ?Places Rated Almanac? (David Savageau) and the latest quarterly median sales prices compiled by the National Association of Realtors are:

1. Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT %157,000

2. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL %172,800

3. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC %175,600

4. Houston, TX %138,100

5. Phoenix, AZ %193,800

6. Cincinnati OH, %139,600

7. Louisville, KY %130,100

8. Austin-San Marcos, TX %154,100

9. Orlando, FL %194,400

10.Nashville,TN %152,100.

Four of the 10 metro areas ? Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, Nashville and Austin-San Marcos ? are also listed in the latest edition of Lee and Saralee Rosenberg?s ?50 Fabulous Places To Raise Your Family? (Melissa Giovagnoli). Like Savageau, the authors give high marks for schools, jobs and business opportunities, family fun, housing affordability, living costs, climate, health care, transportation and quality of life.

?With all the negative news about spiking home prices and the widening affordability gap, it?s refreshing to find highly desirable metro areas where most buyers can find affordable homes,? said Michael Bearden, president and CEO of HouseHunt, Inc. ?Our quarterly ?Current Market Conditions’ reports are accessible on many of our HouseHunt.com agent websites across the country. For recent home sales in their neighborhoods, homeowners and home sellers can also find this information easily and immediately on HouseHunt?s new moveUp.com website.?

Mark Jenkins of Realty Executives, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Salt Lake City, described housing activity in his metro area as ?improving? from a depressed buyers market.? He said many buyers are relocating from out-of-state to take advantage of the lifestyle and lower home prices. A median price of %157,000 would probably buy a 2,000 square foot home with three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage on a one-third or one-four acre lot in a good location. Highest home price appreciation is occurring near the University of Utah. Another hot spot is Park City, a popular ski resort in the nearby mountains where Lee Merryweather of World Class Realty is the exclusive HouseHunt member agent.

An active housing market is reported in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area by Linda Ippolito of Keller Williams Realty, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Bayshore, Westshore-South Tampa, and Davis Island-South Tampa. She said the whole area is exploding with growth and new industries. Available housing is in limited supply. Although the median price home is %172,800 for the entire metro area, median home prices are closer to %400,000 in South Tampa. Waterfront properties are also priced higher. Average price appreciation is 15.7%PRCTG% in the past year. A slower-paced but high quality lifestyle is reported in the Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill metro area by Ray Lenahan of Robert Gray Realtors, exclusive HouseHunt member agent with Robert Gray for Wake Forest, Rolesville and Youngsville.

?The big attraction is our Research Triangle, three major universities, excellent quality of life, and moderate weather,? Lenahan said – He said the median home price of %175,600 in the metro area is probably closer to %190,000 in his market area. ?That will buy a new home with 2,000 square feet with three bedrooms, two baths on a half-acre lot. Either that, or, it would buy an older home in a more established neighborhood,? he added.

Houston, with its ?can do? entrepreneurial spirit and liberal-to-zero zoning restrictions, is attracting people from both the East and West Coasts to relocate and to invest in rental properties, according to Kathi Frank of RE/MAX The Woodlands, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for The Woodlands and Woodland Springs. The Woodlands is a 27,000-acre planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston. ?Median price home for the entire metro area is %138,100,? she said. ?That will buy a new, 1,400 square foot home from a production builder in North Houston or Woodland Springs.? She added: ?Estate properties are priced from the low %200,000s to more than %3 million.?

Reva Schafer of West USA Realty, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Scottsdale and Northeast Phoenix, reported a limited inventory and a very active seller?s market, with sellers usually getting 100%PRCTG% or more of their asking prices. The median price for the metro area is %193,800 ?but hard to find anything under %300,000 in my area,? Schafer said. ?It?s more like %350,000 to %400,000 as a median price in Scottsdale.. Lots are jumping in price. So are houses.? Year-to-year appreciation is 24.4%PRCTG%! She cited tremendous growth in the suburbs of Peoria and Chandler. ?A year ago, investors were buying from builders and flipping (re-selling) the properties. No more. Now, a buyer must live in the property for at least one year to qualify.?

Good job growth, corporate relocations and an improving local economy is fueling the housing market in the Cincinnati metro market, according to Saralou Durham of RE/MAX Preferred Group and exclusive HouseHunt member agent for suburban Montgomery and Hyde Park in Hamilton County, OH. ?We have fabulous cultural and recreational facilities and a good quality lifestyle,? she said..?A median home price of %139,600 seems a bit low, depending on the area. That amount of money will probably buy a small two bedroom, one bath home needing some repair or remodeling in one of our small suburban communities.?

In Louisville, Charlotte Wright and Michael McConnell of Evergreen Realty are exclusive HouseHunt member agents for suburban Jeffersontown. ?Louisville is now the 16th largest metro area in the nation,? Wright said. ?We?re a hub for UPS and have two Ford plants located here. Military personnel stationed as nearby Ft. Knox and their families are also relocating here, she said. ?The median price of %130,100 is probably low ? %150,000 would be more accurate. The latter will buy a three bedroom, two bath 1,200 square foot house with a garage in a good area.?

Ann Parr of RE/MAX Austin Advantage and exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Westlake & Lake Travis said well-priced listings are attracting multiple, full-price offers in a very active seller?s market. Average time on the market is 60-90 days. ?We have younger professionals who want to live close to downtown but the primary place to live is by the lakes,? she said. Prices range from %150,000 to %6 million. ?Nice homes can be purchased for %250,000 to %350,000. The median price home is %154,100 in Austin. That would probably buy a starter home in the Round Rock area or a home needing remodeling in Central Austin. Patio homes for retired people near Lake Austin sell for %200,000.?

One of the hottest of the 10 metro markets on the list is Orlando, according to Steve Farah of the Royal Realty Group. Farah is exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Alafaya & Waterford Lakes and Kissimmee: ?We?re experiencing unbelievable growth and home appreciation,? he said. ?Our seller?s market is so active that listings sometimes last only hours, not days. Buyers frequently must act immediately or the property will be gone!? He feels that the median price of %194,400 is probably low because of high demand and the low inventory. ?A median price of %250,000 would be more realistic and would buy a three ?bedroom, two bath home with 1,700 to 2,000 square feet.? Since the first quarter of 2004, the median price home has appreciated 28.7%PRCTG%.

Nashville, the 10th ranked metro area on the list, offers a relaxed, friendly lifestyle and affordable home prices to newcomers, according to Mary Barbee of Coldwell Banker Andrews and Associates. Plus, there is no state income tax. Barbee is the exclusive HouseHunt member agent for South East Nashville. ?The median price of %152,100 seems low ? it?s more like %170,000, depending on location. That amount of money would probably buy a three-bedroom, two-bath new home with 1,200-1,500 square feet in the suburban communities of Madison and Smyrna,? she said. The median home price is up 11.3%PRCTG% in the past year in the Nashville metro area.

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