Buy Out Your Spouse: If you want to stay in the home and can afford the full mortgage payment on your own, you may be able to buy out your ex-spouse by taking out a second mortgage for half the remaining amount owed on the first mortgage, paying this amount to your ex, and then consolidating your first and second mortgages into one payment. If you’re receiving child support and/or alimony, these payments count as part of your income and can help you qualify for a loan more easily.

Maintain Joint Ownership: If you are on good terms with your ex and neither of  you can afford to buy the other out, it may be in your best interest to continue to own and pay for the house together while only one of you lives there, or you can rent it out and split the profits.

Sell Your Home: When you sell your home, both you and your ex are released from the mortgage contract. The money from the sale is used to pay off the remaining mortgage balance and, depending on the terms of your divorce settlement, you will probably split the remaining profits. If you need to sell your home quickly in order to begin renting or pursuing the purchase of a new home, a homebuying company can buy the home and pay off your mortgage balance in less than a week.

If you’ve divorced while in joint ownership of a home, what did you do?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Whether you are proactive and sell or wait for the foreclosure, you will no longer have your current home. This can be painful, especially if you worked many years to buy it and then lose it for reasons outside your control. But “home” is more than four walls, so you can create a loving home for your family elsewhere and then one day become an owner again.

If you wait for foreclosure, you will endure months of harassing mail and a decimated credit score. You may be “allowed” to stay in the house until things are finalized, but you pay a big price for a few months of “free rent.” Maybe you stay because you hope circumstance will turn around, but this is long shot.

Your other choice is to sell your home at a loss, either through a short sale or by selling to a home buying company. The short sale route can alleviate your mortgage debt, especially if the lender agrees not to pursue the shortfall you owe. According to some analysts, your credit report takes a hit equal to foreclosure – but not everyone agrees with that. Most likely, you will be able to buy another one more quickly after a short sale if you get your credit back on track and have the proper downpayment. In a short sale you live in the house until closing just as in a regular sale.

If you are unable to make the payment while you are waiting for the house to sell, you still risk foreclosure. In addition, if your finances are shaky, you may not be able to recover quickly once the sale goes through. This is why, when you need to sell a house, selling to a company that buys houses is a solution that beats either short sale or foreclosure when you must sell. Short sales and foreclosure take time. Reputable home buying companies can buy your home within a short timeframe (usually about a week) and pay off the loan.

Don’t go down with the ship. When you need to sell a house, using a company in business to buy them can save time and money in real estate fees, mortgage payments, and repair costs. You will come out ahead by taking the proactive step of working with a home buying specialist.

Would you rather sell your home at a loss now or endure foreclosure in hopes of saving it?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Strategic default or walking away. Some underwater homeowners just stop making payments, move away, and send “jingle mail” (the keys) back to the bank. Wealthier homeowners whom find folly in paying a mortgage worth more than the house, plan for alternative housing, and abandon the property. In some cases though, if homeowners advise the bank they wish to abandon the property, may settle with a deed in lieu and return the property to the lender.

Deed in lieu. Deeding your property to the lender in exchange for being forgiven the entire amount of the mortgage is called a deed in lieu of foreclosure. The lender then sells the property and recoups a portion of the unpaid mortgage.

Foreclosure. When the bank does not get paid, they may file foreclosure on the homeowner, who is forced to leave after a court judgment. Timing varies, so many foreclosure victims are left with great uncertainly as to their futures. If they are also out of work, they may have difficulty finding other shelter.

Short sale. A homeowner can ask the bank to accept less than the loan’s balance through a short sale. This is still damaging to credit, but allows the owner more control over the sale. As widespread short sales become the norm for handling property that current owners cannot afford, the stigma and the impact on credit may diminish. With a short sale, the bank may try to hold the borrower liable for the difference between the mortgage value and the sale price.

Rent out the house. Those temporarily in bad circumstances can rent out their home and live elsewhere until they can afford to live in the house again. This approach works well in areas where rental property is in high demand and rents are substantial. The homeowner becomes a landlord, which changes the picture for both taxes and insurance. If considering this option, check with your insurance company and accountant.

Sell to a company that buys houses.  There are legitimate companies in business that buy homes to fix up and sell. This can be a fast way to eliminate your mortgage obligation. You receive a discounted amount for the house, but pay NO money out of pocket to sell it. This means no real estate fees and no renovation costs normally associated with preparing a home for showings. Since the process can be completed in a week or so, selling your home to a company allows you to beat a foreclosure filing, resolve an estate, or liquefy assets quickly.

When you owe on a mortgage, you must settle with the bank in some way. Your goal should be to sell your house in the way that costs the least in cash and time.

If you couldn’t afford your mortgage, what would you do to get out from under it?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Unchanged from a year ago, the average sale price of a home sold in May was $280,000. 519 homes sold in Prince William County in May, that’s 25 percent less than last May. Those homes took an average 56 days to sell. While it’s a huge percentage increase ¾more than 75 percent ¾ it’s still a very short sales time.

Based on 472 homes being sold in April there is a 3-month supply of homes in Prince William County. This means that if buyers continued to buy at the same pace as they did in April each month going forward, no new homes entered the market for sale, the supply of sale houses would run out in 3 months.

Sellers are getting on average 96 percent of what their listing price. If the seller listed the home for $100,000 they would likely sell it for $96,000. The number of homes for sale increased almost 8 percent from the same from a year ago while the number of homes that came on the market increased by a little over 4 percent.

In a dramatic change, new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale increased 31 percent from a year ago. This shows a surge in buyer activity. Lower interest rates coupled with buyer perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle will likely help prices rise. Ignore the national real estate news that things are bad everywhere ¾real estate is local. While nationally, prices have fallen 7 percent since mid-2010, they remain unchanged in Prince William County. We have a healthy real estate market in Prince William County. If you have any questions about this information or selling your house fast please contact us at the number above.

If you are having trouble selling your house, call us today at 1-877-907-3232 or contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

The average sales price of a home sold in May was $467,000, an increase of almost 11 percent from a year earlier. 884 homes were sold in Montgomery County in May, that’s over 22 percent less than last May. Those homes took on average 69 days to sell, a fairly healthy number. While it’s a big percentage increase ¾over 35% ¾ it’s only a little more than two more weeks.

Speaking of healthy, based on 884 homes sold in April, there is a 4-month supply of homes in Montgomery County. How does this “supply” term work? Quite simply, if buyers continued to buy at the same pace as they did in April each month going forward, and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 4 months.

Sellers are getting on average over 94 percent of their listing price. In real numbers, if a seller listed the home for $100,000, they would sell it for $94,000.

The number of homes for sale remains about the same from a year ago while the number of homes that came on the market increased by roughly 8 percent. The most dramatic percentage change in the numbers was new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale ¾ they increased over 35 percent from a year ago. This indicatesa surge in buyer activity. It may be a combination of lower interest rates coupled with buyers perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle and prices will likely increase. National real estate news repots things are bad everywhere ¾ don’t fret since real estate is local. While nationally, prices have fallen 7 percent since mid-2010, it’s the opposite in Montgomery County.

All these factors indicate a very healthy real estate market in Montgomery County. If you have any questions about this information or selling your house fast please contact us at the number above.

If you are having trouble selling your house, call us today at 1-877-907-3232 or contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Prices of homes in Prince Georges County declined from the previous year¾ almost 18 percent since last May.Prince Georges County experienced one of the steepest area declines in home valuesover the past four years. In May 2007, the average sales price was $333,000. This represents a 48 percent decline. These drastic value declines have most likely never been seen before in the United States.

There is some good news! 738 homes sold in May, a14 percent increase from the previous May. These homes remained on the market for 104 days ¾ an increase of over 15 percent¾and sellers are only getting 88% of what they list their house for. This means that if the seller lists his or her home for $100,000 they will end up selling it for $88,000.

In terms of supply, in April, 2011 there were 702 homes sold. When you divide this into the number of active listings, this signifies an almost 7-month supply of houses. In theory, if buyers buy at the same pace as they did in April each month going forward, and no new homes got placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 7 months.

The number of homes for sale is about the same as a year ago while the number of homes that came on the market decreased slightly.

The number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale increased 37 percent from a year ago. This indicates a surge in buyer activity. It could be a combination of lower interest rates coupled with buyer’s perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle and prices will likely increase. Additionally, lots of this activity is from investors who are now getting good cash flow returns from rental properties. When values drop nearly 50 percent and rents stay stable or increase, you can imagine how return on investment would skyrocket.

If you have any questions about this information or selling your house fast please contact us at the number above.

If you are having trouble selling your house, call us today at 1-877-907-3232 or contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

The average sales price of a home sold in May was nearly $480,000, an increase of over 7% from a year earlier. 1,212 homes were sold in Fairfax County in May, that’s over 18% less than last May. Those homes took on average 51 days to sell. While it’s a big percentage increase ¾ 34 percent ¾ it’s only two more weeks. 51 days is still very healthy.

Speaking of healthy, based on 1,047 homes sold in April, there is a 3-month supply of homes in Fairfax County. Meaning, if buyers continue to buy at April’s pace each month moving forward, and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 3 months.

Sellers are getting on average more than95 percent of what they list their home for. For example, if a seller listeda home for $100,000 they would, on average, sell it for $95,000.

The number of homes for sale is roughly the same as a year ago while the number of homes that came on the market jumped up almost 18 percent.

The number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale increased nearly 35% from a year ago. That’s huge! This indicates buyer activity surged. This could be a combination of lower interest rates coupled with buyers perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle and prices will likely increase.

Real estate is NOT bad everywhere. Remember, real estate is local. While national prices fell 7 percent since mid-2010, the opposite is true in Fairfax County. All factors indicate a healthy real estate market in Fairfax County. If you have any questions about this information or selling your house fast please contact us at the number above.

If you are having trouble selling your house, call us today at 1-877-907-3232 or contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

The average sales price of a home sold in May was nearly $526,000, an increase of over 9 percent from a year earlier. 618 homes were sold in the District in May, a 13 percent decrease from last May. Those homes took on average 67 days to sell.

Based on 534 homes being sold in April there is a 5 ½ month supply of homes. In other words, if buyers continued to buy at April’s pace each month going forward, and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 5 ½ months.

Sellers are getting on average 95 percent of their listing price. So if the seller listed the home for $100,000 they would, on average, sell it for $95,000. In terms of the number of homes for sale, this number decreased about 9 percent from a year ago while the number of homes that came on the market edged up 6 percent.

In a dramatic change, the number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale increased 37 percent from a year ago. This indicates buyer activity surged. This could be a combination of lower interest rates coupled with buyers perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle and prices will likely increase.

Don’t be fooled by the national real estate news that things are bad everywhere because real estate is local. While nationally, prices have fallen 7 percent since mid-2010, it’s the opposite in Washington, D.C. All of the above factors indicate a very healthy real estate market in D.C. If you have any questions about this information or selling your house fast please contact us at the number above.

If you are having trouble selling your house, call us today at 1-877-907-3232 or contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

When you want to sell your home, first declutter it.

1. You give the buyers a clear view of what they are looking at. Some buyers can see potential though clutter. Most can’t.
2. You show off the assets of the room, including windows, molding, fireplaces, built ins, and other features. This encourages the potential buyer to start mentally arranging his furniture there.
3. Free wall space allows the buyer to get up close and personal so he can measure an area to see if his couch fits between windows.
4. Whether you have decorator taste or thrift store taste, minimizing the furniture and knickknacks allows the buyer to react to the house, not your taste.
5. Your buyer wants to create his own memories there. Seeing endless displays of your family pictures and memorabilia is distracting.
6. Especially in the kitchen, buyers want to see the amount of work space, counter space, and storage space the house offers. You need to have a minimal number of appliances and other things on the counter to let the space shine through.
7. With fewer of your possessions on display, you reduce the chance of theft during open houses. Realtors® do their best to be good stewards of your home, but why invite problems?

Some of the decluttering suggestions benefit you.

1. When you declutter, you downsize so you have less to move. This makes the process quicker and cheaper. If some of your stuff has been in boxes over the last few moves, it’s time to cut it loose.
2. If you are downsizing your living space, oversized pieces or an excessive amount of furniture might not fit in the new space anyway.
3. Bringing less to your new home will allow you to start fresh there.

More is less when it comes to presenting your home to prospective buyers. When it is time to sell your house, put Goodwill on speed dial, organize a yard sale, put some pieces in storage if necessary. Consider a professional stager to show off what’s left to good advantage. Your decluttering efforts may pay off in selling your house faster.

Do you think it is necessary to take down all your family pictures?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

When you sell a house, you want to “sell high” to someone who hopes to “buy low.”

Many homeowners over-value their homes because they try and factor in much more than area comps (comparable home prices). What they paid, money they’ve put into the home, and emotional investment in the home color the asking price. Real estate agents often face an uphill battle when encouraging owners to price according to the current market. Correct pricing helps sell houses faster.

Sometimes owners say, “Let’s price it higher to see if it sells.” This can be a risky game. The longer the home is on the market and the more often it is marked down, the more people question why it has been sitting and why the price keeps declining. Repricing the home too soon or too often gives off signals that the seller is playing with the price and might be willing to go even lower.

The pricing strategy is akin to the 99 cent pricing in the store. Just as consumers perceive they are getting a better price at 99 cents vs. $1.00, home buyers on a budget may be more willing to look at a home priced at $199,999 rather than $200,000. Though it is only a dollar difference, buyers whose up upper range is just shy of $200K would look at the one home and disregard the other as “out of their range.”

Even with realistic pricing, a seller should have high, medium, and low price points based on the market, not on what the seller paid for it or what he owes on his loan. According to HelpingHomeSellers.com, after the initial price has been set, you should have a couple open houses and guage the traffic. Following a couple open houses or a dozen showings without an offer, consider reducing the price in a month, or a bit sooner if you are short on time.

No seller wants to “give their home away”, but if you want to sell houses, you have to look at the consequences of not pricing it right in the first place, and then not lowering the price when it is not moving.

Would you sell your home at a loss if the market price was below your loan value?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Are you a licensed real estate agent and do you have experience in short sales? Short sales are not rocket science, but require an advanced level of skill that an inexperienced agent may not have. Everyone has to learn their craft somewhere, but you do not want an amateur or newbie handling selling your house. Your licensed agent should have at least three years experience in the business and several short sales under her belt.

Do you specialize in short sales? Short sales is a specialized field, so ideally your agent will concentrate his efforts in this area. If he does, he probably has the short sale packages on hand for several lenders, so he can get things started quickly.

Are you a full time or part time agent? Short sales require a lot of tedious follow up. Can a part time agent handle it and really sell this house?

What kind of training have you acquired? Training from National Association of Realtors® (NAR) or the Certified Distressed Property Institute is great background, although this does not substitute for experience.

What is your success rate in processing short sales? An experienced short sale agent will have this information readily available. The more short sales he has done, the better.

Do you process short sales yourself or do you have other resources in your company to handle that? You want to know if the agent himself, a lawyer or other agent on staff, or a third party vendor handles the negotiations. Some vendors hire unlicensed “loss mitigation specialists” for $11 an hour to handle a short sale, which may not instill confidence in you. You are hiring someone to persuade the bank to accept thousands less than your loan to sell this house, so you want your case in the hands of someone who is competent.

What is your experience with my lender in a short sale? A experienced agent has dealt with several banks and should know how one lender works vs. another.

Do you see any special issue in my case? An inexperienced agent might over or underestimate the situation. As you interview agents, make sure to note variations in perception.

When will my short sale close? The closing date varies for each case, but an experienced short sale specialist should be able to estimate if whether it will take six weeks or six months with your bank.

All short sale agents are not alike. For the best results, make sure to do your homework before you sign with a short sale agent to sell your house. Interview several agents to make certain that the person is equipped to efficiently handle your situation. While you might be willing to go with someone you like in a normal real estate situation, with a short sale, you need to go for the experience and the track record.

Would you give a new short sale agent a chance to practice on selling your house fast?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Home inspection. Though not mandatory, sellers who have their own inspection have a heads up as to what they need to do to get the house ready for sale and anticipate what problems buyers might find. If the inspection reveals a crack in the foundation, you have the option to fix it or disclose it.

Repairs and renovations. Most homes need a faucet fixed or some minor repairs, but often, updating the kitchen or bath, replacing the carpets, refinishing the floors, or resealing the driveway are bigger ticket repairs that can increase your selling price.

Freshening up. Even if there are some repairs you can’t afford to do, repainting gives a fresh look that makes the home inviting. The buyer might want another color in the future, but if the room is newly painted, the buyer knows he has the option of moving right in.

Curb appeal. Since buyers develop their favorable or unfavorable first impression about your home in 30 seconds, you want to make sure it’s a good one. Cleaning up your yard, repainting the trim, and planting some flowers can do the trick.

Real estate sales costs. Average commissions might be 5-7% for full service agents and 3% for discount brokers if you use an agent. Even if you sell yourself, you will have advertising costs. You may think you are saving money by not using an agent, but you are paying for knowledge you may not have to price and present your home to the market.

Negotiated sellers’ costs. Buyers often expect, or at least request, that sellers pay part of the closing costs and ask for allowances for undone repairs or upgrades. Refusing to pay can be a deal-breaker even though your agent will help you counter-offer any demands you don’t accept.

Closing costs include lender closing costs, title fees, up-front interest (if any), escrows, transfer taxes, and real estate commissions (if any).

Payoff costs. Does your home value exceed your current mortgage? If you are like many underwater homeowners, you may have to pay the excess back to the bank when you sell. Does your lender have a pre-payment penalty?

Opportunity costs. Remember Economics 101? You pay opportunity costs in money and time while you wait to sell. If you make renovations or repairs of any kind, you divert your funds in hopes of getting a return you may not see when you sell your house. If you handle the repairs yourself, you sacrifice your time. The more time you wait for your home to sell, the more you are postponing moving on to the next step. If you want to buy a new house contingent on selling your old one, you may lose it if your sale drags.

You must factor in both time and money when you calculate the true cost of selling your home. If you want to sell your home in a competitive market, prepare to expend one or the other.

What home selling expense do you think sellers are most likely to forget?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

After foreclosure or short sale, you will want to repair your credit.

After financial problems, your credit report reflects late payments, missed payments, and repossessions, as well as foreclosure, short sales, and bankruptcies. Also, it reflects the amount of debt you owe. Reviewing your credit report is the first place to start.

Analyze the past. Your credit report will give you insight as to how potential lenders might regard your financial stability, but you should go deeper. What caused your financial troubles? Will the foreclosure relieve your problems or do you need to go further, perhaps even declaring bankruptcy?

Budget. Regardless of the past, now is the time to develop a budget based on your current income. If you can’t meet your budget without using credit cards, you need to do more trimming. Ideally, you will be able to live frugally enough to pay off debt, so your debt to income ratio is lower.

Start paying your bills on time. It takes a while to overcome a late payment or a pattern of them on your report, but if you start paying on time, you will reestablish yourself. If you later want to buy a home again, lenders will be looking to see your payment patterns after your foreclosure or short sale.

Get help if you need it. You should stay away from most credit repair companies, but a credit counselor can help you at low or no cost. The housing counselor who worked with you during your foreclosure might be able to help you or refer you.

Secured credit cards. Owning a credit card for emergencies is a good idea, but you may not be able to get one unless you opt for a secured card. You will prepay a certain of money that becomes your credit line. The terms vary between banks, so it pays to shop around.

Give it time. Many delinquencies, foreclosures, short sales, and bankruptcies remain on your record for 10 years. If you start paying on time, you may be able to qualify for a mortgage or additional credit sooner, but the report tells the long term story. If heading toward financial trouble, many times selling your house to a third party company that buys houses will stop the money drain and allow you to reestablish yourself before you go into foreclosure or your problems deepen.

Question for Comments:

How do you think credit repair companies can help you?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Ever heard of companies that claim to buy houses?

With the recent foreclosure crisis which left many homeowners at risk of losing their homes, the number of mortgage scammers has increased exponentially. You are right to be wary of anything that sounds too good to be true. If you are under serious financial pressure, including potential foreclosure, you need to act quickly but wisely. Just because you need to sell your house fast, do not take a short cut that will cost you time, money, or your house itself.

Do your research. There are many companies which claim to offer a quick resolution to your problems. Not all are trustworthy and financially able to buy your home. Not all have experience in your area. You need to make sure that they will pay off your mortgage as well as take the title to your house.

Know what you are getting into. In some cases, there may be alternative ways of selling that may yield you more money, but take more time. Legitimate companies are up front with you about why they can offer the price they offer. They will explain the process to you carefully.

Look for sign of reliability. A reputable company should have a website and a street address. They will be willing to share referrals with you. They can offer proof that they are stable and able to buy your houses. They will have the settlement take place at their office of that of the settlement company. Check the Better Business Bureau reports on any company you consider dealing with.

Follow your gut. If the company’s claims do not add up, keep looking. If you feel pressured to sign over your house, take a deep breath and make sure you understand what you are signing. A reliable company will not pressure you to act before you are ready, even though time is of the essence.

Make sure they have the funds available to purchase your home

One of the most common mistakes sellers make is not verifying that the company actually has the money to buy their house fast. These companies try to sell the house to a third party, that has money, and collect a fee for doing it. The problem occurs when they can’t find a legitimate buyer and they back out of the contract with the seller, oftentimes leaving them in a worse situation.

Selling your house to a company that buys houses is a trusted method to sell your house fast. There are many legitimate house buying companies who want to make the process a win/win for you and for them. Do your research and ask plenty of questions.

Question for Comments: What is the first question you would ask of a company that offered to buy your house?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Dealing with a sense of loss.  Losing your home can lead to a feeling of failure and cause stresses in your family. You may feel that life is out of control, especially if you stay until the sheriff comes to evict you.  A housing counselor may be able to help through some of feelings, while helping you forge a concrete plan for your future.

Finding a new place to live. You may qualify for relocation assistance to help you put a deposit on a new place or pay for some moving expenses, but without help, relocating can be costly.  Some landlords may be reluctant to rent to you after foreclosure or may want a larger security deposit. Depending on were you live, the rent may not be much less than the mortgage, although your overall expenses will probably be less.

Owing a balance and taxes. If you default on your mortgage, and your home is sold for less than the mortgage balance, your lender can come after you for the remaining balance in many states.  Even if you win that battle, the IRS might send you a 1099c because it considers your forgiven balance as taxable income. You will have to prove that you are insolvent in order to take advantage of recent laws to absorb homeowners of tax liability.

Coping with your finances. If the mortgage was the main financial obligation you had that put your finances out of whack, you have a chance to live within your income when that is gone. If you have many other financial obligations you cannot pay, you may need to take further action like declaring bankruptcy, although that is a last resort. In any case, you will have a lower credit score as a result of the foreclosure.

While being in financial trouble with your home is not fun, one way to lessen the blow, if you have equity, is to sell your home to a reputable company which buys houses. This process will relieve you of your mortgage debt within a week and perhaps even offer you some upfront cash to help you get settled. You will still have to leave your home, but you will be able to move on our own terms.

Question for Comments:

What do you regard as the worst aftermath of foreclosure?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Become the ultimate tourist

You will be able to get up to speed quickly by getting to know DC for yourself.The area might be famous for its monuments, but the historic DC neighborhoods draw in buyers. Of course, you can try out the restaurants, read the Washington Post and the Washington Business Journal, and take a tour or two, online and in person to familiarize yourself with the city.Resources such as Urban Turf will familiarize you with the neighborhoods and with what’s trendy, so you can present your seller’s home as part of a great neighborhood in your ads and marketing materials. The focus of Urban Turf is buyers, but you can use it as a tool for sellers – and as an advertising vehicle that will reach motivated buyers.

Enhance your local knowledge

Real estate is local, so your knowledge of the DC market will help you apply national trends to the seller’s neighborhood.  In Greater DC, the best source of local market statistics is the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors®, (GCAAR) The group collects monthly sales statistics, provides a written analysis of them bimonthly, and compiles quarterly reports of sales statistics as well as housing and economic trends.

Filled with useful graphs and charts, the reports compare the numbers for single family homes and condos in the District with those in Montgomery County. The GCAAR also brings together research from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), The Maryland Association of Realtors®, and the US census to deepen your well of knowledge about the Greater DC and the field.When you look at the comps for homes sold in your client’s neighborhood, you will have the broader context at your fingertips to help your client price, stage, and enhance curb appeal to sell their home.

In these days of rising energy prices, green homes sell faster at high prices. GCAAR can educate you on ways your client to green up their home or condo and how to market the home, based on the environment-friendliness.

Another fine statistical resource is RealEstate Business Intelligence, which offers a subscription service that provides area statistics and market reports.  The maps and charts at ZIP code level will enable you to offer sellers comparative information about how homes are moving in different areas. You can use these tools in emails or on social networking platforms to inform sellers and interest buyers in the area. Altos Research offers similar packages.

Help your client find a unique selling position for their home

How can you help a seller make his home stand out? Here’s one way. Local financing packages available in the DC area that benefit sellers make your client’s home attractive to buyers. The Commuter Connection, the Greater Washington Urban League, and the Housing and Community Development page for the District offer details that will familiarize you with the programs.

As you personally become more familiar with DC, your experiences will color your knowledge and become your greatest resource. You will learn why Greater DC is great place to buy – the very point that you will use to help your clients sell their home in this intriguing region.