BAP site syndication http://www.indyhomeliving.com Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:28:48 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.indyhomeliving.com/images/M_images/ http://www.indyhomeliving.com BAP site syndication http://www.indyhomeliving.com/buyer-info/real-estate-investing-expert-beverly-j.-stewarts-guide-to-investing-in-real-estate.html Investing in can be a very profitable business for the wise investor. Unfortunately, you can also lose a lot of money in real estate if you don't know what you're doing. In this article, I'll go over several tips to help you ensure a profitable investing career in the real estate market.Pick a SpecialtyWhen you're going in to real estate investing, you'll likely find that there's an overwhelming amount of available information on all kinds of investing tactics.Rather than specializing in being "a real estate investor," pick something more specific. Perhaps you'll specialize in small apartments. Perhaps you'll specialize in buying foreclosures. Perhaps you'll specialize in fixing houses.Whatever the case may be, pick a specialty and learn everything you can about that tactic. You're much more likely to success that way.Know Your TaxesTaxes are often a big "gotcha" for investors. To start, it's important to learn as much about tax laws as you can. Have an accountant you can rely on and educate yourself in the various ways you can work with the tax laws to reduce your taxes.Understand how taxes will impact your bottom line. Realize also that taxes change over the years. When you choose a property, it's important to choose a property that will be profitable even if the tax codes change.Be Meticulous With Your InspectionsYou should always meticulously inspect your properties before making a purchase. You shouldn't ever purchase a building before you've done a proper inspection.Many investors simply inspect the property by hand. However, it's usually a good investment to have your property looked at by a professional before making your purchase.Know Your Rent, Utilities and Maintenance CostsCashflow is something that you must be very careful with. If you're working with a thin margin, things like vacancies and unexpected maintenance can easily put you in the red zone.It's important when you're calculating your investment to factor in vacancies and maintenance costs. A good way to determine this is by looking at the building's past history. If there isn't a good record or if there isn't a reliable history to go back on, another way to help determine these costs is by looking at the costs of similar units in your area. Blog - Buyer Info Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:54:41 +0100 http://www.indyhomeliving.com/buyer-info/real-estate-investing-expert-beverly-j.-stewarts-guide-to-investing-in-real-estate.html http://www.indyhomeliving.com/seller-reports/the-top-5-aesthetic-mistakes-sellers-in-make-when-selling-their-home-by-beverly-j.-stewart-expert-real-estate-agent.html Aesthetics play a huge part in a successful sale. A large part of a buyer's decision to buy a house is based on emotions. Aesthetics have a powerful ability to affect emotions. In this article, we'll go over some of the top aesthetic mistakes sellers in the area make, so you can avoid these mistakes and fetch a higher price for your house.Mistake #1 - Poor LightingLighting is crucial when showing your house to a buyer. A brightly lit house with natural light seems bright and inviting. A dark house seems dark and gloomy.Open all the windows and pull back all the curtains. If the house is naturally poorly lit, get some extra lights in the house to help with the lighting.Mistake #2 - Lack of Attention to ScentThe subtle taste of how your house smells has a big impact on the buyer. While it's nice to have a faint, clean scent to the house, what should absolutely be avoided are any noticeable strange smells or odors. If you have pets inside your home, you may want to have you carpets cleaned. You may want to find some another area to have you pets play, or even put them in doggy or pet daycare.The last thing a buyer wants is to inherit the seller's odors. It could go a long way to use some soft air fresheners before showing the house.Mistake #3 - Poor Exterior First ImpressionThe inside of your house is not the only place you should pay attention to. The exterior, including the paint and the front yard, both play an important factor in the buyer's decision making process. Plant fresh flowers and/or other landscaping where needed.Remember, the exterior gives the buyer a first impression of the house.Mistake #4 - Strange ColorsPerhaps you have a teenager who's painted his walls orange. Perhaps pink appeals to you or matches with your paintings. However, for the buyer the colors may or may not suit them.Why take the risk? Before showing your house, make sure all the walls are painted a neutral color.Mistake #5 - Not Making Obvious RepairsSpray WD-40 on any squeaking hinges and door locks If any major utilities equipment isn't working, have it fixed beforehand. If any of the kitchen cabinets or counter tops are chipped or look old, they should probably be replaced.Tiles must be scraped of all grime. Often times it could even pay to replace old windows.There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in real estate. Please feel free to contact me with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions. Call me on my cell at 317-514-9998 or email me at indyhome4u@ameritech.net (mailto:indyhome4u@ameritech.net). Main Content - Seller Reports Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:52:43 +0100 http://www.indyhomeliving.com/seller-reports/the-top-5-aesthetic-mistakes-sellers-in-make-when-selling-their-home-by-beverly-j.-stewart-expert-real-estate-agent.html http://www.indyhomeliving.com/general-content/8-point-checklist-to-closing-on-a-property-in-.-how-to-make-the-process-go-smoothly-by-beverly-j.-stewart-real-estate-expert.html The closing process is the last step to purchasing or selling a home. The process can often be intimidating because of how much legal paperwork there is involved. In this article I will walk you through the process so that the closing process will go much smoother for you.1) Homeowner"s InsuranceInsurance is always necessary to get the mortgage. Remember to get homeownerís insurance and bring proof to closing.2) Gather All Your PaperworkMake sure you have all your paperwork in place the day before closing. Review all your paperwork to make sure that everything is in order.3) Have Your Inspections CompletedHave the property inspections completed when you come to escrow. If there are any repairs that are necessary, make sure they are in writing.4) Have Title InsuranceIt is important to get title insurance for your home purchase. Title insurance insures that the title on your property is clean.5) Get Approval of MortgageAt this point, your mortgage should be approved so that you can get your loan to pay for your new property.6) Bring Your Cashier"s Check and I.DThe amount necessary for closing the on the property should always be on a cashierís check. If is over $10,000 some title companies and states require funds to be in a wire form. You can use your drivers license, or state ID.7) Clear All ContingenciesAt this point, all contingencies and clauses should be cleared so that you can go ahead with the transfer of the deed.8) Understand Your Closing CostsBefore closing, it ís important to have a good idea of what your closing costs are. It ís also important to know who will pay the closing costs. Unless otherwise stated in your purchase agreement, usually the buyer pays the closing costs.Following these tips should make the whole closing process go much smoother for you. Remember to talk to your real estate agent and your loan officer about the closing process, as both been through the process many times.There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in real estate. For complete information about the real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything real estate at www.indyhomeliving.com. Please feel free to contact me, Beverly Stewart, with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions. Call me on my cell at 317-514-9998 or email me at indyhome4u@ameritech.net (mailto:indyhome4u@ameritech.net). Main Content - General Content Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:16:30 +0100 http://www.indyhomeliving.com/general-content/8-point-checklist-to-closing-on-a-property-in-.-how-to-make-the-process-go-smoothly-by-beverly-j.-stewart-real-estate-expert.html http://www.indyhomeliving.com/buyer-info/investing-expert-beverly-j.-stewart-reveals-how-to-do-proper-due-diligence-with-investment-properties.html Due diligence is the process of double checking everything before finalizing a purchase. Proper due diligence is an absolutely crucial part of every profitable investor's success. In this article, I'll talk about the best ways to do your due diligence based on my experience in Indianapolis real estate.Due diligence should start with the proper verification of the books. You should check all the rental agreements and double check all rental histories. Review at least the last two year's financial statements and see if there's anything unusual that raises a red flag.Double check the actual rental income with the amount of rental income the building should be receiving based on the lease agreements. These numbers will often not match up. As the building's future owner, you should know why.Check all the utility bills. Make sure there are receipts for every payment. If there isn't one, contact the city or the utility company to get a copy of the receipt.Look into how old the building is. If it's old, look into what the building codes were when the house was constructed. Will there be costly renovations you'd have to make to bring the property into compliance with current building codes?If the building is new, does it have a home owner's warranty? Look carefully over this contract so you know what it covers.Walk around the building and do an inspection by hand. Look at the conditions of the walls and watch for fire or water damage. Check the electrical and plumbing systems. Make an educated guess on how long the roof will last before it needs repairs.Remember that everything you find during the due diligence process is "ammunition" you can use to negotiate a better deal with the seller. The seller wants to make the deal happen as much as you do, but there's no reason for you to pay for more than the property is really worth based on its condition.Begin your due diligence process as early as possible. Start your inspections before you make an offer. Even after you've made an offer, make sure that you have clauses in the contract that allow you to inspect the property and the necessary documents.There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Indianapolis real estate. For complete information about the Indianapolis real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything Indianapolis real estate at www.indyhomeliving.com. Please feel free to contact me with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions. Call me on my cell at 317-514-9998 or email me at indyhome4u@ameritech.net (mailto:indyhome4u@ameritech.net). Blog - Buyer Info Thu, 12 May 2011 13:27:09 +0100 http://www.indyhomeliving.com/buyer-info/investing-expert-beverly-j.-stewart-reveals-how-to-do-proper-due-diligence-with-investment-properties.html http://www.indyhomeliving.com/investor-reports/real-estate-professional-beverly-j.-stewart-discusses-ways-to-finance-rehab-properties-in.html You need to interview multiple brokers rather than just using the first one you come across. You should approach choosing a Profile.market real estate agent just like you would hiring an attorney, doctor or insurance agent. Look at several resources in the Indianapolis a place where you will have access to meet your financial necessity.When it comes to getting loans for handyman's dream properties, getting financing is more difficult than for traditional home purchases.When working on fixers you may want to consider seeking a hard money lender for financing rather than a traditional mortgage broker.Read the local paper in the Profile.market area, and you can find financing options and alternative mortgages here as well as through your real estate agent and via investment property finance firms.Hard money lenders are much more flexible. For example, while most banks look at the current estimated value to determine how much money they will loan, hard money lenders will look at the projected value after repairs to determine the amount of money they will loan.It might be a local mortgage banker in Indianapolis that knows the procedures to follow and how to find the right people to assist you in obtaining acceptable financing for your investment property.It costs a lot more to get a hard money loan than it does to finance traditionally. Typically interest rates range from 12-16%. Please note that you may be required to pay 3 to 5 points upfront as well.The reason people go this route is they can get money beyond the actual purchase of the property which is generally unheard of in traditional financing. This money can then be used to make repairs to increase the value of the property.Make sure you include them in your purchase and holding costs so that you end up with the profits you are looking for on the property after all is said and done and you simply look at the costs of hard money loans as a cost of doing business.In order to qualify for your very first loan in Profile.market is your toughest. Once you do it once or twice it will become much easier. Main Content - Investor Reports Thu, 12 May 2011 13:14:01 +0100 http://www.indyhomeliving.com/investor-reports/real-estate-professional-beverly-j.-stewart-discusses-ways-to-finance-rehab-properties-in.html