Real Estate Information Center

If you’d like a place in the sun, this Central American jewel is a place to consider and Costa Rica real estate is a great way to start your search for your second home, vacation home and simply your retirement dream.

Costa Rica is often called the ‘New Hawaii’. This usually means that is that it is similar to Hawaii as far as climate and beauty is concerned but, importantly, that this Central American country nestled between Nicaragua and Panama is how Hawaii used to be fifty years ago! Then Hawaii had huge sugar plantations. Now, however, Hawaii gets most of its money from tourism. Costa Rica has coffee and pineapple plantations but its tourist industry gets bigger every year.

Located in Central America, Costa Rica is an emerging nation who are working hard to get rid of their ‘third world’ status. Surrounded on the east by the Caribbean Sea and on the west with the Pacific Ocean, The country is truly beautiful and is famous for its bio diversity and indeed even the sand comes in all colors, from volcanic black, browns, reds to spectacular white. The ocean is warm and you can either enjoy a good book on the beach with the occasional swim or go all out with a great variety of water and sand activities from scuba diving to wind surfing to beach volleyball. There are many varieties of insects, birds and animals and this alone is a huge source of eco tourism.

Continue reading ‘Costa Rica Real Estate is Booming – Are You Interested?’ »

The stock market continues to expand and retreat. Personal portfolios are dwindling. It is a “buyers market” in real estate. Banks, despite an unprecedented federal bailout, are tightening their lending programs so the average purchaser can’t obtain a loan.

This is the recipe the private mortgage industry was founded on – and it has returned.

With everything going on right now in the real estate marketplace there are two key factors that make this the time for seller financing. One, banks are not lending. Two, investors have nowhere to put their money.

Continue reading ‘Real Estate Notes – An Investment Recipe For Success!’ »

A home loan or mortgage is a fact of life for most people buying a home for the first time. It is important to ensure that when we purchase a home and sign on for a 25 year mortgage that we can comfortably pay the principle and interest while still servicing other debts and living an acceptable lifestyle. While it is definitely a less expensive proposition to purchase real estate on PEI, nonetheless most of the same elements to home financing apply as would any where else.

Before looking at homes and becoming influenced by our hopes and desires it is important to sit down with our partner and doing a budget. Include all your normal bills such as groceries, car expenses, credit card debt repayment, and any other bills that are regular. Make sure you include a margin of comfort for expenses that come around irregularly and for those “rainy day” issues. You should then deduct these expenses from your after-tax income and that is the money that is available for mortgage, property taxes, insurance etc on your new property purchase. Moneys that are currently being paid as rent on accommodations may also be counted in this amount. Consider the resulting amount carefully as the amount you borrow will result in a payment for the next 25+ years, that’s 300 payments. If you can not pay your lending institution will foreclose on the property and your credit history will suffer.

Continue reading ‘Building Real Estate Equity on PEI’ »

When buying or selling a property there are many different areas to take into consideration and what may seem like a small compromise at the time can lead to a nightmare down the track. It is no surprise with so much at stake that people are enlisting the services of a professional real estate agent to guide them along the right path to make their final decision. The difference in using a qualified property agent and trying to navigate the process yourself could end in tragedy.

Not all real estate agents are alike, though. There are many different factors that play are part in selecting the right one for you. In some circumstances, there may be hundreds to choose from in certain areas. How to even begin selecting the best agent can be confusing, for instance finding an agent for Narangba property or North Lakes property. By taking a few key factors into consideration, though, it is possible to find someone who will make the process incredibly easy and pain free.

Continue reading ‘Steps to Choosing the Best Real Estate Agent For Your Property Transaction’ »

Real estate classes offered by accredited real estate institutions and schools are for men and women that are interested in starting a lucrative career in the industry. Educational classes cover the basics and the complexities of property management. Even those that attend class without having any expectations toward a career in sales can benefit from the knowledge gained by attending an accredited school. Private investors, mortgage lenders and a number of professionals in many different industries hold real estate licenses.

Real estate is an industry that does not discriminate based on background and education. Opportunities to learn are offered continuously throughout the year allowing for new students to begin their studies at anytime, without waiting for a break in the semester or term. There are no prerequisite courses or college credits required for individuals wanting to begin a career in the industry. People in all stages of life and from a variety of backgrounds have discovered the rewards of hold a real estate license.

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Basic rule in real estate is that all properties are unique and no two transactions are alike. Whether you are a first time home buyer or a repeat, it makes sense to obtain a service and to work with an experienced broker or agent who knows the community, has seen numerous homes for sale, knows local values and has spent years negotiating property transactions.

–Search. The best place to find a local agent is the internet. The others are a local builder association, open houses, local advertising, referrals from other agents, recommendations from neighbors, and suggestions from lenders, attorneys, financial planners, and past clients.

–Interview. Talk with many agents to get a personal “feel” before selecting one to work with. A good agent you eventually chosen to work with could be one of your most valuable resources. The interviewing process will help you evaluate the agent’s ethical stance and trustworthiness issues as well as his or her competency. Agents should have a thorough knowledge of the property market in their communities, familiar with local zoning and tax laws.

Continue reading ‘Choosing a Real Estate Agent’ »

As a real estate agent, it’s safe bet that you’re both short on time and working with a stretched budget. On top of this, you need to use your limited budget to find new prospective buyer and seller clients, win listing presentations, and last but not least, market your listings. Single property websites are one way to achieve all three goals, at a budget friendly cost of about $10-20 per listing. In this article I’ve boiled down the five main reasons to add a single property website to your bag of marketing tools:

1. Sellers love them. I learned this lesson firsthand after a recent listing. During my listing presentation, I gave my clients about 50 pieces of paper along with about two dozen reasons why they should work with me, one of which was that I would create a single property website for their listings. After I won the listing, I assumed they just skimmed everything and didn’t think the single property website was even that important to them. At the time, I was working with a new single property website provider (who charged about $700 for photos and the site, by the way), and she didn’t get the site live for several days after my listing started. Continue reading ‘5 Reasons You Should Add Single Property Websites to Your Real Estate Marketing’ »

Virtual real estate wholesaling is a unique and potentially highly profitable business that can be operated very successfully without ever leaving the comfort of your home. By exploring and utilizing the ever expanding real estate market via the internet, contracting out administrative tasks to competent virtual assistants and hiring a virtual closing coordinator, your virtual real estate wholesaling business will not just hover on the cutting edge of success but will soar to awesome heights of accomplishment.

Careful on-line research will turn up a multitude of opportunities for the ambitious virtual real estate wholesaler. As a real estate wholesaler your primary aim is first to spot and then promote bargain properties to interested investors. As the primary contact, the virtual real estate wholesaler holds the key to unlocking the door to previously unheard of profits simply by connecting the dots between the acquisition of money making properties and the transfer to investors who, in most cases have neither the time nor the inclination to do all the leg work necessary to close a profitable deal.

Continue reading ‘Virtual Wholesaling Houses is the New Trend in Real Estate Investing’ »

Competition in the real estate market is as brutal as it gets in both a good and bad economy with every agent looking to stand out from their competitors and business ‘friends’. Besides being stunningly good in interpersonal skills, one way an agent can differentiate themselves is to have visually stunning marketing materials targeted at their prospective client base.

Unique Designs vs. Website Templates
Choosing a business card design from a website template is admittedly very easy. You browse to the site, choose a design you like, upload some contact information, and your cards are on the way. Sometimes free, sometimes for no effective cost. But ask yourself a serious question. Is that the best you can do for a business card? Does that template specifically target your customers? Are you buying it just to have it or to add some mojo to your presentation? If you want mojo then step up to a customized business card.

Customized marketing materials are expensive! Everything is relative. The right printer can make it very affordable. Customizing your presentation, targeting it at your customer in your marketing material can have a significant positive impact. Given the right approach a presentations sells real estate and if you positively impact that a valuable commission check is soon to be yours. Quality design work moves you to the front of your prospects mind and keeps you there.

Continue reading ‘Business Card Designs That Help Real Estate Agents Sell Homes’ »

Postcards are not just for people wishing you were there with them on their vacation. Postcards are also a potent device or tool for real estate marketing. A beautifully designed postcard printing suited for the right occasion and fitted with the perfect content can increase inquiries and sales for many real estate companies. The combination of a real estate project with the content and timing can greatly influence the buying market.

As spring comes to an end, it’s about time to get your postcards ready for the next season. Prepare your summer postcard designs with a picture of a pristine real estate property sitting right next to the beach and you can expect it to generate a lot of attention and offers. Proper timing of postcard printing is essential in making postcard campaigns. Let postcard prints work for your business by anticipating market needs with the seasons. Timing certain holidays that have high expectancy rates will increase sales and profits as well.

Continue reading ‘Postcards, the Ideal Real Estate Marketing Tool’ »