Buying a Home

Benefits of Owning a Home

• The Best Investment
• Income Tax Savings
• Stable Monthly Housing Costs
• Forced Savings
• Freedom and Individuality
• More Space

Important Things to Avoid

• Don’t Move Money Around
• The Effect of Changing Jobs
• No Major Purchases of Any Kind

The Business Cycle and Buying a Home

• Recession and Expansion
• Supply and Demand
• Should You Try to “Time the Market”?

Comparable Sales and Your Offer Price

• Determining Your Offer Price
• Comparable Sales – Pending Transactions

How FHA and VA Financing Affects Your Offer

• Extra Costs for the Seller
• VA and FHA Appraisals

Selling a Home

Getting Your House Ready to Sell

• Emotion Vs. Reason
• De-Personalizing the House
• Removing Clutter
• Fixing Up the Interior
• Fixing Up the Exterior

Want to Start Off with a High Sales Price? Beware!

• Meeting with Realtors
• Which Realtor Do You Choose
• What Happens Behind the Scenes
• Dropping Your Price… Too Late

Listing Commissions and Related Issues

• Is the Commission Negotiable
• How and When the Commission is Earned

The Listing Agent – Marketing Your Home to Homebuyers

• The Purpose of Advertising in General
• Real Estate Company Advertising
• Individual Agent Advertising
• Open Houses