Get A Better Selling Price With Good Real Estate Photography

When it comes to selling your home, real estate photography is going to be very important. Since so many people go on the internet to look for a home, they often will compile a list of the homes that they like based on the pictures that they see. Then they will send that list to their realtor, and look at only those houses. If you don’t have the right pictures up, your house will not be seen.

Not only is real estate photography important, but it is also going to be vital to stage your home. This means that you are going to want all of the decor in the room to be neutral, so that it appeals to the different people that are looking at it. You will want to put away things that show you have pets, and take the pictures so that your rooms look spacious and large.

You may have to remove some furniture in your rooms, or buy some pieces to show off all of the different assets that your home has to offer. The more pictures that you can show the potential buyer the more they will want to look at your house. It is important that all of the pictures be very flattering inside the home as well as outside the home.

You want to take the pictures to make your yard look as large as possible, and also during a time of the day when the light is right. You don’t want any dark or dreary pictures, so make sure that the sun is shining. Also get pictures of the front and back of the home so that the buyer can see what the land looks like all the way around the property.

Also make sure that the description is very well written. This means that you include all of the different features that the home has to offer, and any incentives that may intrigue the buyer. What you write about your home has to be interesting enough that it draws their attention, and so they want to go and see it. This is the second most important thing to your pictures.

Real estate photography is going to be very important when you are trying to sell a home, and you want to make sure that they are the best pictures that you can get. The pictures that you take to sell your home are going to be on many different sites, so make sure that you prepared for them, and have them done by a professional if it seems necessary.

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Tips For Finding Great Real Estate Information Web Sites

There are lots of real estate information websites out there and it’s important that you realize why these sites exist. Of course, some of them, like this one, are online because they want to assist you in buying some real estate. Many local real estate information websites offer the basics – listing information, school information and statistics about the local economy. Others, like this one, add maps, side-by-side property comparisons and even let you save favorites so you can come back later and view your favorite real estate properties.

For some of the larger, national web sites however, helping you find a property is not their real mission. Sure, they have lots of cool data and features, but notice one other thing they have – advertising. Ads for insurance, loans, pest control, you name it. The real estate data they provide is simply a ‘hook’ to get you in so they can present offers to you. Give them your email address and you’ll likely be pounded with offers for all sorts of stuff not even remotely related to buying a home.

The other problem with these types of sites is that the data they provide is presented as accurate, but oftentimes is outdated, estimated, or just plain incorrect. Some of the listings you may view on these sites may not even be for sale any more. A realty agent in your community is a much more reliable source of information about the local real estate market.

The best realty web sites have accurate data that is updated daily, not weekly or even monthly. Good sites have regular data feeds that are updated and accurate – and include all property photos, maps and lots of information about the property -amenities, features, tax districts and more. A hard working local agent who operates a large and useful web site is your best source for local information.

You can trust your local agent to be knowledgeable about the local market, trends in pricing, financing and more. That is the kind of help you just won’t get browsing around on a large anonymous web site that has no interest or focus on your local community. Do a few web searches for your local properties – and see what locally-run sites come up – that is the sign of an aggressive and successful agent who will be a good choice to help you buy or sell your property.

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Six Real Estate Trends to Watch in 2011

When identifying real estate trends, you may find yourself a bit discouraged. The market making a comeback is contingent upon finding a solution to the foreclosure issue, which is keeping prices low and buyer confidence even lower. And according to a report published by Standard & Poor’s, home prices will fall an additional 7 to 10 percent throughout 2011. But there are a few trends to watch in 2011 that brighten everyone’s prospects.

1. McMansions are McOver
One of the biggest real estate trends seen lately has to do with taste and logistics. Not only are empty nest baby boomers leaving behind their high-maintenance properties for urban center lofts and apartments, but the younger generation of home-buyers doesn’t want Mom and Dad’s giant prefab home in the suburbs. They want smaller, vibrant, walk-able neighborhoods with community amenities like local shops and parks. This means larger homes could sit on the market unwanted for a very long time.

2. Home-buyers want longevity
In the past, a couple would buy a “starter home,” and upgrade after a few years of investing equity. Now, a first time home-buyer is planning to stay in their home a minimum of 10 years. The home is a home in the original sense, not just the housing boom “investment” of years past. Repeat buyers are looking for 15 years or more in their next property. This is one of the real estate trends you can expect to see more of in 2011.

3. More Foreclosures Coming
While they slowed down in October thanks to the “robo-signing scandal,” according to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, there will be 2.25 million foreclosures in 2011 — the same as 2010 — and another 2 million in 2012.

4. Rates stay low while lending gets harder to come by
According to the Mortgage Bankers Associates, included in important real estate trends for 2011 is the expected increase of fixed mortgage rates to 5.1 percent by the end of the year. This is due in large part to the Federal Reserve buying $600 billion of Treasuries to keep interest rates low and boost economic growth. As great as that is for a buyer, the recently raised lending standards have made it harder to get financing. While some argue this is holding back the market recovery, others consider it a necessary evil. Over-extended buyers that were given loans exceeding their means by irresponsible lending companies caused much of the housing crisis. Tightening the standards is a logical backlash to this practice and it’s dire consequences.

5. New construction stays low
The effect of the current market’s real estate trends are felt nowhere harsher than in new construction. The combination of unemployment, plus an influx in inexpensive foreclosures and short sale properties means fewer new homes need to be built to accommodate demand. In 2009, only 550,000 new housing units were built, compared to 2.1 million units at the peak of the housing bubble in 2005. Unfortunately this could mean a housing shortage in the near future.

6. Cash is King
Just like last year, investors with the capital available have a major advantage with all the current real estate trends. So many banks are holding so many foreclosed properties that all-cash offers are frequently being accepted over higher offers involving loans. For a traditional homebuyer, this means all offers must be made as attractive as possible, including large down payments and often making an offer close to or above the asking price.

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