Housing and property for the individual Books

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Book SynopsisFrom the renowned and beloved New York Times real estate section, home ownership experts Ronda Kaysen and Michelle Higgins demystify home buying, decorating, organising and maintenance with this illustrated, all-in-one guide.

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Book SynopsisProvides step-by-step instructions and detailed plans for building a moderate-sized, two-story log home from a pre-cut manufacturer's kit or from freshly cut logs, proceeding from site selection to finishing work and maintenance tips.

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Book SynopsisIf you're renting out a spare room ths book will tell all about taking in a lodger, including how to advertise the room and then draw up the contract. It also explains the the tax and financial issues involved, and much more.For those looking for a flatshare you'll find out where to look, how to pick the best flatmates and then how to avoid conflict and keep your flatshare harmonious. If you are looking for a new flatmate, you'll discover how to advertise, what to look for to pick the right person and also everything you need to know about dealing with money.

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Book SynopsisNO ENTRY! Have you ever felt like making a place that's all your own? Tom Don, aged 12, used to dream of building himself a house. He wanted his own special hideaway, his own den. For years he kept a scrapbook of ideas, pictures and plans. This is the story of how he made his dream come true - from laying the foundations to putting the paint on the front door - and includes a rough beginners' guide, complete with Tom's best tips and ideas, to help readers create a fantasy house of their own.

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Book SynopsisSpielen Sie mit dem Gedanken, Ihre Immobilie zu verkaufen? Dieses Buch begleitet Sie auf dem Weg von der Entscheidung für den Verkauf bis zum Verkaufsabschluss. Erfahren Sie, wie Sie den Wert Ihrer Immobilie ermitteln, was sich wertsteigernd auswirkt und wie Sie Ihr Heim auf Vordermann bringen. Steffi Sammet und Stefan Schwartz helfen Ihnen in Eigenregie oder mithilfe eines Maklers Käufer zu finden, geschickt zu verhandeln und einen guten Verkaufspreis zu erzielen. Und damit nicht genug: Tipps, wie Sie mit dem Kauferlös umgehen und wie Sie sich auch trotz Verkauf ein Wohnrecht sichern können, runden das Buch ab.Table of ContentsÜber die Autoren 9 Einführung 21 Über dieses Buch 22 Konventionen in diesem Buch 22 Was Sie nicht lesen müssen 23 Törichte Annahmen über den Leser 23 Wie dieses Buch aufgebaut ist 23 Teil I: Alles Wissenswerte über den optimalen Verkauf 23 Teil II: Vorbereiten: wie Sie Ihr Heim verkaufsfertig machen 24 Teil III: Verkaufen: So locken Sie Interessenten und verhandeln erfolgreich 24 Teil IV: Abwickeln und Versteuern 24 Teil V: Der Top-Ten-Teil 24 Symbole, die in diesem Buch verwendet werden 25 Wie es weitergeht 25 Teil I So Gelingt Der Optimale Verkauf 27 Kapitel 1 So machen Sie Ihre Immobilie fit für den Verkauf 29 Recherche: Was ist mein Haus eigentlich wert? 29 Verfahren zur Bewertung Ihrer Immobilie 30 Quellen zur Preisrecherche 30 Fakten, die über den Preis entscheiden 31 Fleißarbeit: die Zusammenstellung der Unterlagen 32 Ihre Verkaufsunterlage Nummer 1: das Exposé 32 Alles auf einen Blick: Baupläne und Grundrisse 33 Unverzichtbar: der Energieausweis 33 Zum Schmökern: Protokolle der Eigentümerversammlung 34 Zum Beweis: Rechnungen und Wartungsprotokolle 34 Die Kür: Betriebsanleitungen und Ähnliches 35 Hand- und Kopfarbeit: Bringen Sie Ihre Immobilie auf Vordermann! 36 Garten und Fassade überprüfen 36 Frühjahrsputz unabhängig von der Jahreszeit erledigen 36 Kleinere Schäden reparieren 37 Pimp up my home: der neue Trend aus den USA 38 Hardware erneuern: renovieren vor dem Verkauf 38 Raumgefühl optimieren: die eigenen vier Wände inszenieren 39 Selbst ist der Immobilieneigentümer: So lassen sich Interessenten anlocken 41 Experte mit viel Marktwissen: die Unterstützung eines Maklers 46 Wann sich das Engagement eines Maklers lohnt 47 Welche Nachteile der Einsatz eines Maklers haben kann 48 Die vielversprechendsten Strategien für die Preisverhandlungen 49 Kapitel 2 Wenn nicht jetzt, wann dann? Immobilienboom in Deutschland 51 Was für den Verkauf einer Immobilie spricht 51 Auf- oder Umsteigen – berufsbedingte Umzüge 52 Einsteigen: die Familiengründung 52 Aussteigen: der Umzug in den Altersruhesitz 53 Kasse machen: die Spekulation auf das Platzen der Blase 54 Boom und Baisse: der Immobilienmarkt in Deutschland 54 Was Verkäufer durchschnittlich erzielen können 55 Wie sich der Immobilienmarkt entwickelt 56 Warum Prognosen mit Vorsicht zu genießen sind 56 Kapitel 3 Der Abschluss des Verkaufs 59 Große Pläne – viele Herausforderungen 60 So geht beim Immobilienverkauf alles gut über die Bühne 60 Welche Fehler Immobilieneigentümer in der letzten Verkaufsphase Ihres Objekts unbedingt vermeiden sollten 63 Nicht mehr Meins, aber doch in den eigenen vier Wänden 64 Der Nießbrauch 64 Das Wohnungsrecht 65 Die umgekehrte Hypothek 66 Die letzten Schritte als Immobilieneigentümer 66 Kaufvertrag, Notar, Grundbucheintrag, Eigentumsübergabe: So läuft es ab 67 Die bürokratischen Pflichten nach dem Verkauf 69 Teil II Vorbereiten: So Machen Sie Ihr Heim Verkaufsfertig 73 Kapitel 4 Und ewig lockt der Preis: wie Sie den Wert Ihrer Immobilie ermitteln 75 Begriffswirrwarr: was Verkehrswert, Grundstücksbewertung und Co bedeuten 75 Der große Check: wie Sie sich einen Überblick über die aktuelle Situation am Markt verschaffen 79 Analysieren Sie die Preisentwicklung 79 Checken Sie das Interesse potenzieller Käufer 82 Vergleichen Sie Angebote ähnlicher Verkaufsobjekte in der Region 83 Rational statt emotional: warum sich eine nüchterne Herangehensweise an den Verkauf empfiehlt 85 Für die Kalkulation des Verkaufspreises auf Fakten konzentrieren, ideelle Werte ignorieren 85 Vergleiche mit eigenen getätigten Investitionen vermeiden 87 Kapitel 5 Wertsteigernd wirkt der Fleiß: welche Dokumente Sie für den Verkauf parat halten sollten 89 Gut präpariert: So erleichtern Sie sich den Verkauf 89 Exposé erstellen 90 Baupläne digital und in Papierform greifbar haben 92 Bauanfragen nachweisen 93 Energiepass aktualisieren und vorlegen 94 Protokolle der Eigentümerversammlungen griffbereit haben 97 Bonuspunkte sammeln: was Interessenten oft noch wissen wollen 98 Entwicklung des Bodenrichtwertes 98 Rechnungen und Wartungsprotokolle offenlegen 100 Betriebsanleitungen für Smarthome-Produkte oder Ähnliches präsentieren 101 Wertvolles Lob oder kritisches Urteil: warum Gutachten für Verkäufer und Käufer manchmal unverzichtbar sind 101 Was für ein Onlinegutachten spricht 102 Was gegen ein Onlinegutachten spricht 103 Welche Qualifikationen einen Gutachter unbedingt auszeichnen sollten 103 Wissen vom Profi: welchen Mehrwert Makler bieten können 104 Kapitel 6 Frühjahrsputz: Bringen Sie Ihr Heim auf Vordermann! 107 Mogeln geht nicht: was Sie vor dem ersten Besichtigungstermin eines Interessenten erledigen müssen 107 Der erste Eindruck: Garten und Fassade 108 Der zweite Blick: Ordnung und Sauberkeit 110 Die dritte Hürde: erkennbar gepflegt und gehütet 111 Manchmal hilft nur Nachrüsten: warum Ihnen die eine oder andere Investition doch etwas wert sein sollte 112 Kapitel 7 Pimp up my home 115 Wie Profis 08/15-Häuser und Wohnungen aufmotzen 115 Wagen Sie sich an die großen Dinge in Ihrem Heim 116 Trotz hoher Kosten – trauen Sie sich ans Bad und an die Küche 118 Reparieren Sie Baufälliges oder Marodes 120 Modernisieren Sie die Heizungsanlage 121 Sanieren Sie Ihr Heim energetisch 122 Trauen Sie sich an ausgefallene Vorgehensweisen, um Ihr Objekt ins beste Licht zu rücken 123 Schaffen Sie positive Lichteffekte 124 Nutzen Sie Mietmöbel, um Ihre Immobilie zu schmücken 126 Verwandeln Sie Ihr Heim in eine grüne Oase 127 Arbeiten Sie mit Farben, Stoffen, Dekorationsmaterialien und Bildern 128 Setzen Sie auf ungewöhnliche Materialien und Formen, um einen Blickfang zu setzen 129 Teil III Verkaufen: So Locken Sie Interessenten Und Verhandeln Erfolgreich 133 Kapitel 8 Eigenregie: wie Sie selbst Käufer finden 135 Gewusst wie: die richtige Strategie für Ihren Verkauf 135 Gewusst wo: Vertriebswege für Ihr Eigenheim 137 Die digitalen Platzhirsche: Online-Immobilienportale 137 Die digitale Alternative: eine eigene Website 140 Der clevere Verstärker: soziale Medien 141 Die regionalen Klassiker: Zeitungen und Wochenblätter 143 Die unverwüstliche Tradition: Mund-zu-Mund-Propaganda 144 Die naheliegendste Alternative bei Wohnungen: Mieter 146 Wie Sie Interessenten für Ihr Objekt begeistern 147 Gute Vorbereitung ist der halbe Erfolg 147 Mehr Erfolg beim Erstkontakt 149 Mit welchen Argumenten Sie punkten 150 Mit einem klaren Zeitplan zum Erfolg 152 Vor- und Nachteile des Selfmade-Verkaufs 155 Kapitel 9 Was Makler leisten können und sollen 159 Wie Sie den richtigen Makler finden 159 Wie Sie sich die Zusammenarbeit erleichtern 162 Was Maklerdienste kosten 165 Welche Fehler Sie vermeiden sollten 168 Die richtige Wahl 168 Das richtige Briefing 168 Klare Abmachungen 168 Kapitel 10 Preisstrategie und -verhandlung: wie Sie am besten verkaufen 171 Die beste Preisstrategie für Ihre Immobilie 171 Der Normalfall: Der Preis ist Verhandlungsbasis 172 Die gängige Zweiteilung: wie man den Kaufpreis splittet 172 Der Sonderfall: Arbeit mit Mindestpreisen 173 Der Shootingstar: das Bieterverfahren 174 Die regionale Variante: die Versteigerung 176 Gestückelter Kaufpreis: machbar, aber kaum genutzt 176 Ratenzahlung: mehrere Jahre Geld vom Käufer 176 Leibrente: ein Leben lang Geld vom Käufer 177 Zeitrente: ein fester Betrag über einen festen Zeitraum 179 Gewusst wie: wie Sie Ihre Preisvorstellung durchsetzen 180 Die Basis: Verständnis für Ihr Gegenüber 181 Das Gespräch: Nutzen Sie Ihren Heimvorteil! 182 Der Faktor Zeit: was der Blick auf den Kalender bringt 183 Das Ergebnis: die Kunst, das Gesicht zu wahren 184 Die Nervenprobe: das Warten auf den Notartermin 185 Kapitel 11 Verkaufen und wohnen bleiben: alternative Wege beim Verkauf 187 Nießbrauch: ein Klassiker mit Tücken 187 Wie Nießbrauch funktioniert 188 Wie sich Nießbrauch rechnet 189 Wohnungsrecht: der kleine Bruder des Nießbrauchs 190 Umgekehrte Hypothek: monatliche Rente von der Bank 191 Was die Immobilienrente auszeichnet 191 Wie sich die Immobilienrente rechnet 192 Wer Immobilienrenten anbietet 192 Vor- und Nachteile der alternativen Wege beim Verkauf 193 Vorteil: Betongold zu Geld machen 193 Vorteil: wohnen in der gewohnten Umgebung 194 Nachteil: beschränkt auf gute Lagen 194 Nachteil: Konflikt mit den Erben 194 Nachteil: eingeschränkte räumliche Flexibilität 194 Teil IV Abwickeln Und Versteuern 195 Kapitel 12 In klaren Bahnen: wie der Verkaufsprozess abläuft 197 Jetzt geht es ans Eingemachte: die wesentlichen To-dos für den Verkauf 197 Das Dokument der Dokumente: der Kaufvertrag 198 Der Mann der Stunde: der Notar 199 Nun wird es endlich offiziell: der Grundbucheintrag und die Eigentumsübergabe 207 Die letzten Hürden nach dem Notartermin 209 Abschied: der Auszug aus den geliebten vier Wänden 209 Der Tag der Tage: die Übergabe 210 Kapitel 13 Schnell handeln: was Verkäufer nach dem Notartermin noch regeln müssen 215 Finanzdienstleister: raus aus den Krediten 215 Der Abschied von der Hypothek 216 Das Ende der Grundschuld 219 Das Ende von Bürgschaften und Co. 221 Versorger: welche Verträge Sie kündigen müssen 222 Versicherer: automatischer Übergang der Policen 222 Versorger: selbst handeln 223 Finanzamt: wie der Fiskus bei Verkäufen zuschlägt 223 Teil V Der Top-Ten-Teil 225 Kapitel 14 Zehn Tipps für einen optimalen Verkauf 227 Klare Ziele definieren: den Verkaufsprozess gut durchdacht starten 227 Den Preis richtig setzen: Strategien, um die gewünschten Käufer anzulocken 228 Perfekte Unterlagen für das erste Gespräch vorbereiten 229 Mit dem Blick eines Käufers die eigene Immobilie betrachten 229 Kleine und große Investitionen für einen hervorragenden Erlös 230 Alle Kanäle zur Vermarktung nutzen 231 Bilder sagen mehr als Worte: welche Rolle Fotos und Videos beim Verkauf spielen 232 Preisusancen kennen: Mindestpreise und Co. 232 Die Nerven behalten: warum der Preispoker zum Hausverkauf dazu gehört 233 Aufmerksam bis zum Schluss: Achten Sie auch in der Schlussphase auf jedes Detail! 234 Kapitel 15 Zehn Fallen, die Sie unbedingt umgehen sollten 237 Auf dem einstigen Kaufpreis verharren 237 Sentimental werden – der verstellte Blick auf die eigenen vier Wände 238 Auf unseriöse Makler hereinfallen – wenn das Telefon zweimal klingelt 239 Mit mehreren Maklern operieren 240 Nachlässigkeit – eine Todsünde beim Immobilienverkauf 240 Tatsachen verschweigen – eine unverzeihliche Sünde im Verkaufsprozess 241 Dem erstbesten Interessenten den Zuschlag geben 242 Planlos das Eigenheim für den Verkauf aufmotzen 243 Eine oberflächliche Kalkulation senkt den Erlös 244 Auf Gutachter und Experten verzichten 245 Kapitel 16 Die zehn wichtigsten Internetadressen für Immobilienverkäufer 247 www.immobilienscout24.de 247 www.immowelt.de 248 www.wohnungsboerse.net 248 www.immobilienportale.com 249 www.ivd.net 249 www.notar.de 250 www.verbraucherzentrale.de 250 www.bundesregierung.de 251 www.zvr-info.de 252 www.immobilienwertanalyse.de 252 Stichwortverzeichnis 255

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Book SynopsisThe only guidebook that shows you how to finance any property--with or without bank approval Would you like to discover all of the many ways that you can finance real estate? Want to learn how to cut your financing costs, avoid pitfalls, and negotiate the best terms? Then let Gary Eldred''s 106 Mortgage Secrets All Borrowers Must Learn--But Lenders Don''t Tell, Second Edition guide you. Fully updated, this practical guide explains how today''s changing mortgage market really works. Unlike other mortgage guides, this book goes beyond traditional bank-originated loans and shows you how to benefit with seller financing, assumables, subject-to, wraparounds, lease options, foreclosures, and other money-saving possibilities. 106 Mortgage Secrets also protects you from the sharp practices of loan reps that have recently sparked Congressional hearings and multiple state investigations. In addition, Eldred shows how and why the right financing decisions can add tens (aTable of ContentsPreface to the Second Edition xi Introduction: Use OPM to Achieve All That You Really Want xiii 1 Affordability Depends on You—Not a Lender 1 Secret #1 Affordability depends on you 1 Secret #2 How you choose your property and arrange financing can add (or subtract) tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of dollars to (from) your net worth 6 Secret #3 Separate the emotional from the financial 7 Secret #4 Align self-talk with your priorities 9 Secret #5 Envision the propert(ies) you would like to own 5, 10, or 15 years from now 15 2 Increase Your Borrowing Power 17 Secret #6 10,000 lenders set their own standards 17 Secret #7 You can make your qualifying ratios look better 20 Secret #8 Lift your qualifying income 23 Secret #9 Reduce your debt 27 Secret #10 Use compensating factors to justify higher qualifying ratios 30 Secret #11 Never fib to a lender 32 Secret #12 Can’t qualify? Enlist a cosigner, co-borrower, or co-owner 34 Secret #13 Let tenants pay your mortgage 36 Secret #14 Don’t change your loan status 42 3 Slash Your Cost of Interest 43 Secret #15 Many borrowers who want a fixed-rate loan should choose 15 years, not 30 or 40 44 Secret #16 Lower interest rates mean big savings 48 Secret #17 Lower rates magnify borrowing power 49 Secret #18 ARMs sometimes offer greater borrowing power, lower costs, with risk you can manage 51 Secret #19 State and local housing finance agencies offer lower-interest mortgage loans 53 Secret #20 Assume a low-interest-rate mortgage 54 Secret #21 “Assume” a nonassumable mortgage 57 Secret #22 Save $1,000s with a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) 61 Secret #23 Seek employer assistance, or seek an employer who gives assistance 62 Secret #24 Obtain a lower interest rate; pay points 63 Secret #25 Negotiate a buydown with the sellers 64 Secret #26 New homebuilders offer mortgage incentives 66 Secret #27 How to borrow jumbo amounts without paying jumbo rates 66 Secret #28 Your after-tax cost of borrowing may not be as low as you’ve been told 69 4 The Risks and Rewards of ARMs 73 Secret #29 ARMs do not necessarily present more risk than fixed-rate loans 73 Secret #30 For the short term, ARMs usually cost less 78 Secret #31 ARMs for the long run: How to lower costs and alleviate risk 80 Secret #32 You can (sort of) forecast interest rates 81 Secret #33 Low teaser rates: Bait or bargain? 84 Secret #34 Your start (teaser) rate isn’t your contract rate 86 Secret #35 There’s no one best index 88 Secret #36 Don’t ignore the margin 91 Secret #37 All caps aren’t created equal 92 Secret #38 That flashy convertible could prove a clunker 93 Secret #39 APRs tell you nothing about ARMs—and very little about fixed rates 94 5 Perfect Your Credit Profile 97 Secret #40 Emphasize all eight Cs of loan approval 98 Secret #41 Credit scores influence, but do not determine, the terms and costs of your loan 103 Secret #42 Your credit score doesn’t necessarily represent your credit strength 104 Secret #43 Discover your credit scores 105 Secret #44 Improve your credit scores 107 Secret #45 Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) 109 Secret #46 Most credit repair firms (or deceptive tactics) can’t fix your credit or boost your credit scores 113 Secret #47 Bogus credit counselors can scam you, too 114 Secret #48 Credit counselors and debt management firms do not improve your credit record or boost your credit scores 115 Secret #49 Bankruptcy (Chapter 7) doesn’t necessarily ruin your credit 116 Secret #50 Your ex-spouse can ruin your credit (and other tales of double counting) 118 6 The Lowdown on Low Downs 121 Secret #51 You can buy with little or nothing down 121 Secret #52 No matter how much you earn, FHA may hold the key to your financing needs 122 Secret #53 Discover FHA’s best-kept Secret: The 203(k) program 126 Secret #54 Too many vets pass up VA loans 129 Secret #55 The USDA offers a prime choice for low- to moderate-income homebuyers 131 Secret #56 Community lending goes mainstream 131 Secret #57 Not-for-profit housing groups help moderate-income people own their own homes 134 Secret #58 Local governments assist with down payments 136 Secret #59 Even Fannie and Freddie accept little- or nothing-down loans 138 Secret #60 Cut the cost of PMI by learning where rates break 138 Secret #61 Before you obtain a PMI little- or nothing-down loan, understand the cost you’ll pay 139 Secret #62 Reduce the higher cost of low down payments with a second mortgage (piggyback loan) 141 Secret #63 Use pledged collateral to eliminate PMI 142 Secret #64 Search for sellers with low-equity assumables loans 144 Secret #65 Avoid PMI with a higher interest rate mortgage 144 7 Win Big Savings with Seller Financing, Foreclosures, or REOs 147 Secret #66 Sellers can nearly always beat the banks at their own game, but you must do more than ask 151 Secret #67 Ask the seller and lender to cooperate with a refiblend 153 Secret #68 Bridge the assumable gap with a seller second 154 Secret #69 Avoid the bang of a bursting balloon 155 Secret #70 Buy on the installment plan 156 Secret #71 Try it before you buy it 159 Secret #72 Buy and lease simultaneously 161 Secret #73 Beat high interest rates with wraparound financing 164 Secret #74 Don’t dillydally with due diligence 165 Secret #75 Negotiate a preforeclosure workout 168 Secret #76 Buy (carefully) at a foreclosure sale 171 Secret #77 Locate a foreclosure pro 171 Secret #78 HUD may hold the keys to your home or investment property 173 Secret #79 VA offers REO deals (with financing) to both veterans and nonveterans 175 Secret #80 Let Fannie or Freddie treat you to below-market financing 177 Secret #81 Buy and finance directly with a lender 179 8 Beware of Those Fine Print “Gotchas” 183 Secret #82 It’s a jungle out there 184 Secret #83 Tell your loan rep to take out the garbage 187 Secret #84 Don’t place blind faith in the good faith estimate 189 Secret #85 What’s the real cost of a no-cost mortgage? 191 Secret #86 Can you prepay without restriction or penalty? 193 Secret #87 An assumable loan may offer less than you’ve assumed 196 Secret #88 Appraised value doesn’t necessarily equal market value 198 Secret #89 Sometimes lenders signal appraisers to lowball their value estimates 200 Secret #90 Appraisals do not forecast the future 202 9 Achieve the Lowest Interest Rate Available 205 Secret #91 Refuse to yield to oversized yield-spread premiums (YSPs) 205 Secret #92 Red and yellow, black and white, do lenders treat them all alike? 207 Secret #93 Rate quotes: Fact or fiction? 208 Secret #94 What rate will you get at closing? 210 Secret #95 Achieve your best rate 213 Secret #96 Industry pros and government agencies need your help 215 Secret #97 How to (almost) vanquish tricks of the trade 220 10 Manage Your Property and Financing for Maximum Return 225 Secret #98 Treat your home and your financing as an investment 226 Secret #99 Monitor opportunities to refinance 233 Secret #100 Use refinancing to create other benefits 236 Secret #101 Refinance and invest the proceeds 238 Secret #102 Never buy biweekly baloney 243 Secret #103 Cancel your PMI—Get a refund from FHA 246 Secret #104 Should you negotiate out of escrow? 248 Secret #105 Just say no to home equity loans 250 Secret #106 Trouble, trouble, what to do? 254 Conclusion: You Can Live on the House 259 Index 265

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Book SynopsisFight Foreclosure! offers a practical, step-by-step system for taking action to prevent foreclosure on your home before it?s too late. If you?re having trouble keeping up with your payments, the worst thing you can do is nothing. This book explores all your options, weighs the pros and cons of each, and explains the pre-foreclosure process in detail. Plus, it points out the too-good-to-be-true credit repair offers you should avoid and gives you real, practical alternatives that help you help yourself before it?s too late.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments. Introduction. You Are Not Alone! America in Foreclosure. Chapter 1: Don't Ignore the Warning Signs: How to Get Past Denial, Deal with the Stress and Embarrassment, and Take Action to Save Your Home and Family. Chapter 2: The Foreclosure Time Clock: Why it's Much Better to Act Sooner than Later. Chapter 3: How to Handle Collection Calls: Why You Should Talk to Your Lender First, What to Say, and What Questions to Ask. Chapter 4: Too Much Money at the End of the Month: How to Prioritize Your Spending and Where to Cut Expenses. Chapter 5: Negotiate with your lender to win/win: Walk Away, Sell, or Sacrifice to Save. Chapter 6: Use the Law to Fight Foreclosure: Legal Defenses. Chapter 7: Using Bankruptcy to Save Your Home. Chapter 8: How to Sell to Avoid Foreclosure and Save Your Credit Even if You Owe More Than Your Home is Worth. Chapter 9: How to Find Legitimate Help and Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams. Chapter 10: Options for Real Estate Investors Facing Foreclosure. Chapter 11: Life After Foreclosure: What I Learned When it Happened to Me. Appendix A. Questions and Answers from HUD. Appendix B. Mortgage Workout Notebook. Appendix C. Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007. Appendix D. News Release from www.hud.org. Appendix E. Glossary. Appendix F. State Foreclosure Procedures Chart. About the Author. Index.

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Book SynopsisNo-one obsesses over property quite like the British, even though buying and selling a home can be a personal headache and a financial lucky-dip.Trade ReviewShe is adept at communicating money matters to the less fiscally clued-up, as demonstrated by the titles of her books.' (The Daily Telegraph, 7th April 2012)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: So You Want to Buy Your First Home? 7 Chapter 1: Why Getting Your Foot on the Property Ladder Is a Smart Move 9 Chapter 2: Deciding Whether You Can Afford to Buy and Getting the Timing Right 17 Chapter 3: Determining What You Want 25 Chapter 4: Dealing with Estate Agents 33 Part II: Finding the Right Property 41 Chapter 5: Handling Viewings 43 Chapter 6: Looks Are Everything: Period Homes 55 Chapter 7: New and Self-Build: No Previous Owners 73 Chapter 8: Renovating Wrecks: Property In Need of Work 93 Part III: Making an Offer and Finding the Readies 109 Chapter 9: Making an Offer: What Happens Next? 111 Chapter 10: Going, Going, Gone: Buying Property at Auction 127 Chapter 11: Getting a Mortgage 139 Chapter 12: Insurance: Ignore at Your Peril 169 Chapter 13: When Money’s Too Tight to Mention: Low Cost Routes to Homeownership 181 Part IV: Selling Your Home 189 Chapter 14: Deciding When It’s the Right Time to Sell Your Home 191 Chapter 15: Creating the Right First Impression 201 Chapter 16: Using a Pro to Sell Your Home: Getting the Most from Estate Agents 211 Chapter 17: Going It Alone: Selling Your Property Privately 223 Chapter 18: Negotiating a Successful Sale 243 Part V: The Legal Process of Buying and Selling 255 Chapter 19: Conveyancing for Buyers and Sellers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland 257 Chapter 20: The Scottish House-Buying Process 277 Chapter 21: Selling Your Home in Scotland 289 Part VI: The Part of Tens 299 Chapter 22: Ten Things for a First-Time Homeowner to Do 301 Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Sell Your Home 307 Chapter 24: Ten Tips on Dealing with Estate Agents 313 Appendix: Resources 319 Index 325

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Book SynopsisFind The Home Mortgage That''s Right For You Finding the right mortgage can be complex, confusing, and frustrating. But that doesn''t mean you have to settle for anything other than the terms you want. This indispensable and newly updated second edition of How to Save Thousands of Dollars on Your Home Mortgage spells out everything mortgage hunters need to know in clear and accessible terms. It covers more loan alternatives than any other book and examines the importance of discount points. It offers complete details on virtually every mortgage option currently available, what advantages each option offers, how to choose the right one for your needs, and how to save money in the process. New information in this edition will help you use the Internet to find a home and get a mortgage, examine automated underwriting models and conforming loan limits, and weigh new shopping strategies. Easy-to-read charts and graphs, helpful sample forms, and numerous examples will help you uTable of ContentsForeword. Introduction. PART 1: BACKGROUND. The Structure of the Mortgage Industry. How Lenders Influence Borrowers' Choices. How Lenders Market Loans. How to Choose the Right Loan. KEY POINTS. For First-Time Home Buyers. PART 2: CHOOSING A LENDER AND GETTING APPROVED. Qualifying 101. Credit. Bank, S&L, or Broker? Shopping for a Loan and Negotiating with a Lender. APR, Buy-Downs, and Discount Points. What to Do When You Run into a Problem. QUALIFYING PROBLEMS. PART 3: LOCKING AND CLOSING. How Lenders Can Cheat Their Customers. Closing Costs, Lender Fees, and Other Fees. PART IV: ADVANCED TOPICS. Qualifying 201. Refinancing. Fifteen-Year Loans and Accelerated Payoffs. Equity Lines, Seconds, and Reverse Mortgages. No-Cost and Zero-Cost Loans. Technology: The Internet and Software. THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY ON-LINE. Epilogue: On the Need for Reform and Other Thoughts. Appendix. Glossary. Index.

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Book SynopsisSpend like a miser, profit like a mogul Who says you have to spend money to make money?Savvy real estate investors follow the examples of Donald Trump and Walt Disney, turning substantial profits on properties without incurring the debt, risk, and maintenance costs of ownership--and now, so can you! In How to Make Money with Real Estate Options, real estate expert Thomas Lucier introduces you to the low-risk, high-yield investment vehicle that can earn big bucks even for small investors. Lucier explains what real estate options are, how they work, and why they are the tools of choice for thousands of successful investors. Step by step, he shows you how to: * Locate potential option properties using the Internet, want ads, and bird-dogs * Contact and negotiate with property owners * Perform due diligence and avoid options pitfalls * Prepare an option agreement that protects you * Insure real estate options with title insuranceTable of ContentsLIST OF DOWNLOADABLE FORMS. INTRODUCTION: Real Estate Options: What They Are, How They Work, and Why You Should Use Them. PART I: HOW YOU CAN MAKE MONEY IN REAL ESTATE TODAY WITHOUT EVER BUYING ANY PROPERTY. CHAPTER 1: Why Real Estate Options Are Less Risky, More Profitable, and Easier to Use Than Most Property-Flipping Strategies Being Taught Today. CHAPTER 2: The Most Profitable Types of Properties to Buy Real Estate Options On. CHAPTER 3: What It Takes to Be a Profitable Real Estate Option Investor. PART II: FIVE REALISTIC STRATEGIES THAT YOU CAN USE TO MAKE MONEY WITH REAL ESTATE OPTIONS TODAY. CHAPTER 4: How You Can Use Options to Make Money from Obsolescent Properties That Can Be Put to More Profitable Uses. CHAPTER 5: How to Use the Lease and Option Strategy to Make Money with Single-Family Houses. CHAPTER 6: How You Can Use Options to Profit from Properties with Correctable Problems. CHAPTER 7: How to Use Options to Control Properties That Can Be Rezoned for More Profitable Uses. CHAPTER 8: How You Can Use the LASH Strategy to Profit from Long-Term, Flat-Rate Master Leases and Real Estate Options. PART III: A 12-STEP PROCESS FOR BUYING AND RESELLING REAL ESTATE OPTIONS. CHAPTER 9: How to Use the Internet, Property Wanted Ads, Bird Dogs, Finder ’s Fees, and Direct Mail to Locate Properties to Put under Option. CHAPTER 10: How to Perform Due Diligence on a Potential Option Property. CHAPTER 11: How to Thoroughly Inspect a Property before You Buy an Option to Purchase. CHAPTER 12: How to Accurately Estimate a Property’s Current Market Value. CHAPTER 13: How to Negotiate Low-Cost Options and Below-Market Purchase Prices with Property Owners. CHAPTER 14: How to Prepare Your Option Agreement So That You Are Fully Protected during the Option Period. CHAPTER 15: How to Use Title Insurance to Insure Real Estate Options. CHAPTER 16: Why All Property Title Transfer Documents Must Be Held in Escrow during the Option Period. CHAPTER 17: How to Close on the Purchase of a Real Estate Option. CHAPTER 18: How to Clean Up a Property under Option to Maximize Its Curb Appeal and Resale Value. CHAPTER 19: How to Package, Market, and Resell Your Real Estate Options for Maximum Profit. CHAPTER 20: How to Exercise Your Option and Buy the Property. RESOURCES. ABOUT THE AUTHOR. INDEX.

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Book SynopsisPre-foreclosure real estate is one of the hottest investment opportunities on the market. The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor?s Kit offers step-by-step instruction and no-nonsense advice on how to find great deals, estimate fair market value, negotiate with sellers, sell your property on your own, and win big in real estate. You?ll learn how to get the best deals on foreclosure properties before they go to auction and utilize simple ready-made worksheets, checklists, forms, and agreements that make getting started easy. Even people of modest means can get into pre-foreclosure investing?all it takes is a little hard work, persistence, and the tools you?ll find in this handy guide.Table of ContentsDedication. PART I: GETTING STARTED AS A PROFITABLE PRE-FORECLOSURE INVESTOR. Chapter 1: How You Can Make $60,000 a Year Investing in Pre-Foreclosure Properties Part-Time. Chapter 2: Why Most Foreclosure Investment Strategies Being Taught Today Are Too Risky, Too Expensive, and Not Worth Doing. Chapter 3: What Every Pre-Foreclosure Investor Needs to Know about Their State’s Foreclosure Statute. Chapter 4: Everything You Need to Know about Existing Loans on Pre-Foreclosure Properties. Chapter 5: How to Finance the Purchase of a Pre-Foreclosure Property. Chapter 6: How to Get Started Right Now as a Profitable Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor. PART II: MY 14-STEP PROCESS FOR INVESTING IN PRE-FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES. Chapter 7: How to Find Property Owners with Loans That Are in Default and Facing Foreclosure. Chapter 8: How to Contact Property Owners in Foreclosure. Chapter 9: How to Get the Lowdown on Loans in Default from Foreclosing Lenders. Chapter 10: How to Perform Due Diligence on Pre-Foreclosure Properties. Chapter 11: How to Thoroughly Inspect a Pre-Foreclosure Property. Chapter 12: How to Accurately Estimate the Current Market Value of a Pre-Foreclosure Property. Chapter 13: How to Negotiate with Property Owners in Foreclosure. Chapter 14: How to Get Subordinate Lienholders to Discount Their Liens by 50 Percent or More. Chapter 15: How to Negotiate with Foreclosing Lenders and Their Attorneys and Trustees. Chapter 16: How to Do a Short Payoff Sale on Properties with Little or No Equity. Chapter 17: How to Prepare Your Purchase Agreements. Chapter 18: How to Close on the Purchase of a Pre-Foreclosure Property. Chapter 19: How to Fix Up Pre-Foreclosures for Maximum Curb Appeal and Resale Value. Chapter 20: How to Package, Market, and Resell Pre-Foreclosures for Maximum Profit. Resources: Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor Resources Online. About the Author. Index.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“…easy to understand advice for first-time buyers looking to get on the property ladder…” (Southampton Daily Echo, 6th October 04) “…packed with invaluable tips and insider advice…empowering guide…” (North East House Hunter, 15th October 04) “...First-time buyers ... can now turn to a book for help...simple yet comprehensive...” (Daily Record, 13th November 2004). “…shows you how to buy your first home, without borrowing more than you can afford…” (moneywise, March 05) Table of ContentsIntroduction. Part I: Stepping onto the Property Ladder. Chapter 1: Becoming a Homeowner – Even If Money Is Tight. Chapter 2: Doing Sums: Looking at Financial Aspects. Chapter 3: Finding Budget-Friendly Dwellings and Neighbourhoods. Part II: Show Me the Money! Chapter 4: Negotiating the Mortgage Maze. Chapter 5: Getting a Mortgage with a Guarantor. Chapter 6: Making the Most of Being a First-Time Buyer. Chapter 7: Using Your Future Earning Power to Get a Mortgage. Part III: Finding the Right Property and Making an Offer. Chapter 8: Dealing With Estate Agents and Handling Viewings. Chapter 9: Looking at the Ins and Outs of Offers. Chapter 10: Conveyancing in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Chapter 11: Buying Property in Scotland. Chapter 12: Buying a Wreck or Building Yourself. Part IV: Alternative Ways of Home Buying. Chapter 13: Reducing Your Repayments via an Offset Mortgage. Chapter 14: Taking in a Lodger. Chapter 15: Renting Out Your Home to Cover the Mortgage. Chapter 16: Buying with the Help of a Housing Association. Chapter 17: Getting Assistance Because You’re a Key Worker. Chapter 18: Purchasing Your Council Home. Part V: The Part of Tens. Chapter 19: Ten Things a First-Time Buyer Needs to Know. Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Dealing with Estate Agents. Chapter 21: Ten Contacts Every Homebuyer Needs. Appendix: Resources. Index.

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Book SynopsisQuickly make sense of mortgages Taking out a mortgage to purchase real estate is a huge decision, one that could affect your family's finances for years to come. This easy-to-follow guide explains how to secure the best and lowest-cost mortgage for your unique situation. Whether you select a 15- or 30-year mortgage, you'll get all the tips and tricks you need to pay it off fastershortening your payment schedule and saving your hard-earned cash. Fine-tune your financesQualify for a mortgageSecure the best loanFind your best lenderRefinance your mortgagePay down your loan quickerMust-knows about foreclosureTop mortgage no-nosTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 How This Book is Different 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Part 1: Getting Started with Mortgages 5 Chapter 1: Determining Your Borrowing Power 7 Only You Can Determine the Mortgage Debt You Can Afford 8 Acknowledge your need to save 8 Collect your spending data 9 Determine Your Potential Homeownership Expenses 10 Making your mortgage payments 10 Paying property taxes 12 Tracking your tax write-offs 13 Investing in insurance 14 Budgeting for closing costs 14 Managing maintenance costs 17 Financing home improvements and such 17 Consider the Impact of a New House on Your Financial Future 17 Acting upon your spending analysis 21 Establishing financial goals 22 Making down-payment decisions 23 Chapter 2: Qualifying for a Mortgage 25 Getting Preapproved for a Loan 25 The worst-case scenario 26 Loan prequalification usually isn’t good enough 26 Loan preapproval is the way to go 27 Evaluating Your Creditworthiness: The Underwriting Process 28 Traditional underwriting guidelines 29 New underwriting technology 32 Eyeing Predicament-Solving Strategies 34 Insufficient cash for a down payment 34 Excessive indebtedness 38 Insufficient income 39 Credit blemishes 40 Low appraisals 41 Problem properties 45 Chapter 3: Scoping Out Your Credit Score 47 Defining Credit Scores 48 Assessing Your Credit History 48 What goes into your credit report 49 Check your credit report 50 Understanding How Scores Work 51 FICO scores can differ between bureaus 51 What a FICO score considers 52 What FICO scores ignore 60 Interpreting scores 61 Getting your score 61 Managing your score 62 Part 2: Locating a Loan 63 Chapter 4: Fathoming the Fundamentals 65 Grasping Loan Basics: Principal, Interest, Term, and Amortization 66 Deciphering Mortgage Lingo 67 So what’s a mortgage? 67 How to scrutinize security instruments 68 Eyeing Classic Mortgage Jargon Duets 70 Fixed or adjustable loans 70 Government or conventional loans 71 Primary or secondary mortgage market 72 Conforming or jumbo loans 74 Long-term or short-term mortgages 75 Introducing the Punitive Ps 76 Prepayment penalties 76 Private mortgage insurance (PMI) 78 Chapter 5: Selecting the Best Home Purchase Loan 81 Three Questions to Help You Pick the Right Mortgage 82 How long do you plan to keep your mortgage? 82 How much financial risk can you accept? 83 How much money do you need? 84 Fixed-Rate Mortgages: No Surprises 85 Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs) 87 How an ARM’s interest rate is determined 88 How often does the interest rate adjust? 92 What are the limits on rate adjustments? 92 Does the loan have negative amortization? 93 Fine-Tuning Your Thought Process 96 Finding funds 96 Making the 30-year versus 15-year mortgage decision 97 Getting a Loan When Rates Are High 98 Chapter 6: Surveying Special Situation Loans 99 Understanding Home Equity Loans 100 Using home equity loans 100 Operating instructions 101 Considering tax consequences 103 Eyeing 100 Percent Home Equity Loans 104 Taking a Closer Look at Co-Op Loans 107 Identifying the legal structure of co-op loans 107 Dealing with deal-killing directors 108 Tracking down a loan 109 Grasping Balloon Loans 110 80-10-10 financing 110 Bridge loans 114 Construction loans 115 Renovation/remodel loans 116 Part 3: Landing a Lender 117 Chapter 7: Finding Your Best Lender 119 Going with a Mortgage Broker or Direct Lender? 120 Considerations when using brokers 120 Developing a list of brokers and lenders 122 Interviewing and working with mortgage brokers 124 Figuring out how to interview lenders 125 Seller Financing: The Trials and Tribulations 127 Considering/soliciting seller financing 127 Overcoming borrower problems 128 Negotiating loan terms 128 Deciding whether to provide seller financing 129 Chapter 8: Searching for Mortgage Information Online 131 Obeying Our Safe Surfing Tips 132 Shop to find out about rates and programs 132 Quality control is often insufficient 133 Beware simplistic affordability calculators 133 Don’t reveal confidential information unless 133 Be sure to shop offline 134 Beware of paid advertising masquerading as directories 135 Perusing Our Recommended Mortgage Websites 136 Useful government sites 136 Mortgage information and shopping sites 138 Chapter 9: Choosing Your Preferred Mortgage 141 Taking a Look at Loan Fees 142 The point and interest rate tradeoff 142 Annual percentage rates 144 Other lender fees 145 Avoiding Dangerous Loan Features 147 Prepayment penalties 147 Negative amortization 148 Comparing Lenders’ Programs 149 Fixed-rate mortgages interview worksheet 149 Adjustable-rate mortgages interview worksheet 153 Applying with One or More Lenders 158 Chapter 10: Managing Mortgage Paperwork 159 Pounding the Paperwork 159 Filling Out the Uniform Residential Loan Application 162 1 Borrower information 162 2 Financial information — assets and liabilities 166 3 Financial information — real estate 167 4 Loan and property information 168 5 Declarations 170 6 Acknowledgments and agreements 170 7 Demographic information 172 Introducing Other Typical Documents 173 Your right to receive a copy of the appraisal 173 Equal Credit Opportunity Act 175 Part 4: Profiting from Smart Mortgage Strategies 177 Chapter 11: Refinancing Your Mortgage 179 Refinancing Rationales 180 Cost-Cutting Refinances 181 Applying the 2 percent rule 182 Crunching the numbers 183 Restructuring Refinances 186 Restructuring when you need to 186 Getting a fixed-rate to avoid ARM phobia 188 Resetting ARM caps 188 Choosing the fast-forward mortgage 190 Cash-Out Refinances 190 Expediting Your Refi 192 Beating Borrower’s Remorse 194 Phase I borrower’s remorse 194 Phase II borrower’s remorse 195 Chapter 12: Paying Down Your Mortgage Quicker 197 One Size Doesn’t Fit All 198 Interest savings: The benefit of paying off your mortgage quicker 198 Quantifying the missed opportunity to invest those extra payments 198 Taxes matter but less than you think 199 Deciding Whether to Repay Your Mortgage Faster 200 Does your mortgage have a prepayment penalty? 201 How liquid are your assets? 201 Have you funded retirement savings accounts? 201 How aggressive an investor are you? 202 What are your refinancing options? 203 Considering psychological and nonfinancial issues 203 Developing Your Payoff Plan 204 Chapter 13: Reverse Mortgages for Retirement Income 205 Grasping the Reverse Mortgage Basics 205 Considering common objections 207 Who can get a reverse mortgage? 208 How much money can you get and when? 209 When do you pay the money back? 210 What do you owe? 211 How is the loan repaid? 212 What’s the out-of-pocket cost of getting a reverse mortgage? 212 What are the other reverse mortgage costs? 213 What’s the total annual rate? 214 How do reverse mortgages affect your government-sponsored benefits? 215 Shopping for a Reverse Mortgage 215 Making major choices 216 Counseling 217 Deciding Whether You Want a Reverse Mortgage 217 Part 5: The Part of Tens 219 Chapter 14: Ten-Plus “Must-Knows” About Foreclosure 221 Deal with Reality 222 Review Your Spending and Debts 223 Beware of Foreclosure Scams 223 Consider Tapping Other Assets 223 Make Use of Objective Counseling 224 Negotiate with Your Lender 224 Understand Short Sales 225 Seek Legal and Tax Advice 225 Understand Bankruptcy 226 Consider the Future Impact to Your Credit Report 226 Understand the Realities of Investing in Foreclosed Property 228 Chapter 15: Ten Mortgage No-Nos 229 Don’t Let Lenders Tell You What You Can Afford 229 Never Confuse Loan Prequalification with Preapproval 230 Avoid Loans with Prepayment Penalties 231 Don’t Reflexively Grab a Fixed-Rate Mortgage 231 Steer Clear of Toxic 100 Percent Home Equity Loans 232 Watch Out for Mortgage Brokers with Hidden Agendas 233 Shun Negative Amortization Mortgages 234 Don’t Let the 2 Percent Rule Bully You When Refinancing 234 Don’t Assume That All Reverse Mortgages Are the Same or Bad 235 Avoid Mortgage Life Insurance 235 Part 6: Appendixes 237 Appendix A: Loan Amortization Table 239 Appendix B: Remaining Balance Tables 245 Appendix C: Glossary 271 Index 281

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