In Today's Real Estate Market - What Buyers & Sellers Really Want

A recent survey revealed the following:

1. What service did sellers most often say they want from their real estate agent?

Of the sellers surveyed, 22 percent said they wanted help pricing their home competitively so it would sell. Other popular responses included help finding a buyer for the home (21 percent), marketing the home to potential buyers (19 percent), and selling the home within a specific time frame (19 percent).
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2. What service do buyers most often say they want from a real estate agent?

Nearly 50 percent of buyers most frequently reported that they want an agent to help them find the right home to purchase, followed by assisting them with negotiating the terms of the sale (16 percent) and price negotiations (13 percent). The least-frequent response was help in finding or arranging financing to purchase a home (2 percent).
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3. The typical home buyer searched how long before purchasing a home?

On average, a home buyer searched for 12 weeks and viewed 12 homes before purchasing, according to NAR research. That's the longest average time that buyers have spent looking for a home since the survey started tracking it in 2001. Buyers searched, on average, two weeks on their own before contacting an agent.
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4. What was the most common incentive that sellers offered in the sale of the home?

Sellers often try to use incentives to lure buyers, particularly the longer a home is on the market. While 68 percent of sellers said they did not offer an incentive, of those who did, the most popular incentives offered were a home warranty policy (21 percent) or assistance with closing costs (18 percent). Only 6 percent offered a credit to the buyer for remodeling or repairs.
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5. What feature on real estate Web sites do customers most frequently say they find the most useful?

Eighty-four percent of buyers said they find photos on a real estate Web site "very useful" and 13 percent said "somewhat useful," proving that photos remain a popular lure to buyers on real estate Web sites. Buyers also reported the following "very useful" Web site features: detailed information about the properties for sale (82 percent), virtual tours/videos (63 percent), the real estate agent's contact information (46 percent), and interactive maps (43 percent).
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6. What's the first step buyers often take during the home-buying process?

Thirty-six percent of all buyers said they looked online for properties for sale as their first step, followed by 18 percent who said they contacted a real estate professional. The Web sites they say provided the greatest value were multiple listing services (MLS) Web sites and real estate company Web sites, according to the survey.
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7. Of buyers who considered purchasing a foreclosed home, what was the most common reason they gave for ultimately not purchasing a foreclosure?

Nearly half of all buyers said they considered buying a foreclosed home, although only 10 percent actually did -- still a substantial increase from 2008, when only 3 percent of homes were purchased as a foreclosure. The reasons most cited for not purchasing a foreclosed home were buyers could not find the right home (25 percent), the home was in poor condition (17 percent), or the process was too difficult or complex (16 percent).
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8. What was the most common factor that influenced buyers in selecting a certain area to live?

Buyers report that several factors influence them in choosing a location to purchase a home. The quality of the neighborhood was most often cited by buyers as the most important factor influencing neighborhood choice (64 percent), followed by convenience to job location (50 percent), and overall affordability of homes (43 percent).

See the original article at www.viewthishome.com.

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Even Women Are Making Money In Real Estate Using Short Sales

Seven Reasons Women Are Turning to Real Estate in Record Numbers

Think short sales and real estate investing is a guys game? Think again. Women are making in-roads into real estate in a big way. Forget clipping coupons or trying to save up for a vacation, research shows that women have been making the majority of home buying decisions related to the purchase of a family home for several years but now many are taking it one step further. Women are now making investment decisions on a regular basis including the purchase of short sale real estate and other investment assets. In fact, nearly 1 out of every 4 real estate transactions are conducted by women buyers.



Below are the most important reasons women are turning to real estate in record numbers:

1. Profits. Women have historically lagged behind men in earning capacity even with the same education and job experience. Short sale real estate provides an exceptional opportunity for women to supplement income without having to work second or even third jobs.

2. Retirement. Even after the most recent rebound, many investment portfolio's are far from healthy. A few well-timed short sale deals are able to replace much of that lost income.

3. Convenience. Real estate is flexible allowing women the time to interact with family and friends without sacrificing a life they love.

4. Security. A few well timed deals or rental properties afford women an independent means of income aside from those of their spouse or significant other. Statistically women live longer than men which often results in a dramatic decline in their standard of living towards the end of life. Holding a few long term assets that appreciate over time can assure access to funds at any time of life.

5. Empowered. Not surprisingly, men have been harder hit by the recent downsizing and lay-off's than women. Experts believe higher overall income levels are acting as an inverse incentive to eliminate men while keeping less expensive staff. The shift in income is increasingly shifting the focus of power in the household.

6. Credit Changes. Gone are the day when women must have a co-signer but lower income levels combined with children and more obligations often resulted in a practical need for two income applications. As women earn more and build solid credit reputations independent from their spouse or significant other, they are asking for...and getting...more favorable terms. Combined with federal incentives such as tax breaks, it's a winning combination.

7. Fun. Women have learned to enjoy the freedom, prestige and game of negotiation once thought to be the exclusive domain of men. Of course, communication skills combined with social savvy, independent wealth and a bit of encouragement has resulted in a record number of women learning that wheeling and dealing is not only a great way to make money but a lot of fun!

Yes women are doing this with Short Sales - TODAY!

For additional information to ideas like the one above, simply enter your name and email address below for timely real estate investing tips, information and cutting-edge marketing strategies to help you become a better investor. You'll receive your FREE real estate investing newsletter. Learn two dozen investor mistakes to avoid. Most importantly, we'll notify you about the up and coming Knoxville investment club meeting.