Turkey vs. Home Sales ?

Hi All,


   Hope you all had a great weekend, and welcome back to the "Short Week" for most of you.

   It boggles the mind when you realize that there will be 3 major data releases in the next 2 days leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, but the wheels of the Economy must chug ahead and chrun out the figures.

Here is what is due out this week:
Tues Morning - NAR Existing Home Sales
Weds Morning - FHFA Quarterly Index And New Residential Sales

   Of course, we will recap any of the numbers, should they be eventful. Other than that, we will keep our posts this week short and to the point, since the choice between the thought of turkey and reading my blog posts is a battle that I do not want to get involved with.

   As a reminder, we are still offering our, "Important News for Sellers":

   To Recap the offer: We are offering 30 Free Seller Ads (2-Month Ad duration) - so you can list your home for sale or Rent to Own (a $9.99 value). No catch involved - just Holiday Spirit.

   How do you nail down that free Ad? CLICK HERE to send us the E-mail address that you will use to create your ad. We will then send you a username, password, and the link to log in and place your Ad, add images, etc. This is rare, so jump on this before the remaining slots are gone.

Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
HomeRun Homes Blog http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Website http://www.lease2buy.com/

Real Estate Contracts from a Legal Perspective

Hi Folks,

   Friday is upon us, and most of the leaves have already fallen here in the Northeast. The trees are bare, and this can only mean one thing - bare trees. OK, so the secret is out - I'm not a comedian.

   One thing that is not a laughing matter in Real Estate are the contracts that are used for the different flavors of deals. Today, we are going to take a look at these contracts from the perspective of Rent to Own, with input from Attorneys from 3 States; Florida, Ohio, and Texas. We will preface this with the caveat that this is not legal advice, we are not attorneys, and thus the title word, "perspective", and not guidance.

   In the State of Florida, which is always a hotbed for deals, we spoke with Charles P. Castellon, an Attorney and Counselor at Law in Florida. Castellon tells us that it is important to realize that, "The applicable protections depend on whether you’re entering the deal as seller or buyer.", and he says that from the seller's side, especially in Florida, that, "it’s helpful to draft 2 separate agreements — a residential lease and option agreement.", as, "the rationale is the buyer/option holder could more easily force the owner to file a foreclosure action rather than a simple eviction if both sides of the deal are integrated in one agreement." Castellon continues to say that, "In the latter situation, a court could deem the buyer to have equitable rights giving the buyer/tenant the same rights as a mortgage borrower, thus requiring a more costly and complex foreclosure rather than a relatively simple eviction." From what I personally understand, if a rent credit is being applied to the down payment each month, the tenant is building up equity.

   Castellon says that an owner can, "write into the agreements a waiver by the buyer of any claim that the buyer may be entitled to equitable rights requiring a foreclosure case and instead agree that a breach of the lease agreement would be litigated in an eviction case only.", and that, "Buyers should seek to have a portion of all rent payments credited toward the purchase price. Building equity for the buyer and a greater stake in the rental property is beneficial for both sides, as the buyer will think more like an owner than a tenant." Additionally, he says that, "Buyers should also insist that all cost responsibilities are clearly spelled out. For example, either side can be responsible for costs such as taxes, insurance and association fees and everything is negotiable. The buyer may want to seek some kind of protection of his/her interest in the property in the event the owner fails to pay property taxes and thus risks the loss of the property to the tax collector."

   In the State of Ohio, we spoke with Troy Doucet, a foreclosure defense and consumer litigation attorney, who says that, "Ohio law requires the inclusion of about 15 different terms into any land contract in order to make it valid. Someone unfamiliar with these requirements could generate a void contract, and cost themselves statutory damages in addition to having to refund money paid." Doucet says that, "Creating a lease that provides for the ability to purchase later creates other hurdles under Ohio law, especially with regards to recording any kind of security interest in the property", and says that his recommendation is to, "always consult an attorney in drafting these types of contracts because they can be considerably problematic for the seller and buyer if not drafted correctly."

   Finally, in the State of Texas, we spoke with Attorney Patrick E. Hudson, who says that, "Rent to own laws vary from state to state", and that "In Texas, sellers used to take advantage of rent to own buyers by taking the house back when the buyer missed the first payment, even if the buyer had paid on the home for years.", but that, "the Texas legislature stepped in and put burdensome regulations on rent to own sellers.". Hudson says that the regulations, "generally provide that the buyer has to be provided notices and opportunities to cure any default before the seller can take the property back.".

   Hudson says that the state regulations are so difficult to comply with that, "many law firms advise their sellers to avoid rent to own contracts". He does, however, mention an alternative, where, "A seller can lease the property and give the renter/buyer an option to purchase the home at the end of the lease for a good price.", which, "avoids all of the hurdles of a rent to own transaction.".

   We are looking for some additional input from real estate attorneys in other states, and we welcome your comments on this post.

Have a Great Weekend, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
HomeRun Homes Blog http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Website http://www.lease2buy.com

Mixed Construction Numbers and Important News for Sellers

Hi Folks,

   Good Morning and I hope your week is going well.

   As of this morning, the October figures for New Residential Construction were released, which encompasses building permits, housing starts, and housing completions.

   To summarize, both privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits and the single-family authorizations were up from September. Privately-owned housing starts in October were down substantially (in excess of 11% !) from September, while single-family housing starts were down marginally. The last piece of data shows that privately-owned housing completions in October were below the September figures, while single-family housing completions were above the September numbers.

   Now, as the subject of this post mentioned - "Important News for Sellers":

   We are offering 50 Free Seller Ads (2-Month Ad duration) - so you can list your home for Sale or for Rent to Own (a $9.99 value). Is there a catch? Not at all. Let's just call it some early "Holiday Spirit".

   If you are selling a home, how can you grab your free Ad? Just CLICK HERE to send us the E-mail address that you will use to create your ad. We will then send you a user name, password, and the link to log in and place your Ad, add images, etc. This is a very rare opportunity, trust me, so make sure you stake your claim today...CLICK HERE.

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
HomeRun Homes Blog http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Website http://www.lease2buy.com/

Depressed Home Sales and Housing Slump Acting Like a Prison

Good Morning,

   Hope you had a nice weekend. To those of you who ran the marathon in NYC this past weekend, that is incredible. That is the ultimate definition of pushing your body to the upper limits of it's potential.

   On that note, we all wish that the housing market would push itself to the upper limits of it's potential as well, however, with the Pending Home Sales Index numbers that came out last Friday, don't hold your breath. The National Association of Realtors said, "Pending home sales retreated after two monthly gains, signaling an uneven recovery entering 2011 with some near-term disruptions from the foreclosure moratorium". Troubles abound.

   "The depressed real estate market is having another effect", writes David Schepp from AOL Finance, in an article titled, "Housing's Slump Is Keeping Job Seekers Stuck in Place". Schepp notes that it's become, "more difficult, if not impossible, for workers to relocate to take new jobs. The percentage of unemployed managers and executives relocating for new positions fell to a record low in the third quarter, according to analysis by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based employment-services firm." This is an interesting angle that is not in the forefront of our minds, but it is just another casualty of the housing/economic slump. It's like a virtual "prison".

   For the remainder of the economy, there are no major housing-related numbers coming out this week, and depending on how you look at it, that might be good !

   Have You read the "Secrets of Rent to Own" (The manual on how to buy or sell via Rent to Own), or, "Will It Work In My Town?" (The Real Estate Investing Guidebook)? If not, it's worth noting that if you purchase either of those books, you will receive the other one for free. To learn more about "Secrets of Rent to Own", Read More Here, and to learn more about "Will It Work In My Town?", Read More Here.

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
HomeRun Homes Blog http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Website http://www.lease2buy.com

Rent, Buy, Or Rent to Own ?

Hi Folks,

   I Hope you had a safe Halloween with a lot of treats. Please forgive me if my style of writing is a little odd today, as the sugar rush is quite fierce this year. It is the First of November, and any way that I look at it, I am now a year older!

   A few months back, we covered the topic of, "Rent vs. Buy" in a separate post, and a few weeks ago, we followed up on the topic with a post titled, "Revisiting the Rent vs. Buy Debate". Molly Line of FoxNews recently ran a story titled, "Shattered Dreams: To Rent or Buy, That is the Question", of which I thought might be of interest to you.

   In the above-mentioned article, Line asks the question, "...is it really wiser to buy during a time of economic uncertainty? Or is renting a better bargain?". She spoke with some experts who point to the fact that people who are buying now have their financial "house" in order, and it would make sense for them to buy a home. On the other side of the debate, Line points to the positive side of renting, which means, "no property taxes, no upkeep costs, no paying for a new roof or dishwasher."

   Ultimately, there is no fine line that delineates a region of the country where people are just buying or renting...there are just trends (see http://blogging.lease2buy.com/2010/10/revisiting-rent-vs-buy-debate.html). The financial condition of the prospective buyer, the prospective tenant, or the prospective tenant/buyer (in the case of Rent to Own), would seem as if it would override most factors. Do they have a lot of debt? How is their credit? Do they have a job? Do they need a job? Just some food for thought.

   Please send us your comments and suggestions, as they always prove valuable for your fellow readers here.

Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
HomeRun Homes Blog http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Website http://www.lease2buy.com

UPDATED: Top 5 Concerns When Selling a Home FSBO




For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

  Hi Folks,
   Happy mid-week to all of you. Just a few more days, and it will be my birthday (Halloween). Please don't ask how old I am, will be, or if my face is a permanent Halloween mask...I've been down that road before !

   Today, we will be taking a look at some of the best pieces of advice for people selling their home as a "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO). Based on a wide variety of discussions, we have rounded out 5 of the main topics of advice for "Fizbers": Legal Concerns, Preparation of the Home, Mechanics of the Sale, Addressing Security Concerns, and Marketing the Home.

   "If they simply refuse to list with a professional, they must know the facts and legal requirements", advises Wendy Hooper, a Realtor in Orange County California, who says that it is important to, "Download as much information from the State Dept of Real Estate as they can get their hands on and use the correct forms". Patrick E. Hudson, an attorney specializing in Commercial Real Estate Law, concurs, and adds that it is important to, "Know your State's disclosure laws to avoid litigation over the property condition".

   Preparing your home for sale is also quite important, as you can imagine. Tom Wright, who was a builder and home flipper for 30 years, advises that you need to clean up the home, rake the leaves, and clean up the lawn, in order to, "Make sure the first impression is a good one". Wendy Hooper suggests that you, "Stage the home like a new model home", and that you should visit some model homes for examples. Wright adds that on walk through days, you should, "bake some bread".

   Your game plan is almost as important as the sale itself, and these "Mechanics of Selling" the home are the keys to your success. Patrick E. Hudson suggests that you know what you are willing to pay a buyer's broker, and also, where you will go once you have a willing buyer. Along the same theme of pricing, Hooper suggests that you, "Visit the local "competition" and price the home accordingly. Homes priced correctly WILL sell".

   A huge part of the mechanics of selling your home FSBO is actually showing the home. Hooper tells us that you need to make sure the home, "is available to see with as little notice as possible", since, "Buyers are fickle and won't wait around until it's convenient for Sellers to let them inside. They'll move on and buy the home that was easiest for them to see according to their schedule". Tom Shipley, a homeowner/homebuyer, says that, "it makes prospective buyers very uncomfortable to tour a house in front of the owner.", and that you should, "ask a trusted friend or even hire someone else and make sure they go out of their way to mention they are not the owner.". The advantage to this is that, "people will spend more time looking at your house and imagining themselves living there.", but, "If you don't have somebody to help you, make sure you don't follow the buyers around.".

   As part of selling your home, you are opening your doors to complete strangers, and this could be an invitation to trouble, so addressing the security concerns is well-warranted. Lydia Player, a Realtor, says that, "A "For-Sale-By-Owner" sign is an invitation to strangers to wander through your home". Player cites many scams, where the visitor asks if you have a security system, one where they go to your bathroom and look for the prescription drugs, and one where they take photos for a "spouse who is out of town", with the photos helping them "case" the layout of your home.

   Player offers some tips to help minimize your risks:

1. Make all of your showing  by appointment only (get a name and number and call back to verify them).
2. Don't be home alone when a stranger visits.
3. Have visitors sign a guest book and ask to see identification, and put the information in a safe place.
4. Place all valuables out of sight, including prescription drugs.
5. Eliminate displays of personal information, such as which schools children attend.
6. Never leave a messages informing callers that you are not home. Don't let strangers know your schedule.
7. Request that visitors enter and exit through one door only. Have quick and easy access to all of your exits.
8. Never leave a stranger alone and watch everything they do while in your house.
9. Do not put information on flyers which would compromise security.

   Finally, in marketing your home, Hudson suggests that to increase exposure, "get the house listed on MLS, using a friend or paying a fee". Kenny Jahng, a small biz and web consultant, suggests that you, "Create a website with a virtual tour, tons of photos and contact form using the street name in the actual URL.". Additionally, if you are also looking to entertain a Rent to Own/Lease Option arrangement, you can list your home on our website (http://www.lease2buy.com/prospectivesellers.php).

   Hopefully, these tips will serve as a great help for you in selling your home "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO), and remember, there are tons of fantastic and hard-working Realtors and Agents out there, should you decide you do not want to do it alone. As always, we welcome your comments.

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !



UPDATED: Top 5 Blog post for 2010 (For more information, CLICK HERE)

A Salute to Our Military

Hi Folks,
   Good morning and I hope you had a great weekend! We have been blessed with some perfect fall days the past few weekends, and the weather has finally been perfect !

   Is today a National holiday? No. Is it a day to salute and give thanks to our military? Yes. Every day is a day to salute the military, and we don't need a calendar to tell us to do it !

   I come from a very patriotic family; my paternal grandfather served in World War I (and we treasure the medals he received for his service), and my maternal grandfather served as a marksman at Omaha Beach during World War II (and we equally cherish his honorable discharge papers from his service, as well). Additionally, my dad was a Marine, and both of my cousins have served numerous missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is truly a labor of love, and we salute all of the men and women in uniform.

   As always, we offer military discounts for the folks in uniform that are looking for or are offering Rent to Own Homes, and the discount is available by using the code MILDISC10 when placing an Ad, along with using their .mil E-mail address to place the Ad.

   Additionally, we are always open to working with non-profit groups, including those groups who are helping current and former members of the military. Please contact us for further details on how we can help you.

   To those of you who are in the military, have retired from the military, have family in the military, and especially to those who have a friend or relative who gave the ultimate sacrifice, we thank you a million times over.

Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Setting Goals in Real Estate Investing

Good Morning,

   I hope you've had a great week, and I hope that you have met all of your goals.

   In mentioning the word, "Goals" during our speaking appearances, we always remind audiences how important it is to set goals in anything that you do, especially in Real Estate investing. There is an entire psychological aspect behind Real Estate investing (too deep to go over in this post), and you need to assess where you stand and if you can weather the housing market "storm" before you should even list your goals and action them. Perhaps this is too abstract for this post, but always remember, we are driven by both psychology, and then by our goals. To hear me discuss this in depth, book me for your next meeting.

   Next week, we have the September numbers coming out for New Residential Construction on Tuesday (Oct 19th), and the Loan Performance Housing Price Index for August on Thursday (Oct 21st). Let's see where things are headed and let's discuss.

CONTEST TIME !

For the first 10 people who place an Ad by 11:59 PM EST Sunday Night:

We will send you a free copy of "Secrets of Rent to Own", or "Will it Work In My Town?"...it's your choice!

Where Can You place Your Ad?

Looking for a Rent to Own Home? Place Your Ad Here
Selling a Rent to Own Home? Place Your Ad Here
Selling a Rent to Own Commercial Property? Place Your Ad Here
Offering a Home Service? Place Your Ad Here

Once You Place Your Ad:

Once you place your Ad, E-mail us from the address you used to place your Ad, and let us know whether you want a copy of "Secrets of Rent to Own", or "Will it Work In My Town?".
E-mail us HERE

Have a Great Weekend, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !



#realestate #realestateinvesting #housing #residential #renttoown
 

It's Still Rent to Own to Me

Hi Folks,
   News and trends spread fast in our global economy. One of the housing trends that has reached well beyond the borders of the U.S. has been that of "Rent to Own".

   As I often say, when I started this business in 2002, “Rent to Own” and "Lease Option” (and hybrids of the two) were alien terms. Over the 8+ years of managing the business, we have had our eye on the global markets, and we have seen some interesting developments.

   Now, the devil is in the details, but there are slight variations of Rent to Own all around the globe. For example, Australia uses the terms "rent to buy" and "vendor finance", and the UK and Ireland use "buy to let" (as well as lease option).

   Do you know what the two largest markets for Rent to Own are outside of the U.S.? It's Canada, and also, the Philippines. I bet you didn't guess that? Yes, often, this blows people away. In addition, the Philippines actually refer to it as "Rent to Own", as do our neighbors to the north. The Canadian market also uses some other variations, such as Vendor Take Back, or "VTB". Some other countries that use Rent to own or variations of it, include New Zealand and some of the Caribbean Islands .

   However, to find variations, we don't have to look far. While Chicago, the major cities in Florida, and North Carolina are some of the places that use the term, "Rent to Own", other places such as Atlanta and Phoenix use, "Lease Purchase" (varies in definition, but extremely similar).

   Please don't take this as the musings of a Real Estate Blogger, but as a primer for your entry into multiple national and international markets outside of your regular niche focus. Perhaps you could even consider it a small education on the real estate naming conventions across our big blue marble that we call Earth.

Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

5 Steps to Achieving Your Real Estate Investing Goals

Hi All,

   Hope you're having a great week, thus far.

   Today's Blog post will be "short and sweet, and something you can re-tweet". Well, sorry about that rhyme, but this post will be looked at in one of two ways, depending on the reader...as an informative post, or as something you may look at as common knowledge.

5 Steps to Achieving Your Real Estate Investing Goals

1. Know Your Niche: If you're focusing on a neighborhood or a town, know everything about it. Population, cancer rates, taxes for homes and business, etc. The more you know, the more you will use during negotiations.

2. Contractors are Your friends: The contractors, landscapers, and all other Home Service Professionals (HSPs) can be valuable, since they also know their niche, and you can use their services for renovations and/or upkeep, as well as feed off their knowledge of the area, as well.

3. Reading is Fundamental: Read everything on real estate investing that you can find. You can never learn "too much". It all comes into play during research, negotiations, and making offers. Suggested reading: The E-Book titled, "Will it Work in My Town?" , and the E-Book titled, "Secrets of Rent to Own", and many others from other reputable companies.

4. Partner Up: Make friends with your local Realtors. They always have their finger on the pulse of the local market, since it is their livelihood. They can be invaluable members on your Real Estate Investing "SWAT" team.

5. Attend and Make a Friend: Make sure you check with your local real estate investing club or REIA about the time and date of their next meeting. Once there, you can listen to the speakers (you might even hear ME speaking there ), and make friends with other investors, Realtors, and HSPs in your niche area.

CONTEST:

Here is a contest to help you along, but it will end this Friday (10/8) at 5PM EST:

If you purchase a copy of the E-Book, "Will it Work in My Town?"...you will also receive a FREE copy of the E-Book, "Secrets of Rent to Own".

If you purchase a copy of the E-Book, "Secrets of Rent to Own"...you will also receive a FREE copy of the E-Book, "Will it Work in My Town?".

Once you buy either of these E-Books, then all you need to do is E-mail homebuyer@lease2buy.com with the E-mail address you used to buy the book, and you will receive a copy of the other E-Book by return reply.

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !!

Rent to Own Indicator and Our Public Speaking Promo Video

Hi All,
   Happy Wednesday to all of you. I have to say that I was so amazed with the reported increase in housing prices, that I Tweeted, "Home Prices Up 5 Months in a Row...Really? Anyone want to help establish a "Rent to Own" Indicator?"

After Tweeting this, I realized a few things that I need to clarify:
1) Not everyone is on Twitter. If you are, you can follow @homerunhomes, and
2) Please don't mistake the Tweet from yesterday as a sarcastic one.

    I would really like to see a Rent to Own/Lease Option indicator (inventory based ?). The only problem that I see outside of actually compiling such an indicator is that it might involve some Government entities a little bit more that what is actually required. What are your thoughts on this? I'm sure there are some strong opinions about this.

   OK, so as the second half of the title suggests ("Public Speaking Promo Video"), we have recorded our Public Speaking intro video right here in the office. Our original announcement about Public Speaking appearances (on Real Estate Investing, Rent to Own Homes, Motivational Techniques, and Business Tips that I have learned along the way while growing the business), can be seen in this Blog Post: http://blogging.lease2buy.com/2010/09/public-speaking-on-rent-to-own-finally.html

   Since the video is quite large, it has been uploaded to YouTube, and can be viewed at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sMr5BY09Pc

   In the next few days, it will also be available on our Public Speaking Page at http://www.lease2buy.com/speak.php



Thank for reading.
Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent to Owning !!!

Has the Housing Market Impacted Curb Appeal?

Good Morning All,


   Hope you had a great weekend. We spent the weekend cleaning out our attic, as well as shuttling our toddler to his classes and an ice cream party (Sugar Rush - Not good).

   It's funny how things shift in tandem when the housing market changes. Most practices and techniques are put under a microscope and are re-invented. One of those practices is preparing a home for maximum curb appeal. Today, we'd like to take a look at how the downturn in the real estate and housing markets has impacted the definition of curb appeal.

   "It is curb appeal that is designed to provide a positive first impression.", says Lisa Mekovsky, Owner of 3 Rivers Home Staging. She tells us that the, "definition of curb appeal has not changed, but its importance has dramatically increased.", and that this is due to fiercer competition.

   Julie Taché, a Broker with Homes with Cachet, concurs, and says, "More than ever, the visual has taken an important role in how buyers choose real estate. With so many properties available, an "ok" or "so-so" home may become just a drive-by, with buyers preferring the homes with substantially more curb appeal." Kimberly Gauthier, a photographer and homeowner in Washington State, has first-hand experience from both sides of the table, and she admits that they did, "most of our house hunting on line, so if the pictures weren't good, then there was a good chance that we wouldn't bother viewing the homes; there were just too many listings and this was a good way to shorten our list."

   Most of the experts we spoke with have agreed on landscaping as the most important piece of the curb appeal puzzle. Gauthier suggests adding flowers everywhere, since having a "few shrubs just didn't appeal to women. By adding loads of color, hanging baskets, and wine barrels with things growing, our showings increased.". From her point of view as a potential buyer, she said that, "Neglected landscaping will prompt me to move on to the next listing."

   Heather Logrippo of Distinctive Homes Online has weighed in with a few opinions from her expert clients. Kelly O'Ryan the Office manager of Coldwell Banker in Lexington, Ma, says that it is important to make sure that the, "Lawn is free from leaves and overgrown grass", and that it, "sound simple, but makes a huge difference".

   Elaine Leonard, the Sales Director for Northland Residential, a developer in New England, says that, "Even if you've lived in your home for 25 years, don't discount adding new trees or shrubs, they can really do wonders for the landscaping".

   O'Ryan also suggests that you, "Add a splash of color in the front - whether it's painting the front door an inviting red or adding planters with colorful plants by the front door". It's also important to keep the exterior of your home neat and organized. She advised that you make sure all yard tools and children's toys are put away, since, "you want your prospective buyer to envision living in the home which can be hard if they see your items before they even walk in the door."

   Leonard suggests adding a beautiful mailbox, which she admits sounds crazy, but she says that, "you have no idea how a beautiful mailbox can add a nice finishing touch", and , "like accessories on an outfit, a mailbox is the perfect last accessory on your home to make it appear finished and beautiful. Leonard also suggests that you do the "Hardscaping", which is, "anything from a walkway to a patio.", and , "If you have old, broken or cracked driveways or walkways, investing a little in hardscaping to fix them will pay off in the long run!"

   "Sellers must make sure the entire exterior of the home looks clean, fresh, and professionally maintained.", suggests Taché, and she advised all work (bricks, steps, siding, power washing, roof, etc) be completed before listing. She adds that, "Hiring a professional (stager for inside, landscaper for outside) are a worthwhile investment - as these people know what the public desires, and can make cost-effective suggestions to get the home its best possible showing condition!".

   As Taché concludes, "The first few weeks on market are so crucial that making sure it photographs well and that a potential buyer will see it in a positive light have never been more important to get them in the front door!"

   I hope that these tips will help you in getting more people to see your home. As a side note, however, please note that we find that these tips are "not as important" when people are looking to Rent to Own your home. Notice that I said, "not as important", since people certainly differ.

   Do you have any other tips to share? Have you done any wild things to spruce up your home in order to give it more curb appeal? We'd all love to read your comments !

Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Florida Snowbirds and Florida Real Estate

Hi All,

   Hard to believe that it is Friday, but that's what happens when you have the "short week". Fall is in the air, and somewhere out there, there is a huge pumpkin with my name on it!

   I wanted to share a great new article in which we have had a nice write-up, and it is titled, "FLORIDA REAL ESTATE: Numbers are right for snowbird buyers", written by Janet Groene for Forever Young News (a "50-Plus" lifestyle magazine).

   The excerpt that mentions us is as follows:

"If you don’t yet own a winter place and want to try several before you buy, look into a rent-to-own situation. An international group, Lease2Buy.com, puts prospective buyers in homes that are for sale, then gives them the option to buy after an agreed period. Robert Eisenstein of HomeRun Homes in Lake Ronkonkoma, NY can work with northerners who want a rent-to-own winter home situation in the sunbelt.", and, "He observes, “Central Florida has been beaten down and is prime for a comeback. The Miami-Dade market seems fickle to us but we are seeing tons of requests so there is definitely some play there as well.”

   We are always glad to give our opinion on different markets across the country, since our website stats tell us where the homes and/or the buyers are, where prices are trending, and more.

   By the way...have YOU placed your Home on our website yet (VISIT THIS LINK TO DO IT NOW) ? Have YOU placed your Request for a Home on our website yet (VISIT THIS LINK TO DO IT NOW) ?

Have a Great Weekend, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !!

$750,000 ? The Top Price Paid for a New Home ?

Good Morning Everyone,


   Hope you have a nice and relaxing Labor Day planned for today. I didn't plan on laboring today, however, I consider this a labor of love. Too corny? Please accept my apologies as it is quite early here !

A few things worth mentioning:

1. Interesting News: A good friend of mine brought the following article to my attention, titled, "No New McMansions Sold in July", which states that, "Not a single new home priced above $750,000 sold in July or June", and, "As for houses priced between $500,000 and $750,000, only 1,000 new units were sold last month. When it comes to new homes that did find buyers in July, more than 80% were priced under $300,000." Chew on those numbers....what does it mean for new homes that were built and were priced over $750,000? How about the custom builders out there who built those $1 Million or higher-priced "McMansions"? Re-read this paragraph and realize the true state of things, and how the economy appears to be hitting the higher-end consumer, who usually weather the economic storms quite well. Thanks to my friend for letting me know about this story so that I can share it with my readers.

2. General Economic News: No housing-related releases are planned for this week, however, we need to keep an eye on Obama and the next round of modifications he is planning for upside-down homes (where your mortgage is greater than the value of your home).

3. Website News: You now have the ability to delete your Ads and replace them with new ones. You would log into your account via the Control Panel, and then click "Edit Ads", and click delete.

More news to come this week!

Have a Great Labor Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Our Radio Commercial on Rent to Own

Hi Folks,

   Labor Day Weekend is upon us, if you can believe it ! For those of you (like myself) that is feeling the brunt of Hurricane Earl, we ask that you please be safe and be careful.

   A short while back, We had a radio commercial that was created by the good folks at WBLI Radio in New York, and the commercial is attached to this Blog post as an audio (MP3) attachment. This goes hand-in-hand with part of our vision for the past 8 years - to have a Global Focus, while keeping an eye on the markets in our own backyard. Take this as part of some solid business advice.

   We have had a pretty nice reply to our Public Speaking Appearance offer thus far. Make sure that you book me, since the end of year tends to be quite busy for us. We'll talk Rent to Own, Real Estate, Business, and Motivational techniques, all live and direct to your audience. Learn more and reserve your preferred dates before too long at http://www.lease2buy.com/speak.php

Be Safe, Have a Great Weekend, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Public Speaking on Rent to Own? Finally !

Hi All,

   Hope you are having a Great Day !

   We have had a lot of feedback and requests for us to provide Public Speaking appearances, and please be assured, we have listened to you ! In response, we have just released the following Press Release on the wires about that new service we are offering:

For Immediate Release:

HomeRun Homes
(631) 676-3609
(631) 574-2420
homebuyer@lease2buy.com
http://www.Lease2Buy.com

Rent to Own Home Executive Offers Speaking Appearances

Ronkonkoma, New York, September 1, 2010 - The President and Chairman of HomeRun Homes HomeRun Homes (www.Lease2Buy.com) has committed to speak publicly on Rent to Own, the rapid success of his company, and on business and motivational topics.

Rent to Own, Business Development, and Motivational Techniques

Robert Eisenstein, the President and Chairman of HomeRun Homes (http://www.Lease2Buy.com), who has led the company through a number of ups and downs in the Real Estate market since 2002, has announced that he will now commit himself to speak at Conventions, Real Estate Meetings, and other Business-related gatherings.

Eisenstein, in previous years, had turned down such requests, stating that he, "needed to pour 100% of himself into expanding HomeRun Homes into the one-stop shop for Rent to Own". Most recently, Eisenstein has said that there is a wealth of knowledge that he has accumulated over the past 8 years in terms of, "the rent to own market, business creation, business development, and general motivational techniques", which is all, "critical information for anyone looking to climb their way to success".

Eisenstein hold a Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA Finance '92) from Baruch College in New York City, and has both a Financial and a Technical background (Microsoft Engineer and Cisco Certified), which many have recognized as the driving force behind the success of the company.

In capturing increasingly wider Press coverage, the company was recently featured in AOL Patch, in a new American Express Magazine, in "Canadian Real Estate Magazine", and in multiple other publications and Blogs, which can all be read in the Press Center on their website.

For additional information on the topic, "Rent to Own Home Executive Offers Speaking Appearances", please visit http://www.Lease2Buy.com

ABOUT HOMERUN HOMES

HomeRun Homes is a Centralized Marketplace which helps people Buy or Sell a Rent to Own Home, a Commercial Property, or to offer Home Services nationwide and globally to the thriving Rent to Own market.

- END -

We hope that this satisfies your requests, and we certainly look forward to discussing Rent to Own and the Real Estate Market at your next convention or other venue. For more information and to reserve space, please continue here: http://www.lease2buy.com/speak.php

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !!
 
 

10 Million New Renters?

Good Morning,


   We hope everyone had a great weekend. We certainly hit a homerun (no pun intended) here on the East Coast with golden sunshine, deep blue skies, and low humidity all weekend long. Ahhh...allergies !!

   When looking over some stories on a Google search the other day, I came across a story titled, "Renter Nation", in which the author says that, "The recession and shifting demographics will swell the ranks of people who will rent, not buy, housing over the next five years", and he deduces that, "roughly 10 million extra folks could be moving into rentals over the next five years". While this could be a frightening prospect for those who are thinking about selling their homes within the next 5 years, this does still hold optimism for some segments of the market.

   Those who are looking to sell their home would not have to stretch far across the table to rent their home with an option to buy, or Rent to Own. More often than not, those looking for a rental home will jump at the opportunity to earn some equity while they are renting. In this respect, these numbers hold promise. For Realtors, they will still earn the rental fee. For those who are renting out homes in the first place, they could see a surge in demand, which might potentially drive up some rental prices in certain areas.

   What would be the "Butterfly Effect" of such increases in rental prices? Good Economic sense tells us what should happen, but things have been so very far off from common sense over the past few years, that I would not even venture a guess. We welcome your opinions and comments on this question.

Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Short Sales - What Do You Need to Know?

Hi All,


   Happy Wednesday to you. In keeping with our promise to tackle every topic you threw at us a few weeks back in that now "famous" Blog Post, today we are going to discuss some tips and strategies when pursuing Short Sales.

   A conversation about Short Sales would be incomplete without looking at it from two viewpoints: that of the Buyer (Broker or Investor), and that of the Seller (The Homeowner), and we have spoken with a few experts in the field who will discuss both viewpoints.

   First, we will examine things from the vantage point of the homeowner (the Seller). Geena Becker, of Geena & Company/William Raveis Real Estate & Home Services reminds us that the credit score is bruised on a short sale vs a foreclosure - "whereas foreclosure your credit score is driven down 200 points and banks will loan money to a bankruptcy victim before they loan to a foreclosed victim.". Becker also states that the banks pay for the attorney, realtor commissions, and back taxes, but will, "not pay any liens on the property. Those liens have to be negotiated OFF before the approval."

   In addition, Allan S. Glass, President of ASG Real Estate Inc. adds that, "The bank is settling a bad debt. Anything and everything they can extract from you regarding financial information will be used to that end, there are no casual off the record conversations with the banks while they are collecting your debt". Glass warns that you need to make sure you are working with an expert in the field of short sales, and that, "not every agent/broker is created equal and there is a learned skill to negotiating a debt settlement."

   Glass also provides additional pointers, such as to never pay any fee under any circumstance up front ! ("Professional agents will not charge until they are successful in completing your short sale or modification"). Further, he says that you should never sign over title to an investor who will then negotiate with the banks, as you do not need to sign over title to your home to be helped with a short sale. Finally, Glass reminds us that investors who help you with short sales are attempting to buy your home for a discount in order to make a profit, and that, "Not that anything is wrong with that when reasonable, however make sure you ask what happens if they cannot negotiate a purchase price low enough for them to invest."

   From the Buyers point of view (broker or investor), Becker provides some important pointers:
   1. You Will be buying "as is"
   2. You may be subject to more than one banks approval
   3. The Buyer won't know if the seller's loan was an FNMA (takes longer).
   4. If seller has it in their contract to make it subject to not receiving a deficiency judgment tied with short sale appraisal - there is a 50/50 shot of getting that wish.

   Further, she says that she will, "always find out if the mortgage they are late on was their mortgage that they first had when they bought the house. If so, nationally the bank CAN NOT go after the sellers with a deficiency note or promissory note on the difference. With the bank knowing it can come into play in a short sale negotiation since they know they can't come after the seller or borrower for the deficiency. If they have re-fi'd meaning it was not the "original" mortgage they will not have that slam dunk protection."

   Glass also provides some pointers in reminding us that, "the banks are motivated by values. They will do a short sale if they make more money by doing so compared to completing the foreclosure process", and that, "the bank and the seller are NOT working together to get the highest price from the buyer." Glass tells us that the best strategy is, "for the seller and buyer to work as a team to deliver the best value to the bank.". He warns that you must, "understand the numbers (as a broker or investor) and have a strong understanding of market value. Compare what the bank will net as a short sale vs. foreclosure / REO sale".

   As for timing, Glass says that it is key to, "follow up, follow up, follow up. If you are not following up the bank is not working on your file!", and Becker suggests that you make sure the buyer is very clear that this will not be a normal closing time frame, and that the buyer has to be able to, "wait without having to move in." and tells us, "I have had a lot of short sales last year especially where the buyers walk 1/2 way through my negotiating process and I have to start all over again. The buyer's agent must get it through to their clients that they can not be in a hurry. Good deals come to those who wait..."

   This is good sound advice from some seasoned Short Sales Professionals. Do you have any additional tips to share with our readers? We welcome your comments below.

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Top 5 Things NOT TO DO When Selling a Home

Hi Everyone,


Hope you're having a great week thus far.

Quite often, we hear from people who have had their home on the market for 6+ months, and true, the market is bad, but when they send over the photos for their Ad, it sometimes can raise some Red Flags.

So, our lesson for today is, "Ask before doing !".

Before you paint a wall, do infrastructure, or anything else to a home that you are selling, ask an agent, an appraiser or someone who can give you advice.

This list of the Top 5 things NOT to do when selling a home falls into two categories, which are "Bad Decisions" and "Inept Craftsmanship", and the following items will criss-cross both of these categories:

1. Do Not Paint your walls Red, Green, or some other flamboyant Color. A fresh coat of white paint will freshen up the walls and give off that nice new paint smell.

2. Do Not Put up wallpaper or paneling, unless you are filming a Brady Bunch Sequel.

3. Do Not paint over wallpaper. Remove it first using one of the many products that are out there, but do it professionally or you will wind up with lumpy walls.

4. Do Not undertake any infrastructure jobs that you cannot complete. Once you open a wall to do wiring, it needs to be Spackled, and once again, you need to avoid "lumpy wall"

5. Do Not invite "Huge-bush-asaurus", in other words, do not plant trees and shrubs that block the front of your home and windows. People are leaning towards the more well-manicured look of homes/landscaping, so don't hide behind a tree!

If you follow these tips, you should be steps ahead of the game. If you have followed these rules and you still are sitting and waiting for a sale, re-examine your pricing, and don't rule out a creative idea to sell your home, such as Rent to Own.

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Commercial Real Estate...and We Need Your Input !

Hi Everyone,


   Hope you had a nice and peaceful weekend. As for me, having a toddler, the word "peaceful" does not exist !

   We wanted to announce a few new things currently and on the horizon. First, we have created a new RSS Feed with all of our Press Releases, that covers our news, press and media, regarding rent to own and real estate in general. It is freely available at this link

   Next, for those of you who have placed your buildings, stores, apartments, and land available Ads in the "Homes Available" Section, please note that your exposure would be much better in the Commercial Real Estate section. Please let us know if you would like your Ads moved over to the Commercial Property section.

   Now, we want to turn things over to you, and we have a few questions. For all of those who respond via comments on this Blog or via E-mail, we will send you a small token of our appreciation (please provide your E-mail address along with your correspondence).

Question #1: Would you be interested in seeing additional countries added to the website? If so, which ones and why?
Question #2: Are there any Social Networks that you would like to see us on that we are NOT on currently?
Question #3: What other topics would you like to see discussed on our Blog? Please be specific.

   As mentioned above: If you answer any (or all) of the above either via comments on this Blog OR via E-mail, along with your E-mail reply address, we will send you over a small token of our appreciation.

Have a Great Day and Happy Rent-to-Owning !