Homes And The Multiple Listing ServiceWritten by Mario Giordani
Million of people call an agent each year and list their homes without knowing very much about how agents actually gets that qualified buyer. In fact most people don't realize that listing agents only sell about 5% of all listed homes! Selling agents take care of rest. There is a difference between "listing" agent and "selling agent" One lists, other sells. Most home sales actually take place through a huge database of homes called Multiple Listing Service, or MLS. Your listing agent, by virtue of his or her membership, places your home into MLS for maximum exposure and probably 9 out of 10, your homes gets sold by an agent other than one you listed with. Some people then question: why have a listing agent anyway and pay extra commission? The simple answer is: a listing agent can be of great value, especially when dealing with difficult transactions. They also pay for a lot of advertising and promotion that helps sell a home. Yet, MLS is most effective marketing tool of all. Some people are now electing to use flat fee MLS services to list their homes prior to going "full listing" with anyone. Reason: 50% savings in real estate commissions! That means that if you have a home priced at $200,000 x 6% (customary commission), you'd pay $12,000 plus closing costs when it's all said and done at title company. With flat fee services, where you gain access to highly effective MLS system and even Realtor.com, you get to pay only 2.5-3.0% commission to agent who "actually" produces a buyer. This means you need to open your own door yourself and show home without a listing agent. If you can handle that, you could be on your way to huge savings. That $200,000 home, when sold, would now only require 3% commission so your savings are substantial: $6,000! Flat fees are usually between $299-$599 and every bit worth it. You get your home exposed to thousands of agents, some 900,000 total if you count Realtor.com, plus your local MLS. A state-licensed broker does listing so everything is legal. Some brokers will even help you with difficult transactions for a scaleable fee, say, and an extra 1%. Others will even give you cash back when you purchase your new home! Real estate commissions have become more flexible and Internet has allowed small guy to get word out that you don't have to pay 6% to sell your home. You can sell it by owner while perusing MLS at same time. Sell by owner, pay no commission, sell via MLS, and pay 3% plus upfront flat fees mentioned above. One site in particular gives you a 100% free report that you can download and learn all about flat fee methods of selling your home plus a lot more. You can download report at http://flatfeerport.com without any obligation.
| | How to Plan Your Wedding and Honeymoon.Written by Sidney Strachan: Bahamas Aficionados
How to Plan Your Wedding and Honeymoon. 1. Weddings typically can cost you anywhere around $15,000 or more. The big question is: who foots bill? The 21st century has heralded a shift in way these costs are handled. We have moved away from days when family of bride would pay all costs associated with wedding ceremony . Today it may come down to who can afford it or, who can qualify for personal loan from lending institution. Weddings may, in most cases, be a one time special event deserving of all pomp and pageantry associated with memorable day. However, there are ways to cut costs and still maximize moment. Careful planning and budgeting are key to getting most out of this experience at a reduced cost. What should go into a wedding plan? When is too much, too much? There are many things which makes a wedding a wedding. The old adage, "Something New, Something used and something blue, is a reliable guide to save. Knowing what you need and how much it cost compared to your allotted budget for each item is essential. Your check list should include: Bride Gown and accessories, Groom's wedding attire, wedding rings, flowers, wedding cake, wedding site, reception site, photography/video services, limousine, ceremony fees, decorations, licence, honeymoon ravel, music/entertainment services, invitations, wedding consulting fees, beverage/drinks and type of wedding. Generally, all of these items should be carefully itemized and an actual cost should be obtained from service providers. Your budget fro each service or product should be include to help guide you and/or your wedding consultants. From this list you can determine things like size of your guest list, bridal party and reception, cake and amount you can actually allocate to each specific area. A good example is: if you are purchasing a wedding gown and accessories which can easily run into $1,500 or more and your budget is $600, you can opt to rent a gown and accessory which typically at high end is around $400. Knowing where you would like to host your wedding and type of wedding you want is also very essential. Many people typically choose a traditional wedding (religious). These can go into many different cultures i.e. African, Jewish, Islamic, Irish etc. Different types of weddings typically carry varying price tags depending on culture and how complex ceremony or extravagant it is.
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