Three Little Words

There are three little words that can make buyers very anxious: Offer To Purchase. However, there need not be any mystery or fear attached to that phrase. With an experienced professional guiding the process, feelings of trepidation can quickly turn to excitement and enthusiasm.

While many terms and conditions may be attached to an offer, the real biggie, of course, is price. While you may have heard that your offer should be a certain percentage below the asking price, or even a percentage below what you are willing to pay, consideration of your offer will always be affected by the laws of supply and demand.

When buyers compete, sellers often see full-price offers. However, when inventories are high and demand is lower, an offer below asking price could be in order. Typically, your offer will be presented to the seller(s) and/or their representative(s). The seller may accept or reject the offer, but it's quite common for the seller to reply with a counter-offer.

Since it's often not a simple Yes or No answer, it is absolutely critical for you to stay in close contact with your representative, so that negotiation is handled smoothly and in a timely manner. Take heart that a counter-offer is not a rejection. As long as the offer is on the table, you can nearly always negotiate your way to Yes!

Crash Course

When you're buying a home, who do you think is the most important person in the transaction? YOU, of course! That doesn't mean you won't need experienced professionals for guidance and assistance, but quite frankly, if YOU choose not to buy, the entire process comes to a halt.

While home ownership is called the American Dream, it’s a shame that nobody teaches it in school. Most folks face the biggest purchase of their life without any experience. That's why it's critical for someone to help you understand everything that happens during the process, whether it's your accountant, your banker, or your trusted real estate columnist!

Demand explanations to questions like how much home can you afford? How do you get the best loan? Do you choose a new home or a resale? Which properties will increase in value? Where do you begin?

Since YOU are in charge, take command of the situation, and surround yourself with a team of experts in every aspect of the transaction, all of whom can be coordinated by a local real estate agent.

Plan from the very beginning to educate yourself and approach your purchase with confidence and intelligence. Then you’ll be sure to find the home of your dreams and the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you've made the right decisions all along. Flex those buying muscles!

Buy Now, Retire Later

Have you been hearing that it's a buyer's market? Take a look at local home prices. Have you been told that there's no time like the present to plan your retirement? Again, take a look at those prices, and then think about investing for your future.

When retirement nears, many of us consider making a move, either to a more desirable location or maybe into a smaller home. How do you think home prices now will compare to prices in the future? Buyer's market or not, you can bet that home values will rise.

Even if you're years from retirement, you could consider buying your retirement home right now. If you've built up substantial equity in your current home, you're in a great position for financing on that second home. Even if you can't afford to buy it outright, you'll certainly qualify for more attractive terms on the mortgage.

You see, if you're buying a second home as a residence, most lenders will offer you a lower interest rate than if you were buying another home simply as a real estate investment. Honestly, though, what better "investment" could you make than to purchase your dream retirement property now, while prices are certainly lower than they will be in five to ten years? Consult with a real estate agent and your financial advisor to learn more!

KEEP YOUR PROFITS!

Real estate has proven again and again to be an excellent investment, encouraged by the fact that capital gains on its sale can often be avoided completely. While traditional investment vehicles like stocks impose a 15% tax on long-term gains, you can exempt $250,000 (or for joint filers $500,000) of your home sale profit from taxation.

There are only two simple qualifications: you must have owned the home for at least two years, and it must have been your principal residence for at least two of the five years prior to its sale. Those two years don't even have to be consecutive!

If you own two residential properties, then you have to do some figuring to determine which would qualify for the exemption. There are even some circumstances where you don't have to meet the qualifications, such as hardships like change in employment, health problems, or military service.

What's really attractive about this tax break is that you can take it over and over again, as long as you meet the two basic eligibility requirements. In theory, you could sell your principal residence every two years and walk away tax-free each time!

The capital gains exemption could provide motivation for selling your home before you reach the maximum allowable deduction, but be sure to seek the advice of your financial advisor before making your decision.