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How to Use Twitter to Give Your Real Estate Business More Personality

By: Volker Weiss

In the past several years the term networking has taken on new meaning, thanks to the internet and the ability to connect with people all over the globe instantaneously. And networking via social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, etc. has become very popular among business people.

One of these social media platforms you may have heard about is Twitter. Twitter is a micro-blogging platform - you get 140 characters in order to blog (tweet) whatever you’d like to tweet about. The program has been in existence since 2006 and has been growing in popularity with no slowdown in sight.

What is Social Media?

One of the main points of social media is to get your personality, your brand out there to the greater public.

“Wait a minute,” you’re thinking. “My personality and my brand are two different things. My personality is me. And my brand…well, that’s my business.” However, in the real estate business, your personality is very much tied to your branding. In fact, many real estate agents have created a larger than life persona that is their brand.

Real estate clients don’t need a slick looking logo or a catchy little catchphrase. While those are both nice to have on all of your marketing materials, you know that it boils down to your personality. Real estate clients want to work with someone they like, someone they feel has integrity and someone they feel can get the job done.

Think you may have a hard time tweeting about things, especially when you are limited to 140 characters?

Here are some ideas:

• Tweet your real estate blog posts
• Tweet about your featured listings
• Tweet about current happenings in your local real estate market
• Tweet about marketing ideas…just ask what others think and you will get feedback
• Tweet about the latest gadget you bought and love

Here are a few things you should avoid doing while on Twitter:

• Don’t overuse profanity or be vulgar. Remember, you are a business person and you need to present yourself professionally.
• Don’t be a pushy salesperson. Just because you see in your Tweet stream that someone is thinking about buying a home in your area doesn’t mean you should immediately go into attack mode. You can offer help, or even direction (”My site lets you search the MLS. Let me know if you have any questions.”). Helpful is good. Pushy is bad.
• Don’t tweet all about real estate all of the time. Be yourself. And make some of your tweets personal in nature. (Just not too personal). You want people to get to know you as a person, not just a real estate agent.

Make sure you take some time to respond to other peoples’ tweets.

Twitter and social networking is about making connections with others, not just a constant grab at attention for your business’ sake. Even if it’s just 5-10 minutes a day, watch your tweet stream to see what the people you are following are tweeting about.

If you see something that you can comment on, something that catches your eye, then hit the little arrow for a reply and then type away! Even if these people do not currently follow your tweets, you may find that by presenting yourself and replying to something they have tweeted about will start up a conversation, or at the very least, get them interested enough in you to check out your profile and perhaps your website.

Again, it’s all about making a connection and being yourself and seeing where it may lead.

You don’t need to spend a crazy amount of time on Twitter on any given day. You can go on once a day to catch up on tweets. Or you may decide to be more interactive and start tweeting from your Blackberry. There are dozens of applications out there that work with Twitter that you may find useful, from scheduling future tweets for the day to uploading pictures of your listings. You can even check keywords trends to see how certain words are used on Twitter.

As you tweet about life and work, and just be your professional self and make connections, you may find more traffic heading to your website. You may get questions here and there about real estate. You may even get some actual referrals that result in transactions. In the end, you are furthering your branding, getting your personality out there and connecting with people who can help you or people whom you can help.

And that’s what networking is all about.

Author Resource: Volker Weiss - Maui Realtor(R/S) specialist focusing on Kai Malu. Make your vacation last forever, check out Wailea Real Estate. For immediate help call VW directly at 888.572.6888

Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com

Beware of Scam Artists in a Foreclosure

By: William Dorich

In every disaster there are those who look for opportunities to take advantage of the vulnerable and the mortgage crisis is no exception, don’t be victimized twice.

When you are facing foreclosure and looking for help to avoid losing your home, you need to be careful.

There are many corrupt individuals just waiting to pounce upon you and take advantage of your misfortune. They advertise themselves as so called foreclosure rescuers or experts. Before you realize it, they will acquire your property without a formal or recorded purchase for a fraction of what it would have brought at sale.

Without recording any change of ownership they will try to rent your property to another unsuspecting person while you remain legally bound to make the mortgage payments. The mortgage company is unaware that anything is wrong and you are left on the hook to pay the mortgage on a house you no longer possess and upon which you do not receive rentals.

Most homeowners lack adequate knowledge about foreclosure, their legal rights, and alternatives to foreclosure. Beware of scammers who promise rescue from foreclosure.
There are mainly three categories of foreclosure rescue scams: The Phantom Help; The Bailout; The Bait and Switch.

• In Phantom Help: the so called rescuer will charge fees for light-duty phone calls or paperwork you can easily do yourself. None of these phone calls or paperwork actually results in saving your home. It just gives you a false sense of hope and prevents you from seeking qualified help.
• In a Bailout: the rescuer deceives you into signing over title with the belief that you will be able to remain in the house as a renter and eventually buy it back over time. The actual terms are so onerous that the buy-back becomes impossible, you lose possession and the rescuer walks off with the right to sell and possess without the costs of foreclosure.

It is important at this point to stress that you DO NOT SIGN anything without consulting an attorney, no matter what these scammers tell you. If the deal is so good and so beneficial to you it will be just as good in a few days after you have had sufficient time to read the document and seek legal advice.

Any deal that sounds too good to be true, usually is.

• In Bait and Switch: under the guise of having you sign documents to bring your mortgage current, the rescuers will cause you to surrender your ownership. The documents appear to be temporary loans. They will do this in a sneaky way so that you will not realize you have been scammed until you are evicted.

How does the scam work?

Scammers approach homeowners in many ways including a straightforward phone call, or flyers and brochures being left at the door, and even a knock on the door. Some of the scammers are well organized and advertise in the local newspaper classified section. Some even have their own websites.

When you are faced with foreclosure, you do not have much time to react. This can lead you to make hasty decisions without consulting others. Scammers almost always highlight the lack of time and insist that you make quick decisions. They then pressure you for a quick signature on documents that you have not been given adequate time to read.

The initial contact typically revolves around a simple message and frequently contains a time is of the essence theme, adding a note of urgency to what is already a stressful and possibly desperate situation.

Once you fall for the trap and decide to move forward with the rescuer, you will be promised a fresh start at the initial meeting and they may also provide you with testimonials of other homeowners they claim to have rescued. They will then instruct you to cease all contact with your lender and allow them to take over. Any time you cease all contact with your lender, it is dangerous. It cuts off access to your options and you can quickly run out of time to prevent foreclosure. By the time you realize what is happening, it’s too late and you have been conned.

Scammers will do everything to cut off a home owner to access correct information. They win over the homeowner trust and warn them to stay away from attorneys and counseling agencies, ironically on the grounds that the attorney or agencies are out to make money from the misfortune of the homeowner.

Once it is too late to save your home, you will have been drained by substantial heavy fees and other charges. If a deed was signed on fraudulent promises, you, the homeowner, will then be evicted by the alleged rescuer from the property you once owned.

Author Resource: William Dorich is author of 7 books. His two newest are: Defeat Foreclosure and The Nursing Home Crisis. See: Defeat Foreclosure

Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com

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Why Choose an FHA Loan?

By: Daniel Riley

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) insures loans against default, protecting both lenders and borrowers. It neither makes loans directly nor sets the interest rates on loans it insures. FHA insured loans can be used to purchase new or refinance existing:

• 1-4 family homes
• Condominiums
• Mobile or Manufactured homes on a permanent foundation

Many excellent reasons exist to select an FHA mortgage, particularly if you fit one of more of the following qualifications:

• You are a first-time homebuyer;
• You are unable to offer much of a down payment;
• You would like to have the lowest possible monthly mortgage payments;
• You have concerns regarding monthly mortgage payments increasing at some point;
• You have concerns regarding the consequences of falling behind on your monthly mortgage payments;
• You have concerns about even being able to qualify for the loan in the first place;
• Your credit is less-than-ideal;

If any of those factors apply to you, then an FHA mortgage might be just thing for you to apply for. This is because FHA mortgages are insured, offering several protections and benefits otherwise unavailable to you through most other loan packages.

The benefits of an FHA mortgage include the following:

• Lower Rates: Since it’s the Federal Government insuring FHA loans for the lenders, FHA mortgages typically offer interest rates considerably lower than the norm. For this reason alone, it is always worth comparing all other loans available at any given point in time against FHA-insured loans.
• Less of a Down Payment: FHA mortgages can be obtained with only 3% down and, unlike most other mortgages, permit the down payment come in the form of a gift from employers, family members, or charitable organizations.
• Easier to Qualify: As FHA mortgages are insured, lenders are generally far more willing to offer loan terms and qualifications that are easier to meet.
• Lower Credence Given to Credit: FHA loans are ideal for people with poor or less-than-perfect credit, as even people who’ve suffered credit and employment challenges (including bankruptcy) can still qualify for one.
• More Protection: The FHA was formed in 1934 to help people buy and keep their homes, and they’re not about to watch the homeowners they help then lose those homes to foreclosure. Rather, the FHA offers numerous options to FHA mortgagees in a bind, a boon most conventional loans don’t come close to.

Author Resource: Somerset Mortgage Lenders has been in business since 1979. Whether you are looking to refinance your mortgage, consolidate your debt, improve your home, we can help. Call us toll-free at 1-800-675-9783 or visit us online.

Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com

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10 Facts about Reverse Mortgages

By: Christine Harrell

Reverse mortgages are more popular than ever among those aged 62 and over.

In fact, the number of Reverse Mortgages issued doubled between 2003 and 2005 yet many people still either haven’t heard of reverse mortgages or aren’t quite sure about how they work to relieve the financial pressure of the retirement years. If you’re in or entering your retirement years or have aging parents that need financial assistance, you’ll want to know more about this very unique financial product.

What are reverse mortgages?

These mortgages aren’t like traditional home equity loans where homeowners borrow against the equity in their home and pay a balance back each month. Though reverse mortgages unlock the equity in their homes, there is no amount to pay back each month. Instead, the amount issued to the homeowner isn’t owed until the home is sold or until the death of the homeowner.

Who qualifies for reverse mortgages?

RMs are available to those aged 62 and older. Some types of government backed mortgages require that applicants have an income below a certain level. However, privately funded reverse mortgages don’t often impose income restrictions.

I’m over 62 but my spouse is not. Do we qualify for a reverse mortgage?

In order to qualify for reverse mortgages, both applicant and spouse must be 62 or older. The age requirement is applicable to only those on the title of the home. If only one spouse is on the home’s title, then the age of the other spouse is irrelevant.

Can the equity from reverse mortgages be used for any purpose?

Propriety or non-government reverse mortgages can be used for any purpose. Whether to travel, pay medical bills, or just to increase monthly cash flow, it’s up to the homeowner to decide what to do with their earned equity. However, the money received from government insured single purpose reverse mortgages is limited to paying for specific items such as home repairs or taxes.

Does getting a reverse mortgage require a credit check?

No. Since RMs are not loans, there is no need for a credit check.

How are the payments from reverse mortgages issued?
Homeowners can choose either to receive a lump sum payment for the amount they qualify for, or to receive monthly payments, referred to as tenure. While a lump sum payment gives you the advantage of having all of the funds at your disposal to use as you wish, with monthly payments the remaining balance can earn interest until it is dispersed. For homeowners that prefer the benefit of both a lump sum payment and monthly payments, there is also modified tenure that combines the two options.

Do I have to pay taxes on money received from reverse mortgages?
No. Unlike home equity loans, the money received from RMs isn’t considered a payment; it’s your own money, not additional taxable income.

With the funds received from a reverse mortgage affect my government benefits?
This depends on how you choose to have the money issued and how you use the money. Since the money is not considered income receiving monthly payments from RMs does not affect government benefits such as SSI or Medicare. However, if you choose to take a lump sum payment, any amount remaining one month after receiving the money can be considered a resource and can affect your benefits.

I own more than one home. Can I get reverse mortgages on all of the homes that I own?
No, a RM can be taken only for your primary residence. The types of primary residences that apply are single family homes and qualified town homes, condominiums, and manufactured homes.

Do I have to own my home outright in order to qualify for a reverse mortgage?
RMs are available even for those that owe money on their homes. However, you’ll need to use the money from the RM to pay off the outstanding debt. So while you may not receive a lump sum payment or extra money each month from the reverse mortgage, you can eliminate your monthly mortgage payment to increase monthly cash flow.

Before taking out a reverse mortgage, be sure to speak with a loan counselor who can help you to better understand how the details of a mortgage of this type apply to your particular situation. Reverse mortgages are a great option for seniors who have worked hard to build equity in their homes and need extra income after leaving the job or who just want to enjoy their retirement years.

Author Resource: Christine Harrell is a freelance copywriter. For more information on reverse mortgages or California mortgages, visit www.AmeritekMortgage.com.

Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com

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Tips for Getting Bad Credit Home Loans

By: Steven Walters

Those of you looking to be homeowners, but in a bad credit situation there’s still hope.

Bad credit home loans are available and are offered every day to hundreds of potential home owners. Lenders know that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that we all need a helping hand at times. Even though the mortgage crisis in America has tightened lending practices, it’s still quite possible to get a bad credit home loan. And the good news for you is that applying for and being approved is pretty darn easy as long as your credit problems are past you.

Those with current credit problems will find it more difficult to get the home loan they’re looking for and may want to consider waiting for 6-12 months before applying for a bad credit home loan.

Any time you apply for any type of loan the biggest factor determining your acceptance and the terms of the loan is your credit score. This applies not just to a mortgage, but also to car loans, personal loans and even renting a new apartment. If you’ve had late payments in the past then it’s possible that, like many others, your credit score is not as strong as it could be.

Bad Credit Home Loans May Cost You More

Of course this will make it more difficult to get a loan, but it certainly doesn’t make it impossible. Those of you reading this that have had a late payment or a few know exactly what I mean. If you have some past credit problems you can still get a mortgage, but you may need to deal with a poor credit lender.

I hope that you’re aware you can get a home mortgage even with bad credit. The only difference between you and someone with a stronger credit score is that you’ll likely pay higher fees to get the loan and you’ll definitely get a higher interest rate. Getting approved for a bad credit home loan can be easy, but it will cost you more than a traditional loan.

Go Online to Find a Bad Credit Home Loan

If you want to start looking for a poor credit lender for your mortgage I suggest that you start online. You don’t need to go to the Yellow Pages these days, because you’ll find a greater variety of lenders online and you’ll have more choices. And you’ll also save valuable time when working with an online mortgage specialist. It’s just so much easier to go online rather than having to drive across town to meet with a loan officer in person.

Working with an Online Lender Can be Easier

Another positive to working with an online lender is that because the competition online is so big the lenders are willing to offer you the best possible terms on your bad credit mortgage. Your chances of getting approved are actually very good because these online lenders really want your business. And you can shop around and compare quotes since most of the online mortgage specialists will be more than happy to provide you with a free quote.

Thanks to the power of the internet it can be easy to get a bad credit home loan. You don’t have to worry that you’ll be denied for a mortgage anymore just because of past credit problems.

Online lenders are ready and willing to offer bad credit home loans.

Author Resource: Learn more about bad credit home loans and ways to do a bad credit refinance by visiting the authors website.

Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com

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Bad Credit Does Not Mean You Are A Bad Person

By: Cornelius P Crumpacker

Credit Repair Tips

Have you recently applied for a loan only to hear the dreaded word “denied”?

This type of situation is one that can be devastating. It doesn’t mean you are irresponsible or shirk your bills. Regardless of the stigma attached to a low credit rating, there are probably logical reasons for your less than flawless credit. Still, the damage has been done. Now it’s time to fix it. If you follow some simple credit repair tips, you could be on your way to mending your credit.

#1. The first credit repair tip to remember is that you can dispute any items on your credit report. The credit bureau must prove any claims. If they cannot prove them, they must remove the items from your credit file. If they don’t respond within one month of your disputing of an item, they must remove that item from your credit report.

#2. Another credit repair tip is to contact any creditors with which you have outstanding accounts. Sometimes, being candid about your financial woes is the best option. Schedule a payment arrangement on the contingency that they update your credit report to reflect the account as being up to date. Make sure to keep your new payment arrangements.

Getting behind again is the worst thing you can do when trying to boost your credit rating.

#3. A simpler credit repair tip is one that might appeal to you if you are overwhelmed by the prospect of contacting creditors. You always have an option of having someone do the “fix-it” work for you. You can approach a credit repair company. Just be sure that you read all the fine print in any agreement. Remember that according to the Credit Repair Organization Act of 1997, credit repair companies are prohibited from accepting a dime from you until service has been rendered. Make sure that they have given you documentation of all payments, contract terms, etc. They should also be able to give you an estimated time frame of how long the reconstruction process will take.

Of course, no credit repair tip can magically erase the blemishes that taint your credit report. However, following these few simple credit repair tips can help shape your credit into that of a more desirable candidate.

Take steps toward making your loan application disappointments turn into a thing of the past. Before you know it, you may hear that magic word “approved”!

Author Resource: Cornelius P Crumpacker

More Than 100 tips To Help Repair Your Credit
http://www.usacreditinfo.com

Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com

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When Doing Your Own Rental or Lease Agreement Don’t Miss The Details

By: Arnold Hernandez

When renting or leasing rental property you should take into consideration many different factors.

First think about everything that is important to you. You should address everything that is important to you to the smallest of details. For example:

• Do you care if the tenant smokes ?
• Do you care if they play loud music at 2 a.m. ?
• Do mind if they use your apartment for prostitution business?
• What if they use your property to grow marijuana plants ?
• Or perhaps they store used motor parts that leak oil and other fluids.

These are big issues for most people, but there are also little ones that may be important to you.

There are also issues which you might not consider, because you think everyone uses common sense. Usually people use common sense, but even those that appear the be normal can have their moments of insanity.

For example a husband and wife team rented an office space that they accidently set on fire after attempting to cook some fish on a BBQ grill. People do not always use common sense, there have been incidents of people dying after using a mixture of ammonia, bleach and other chemicals to clean the bathrooms. I know of one incident where a woman passed out after mixing household chemicals. She was hospitalized and then upon release she went to finish the job and died.

Regardless of whether the property is residential or commercial property the same is true for each when addressing your concerns. The laws differ between commercial and residential property and even within each of these categories there are subcategories. The laws for example may differ between an apartment, a house, a condo, a mobile home, and a boat home. Despite these differences, you can still account for things that are important to you and add them to your lease or rental agreement.

Some people attempt to save money by using pre-printed forms and then add their provisions, or prepare their own lease or rental agreement completely from scratch, but you should consider using an attorney especially if there is a substantial amount of money involved. If you do the lease agreement yourself be sure you say it correctly and avoid any ambiguity.

If there is a chance for a different interpretation than your own, you may have trouble down the road. Write the provisions down and then review it a few days later to be sure they still make sense to you. I have received many phone calls from people in trouble after the fact. The best thing is to do it right the first time, so speak to an attorney first.

If there is a problem during the tenancy, be sure to address it quickly. If you need to evict someone for non payment of rent, do it quickly. Give the three day notice to quit or pay or whatever is required in your particular state. Make sure you dot the i-s and cross the T-s and date and sign every document you prepare correctly.

Unlawful detainers are very detail sensitive and you may have to start from scratch if you make an error.

This could result in an additional moth of lost rental income. If you are dependant on the rental income to make your mortgage payments, you cannot afford to make any errors, so once again hire an attorney, spend the money now, in the long run it will be cheaper.

You should not try and save money by doing everything yourself, unless you are willing to take a loss of several months. Also do not try and save money by hiring a paralegal or someone that prepares documents, they tend to make errors. I have had at least one case where it was started by paralegal, but the mistakes cost the client almost two moths rental income.

For a sample lease agreement visit my website and look at the additional consideration section where I added all the things that where of concern to me.

Author Resource: Free Sample Lease Agreement in Articles Section of San Diego Overtime Attorney Arnold Hernandez

Article From: RealEstateArticles4u.com

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