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There are some sly tricks you can use to be successful at an online property auction. One of the biggest benefits of buying homes in this way is that it gives you a chance to purchase homes you would have otherwise had little access to. While you can be profitable buying homes only from foreclosures in your own area, one man can only cover so much ground. With the Internet, the playing ground is level and the volume can be immense. If you want to start making some real money, this may be the way to go. Here are some tips you can use for success.TimingWith the right research, you can place bids on homes that aren’t the subject of a feeding frenzy. In fact, avoid homes that seem to be attracting a lot of attention. A lot of really nice homes wind up being the subject of this kind of frenzy. Many of these bidders, however, are missing the point of buying homes in this way. It isn’t to get your hands on a house for 10% less than you would buy it from a real estate agent. It’s to get an amazing deal that you can turn around and sell for a huge profit. If you remember this, the online property auction can be yours to master.ResearchDon’t wait until the auction is open and running to rush and do your research on a home that looks right. You need to have this information ahead of time and do your due diligence on several houses. Don’t ignore the ones that turn you off at first sight. Sometimes the best values come from homes that others will not care for. With a bit of maintenance, however, they could be the ones that give you the best return on your investment. Remember, you’re participating in an online property auction during a depressed real estate market. You may have a hard time unloading a very expensive home, even if you got it for a song.Know Your MarketResearch is more than just making sure a house isn’t about to fall apart from termite infestation. It’s about knowing what similar homes have been selling for in recent months. It’s about knowing how long it might take you to turn this house around and get your money back. This information can inform how much you should be willing to bid in the online property auction. Don’t just go blindly into an auction with a budget and a dream. While real estate can be as much about luck as science, you can improve your luck by doing the math.By: Anna WoodwardAbout the Author:

Unclaimed treasures from abandoned safety deposit boxes and police property rooms are being auctioned to the highest bidder online! Find out how to bid on this unclaimed property and how to make sure none of your property ends up in the auction.Safety deposit box contentsAfter a safety deposit box has been abandoned for 3 years (in most states) the contents are turned over to the State’s unclaimed property department. Safety deposit boxes are considered abandoned when the fees for the box are not paid and the owner cannot be reach through the contact information provided by for the box.The state auctions the unclaimed property retrieved from the safety deposit boxes, since the owner of the box cannot be located. The funds received from the auction are available to the owner, if the owner ever tries to recover the property.In the past the states held local auctions to sell the safety deposit box contents but now the states are utilizing the power of the internet to auction this unclaimed property.The items that are found include diamond necklaces, wedding and engagement rings, ruby necklaces, rare coins and stamps and much more.Ebay and State Unclaimed Property AuctionsThe States have begun utilizing ebay to auction the unclaimed property. Often times the contents are valuables including family heirlooms and jewelry. The auctions are held at different intervals for different states, and there may be times there are no items for sale.These auctions have received higher bids then the states could achieve with local auctions. In Massachusetts the most recent auction of 200 lots received $140,000 in sales!The following states are offering online unclaimed property auctions through ebay:At www.ebay.com, you can go to advanced search and enter the seller name into the section titled “From specific sellers (enter sellers’ user IDs)”:State of California
Ebay Seller Name: ucpauctionState of Colorado
Ebay Seller Name: co.unclaimed.propertyState of Indiana
Ebay Seller Name: indiana_unclaimedState of Maryland
Ebay Seller Name: mdcompschaeferState of Texas
Ebay Seller Name: tx.unclaimed.propertyWashington DC
Ebay Seller Name: DistrictofColumbiaPolice Department Property Rooms Utilize Online Auction RoomLaw enforcement agencies nationwide have property rooms full of stolen or forfeited goods. The rightful owners are not easily identified, and once property is no longer needed as evidence, it must be disposed of properly. Propertyroom.com was founded and managed by former police officers. The about us page states it, “…harnesses the power of the Internet to quickly move items out of police property rooms, reduce personnel costs and generate revenue well beyond traditional police auction methods. And there is no cost to the participating police or sheriffs department.”You can view items currently being auctioned at www.propertyroom.com. You can filter your search to include “police items only” by checking the box indicating “Show me police items only”.How to Make Sure Your Property Doesn’t End Up in the Auction RoomThere is over $25 Billion in unclaimed money and a large amount of unclaimed property in the US. This property and missing money goes unclaimed year after year.o Keep record of your safety deposit box(es)o List an heir to your safety deposit box(es)o Maintain up to date contact information on all accounts and safety deposit boxes you owno Search for Unclaimed Money and Property Owed to YouYou can search databases to see if any unclaimed money or property is owed to you.By: Nicole AndersonAbout the Author:

The property market has slowed down recently and has made it very difficult for homeowners to sell. Many of you may be feeling overwhelmed by the decrease in value of your home and the price that the real estate agent has tried to convince you was the going rate. If you’ve fallen behind with your mortgage payments and need to sell your home quickly, then the following information should help you achieve your goal.There are currently thousands of homeowners who are struggling to get out of mortgage rates which have ballooned or maybe you bought a larger home than you could afford because at the time the market was good. Let’s face it: most of us did not intend for the market to take a turn for the worse so when the rates were low, we bought way above our means. Now that making the monthly payment has you concerned and you do not want to go bankrupt or have your home foreclosed upon; it’s time to sell.If you want to sell your home quickly without a realtor and also avoid paying those high commissions, then getting cash for your home is the best advice I can offer you. Now how do I go about doing this you may ask? Keep on reading and I’ll share this information with you. Using the internet as a tool is one of the best ways to get cash for your home. By dealing with companies that will buy your home for cash, you’ll be able to avoid the hassles of a real estate company and also sell your home quickly.You can get paid cash for your home and not have to waste time painting and adding new carpet to attract buyers; these agencies will buy your home as is and can often have the deal completed in one day. When it’s time to sell, most of us do not have the time or energy to deal with all the hassles of selling in a declining market. If you want cash for your home and want to sell your home quickly, then this may be the option you’ve been searching for. You can avoid paying out unnecessary fees and commissions and keep all that cash in your pocket. It’s your home, why shouldn’t you benefit from the sale? Why waste any cash value you have earned from your home by handing your money over to a sales agent?By: Rebbeca GillhamAbout the Author:

Those of us who are wholesaling houses know it is critical to have buyers ready to purchase your houses as soon as you get them under contract. You think you have a great deal in hand and want to wholesale the contract to a cash buyer.The biggest challenge many wholesalers face is finding the cash buyers. So, how do you do it? Here are five suggestions.1. Call all the ‘We Buy Houses’ ads in your farm area. There are many other investors looking for a good deal. You know that the people who are advertising are looking for great deals. Call all the signs, print advertisements, and online advertisements. Let them know you have a deal. When you speak with them don’t talk about how pretty the house is, or what it could look like after the rehab. These are investors and want they really want to know is how much is in it for them. Tell them the after repaired value, the estimated fix-up cost, and what you are asking for the house. If they say no, ask them what areas they want to buy a house in and what discount they are looking for. Then go find them a deal that meet their criteria.2. Network with mortgage brokers, real estate agents, insurance agents, etc. Build a network and letting everyone know what you do. Let’s face it, if you can refer them some business, they will want to help you out. So if you don’t have a previous relationship with them, send them some business. You probably come across many sellers that you can’t work with because they want retail price. Refer these sellers to the real estate agents so they can list the house. Also refer them to the mortgage broker; they will likely need a mortgage for their next purchase. Feed your network and they will feed you. That realtor or mortgage broker may work with an investor that is looking to buy more houses. You can work out how you can compensate them when one of their investor contacts buys the house you have under contract.3. Go to your local REIA meetings. This is where many investors go every month to stay up to date on the latest information. All of the REIA meetings typically have some time set aside at the beginning of the meeting for networking. Speak with everyone you can and let them know you have wholesale deals and are looking for cash buyers. Some meetings allow members to put out their information, so put your property flyer out for people to pick up. Hand your property flyer to everyone you can at the meeting. My local meeting has a portion of the meeting set aside for members to get up for 30 seconds and tell everyone in the room what they have, want or need. This is a great opportunity for everyone to hear about your deal. Remember to keep it to the numbers and give out your contact information.4. Title Companies are a great source for leads. One of my local title companies sells a list of names for a very, very low price. I ask for the homeowners in my farm area, who are absentee owners, have purchased in the last 6 months, and paid all cash. These are investor buyers who have access to cash and can close quickly. Send them a postcard asking them to sign up for your buyers list. Offer them a free report, DVD, or CD to entice them to get on your list. Once they sign up for your list you can then contact them to get more specific about what they are looking for.5. Run an ad in the local paper or online. You can run ads in papers such as the Thrifty Nickel and the Pennysaver. The ad should have keywords that investors are looking for such as “cheap”, “handyman special” or “below market”. In the ad, put your website so they can sign up quickly and easily. Or have a phone number that goes to an answering service. The answering service can ask them for their name, phone number, email address, and buying criteria.These are just a few of the ways to build your buyers list. And remember, it’s not about how many people are on your buyers list, it’s about getting active investors on your buyers list. You are much better off with a buyer’s list of investors who are actively buying property. That way you can wholesale your deals quickly and easily. When you treat them right and give them a deal they can make money on, they will come back to you when they are ready to buy their next property.By: Heather DunlopAbout the Author:

The influence of foreign investors and their potential to help the housing market hasn’t been lost on legislators, it is reported that Senators are introducing a bill that would grant visas to any non-U.S. citizen who spends at least $500,000 on residential real estate in the United States, which they believe will help fuel demand.“A new provision to an immigration bill already being considered by the U.S. Senate was proposed last week by Senators, Chuck Schumer of New York, and Mike Lee, of Utah that would grant residence visas to foreign buyers spending a minimum of $500,000 to buy residential property in the U.S.The ‘Resident Visa’ provision to the immigration bill was written with the purpose of boosting and energizing the slow U.S. Housing market by encouraging foreigners to purchase U.S. real estate. If accepted, this provision would compliment other foreign visa actions proposed in the bill that would encourage more spending and capital investment by foreigners in the United States.There are some stipulations. Here are some of the highlights:At least $250,000 must be spent on a residence and the balance would be allowed for residential rental/investment properties.Foreign buyers must pay for their purchases with cash, pay U.S. taxes and spend a minimum of 180 days in the U.S.Foreign buyers granted visas would not be able to work in the U.S without obtaining a work visa via the normal and proper channels.Foreign buyers would be able to bring their spouse and any children under the age of 18 with them.The ‘Residence Visa’ would expire when the property/properties are sold.”Florida Attracts Foreign InvestorsFlorida, known as ‘The Sunshine State’, is again attracting buyers who are finding bargains galore. Although the USA claims to have been out of recession for the last 12 months, it is possible another dip may happen due to weak consumer confidence and tight lending criteria. But for the long term, Florida is bursting with opportunity.Florida was riding the boom to its highest peak, but now homeowners are finding the value of their properties 50% less than five years ago. For example, a four bedroom villa with a swimming pool in the Orlando area, 20 minutes from Disney, is on the market now for £111,000.00. You could buy a property like this for 30% down plus expenses. So an Investment of around £41,000.00 could see you earning a yield of around 6%. Current thinking is that worst case scenario in the present market could see you break even with only the equity to show for your investment, but the market is expected to Improve, but without a crystal ball, as mentioned, another dip in the market is possible.The opportunity has an unfortunate side, at least 50% of bargain homes are the result of foreclosure or short sale, which is the process before foreclosure. However you may feel about benefiting from the unfortunate business of foreclosure, it does help those who are at the short sale stage and the banks are happy to have it sold. These transactions can be complex, so we do advise you seek personal legal advice. It would be advisable for you to visit Florida and see these properties for yourself, as some may be in disrepair and in need of more work than you may be willing to take on. A good buy would be near golf courses, of which there is hundreds to choose from, beaches of the Gulf of Mexico coast stunning, as are the beaches along the East coast. Of course a popular spot to buy is near the amusement parks in and around the Orlando area.All the most popular areas have great transport connections from Europe to Miami, Tampa and Orlando.Miami is leading the sales revival in the sunshine state. The data from the Miami Association of Realtors shows that sales of existing single family homes in the Miami Metropolitan Area increased 47% in July, and sales of existing condominiums increased 33%. Buyers are focusing on homes in just five locations which are: Tampa Bay including St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Miami, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Orlando and Kissimmee. Naples and Marco Island. Cape Coral and Fort Myers, all in the southern half of the state and was hit particularly hard by the housing downturn. Inventory fell more than 6 per cent between second and third quarters of 2011, driven largely by foreign investment, experts say. Canadians led sales overall, accounting for almost a quarter of foreign home buyers, followed in smaller numbers by China, Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom.For those Investors in the enviable position of having cash at their disposal, real bargains can be picked up with banks preferring to sell to a cash buyers at discounted prices, rather than a lender willing to pay the asking price.Let’s look at some of the main points to consider when taking those steps to buying a property in the sunshine state.1. Pick your location wisely. This is important first step.2. Enlist the help of a reputable realtor (property agent) that knows the area and will guide you through the process.3. It is prudent to allow for approximately 5% of the property value to cover costs such as notary fees, title insurer and any other various legal costs.4. Once the ideal property has been found and price negotiated, it is usual for the purchaser to put down a deposit. It is at this point followed by a formal offer, accompanied with a purchase contract. Once this is signed, the sale is binding.5. One of the most important criteria when purchasing property in the USA is timing. Contracts are usually date specific and should be adhered to, or risk losing your deposit.6. It is possible to find finance in the USA as a foreign buyer and US mortgages are available from 70% – 80% loan to value.7. Obviously it is up to the individual to fully understand all visa requirements, which will be needed for various durations of stay in the country. All information on this can be found at your nearest American Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions in your country.By: Tony OsustAbout the Author:

Most real estate on the market use ‘Price’ rather than ‘Auctions’ as their main selling strategy. Yet statistics clearly show auctions have a superior success rate. Out of the 180 St Heliers properties sold in 2009, 63 sold by auction and 117 sold by price. Yet 65% of the 63 properties sold by auction achieved an amount equal to or more than capital value compared to 54% of the 117 properties sold by price. What does this mean? Fewer St Heliers properties sell by auction and auctions yield a better result for the seller. (Based on REINZ statistics).REINZ is a real estate industry owned organisation that provides data to government organisations and private industry because it has the most up-to-date property statistics available in New Zealand. Capital Value is a figure used by councils in New Zealand to calculate the rates home owners must pay them at specific intervals. Capital values are issued by councils but are generated by computers overseen by qualified property valuers.Success rates of other marketing strategies such as ‘Price on Application’ (POA), ‘By Negotiation’ (NEG), and tender are not available because REINZ includes POA and NEG in the ‘Price’ category; tenders are a form of auction. Success rates of properties on the market using POA and NEG marketing strategies cannot be calculated.Selling a property ‘By NEG’ means the property is for sale without an asking price and invites buyers to make an offer based on their perception of what a property is worth. Properties marketed with ‘POA’ have an asking price but it’s only disclosed when genuine buyers make active enquiries about the property. The asking price is the price the buyer is likely to accept and is disclosed in advertisements. Typically the asking price is negotiated downwards by the buyer.Very few St Heliers properties sell by tender compared to by NEG and POA. Removing POA’s and NEG’s from the sales data would likely make auctions look even more attractive because they would be compared only with properties on the market using an asking price. Anecdotal evidence suggests many buyers ignore a property on the market by NEG when the market slows down because they want a ballpark figure (asking price) to work within. Yet when they’re cash buyers, they’re happy to bid at auction where the price is unknown. Conditional buyers prefer properties with an asking price.A conditional buyer includes conditions in the sale and purchase contract such as verifying the bank will loan the money needed to complete the property purchase. Conditions must be fulfilled within a time period specified between the buyer and seller for the home sale to go through. Currently there are 121 St Heliers properties advertised for sale on New Zealand’s largest dedicated real estate website using a variety of marketing strategies: ‘Price’ ( 48%), ‘Negotiable’ (30%), ‘Auction’ (21%), ‘Price on Application’ (2%).Accepting last years statistics, the 21% of St Heliers properties currently on the market by auction will likely have a better chance of selling at a value greater than other marketing strategies. Admittedly, many sellers fear auctions and they sometimes perform less well than expected. Yet history shows it’s a worthy marketing strategy. So if you’re looking for top market value, give auctions a thought. The result might surprise you.By: Tim GolderAbout the Author:

For luxury real estate marketing professionals, the easiest way to become the market leader is to select a niche within your marketplace and become the expert in that niche. A niche is a category or a sub-category in which you can specialize.Here are three steps to becoming a niche expert in luxury real estate marketing. 1) The first step in niche marketing is selecting a niche; 2) The second step is finding the right niche for you, and; 3) Get started.What Are the Major Niches In the Luxury Real Estate Realm?1. Castles, mansions & ultra-luxurious estates2. Golf properties3. Eco luxury4. Ski properties5. Ocean waterfront properties6. Historical properties7. Downtown Condos & lofts8. Lakefront propertiesHow Do I Select the Right Niche?1. Select a niche in which you are personally interested, ideally passionate about.2. Select a niche that no one is currently dominating or is not doing a very good job3. Select a niche that you can represent better than anyone else in your marketplace4. Select a niche where the properties are selling and the prices are substantial so that your commissions are significant5. Select a niche where you can easily identify the major opinion leaders, community leaders and also vendors who are also interested in acquiring these home owners (and buyers) as customers/clients.How Do I Get Started Marketing to My Niche?1. Identify the movers and shakers within the niche and find a way to meet them.2. Create a website that demonstrates that you are a specialist in this niche. Narrow the search criteria on the site so that is it easy to just search for properties within the niche.3. Provide extensive information about the niche, via blogging and articles4. Find out what is needed and wanted by asking home owners in this niche how you can help in the community or by offering some information or service apart from just selling homes (e.g., start an online community calendar and promote it to homeowners via postcards).5. Create your personal brand around your niche. Become synonymous with the niche (e.g., The Waterfront Properties Expert).By: Ron SeigelAbout the Author: