First time home buyers looking for that flashing neon sign that tells them now is definitely the time to buy, might as well be cruising the Strip in Las Vegas. because it’s easy to go into sensory overload and not know the right decision.

There are signs flashing everywhere that say “BUY!” or “are you nuts? DON’T BUY NOW!”.

So how can you know for sure which directional guarantees the right decision?

As with any investment, there are no guarantees when it comes to investing in your first home, but you can make a smart decision if you can read the signs.

Recently the Wall Street Journal published an article about the “5 signs that say buy”. While the WSJ gives their perspective from 30,000 feet, I thought a “closer to the earth” view would be of more help to you.

Here are 3 signs that say “BUY”

1. Jobs – Jobs are important, and nationwide statistics say that more people are finding employment, but what’s more important to first time home buyers is THEIR J-O-B. If you feel your job is secure and you’ll be able to make the mortgage payment, then the combination of affordable houses and low interest rates are clearly a sign to “BUY”.

2. What’s going on in the rental market? – First time home buyers have choices: they can continue to rent (paying their landlord’s mortgage) or start paying their own. As the demand for more rental units increases (largely from displaced homeowners) we’re experiencing an upward pressure on rents in almost every market across the country.

A recent article in CNNMoney predicted:

“Renters beware! Double digit rent hikes may be coming soon”

Renters in San Diego, according to CNNMoney, may soon be facing rent increases of 31% over the next few years, according to CNNMoney.

“Hmmm? Rents are going up and mortgage payments going down, what kind of sign can that be?” When the cost of renting exceeds the cost of owning, that’s clearly a sign to BUY!.

3. Mortgage availability – The WSJ talks about the availability of mortgages like it’s a commodity that’s flying off the shelves and may not be available soon.

Fact is, there are TRILLIONS of dollars available to qualified buyers. More important to you is the availability of first time home buyer programs and incentives. Some of these programs do have limited funding and are often available on a “first come, first served” basis. But, when available, they provide the assistance to help thousands of first time home buyers become home owners. As long as these funds are available for qualified first time home buyers, that’s clearly a sign to BUY! Readiness to buy is a very personal decision, so if you’ve decided you’re ready, then it’s time to read the signs.

A very critical concept in California Real Estate Law is the disclosure of agencies. In 1987 legislation was passed to protect home owners in regards to the agency status of their real estate professionals.

Agency is simply the relationship between the principle (the seller or buyer) and the real estate professional. In agency, the professional has a fiduciary duty to look out for the best interests of his/her principle. The fiduciary duty is defined as the ‘duty of utmost care, integrity, honesty, and loyalty in dealings.’

There is a form that is used called the Agency Disclosure form (or AD for short.) This is the very first form that is used in every real estate transaction. It has 1 purpose: it discloses (makes openly known) the 3 types of agency that could happen in a real estate transaction.

1. Agent represents the seller only.

In this agency the agent for the seller represents only the seller. He has a fiduciary obligation to get the seller the best price possible for his home. He also has the fiduciary duty to make sure the seller understands all the forms he must sign. The agent serves to protect and promote the seller. In a fiduciary relationship the agent has an obligation to put the needs of the seller first above his/her own needs. He does not have a fiduciary duty to the buyer but does own the buyer the duty of fair and honest dealings.

2. Agent represents the buyer only.

This is the exact same as above except the agent represents the buyer only and has the fiduciary duty to get the home for the buyer at the best price while protecting and promoting his/her best interests. He only owes the seller the duty of fair and honest dealings.

3. Dual agency: agent represents both the seller and buyer

If a dual agency is formed it must be disclosed and agreed to by all parties of the transaction. A dual agency can never be done in secret. This dual status must be known because an agent will know confidential information about his principles. The disclosure forms states that an agent in a dual agency situation must never reveal confidential information to the other party without written permission.

The agency laws were put into practice to protect home owners and home buyers. It establishes that an agent must put the needs of the principle above his own. The law also makes the declaration of who represents who and in what capacity widely known. There are to be no secrets in a real estate transaction.

Dangers of Dual Agency

In most real estate transactions there is one agent representing a seller (aka sellers agent or listing agent) and another agent representing a buyer (aka buyers agent). However, at times, one agent might end up representing both the buyer and seller. This is called dual agency. It is perfectly legal but also can be filled with challenges. In California law, a dual agency status must be acknowledged and agreed to in writing by all parties.

To understand the potential challenge let’s use this as a scenario:

• The house is informally appraised and the fair market value seems to be $270,000

• The seller begins with a listing price of $275,000

• The real estate agent represents both the buyer and seller: a dual agency

It is not unusual in the beginning of the formation of a contract to purchase that the buyer will have his initial offer price and also a back up price in mind. He might tell his agent to offer $260,000 but would not go higher than $265,000.

If this agent represents both the buyer and the seller how does he approach the seller with that offer? He must tell him there is an offer of $260,000 but cannot reveal anything else without breaking his fiduciary duty to the buyer.

Now the seller does not want to sell the house at $260,000 and asks his agent what he thinks would be a good counter offer? Does the agent knowing the house is worth an estimated $270,000 suggest to him to counter at $270,000 and possibly lose the deal? This would be in the best interest of his seller. But he could also recommend the seller to counter at $265,000 knowing the deal would most likely close. This would be in the best interest of his buyer. He could even say, I cannot tell you what to counter it as which might not make his client too happy. The agents’ fiduciary duties to both of them are in conflict.

Other challenges could crop up when further in the process it comes to other concerns; for example, repairs. The buyer might want a carpet allowance. So the agent needs to represent that need. But he also has the duty to get the most money for the seller. This is just an example of another challenge in dual agency situations.

I do not write this to say that dual agency is bad, wrong, or illegal. It can be done and be done successfully. I write this so people understand that agency clarification is important; do not treat it lightly. If you are potentially in a dual agency situation you must consider all the benefits and challenges.

This is why in California (and in many other states) agency clarification is the first form to be filled out in the real estate process. You want to know exactly who is representing who so you do not reveal information to ‘the other side’ accidently.

Let me finish with an interesting twist; 2 different people working for the same broker also creates dual agency. For example, I am with Century 21 Award. We have 14 offices in San Diego and Orange County with 100’s of agents. I work out of the Rancho San Diego office and let us say I have a listing. A person that I do not know and have never met works for our Award office in La Mesa. That agent could bring a buyer to my listing, the buyers like it, and decide to make an offer. This is a dual agency because we both work for the same broker; Century 21 Award, even though we do not know each other and work out of different offices.

As always, if you have any questions about this or any real estate matter I am as close as an e-mail.

Buying a property is a big financial decision that requires lot of funds and every interested buyer may not be rich enough to take such buying decisions anytime. The interested buyers may first take an idea of the value of the property and then analyze their financial situation and think that how they can manage so huge amount. Some may ask for help from their friends or family members and some may apply for the home loan but the good decision makers always decide to buy a home through the lease purchase agreement if they do not have ready cash.

This agreement requires the buyer to first rent the home before buying. This agreement is most useful in a situation when the buyer is a potential buyer but he does not have enough money at present to buy it now. The buyer is a potential buyer, it means he is seriously interested to buy and can also complete all the payment parts with in the time given in the agreement.

Benefits to the buyers

There are many benefits to the buyers when they decide to buy a property through the lease purchase agreement. These benefits are discussed below.

Fixed property rate

It is a known fact that the real estate market rise sometimes and sometimes goes low and so the value of the properties also fluctuate with the rise and fall of the market. Though the rates of the properties fluctuate with the fluctuation in the market but if a buyer has signed an agreement to lease a property before buying then rate of the property would remain constant for the buyer. The rate of the property as agreed in the agreement will be same throughout the lease period. This is a benefit to the buyer because if the real estate market goes high then the value of the property for the buyer would remain the same. This could also be an advantage to the seller and disadvantage to the buyer if the real estate market goes low because the value of the property will not go low even after the market goes low.

No other buyer can be selected for the deal

If an agreement between a buyer and a seller has been made then the seller can not select any other buyer for selling ownership and this is another benefit to the buyer. So if a buyer has signed an agreement then he can stay as long as the lease period continues.

The knowledge of these benefits can help any buyer to take such big home buying decisions.

If you are a contractor then you might already have realized that purchasing a home, whether for investment or to live in, might be much harder than initially thought. You hear of your friends that work in major companies or have a stable job working for someone buying homes and getting mortgages with ease, so why is it so difficult for you? This is because your finances cannot be determined as easy as theirs and most financial institutions and mortgages brokers do not look at each mortgage on a case by case basis but as a whole and categorize them based on certain “laws” they abide. Of course, since you run your own business and do not have the advantage of showing the same salary every single month they do not see you as someone capable of paying off the loan.

Today, however, there are special mortgages for contractors and freelancers that specifically cater to their needs and financial standing. You no longer have to simply accept the fact that you are denied and not have an opportunity to live in a home of your own. In the small chance that you are approved for a regular mortgage, then it is most likely with very high interest rates, fees, and horrible standards. With these special contractor mortgages you can enjoy the service and rates you deserve for the hard work you have put into your own business.

You can find special brokers that cater to contractors online, as this is the best way to search for just about anything. Seek out the different brokers that offer such mortgages and review comments and reviews posted by previous customers. You are going to be surprised how much information you are going to be able to find online, whether positive or negative, about any business you are considering trying out. Since purchasing a home is both expensive and time consuming, you want to ensure that you find the best. Read reviews and ensure that they focus on providing mortgages for contractors. This is especially important.

You can also pass by your local banks and speak to them if they offer mortgages specifically for contractors. It is important to ensure that they are aware that you want a special mortgage catered to you and that you are not put into a category.

Buying a home should not be harder because you have successfully found a way to earn your own money instead of working for someone. Do not just accept the fact that most financial institutions discriminate against contractors or do not understand that you are more capable of paying off the loan then most. Make a difference and seek out a mortgage specifically catered to you and your needs and get the dream home you have been looking for.

Brazil isn’t known as a tropical paradise for nothing. Brazil is indeed the great escape many people are yearning for. If you are in the market for a great find property-wise, now is a great time to invest in a Brazil property. There are many advantages to doing so.

Stating the Obvious

Brazil is a well-known vacation destination, so having property there is going to allow you to be near the decadent beaches and lush tropical areas. Whether you come here for the holidays or for extended months, you will love how the climate stays the same all year round. The weather makes it less of a hassle for you in terms of arranging for clothes and prepping the ventilation or cooling system of your Brazil property.

The people are so friendly here — and not just so they can make a buck out of foreigners and tourists. Consider, for example, the helpful folks over at the Discovery Coast, where they readily offer information to tourists about the best places to go to and get the most value out of their money.

In the Whale Coast, for example, expeditions for whale watching are well worth what you’ll spend (which isn’t really all that much). The people there are more concerned about giving you the most unforgettable experience than getting all your money. And of course, this works to their advantage because their well-meaning efforts mean a steady stream of business for them all year round.

Surprising Advantages of a Brazil Property

Another great but not very well-known advantage of having a Brazil property is the great range of prices of the land and the well-built homes. You can buy a Brazil property equal to or for less than US$30,000. This is quite affordable because properties in other countries are more expensive and you won’t be able to recover your investment as easily.

One more unknown fact about a Brazil property in the Bahia region has to do more with security. Most of the places in Brazil are known to be dangerous, but surprisingly in the locality of Bahia, safety is ensured. Even things like petty crimes and robberies are unknown.

All it takes is a bit of promoting and many people are going to love to spend time in your Brazil property. Safety is a very big consideration for many tourists, and sometimes it is also the reason why they choose not to go to certain destinations. In Bahia, however, this is not a problem.

These are just some of the great advantages of investing in a Brazil property. However, you need to act fast. These great opportunities will not be around forever. When you decide to invest in a property in Brazil’s Bahia region, you will be able to recover your investment. In addition, these Brazil properties go up in value over time.

Many people these days are putting their money into property investment. In fact, if you are interested in investing in property, Brazil — specifically in the Bahia region — offers great opportunities.

Bahia is usually known as a great vacation destination by those who are looking to experience an exotic vacation. You might want to delve in this and make money out of it in the process.

Investing in a property in Brazil can bring about fantastic results. One, you will have a steady stream of income because Bahia welcomes many vacationers (and the island never gets overcrowded).

It is perpetually popular without being too dense. Two, the surroundings itself are too good to pass up that you yourself will have an instant vacation home when your place happens to be vacant. And three, prices for properties in Brazil are on the lower end.

Amazing Opportunities and Great Choices

When you are considering acquiring property, Brazil’s Bahia region have many outstanding areas. One of these areas is the Coconut Coast. It’s nice to invest in property in this area because of the beautiful coconut groves you will find here.

There are nice places for exploration such as sweet water lagoons, rivers, dunes, and swamps — nice enough to keep travelers and adventurers happy for hours on end. For animal lovers, there are a lot of interesting wildlife, such as lion tamarins and marmosets. The Coconut Coast is a great place to invest in if you happen to target those who are interested in exploration and wildlife.

For Water Lovers of All Ages

If you are into water sports (or if you’d like to attract potential renters who want to engage in water sports during their stay in Bahia), consider looking at properties in All Saints Bay. Many Brazil property investors snap up open properties in this area. And why shouldn’t they?

All Saints Bay has amazing tropical beaches and lush vegetation — 56 of them to be exact. There are many motor boats, as well as jet skis, around the area for vacationers to engage in water activities. And of course, your main selling point would be the gorgeous crystalline waters found in the area.

These are only two of the many places that you might want to consider if you are looking to invest in property. Brazil’s Bahia region boasts of many promising places for vacationers and investors alike. One word of advice: it pays to get in touch with the locals to know what the key locations are.

They are the go-to people who will honestly tell you what you should and should not do, given their prime observations about the many vacationers who frequent their area.

Remember, just because you spot a property in Brazil’s Bahia region that fits your budget does not mean you should snap it up right away. You also need to study the location and assess its potential for vacationers or for your own pleasure.

If you keep this in mind, you will be able to land for yourself a nice and affordable vacation home that would bring income or be a nice escape place, or both.

Today, there are plenty of cheap homes available in the market. The recession has greatly affected the real estate business, thus it is a buyer’s market for most areas. Among the cheapest homes in the market nowadays are short sale homes.

Even if short sale homes are very affordable, you have to be careful and smart when buying them. Remember that homes sold short can be very tedious to buy, thus it is important to know what to expect from a purchasing these homes. If you have wanted for some time now to buy a home but is restricted by your budget, a short sale home could be a good investment as long as you are a wise buyer. Learn how to buy one in order to benefit from it.

First, you have to understand what a short sale means. This sale occurs when a lender agrees to receive an amount lower than what the homeowner owed to be able to pay his mortgage in full. A homeowner cannot perform a short sale unless there is agreement by the lender. When buying a home in this state, you must be prepared for a long wait because it could take from a few weeks to a few months before there is a feedback from the lender. Some buyers wait up to six months or even more for a response and mostly, the answer is NO.

Not every home sold short is in foreclosure so not all sellers of short sale homes are desperate. Additionally, sellers often unrealistically set the listing price with the hope that home buyers will jump on it immediately. In a pre-approved short sale, the buyers wait is considerably shortened. In general, when a buyer walks away, the document of the seller have been submitted to the lender and the lender may have been near to issuing the approval letter, the only documents missing is the offer of the new buyer and loan qualifications.

Whether you can wait for a short sale home to go to foreclosure and the deed transferred to the bank depends on whether the home has several offers. If there is more than one buyer who submitted an offer, the most likely to win is the one who have the highest and most qualified offer. If you are the only buyer and the bank has a negative reply or none at all, it might be to your best interest to wait for foreclosure. Remember that even with multiple offers for the property, the bank could still reject them because none is high enough for them. Do not get discouraged if a bank rejects your offer because there are hundreds of short sale properties you can still consider. Later on, the bank will put it up fro sale an REO and as a bank-owned home. If the price is reasonable, you can purchase it from the bank. At this point, you can be sure to be able to close the transaction within a month or so and most probably at a much lower price.

You should conduct a thorough research on the Las Vegas city prior to considering investing seriously on real estate. Las Vegas real estate is serious business. There are realtors who are seriously providing guidance to individuals who are facing foreclosure and it is a benefit to know what you are getting yourself into.

Numerous people are still experiencing foreclosure even in Las Vegas. The city hasn’t been spared by the deteriorating economy. But the good thing here is to use your mind to make something negative a positive thing for you. If you know how to turn the tables around, owning a real estate could still be the best thing which ever happened to you.

The city still has a really thriving job opportunity. Its appointing numerous workers to do their remodeling projects for them. The Circus and other entertainment acts are also open for employment all year round. As a homeowner you need not worry that you wouldn’t be able to pay your monthly dues. You only need to find better paying jobs. Individuals who were not able to manage their finances well were forced to go to foreclosure.

There are several distressed house owners who are facing foreclosure because of high interest rates. You could take this time to find a property that’s being sold cheaper than its original price. Buying foreclosed homes would give you the chance to wait for better market circumstances. There’s a chance that you would gain a net cash flow gain of almost $500 per month if you choose to buy a Las Vegas real estate.

Las Vegas realtors still continue to grow in number. The real estate market is better than ever. Companies are providing guidance to out families that are having problems with mortgage payments by conducting fundraisers for these families. Investing in Las Vegas is still a good idea despite the many economic pitfalls the country is experiencing. The city has numerous tourists visiting them each year, its still possible to achieve business cash flow, transportation, trade and utilities and other services that include health care would still be a source of income. Selecting Las Vegas real estate gives you a chance for growth

For questions on foreclosure, you can consult local realtors for suggestions on how one could reduce the monthly payments. You can even contact them for several other foreclosure transactions.

Low credit score loans have been designed to help those who have bad credit. They are an effective solution for people who have a low or no credit status. With the availability of such loans, you can improve your credit score and can easily come out of your current cash crunch.

Having a low credit score is not a big issue in today’s time, especially during the economic recession. If you’re unable to pay back your debt due to affected credit, low credit score loans are now available at cheap rates with flexible repayment terms that help you improve your credit score and repay all your other debts. You simply need to understand what sort of debt consolidation program will suit you.

There are professional services available that can help you choose the most beneficial program for you. The professionals counsel you and inform you about low credit loans and low interest rate loans available in the market. You can also access these services online. The Loan Doctor offers free self-help tools for finding the best loans.

Even if you’re planning to buy a home or a vacation property, home loans are nowadays easily available in the market. All you need to do is to find cheap real estate loans with flexible repayment terms. Applying for VA loans is a good option. Many private banks, savings and loans and mortgage companies provide these types of loans. The benefit of these loans is that if due to any reason you fail to repay the loan, the lender will be protected against the loss incurred.

It is very important to take services from a well-versed mortgage lender, if you’re thinking of buying a Co-op or a condo in New York. The Loan Doctor can offer you the most comprehensive information on coop financing and condo financing and can present you with a number of feasible options. Apart from this, you can get complete details of different residential and commercial areas in the city.

FHA loans are another good option for financing your home property. The main benefit of these loans is that you can easily get them, even if you have poor or no credit. These are available at competitive rates with a down payment of as low as 3.5 percent. FHA 203K loans can help you turn your dream into reality. You can customize your home your way and can renovate it to give it an entirely different look. 203k financing is an easy way to refinancing and renovate your property.

Jumbo loans, USDA loans, and numerous other options are also available to finance your home property at low interest rates. The main benefit is that now 100 percent financing is available within only 24 hours pre-approval time. Now you no longer need to wait for weeks and months to get your loan approved. These are easy to qualify and are available with flexible repayment terms. One of the biggest advantages of these low credit score loans is that you can now pay a single consolidated monthly installment for all other debts. This is an easy way to repay your pending debts without any stress.

I have written recently about the reasons homebuyers should buy Denver real estate now: low mortgage rates and tax deductions, as well as the Front Range’s growing population and increasing property values. While the housing market remains tenuous due to a large number of foreclosed homes, the most recent reports on the Denver real estate market continue to support my conclusions and the idea that now is a great time to purchase Denver property.

First, good news keeps coming in for the Denver metro area: As the Broomfield Enterprise recently reported, Broomfield was recently listed as the third best area in the country to buy a home. Why? The two reasons cited in the article were the amazing scenery of the Front Range and the incredible rate of job growth in Broomfield and surrounding areas. The 50 percent job growth in Broomfield over the past decade points to the underlying trend of Colorado’s continued population growth, which should continue to support the greater Denver real estate market.

More good news came from a dourly headlined article, “Home Prices Still Falling”. While the article’s author, WallStreetPit, noted that home prices continued to fall in most metro areas in late 2010, Denver was one of two metro areas surveyed that actually saw home prices rise. The recent buoyancy in the prices of Denver homes for sale supports the larger argument that now is a good time to enter the Denver real estate market.

Indeed, while Denver property values plunged from 2007 to 2009, along with those in the majority of the nation’s metro areas, prices have actually stabilized in the Denver metro area since March 2009. This stability should be somewhat permanent given its current length (over 22 months) and the general return of U.S. housing prices to more normal, historic levels.

This return to normal of U.S. housing prices from their bubble highs means that house prices do not have as far to fall, even if Denver property prices do start decreasing again. This, coupled with the thousands of dollars in annual tax savings that homeowners can realize through mortgage payment tax write-offs makes now a sensible time to enter the housing market.