One World Realty » Ask Your Realtor

Increase Your Home Value And Harmony Through Feng Shui

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:54:21 +0000

I have been reading a lot about Feng Shui. One of the interesting topics is on increasing the value of your home, as well as achieving emotional balance and harmony of the occupants thru Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui?

Wikipedia says Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help a person improve life by receiving positive qi or energy flow.

The term feng shui literally translates as “wind-water” in English. It is deeply rooted in connection to nature, a philosophy that supports living in awareness and harmony with our surroundings.

How do you increase the value of your home and attain harmony? According to Free Articles, here’s the tips:
Tip 1 : Main Entrance

The main door is like the mouth for the house. It is the gateway between the world and the privacy of the home and air currents literally enter and exit at this point.

The positioning of a main door can determine the fortune or misfortune of the occupants. Therefore you must keep the entrance clear of any clutter to allow the energies to flow freely.

Image from www.mynewsletterbuilder.com

Make sure there is nothing in direct alignment with the door such as a tree or telegraph pole. To remedy this place a Bagua mirror over the door so it is reflecting the Sha Qi.
Avoid facing a dark, pokey room, an interior staircase, mirror, stove, sink, fireplace, the door of a toilet, laundry, bathroom or bedroom. To remedy this keep the doors closed or place a screen between the doors.

Tip 2 : Bedrooms

Bedrooms should be sacred spaces where an adult or child can retreat and regenerate. Most people spent roughly one third of their lives in their bedroom, so maintaining balance and serenity in this area is essential.

Tip 3 : Kitchen

In any case, it’s better if you don’t see the kitchen immediately upon entering the house, as this can portend digestive, nutritional, and eating problems. Having the kitchen at the entry point can also mean that guests will come over and eat and then leave immediately, and such a placement can also encourage the inhabitants to eat all the time.

Tip 4 : Windows

A house should have sufficient windows. Windows are in very important to allow sufficient light or pleasant views into the room.

Tip 5 : Dining & Living Room

Whenever possible the dining room should be separate from the living room. It is a social area for family members, thus it better to have as big as possible.

Summary

Hopefully, by using the above tips, you can increase the value of your home and, more importantly, live in harmony therein.

The 4 Ps of Selling A Home

yen — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:02:09 +0000

What is the best way to sell a home?

This was the question of Jane to me, sent via e-mail. Jane is a real estate agent, and she is asking for my advice or tips on the effective ways to sell a house.

Generally, there are four basic reasons why any house for sale will sell or not sell. These are what we call in marketing as the 4 Ps, which we also apply in real estate selling, as follows:

1. Price. The price of the house is the first reason it will sell or will not sell, other factors remaining the same. These factors are quality of the product (the house for sale), location (the place where the house is situated), and promotion.

In economics, the higher the price, the lower is the demand for the house. Conversely, the lower the price, the higher is the demand – meaning, more people are willing to buy the house, other factors remaining the same.

2. Product. The house for sale is the product. You can add value to the product by improving the condition of the house through upkeep and maintenance, as well as renovation to make it new.

3. Place. The place is the location of the house. Location is a major factor that buyers always consider, depending on their needs and preferences.

A house in a quiet and good neighborhood is always preferred by many buyers compared to the one situated near a noisy surroundings. In addition, a house near the schools, shopping malls and markets, hospitals and recreation centers, can command a higher price than a home in an inconvenient location.

4. Promotion. This is where a real estate agent is needed, to link the seller and the buyer, and to consummate the transaction.

With these tips, I hope Jane and the other real estate agents like you can focus your selling activities.

How To Qualify As A Real Estate Broker

yen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:40:38 +0000

A reader named Martha sent me an e-mail, asking: “Who are qualified to be a licensed real estate broker?” Martha said she wants to be one because she likes to deal in real estate and make it her profession.

Actually any person in the Philippines can become a licensed real estate broker as long as he/she has the qualifications, as follows:

1). Must be at least 21 years old.

2. Filipino citizen.

3. Good moral character.

4. Has not been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude.

5. Must have satisfactorily completed at least 144 units of college. (Note: There is now a new law -The Realty Service Act of 2009, which requires a 4-year college course and a professional examination).

6. Have attended a duly accredited seminars for brokers.

7. Must have passed the Real Estate Broker’s examination.

8. Must be able to establish an office with facilities to render efficient service to clients.

The foregoing qualifications are not hard to comply, although in the examination for brokers the passing percentage has been usually 10-20%. But if others can pass, why can’t you. So, I hope Martha and others who aspire to become licensed real estate brokers can fulfill their ambitions.

Beware of Con Artists Who Pose As Buyers of Real Estate

yen — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:02:37 +0000

John, new real estate agent who sells subdivision lots, had a sad story to tell when he came to our office last week.

He accompanied a supposed couple to a subdivision because the couple told John they wanted to buy a lot to build their house on it, since they are starting a family.

The sale did not push through, but John lost his cell phone and money to the couple.

In reality, there are many con artists on the loose today who prey on people just to get what they want. If you are a real estate broker or real estate agent of a broker, be careful of con artists who pose as lot buyer or house and lot buyer just to fool you.

To protect the new brokers and real estate agents from nuisance buyers, con artists or swindlers, here are the tips to remember:

1. Do not meet with a potential buyer or buyers of real estate in a restaurant. Meet him at your office. If the meeting is in a restaurant, it is assumed that you will be the one who must pay for the food and drinks of your prospective buyer(s). In the beginning, it is hard to know if the buyer is genuine or just after a free lunch, at your expense.

2. If the prospective buyer requests to borrow your cell phone supposedly to call his/her friend who are also prospective buyer of the property that you are selling, be sure that you are beside your buyer all the time. The “buyer” of John borrowed his cell phone supposedly to call his friend who also interested to buy a subdivision lot. That buyer went a few meters from John and before John knew it, the swindler had boarded a taxi and went away.

3. After the tripping of the prospective buyer, do not expect any sales if he will tell you that he will just text or call you anytime. The interested buyer will request for another meeting with you to finalize the sale, and he will give you the schedule, venue, date and time.

The foregoing tips are necessary to forewarned the unsuspecting newbie real estate brokers and agents to protect themselves against con artists and swindlers who, after all, will not buy the property.

Easy Tips For New Real Estate Brokers To Get Their First Sale

yen — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:11:51 +0000

A new licensed real estate broker from Manila e-mailed us, asking for advice and tips on how to be a successful broker.

She introduced herself as Patricia and she’s particularly interested to learn how to secure a listing, or how to get a list of properties from clients for her to sell to her prospective buyers, so that she could derive income from commission.

Actually, there is no standard practices on how to get a listing and on how to sell real estate properties. It depends on the personality and ability of a broker, each broker being unique and has his/her own style. As the saying goes, “different strokes for different folks.” However, to make it easy for new licensed real estate brokers eager to start their profession, here are the simplified ways to begin and make the sale, based on the common experience of practicing realtors.

1. Secure a listing. First thing you should do is to look for real properties for sale, or for lease, mortgage and exchange, so that you can make an inventory of the properties and make your listing.

2. Find Prospects -look for persons who are interested to buy, lease, mortgage and exchange real estate. You can do this through your friends, referrals from your friends and relatives. You can use the telephone, e-mails, cold canvassing, etc. Use your imagination on how to connect and network.

3. Present and Demonstrate-once you have the prospective buyers, it’s time to present and demonstrate, showing to the prospects the pictures, brochures, and price of the properties. This is to arouse the buyer’s interest, create desire which could lead him/her to act and buy the property.

4. Negotiate – this involves transmittal of purchase offers, counter-proposal and conciliation of parties as to the price and terms of sale.

5. Closing – this is the process of effecting the meeting of the minds of the parties in the selling transaction. This is the stage where the documents of sale (Deed of Absolute Sale or Deed of Conditional Sale) is prepared, the price of the property paid, which is preparatory to the delivery and registration of the property in the name of the buyer.

6. Registration – this is the cancellation of the title of the property in the name of the seller and the issuance of a new title in the name of the buyer.

Once the sale is done, then your work as a realtor is complete and you are now entitled to your commission. After this, whether or not you will become a successful real estate practitioner is entirely up to you.

Is Buying A Home Always A Good Investment?

yen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:52:36 +0000

A reader asks: “Is buying a house a good investment? If I buy a house my money will just sleep and it does not make any more money, compared to investing it in business. What do you think”

I meet people who have the same thinking as the reader, and they have almost similar question. From a realtor’s point of view, however, I could say that buying a home is really a good investment. Actually, we buy a house because we intend to live in it for a long time or, to some, for a lifetime. But a house is also a good investment for its own sake. I’ll enumerate here the reasons why, to help you decide for yourself:

1. Your house appreciate its value over time, so it is anti-inflation. Real estate property, like a house and lot, increase in value, for example, every year. That represents savings for you.

2. You can buy your house with little investment using leverage funds, like borrowing money through a mortgage, and it adds up to your assets. Because of your house (actually real estate since you also own the lot where your house stands) appreciates its value, your investment will increase and you earn passive income as a result.

3. Savings. Owning your own home is a way to save money, e.g. compared when you are just renting the property.

4. Peace of Mind And Status. Since you own a house, you will have peace of mind because no matter what happens, no landlord will evict you out. Furthermore, our society as a whole considers owning a home as a status symbol, as differentiated from being a renter. Homeowners see their homes as proof of success and stability, a reward for their hardwork.

There are many other reasons why buying a home is a good investment, but to me the foregoing four are enough to convince me that it is.

Eight Qualities To Look For In A Real Estate Broker

yen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:40:09 +0000

I received an e-mail from a reader, asking me for tips on how to look for a good real estate broker/realtor. He told me he wants to sell his residential lot and also his beach house and therefore, he is looking for a realtor to make selling easy and fast for him because he needs the money.

When you look for a realtor or real estate broker, first, you must inquire if he has a license, because there are many people today who act as real estate brokers, but in fact, they are not licensed to do so. I suggest you inquire from the local realtors’ board in your area and ask for referrals.

Second, not all licensed real estate brokers are realtors. In the Philippines, for example, the right to use the emblem and the term REALTOR® exclusively belongs only to the Licensed Real Estate Brokers who are regular members of a realty board duly affiliated with the Philippine Association of Realtors® Boards (PAREB), Inc.

In looking for a real estate broker, here are the qualities that you must consider:

1. Honesty. Being honest in every transaction so that you can ensure that your interest are fully protected, honesty being still the best policy.

2. Friendly. Having a pleasant disposition, together with easygoing temperament so that you can relate to him/her and be at ease.

3. Creative. Being adaptable to situations and can find new linkages so that he can sell your property easily, or can find a property that you need to buy to suit your preferences.

4. Reliability. Can be depended upon, so that you can trust him/her to keep his word, since a broker-client relationship is based on trust and confidence.

5. Empathy. Can involve himself in your problem related to real estate transactions and can understand your situation.

6. Industrious. Having an eager attitude to do and to find buyers (or sellers) of your property, the effort to follow-ups, and to conclude the transaction.

7. Intelligence. Can recognize all the facts and problems related to every realty transaction and can find ways and means to achieve the objectives for your benefit.

8. Tact. Having the ability to recognize delicate situations, disagree without being disagreeable, and to act depending on the situation to achieve the objectives of realty transactions, for your benefit.

So, the next time you look for a realtor / real estate broker, you may need to remember the foregoing tips to protect your rights and property.

Why Do You Need A Realtor In Buying Or Selling Your Home?

yen — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:29:23 +0000

Below are the following reasons why a realtor, who is a licensed real estate broker, is necessary:

1. Real estate brokers can make the job of looking for a house (and lot) very easy and worry-free for you. Unless, of course, if you want to spend your time, money and effort in wading through a jungle of classified ads and visiting house after house, block by block, or subdivision by subdivision, on your own.

2. Real estate brokers can help you prequalify for a loan with the banks and or in the Pag IBIG, with a comparison of interest rates, and let you know how much house you can afford. Since a real estate broker maintains a listing, which is composed of available houses and lots for sale in different locations in his area of operations, then he can give you easy information on the neighborhoods where your target house to buy is located.

3. Real estate brokers can help you examine the documents to ensure that when you buy a house (and lot), you will not be scammed or victimize by unscrupulous individuals and fixers. A licensed real estate broker, like any professional, has a Code of Ethics which mandates to protect and defend the interest of the clients and the public at all times. Thus, a real estate broker will help you scrutinize the certificate of title to the property to see to it that it is genuine, determine whether the property as described in the certificate of title is the one and the same property as registered with the Register of Deeds, and as described in the Tax Declaration as recorded in the Assessors’ Office.

So, it pays to deal with a realtor, and not with the fixers. Look for a good real estate broker by asking from friends and contacting the local realtors board in your area.

As realtors, we can help you if you have problems in buying and/or selling your properties in the Philippines, especially in Bacolod City and in Negros Occidental.