Average Profit on Home Sale = $356,000

How Does Making 71% Profit on the Sale of Your Home Sound?

A new report from ATTOM Data Solutions shows that homeowners across the US are receiving a huge winfall from selling their homes in 2017. The City with the best ROI? It was San Francisco which returned a whopping 71% profit for home sellers, or an average of $356k.

The average profit across the country was an amazing 44%. And just this first quarter, sellers earned $44k more in ROI — the best performance in a very long time. The stats make it hard to argue that real estate investment is how you create wealth today. When you consider how long the housing market has been depressed, it might not be a surprise. But what could surprise you is that this housing market isn’t done yet.

The ATTOM Data Solutions report shows 20 of the top US cities for homeowner profit. It seems 2017 is the year of the seller and hundreds of thousands of people will be selling their house for a fortune and moving on with their lives. But where are they all headed if there are so few homes available? Chances are they will be relocating to southern or tropical destinations or at least to cheaper cities here in the US.

If you’re in the market for selling and looking for a destination, check out International Living — the source for Caribbean, Mexican, and Central American relocation. You’ll be joined by thousands of Toronto and Vancouver home sellers who will be cashing out in 2017.

The 1st quarter of 2017 is proving to be the most profitable time for price growth. In the video below, an expert believes there will be no bubble or crash in the market. He believes the economic and demographic fundamentals support ongoing growth in housing.

“The first quarter of 2017 was the most profitable time to be a home seller in nearly a decade, and yet homeowners are continuing to stay put in their homes longer before selling,” said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president with ATTOM Data Solutions.

Homeowners throughout the San Francisco Bay Silicon Valley were the biggest gainers. The phenomenal economy along with a shortage of developable land has created a market where the price could only go up and fast. And the fundamentals of even higher prices are still in play. Housing starts are not expected to ease the issue and there are no homes for sellers to move up to.

That reluctance or inability to sell and move on is one of the key factors in today’s overheated housing markets.

The report showed 13 of the top 20 markets were in California and Colorado. This might reflect trends in wealth and population if not economic growth.

Top 20 US Cities for Home Sales Profit
	City	Average Profit
20	Port St Lucie, FL	$53,000
19	Austin Round Rock, TX	$81,795
18	San Diego, CA	$144,400
17	Riverside San Bernardino	$90,000
16	Boston, CA	$111,000
15	Oxnard Thousand Oaks, CA	$166,000
14	Sacramento, CA	$99,000
13	Fort Collins, CO	$97,500
12	Greely, CO	$85,050
11	Honolulu, HA	$161,000
10	Salem, OR	$70,800
9	Vallejo Fairfield, CA	$115,000
8	Denver Aurora, CO	$110,000
7	Los Angeles	$187,000
6	Stockton Lodi, CA	$101,000
5	Modesto, CA	$875,000
4	Portland Vancouver, OR	$110,800
3	Seattle, OR	$139,300
2	San Francisco Oakland, CA	$276,750
1	San Jose Sunnyvale, CA	$356,000

How About Best Cities for Rental Income?

There are plenty of cities with potential in rental property investment income. Attom Data reported these US counties:

Counties with the highest annual gross rental yields were Clayton County, Georgia (Atlanta metro area) (23.7 %); Baltimore City, Maryland (23.6%); Macon County metro area (23.5%); Monroe County, Pennsylvania, (20.65); and Saginaw County, Michigan(18.8%).

Gord Collins — Real Estate SEO — I generate big traffic for realtors in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, New York, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, St Louis, Minneapolis, Green Bay, Charlotte, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Oshawa, Hamilton, Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Calgary, Kelowna, Mississauga, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Malibu, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Fresno, Santa Clara, Sacramento, Mountainview, Palo Alto, Portland, Washington, Atlanta, Irvine, Nashville, Sunnyvale, Salt Lake City, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Costa Mesa, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Raleigh, Albuquerque, Glendale, Oceanside, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, Santa Clarita, Henderson, Mesa, Temecula, Kirkland, Redmond, Kansas City, St Louis, Stockton, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Indianapolis, Columbus, Colorado Springs, Fort Worth, Chula Vista, Escondido, Santa Monica, Miami Beach, and Honolulu.

Contact me about building traffic and leads to your Real Estate Web Site.

April 28, 2017February 21, 2018

Should you Sell Your Home Fast or for a Higher Price?

How To Sell Your Home

Spring 2018 is almost here and prices are still pretty good in many cities. If you’re a homeowner looking to sell your home in Toronto, San Diego, New York, Seattle, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami you have a chance to sell it for a very respectable price.

After closing their sale, the homeowners will have a moment to reflect on it.

And they do think: “I wish we had gotten more for our home. It would have made a difference for us. Selling quick didn’t leave us with a satisfying taste.”

The reason for that is, when the emotional attachment to the home was broken, they suddenly realize it was just a house and that quite likely someone else valued it even more than they did.

There are buyers out there who would be in ecstasy if they found your home. You need to take your time and reach those people.

When you do, you won’t care about agent commissions, paperwork, and showings. You’ll get a life-changing price for your home and so you should after the blood, sweat and tears you shed to pay it off. The best hours, days and years of your life went into paying that house. Get what you deserve!!

Sell Fast? That’s a Big Mistake

I know, you need to sell fast to cover your new home purchase or to get rid of your ex asap. Perhaps there are other solutions that will give you time to sell now and buy later. That takes the pressure off so you can make good selling and relocation decisions instead of reacting under pressure. I’ve seen divorced couples keep calm and sell their house professionally and avoid selling for way less.

There are vultures in the market waiting for these opportunities to buy cheap. Instead, it’s wise not to get overwhelmed with emotion. Just like the cash in your retirement savings account, emotions will disappear.

Selling your home intelligently is the smart way to go. So many benefits await. As with the happy old couple in the photo above, you’ll be satisfied with your decision. Good for your self-esteem and good for your bank account. And retirees can’t possibly have enough money. You’re going to last 25 to 30 years more with no pay check!!

More Homeowners Selling Means More Competition

Yet with this sudden increase in house listings, buyers will have better selection. You’ll need to do more to win that big price. You can, if you do it right.

From how your MLS listing is worded to the multimedia presentation of your home, to how your home is improved and presented in person, there’s much you can do to boost your selling price. SELL THAT HOUSE!! for more.

90% of Buyers Go Online to Search For Homes and Information — this is where you intercept them

How to Sell Your House for More

So how you can help sell your home for a higher price?

Be professional about it – create a picture of value for buyers
Treat it as a business and finance decision – establish a price and get it
Be an Internet marketing Tiger – use a clever, resourceful digital marketer to get your home in front of everyone

The key factor to achieve way over asking price or initiating a bidding war: Internet marketing. Hire an agent who works with a visibly good digital real estate marketing specialist.

A Realtor Who is Doing their Own Marketing is Leaving Money on the Table

Remember that real estate is a complex business and Realtors hate doing their own marketing. If they are doing their own digital marketing, they’re probably not engaging their pool of prospects and expanding it. Your Realtor needs to be the selling mastermind with total focus on interacting with as many potential buyers as possible.

Hire an agent that respects marketing and isn’t a “transaction specialist.” A real estate lawyer and mortgage agent do the transactions. Your agent needs to impress you with the power of their reach and persuasion. They must be a selling strategist or you should find another agent.

More Leads and Prospects Please!

Consider what creates a good offer and a record breaking offer: more prospects. That’s right, the more people know your home is for sale, the more bidding pressure there will be, and the more likely the home will be sold for its true value.

Get True Market Value for Your Home

When you sell fast, or have fewer buyers, it means the market doesn’t know about your house for sale. You won’t be getting true market value. True market value isn’t comps or your home market evaluation. That’s the price that other unwise buyers had to settle for. That’s not you. If you don’t get impulsive or desperate you can get a big price.

And don’t be too impressed with over asking. With homes selling $1 million overasking price, all cash, the asking price is meaningless.

Tell your Agent you won’t hire them, unless they hire me!

Let’s Get Educated so You Will Guarantee a Higher Selling Price

The overall strategy is to: 1) improve your house, 2) use a digital marketing Realtor, 3) and let as many buyers across the country know you’re selling. Because it may be income property investors who will pay more for your old property, you want to hire a professional to help sell it. The additional cash from doing it this way could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. One realtor recently got $1 million over asking for an old house in Toronto.

But hold on, not all Realtors have the top selling power. I hope you don’t assume that going with the most well known Realtor in town is the only way to go. Because Realtors are having an easy time selling right now since there’s so many buyers.

It may look like they’re doing a knockout job, when in fact, they often rely on the MLS and their small list of potential buyers. “Comps” or market evaluation might be code words for “sell fast.” Keep in mind, that competent Realtors know about the Internet, Google, Facebook and top notch content.

Even top Realtors rely on the small pools of contacts of their team. But that won’t get you a big over asking price. For that, you need strategic digital real estate marketing and pull in big crowds of qualified buyers.

Maximize Reach > Create a Great Message > Filter Unqualified Visitors > Engage with Real Buyers > Close

Here’s the Best Ways to Sell Your House Quick and for More

Check out your realtor’s website and review these home selling tips
Check out their real estate marketing provider for their effort and performance
Ask them how they will improve your house for selling
Ask them how they will achieve ‘over market value’ and if they’re not out to maximize your selling price don’t hire them
Offer the chosen Realtor a higher selling commission if they get way over market value – they’ll be worth every penny
Ask them to provide a complete breakdown of their marketing and sales process and the marketability of your home
Ask them what makes the most difference to selling at a higher price and how they will focus on that key tactic

While you might thinking that selling fast involves a quick paint job and covering up stains on the carpet, the real strategy is good marketing. And if you’re holding off paying a Realtor a commission because you resent all the selling costs and their 5 to 6% commission, relax. If you choose a digital real estate agent, they will give you a fantastic return on your investment.

Those who shop the MLS listings are often bargain hunting. Are they going to have the resources to step up the price? Not likely, which is why you need to expand your reach and make your home look like a million dollar listing. A digital Realtor offers much better reach to buyers all over the planet and throughout your city and can elevate the value for the buyer.

Hire a modern professional and you’ll be rewarded many times over with a no hassle transaction from a qualified, eager and willing buyer. No haggling and your old house will sell fast enough. Don’t sell your place in 3 days. You can reach tens of thousands or perhaps hundreds of thousands by being patient and selling it professionally.

This blog enjoys a rate of 1 Million visitors per year and you are one of them! I reached you and I can reach anyone who goes online. Get smart about digital marketing and you’ll get more than you could hope for.

April 15, 2017March 25, 2018

14 Ways to Improve your House Selling Price ⌂ Home Selling Tips 2018

Should I Sell my House in 2018?

With the spring season straight ahead, this may be the best time to sell your house. Demand for low rise condos and detached houses is strong and with good marketing and sales strategy, you may be able to push your selling price up high through enticing rental income property investors.

Where will you move to? How about where you’ve always dreamed. Stats show babyboomers aren’t selling their homes because they have nowhere to move to. If a Realtor can solve that problem, they would be millionaires quickly.

A Realtor can help you determine what repairs are necessary and with the key task of finding your next home. And it’s not just a process of finding a home to buy, it’s more a process of gracefully moving into a new exciting phase of your life.

Why Should You Sell This Spring?

highest demand season from buyers (April/May/June)
prices are good and potential for multiple bids is strong in most cities
mortgage rates are low and you can lock in for 10 to 20 years
construction has been brisk so new homes are arriving on the market
if you’re a babyboomer you need a new home that suits your needs and lifestyle
the economy is excellent and looking strong so you can take a chance
waiting for price peaks is not wise (e.g., Toronto homeowners have seen their home values plummet recently admidst the rising fear of a crash)
forecast is good (check the outlook for houses for sale)

The point of selling your home is in getting the best price with good marketing, and exploring the options you have. Are you looking for a new job? Wages are rising and each month 200k new jobs are being created. Would you like to move south? Florida home prices are in a lull. Good time to buy there. Would you like something with a rental income suite or granny suite? Now you’re getting smart.

In this post, you’ll discover 14 tactics to improve your selling price. We’re in a digital world, so please don’t rely on a traditional Realtor with no online presence. Maximum price depends on your ability to reach home buyers. That’s marketing. Everything’s about marketing.

Make sure you read the housing crash factors to zero in on issues in your local market or wherever you’re investing.

Let’s Not Get Greedy

Miami, Denver, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, New York, Miami, and Houston homeowners are making the decision sell their homes and move onto their retirement or to a better life. Some are driven by the spread between the big price they can sell their home for, and the cheap prices they can buy elsewhere.

For some, perhaps yourself, this 2018 winfall is hard to comprehend. So keep your composure, take a look at the top 10 best house renovations to do before you sell your house in 2018.

If you’re wondering how to sell your home for more, here’s some home selling tips that might help you get to 100% more on your investment.

14 Ways to Get a Better Price for Your House

1. Find a Realtor with a great online marketing presence and then ask to be featured on that site. Make sure they advertise your home on Google and Facebook. Build preference right away. Exposing your home directly online is excellent because your selling proposition or offer is right in front of them. No vague promises but a real home for them to obsess over!

2. Promote your home for a while before putting it up for sale — set the foundation for getting a lot of bids. It takes time to get the message out to all potential buyers who may include foreign buyers. A fast sale will likely be below asking price.

3. Ensure your agent spends a lot of time contacting other real estate agents in your city since you want to access as many networks as possible. Ensure your agent is as accessible as possible to show the home and answer questions. Your agent should use SMS as much as possible because it enables fast communication.

4. Ensure you have a top notch video of your home highlighting its best features and about your great neighborhood and feature the prices of nearby homes too. Give the prospects the best context possible to see your home as the most desirable.

5. Hold a selling party and invite all your neighbors, family and friends. This is a very important event and you want the very best results. Any prospects showing up can meet the neighbors and that can be a good selling point. Don’t invite your crazy neighbors and ensure your family are nice and sociable.

6. Research local comparative homes for sale and previous solds and determine what was wrong with them and what features buyers liked.

7. Leave behind something really cool that they would like. If it’s a 55 inch screen TV, or buy a tasteful, new chandelier or expensive barbecue — something they’re bound to like. People are impressed with generosity. An instant heating water heater might be another feature that’s not expensive but highly desirable and influential.

8. Fix everything including broken faucets, door handles, floor squeaks, and make sure nothing annoying or embarrassing is visible which can ruin the mood of your showing.

9. Get your home professionally cleaned. Professional cleaners have super effective steam cleaning machines and solutions that get carpets, tiles and grout very clean.

10. Paint the interior rooms a neutral color. Given what you’re going to get for your home, don’t skimp on covering up the old, gloomy, or weird colors.

11. Clean up the yard and exterior surfaces of the home. Curb appeal is no joke. The buyers mood is set upon seeing your home from the street. Do a little landscaping, green up the grass, fix broken side walk pieces. Buyers are affected by how relaxing the yard, patio, or deck looks.

12. Have the home professionally staged. Home stagers know how to make homes look really inviting. They’ll increase the apparent value and make visitors want to linger in the home. The longer the buyers stick around the more they build their intent to buy.

13. Fix the roof and clean it. Getting the dull look out of the roof can make it look newer and reduce worries about it.
14. Promote and Sell your Home soon because for many people selling theirs and moving is easier in the May to August period.

Good Luck on the sale of your home. It is a wonderful thing you will be rewarded for all the years of hard work you spent in employment to buy it. I hope you view your home as an investment and not a keepsake. It’ll help you achieve the right frame of mind to the results you hope for and need.

GordCollins.com, your homepage for the most powerful Real Estate Marketing and Investing Strategies for 2018 and the next 5 years.

March 24, 2017March 25, 2018

When Should I Sell My Home?

Should I Sell My House to Avoid the Coming Market Crash?

Timing is everything. Buy low, sell high and right now, the housing market is high. But the question a lot of homeowners are asking is “When will the real estate market crash?”

The Toronto housing market does have all the earmarks of a soon to crash market. And we know from viewing the historic charts that Toronto doesn’t recover well from these events. After the big crash or burst bubble event, housing prices stayed low.

Selling with experts means you may get an over asking price which is still common now.

Yet, today’s market is fed by International money — buyers from China, Russia, and the Middle East. And they can’t buy in the US because of wicked prices there. So they’re coming here where their kids can get a first rate education and get citizenship in Canada. They definitely see a home as an investment and their money will continue to fuel the Toronto market.

So the “should I sell my home question” doesn’t have a certain answer, but the time is coming soon. The Toronto real estate market crash could happen late this year or may not happen for several years yet. We’ve all been expecting a Toronto market collapse for some time now, but it just hasn’t happened. We haven’t been finding and examining the real underlying factors.

Looking at the price charts alone isn’t sufficient. First we’ve just come away from the worst financial and housing recession ever in the US, and now the US is getting its financial act together. That fuels strength for a long time.

Screen Capture courtesy of Toronto Real Estate Board

Why Wait for the Last Minute to Sell?

Quite a few homeowners are selling already and choosing to rent. Yet, finding a rental in the GTA for a decent price is very difficult. There is a rental crisis going on right now too. If you can find a rental, it’s a good time to sell your home.

The more sensible choice is to sell and move to parts of Florida, Costa Rica, Belize, Panama, or even Nicaragua. The cost of living is way less and you can get a lot for your $800,000 plus investment. You can rent an apartment in the Dominican Republic for $1000 month and live very well too. The health benefits of moving are something to consider.

Should you sell your house so you can travel? This could be your travel time, before you’re too old to travel.

Should you sell your home because your neighborhood isn’t what it used to be? All neighborhoods deteriorate over time.

Should you sell to move closer to your kids? Prices are really low across Canada.

Bookmark this page and return for further housing market forecasts, predictions, expert opinions and market data for most major US cities including Los Angeles, Toronto, Mississauga Vancouver, San Diego, San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, New York, and Dallas. Check out local outlooks for Newmarket/Aurora, Richmond Hill, Bradford ON, and Vaughan.

Best Auto Insurance Coverage Anywhere

March 13, 2017

Homes for Sale Searches Heating Up in Central US

Google Trends Keyword Search Reports Showing Sparks

It’s normal to see search activity pick up as spring approaches, yet this year’s activity seems to be a little stronger. Kind of harkens back to the pre crash era where real estate was huge and people actually believed they could buy a home. Why do they search for homes for sale? Because they must be thinking a home is in their future. Will the flame get snuffed out or will the fire grow?

Central Northern US is Active

States in the central area of the country are seeing a big rise in searches for homes for sale. It may be an indicator of a strong 2017 for real estate.

Of course to put it all in perspective, let’s go back to 2004. Wow, is the levels we’re headed back to? It shows us clearly how bad the economy and housing market has been the 10 years.

See how demand stacks up in each state:

January 22, 2017

Toronto Homes for Sale – Houses Condos Townhouses TREB MLS Private Listings

Buy a Home in Toronto, Canada

Most people from the US, UK or other countries like Toronto a lot. One thing for sure, they’re coming here to buy homes and property. The really smart ones will buy property. Because, property is really rare and can be more easily built to purpose.

Yet, the real demand is for homes. New homes are purchased very quickly in the Toronto area. They’re a rare find. While you can find new homes for sale in Mississauga, Newmarket, Aurora, Bradford, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, and Milton, an older home in an established neighbourhood provides the real comfort you’re seeking. The strong interest on my site for homes for sale in Bradford, Newmarket, Aurora, and Vaughan reveals that many Toronto homeowners are looking to sell their $1 Million dollar home and move north.

You won’t have any trouble selling your Toronto home. There are all cash buyers from countries around the world as well as buyers right here in Toronto. What you need help with is finding a new community and neighbourhood, and plan how you’ll invest the winfall from selling your home. The key is to find a good Realtor™ in Toronto to help guide your choice.

Check homes for sale in Toronto Right now at HomesforSaleGallery.ca – Full MLS Listings!

Where are Chinese/Asian Buyers Buying Homes?

I’d like to Welcome visitors from the Middle East, China, Malaysia, Germany, and Hong Kong. Your choice to invest in Canada and move here is good for you and good for us. Truth is, foreign investment in Canada is at an all time low and this is hurting our economy. An improving economy, lower Canadian dollar means you’re investing in property that will appreciate.

These problems will be resolved soon, as the US begins to bring jobs back to its country. Selling your home and buying one in Canada is wise – Canada will benefit from economic and cultural improvment in the US regeneration in the US. The US has had terrible troubles in the last few decades, but looks to be ready to climb out of their depressed state.

Canada is safe, healthy, and different races and nationalities get along together as well as in any country in the world. Let’s not forget that Canada is a capitalist country and it is competitive. Come here with an open-minded, entrepreneurial attitude and you’ll fit in nicely.

Toronto Real Estate Charts (from TREB)

Here’s what has happened throughout the greater Toronto region. Please see the homes for sale Newmarket, homes for sale Vaughan, homes for sale Mississauga, York Region, and homes for sale Bradford pages for more detailed insight.

Screen Capture courtesy of the Toronto Real Estate Board

What are The Best Neighbourhoods to Buy a Home in Toronto?

There’s no real answer to that question. I know people living across the greater Toronto region and each of them believe they live in the best neighbourhood. Your choice of where to buy a home here will be conditioned by where you want to work. Transportation routes aren’t good. I worked 30 km from my home and it was a 1 hour commute to work every day. When it snows, it’s worse.

A huge number of people work to downtown Toronto, which may appeal to you if you’re from a crowded city in China or Hong Kong. There are a lot of existing condos and many new ones being built. I have friends from Hong Kong and China who live well north of Toronto in Bradford, Aurora, Newmarket. Have a look! They’ve purchased large detached homes and they enjoy the more rural lifestyle with clean air and very good schools for their kids.

Cities such as Newmarket, Vaughan, Milton, Oshawa are in very high demand. Homes in some Toronto districts are pricey, but likely not out of your range. If you can spend $2 million+, the area of King City and King township may interest you. This is where the wealthy are moving to. Magna International is an auto parts manufacturer in the area. This company is set to explode in growth due to its supply of parts for self-driving cars. Magna’s new headquarters will be in King township (north of Vaughan, west of Aurora)

If you have a modest budget, homes in Bradford, Orangeville, Stouffville, Keswick may have the least expensive prices for detached homes. For find condos for sale, Mississauga and North York are your best choices. Toronto and Mississauga are large cities and there are condos for sale across them.

If you need help with finding Toronto homes for sale, and advice on buying a home in Toronto, please Contact my business partner Damir Strk (homesforsalegallery.ca) for reliable, trusted assistance. His experience with the Toronto and Mississauga real estate market will be a big asset for you as a buyer or real estate investor.

Realty Posts: When should I Sell My House? | RETS IDX | Zillow Home Search | First Time Home Buyers | Canadian Home Buyers Guide

December 9, 2016February 21, 2018

Luxury Real Estate in Costa Rica | Luxury Homes in Paradise

Where to Buy Costa Rica Real Estate

Where is the best place to invest in real estate for long term gain or for retirement? There’s plenty of cities in the US to retire comfortably with growth potential, but you’d have to wonder if there is any better potential than Costa Rica Real Estate.

This paradise is on everybody’s travel bucket list. More than 2 million travelers vacation in Costa Rica each year and many would like to retire there.

If I’m first to introduce you to this exciting real estate investment opportunity called Costa Rica, then that’s wonderful. If you can afford a property here, you’ll enjoy and likely make a good return on your investment. Prices here have matured, but there are still opportunities in land, condo developments and single properties. You only need a good adviser.

And while Costa Rica seems perfectly suited to everyone, it is perhaps the wealthy who are most likely to live here. As you can see in these photos of luxury homes in Costa Rica below, the wealthy have arrived. Luxury homes and condos continue to be built and they represent quite an investment opportunity for those capable of taking the plunge.

Investing in any foreign country carries risk, but the risk is perhaps least in Costa Rica. The country is politically stable, immigration and investment positive, and taxes are low. It’s a compelling place to invest.

Finding market data and reliable source of information on the investment climate in Costa Rica is the challenge. There are real estate brokers and investment firms that can advise you on buying property here. One of the most well known is Viva Tropic. Viva Tropic produces a report that you’ll find helpful. This graphic from the report gives a breakdown of prices by property type to give you an idea. As you peruse the listings, you’ll get a better picture of what’s available and where. They have quite a collection on their website.

What Do Luxury Homes in Costa Rica Look Like?

As you can see below, they’re beautiful structures and living spaces in a style and architecture befitting this magnificent paradise. And the variety including houses in countryside, seaside mansions or fine urban condos, many with unparalleled views means you can find a place you like. I’m sure your vision of this former third world country will be shattered.

Is 2017 the best year to buy rental income property in the last 10 years? The best investments in 2017 are likely in rental income properties. Have you compared investing in the stock market vs real estate.

Okay, so there is your taste of incredible luxury homes in Costa Rica. Here is a variety of realtors and advisors websites to peruse and learn more.

Viva Tropical: vivatropical.com download their 194 page guide http://cdn.vivatropical.com/costa-report.pdf

Newspaper article from 3 years ago for perspective: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/mortgages-and-rates/looking-to-buy-a-tropical-paradise-here-are-5-property-markets-primed-for-growth/article14989189/?page=all

Costa Rica Investment: https://www.propertiesincostarica.com/invest.html

The Costa Rican News: http://thecostaricanews.com/2015-costa-rica-real-estate-forecast-where-you-should-invest-in-the-land-of-pura-vida/

2CostaRica’s home listings: http://www.2costaricarealestate.com/All_Listings/page_1363157.html

International Living’s page on Cost Rica: https://internationalliving.com/real-estate/costa-rica/

How to become a resident of Costa Rica: http://www.therealcostarica.com/residency_costa_rica/costa_rica_residency.html

Moving to Costa Rica: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/livingabroadin/living_abroad_in_costa_rica_moving.shtml

7 Best Places to Live in Costa Rica: http://www.expatexchange.com/ctryguide/4362/33/Costa-Rica/Expat-Costa-Rica-Best-Places-to-Live-in-Costa-Rica

Palms Realty Brokers in Costa Rica: https://palmsrealtycr.com/buy-costa-rica-real-estate/

Prestige MLS Costa Rica, amazing listings: http://www.prestige-mls.com/

Property Tax Rates in Costa Rica: http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Latin-America/Costa-Rica/Taxes-and-Costs

November 12, 2016September 6, 2017

America. Sell That Home!! Moving on to a Better Life

Housing Market 2017 – It’s Time to Sell

The housing market is ripe and 2017 is the year of the home seller across the US and some cities in Canada. It’s an amazing thing that so many home owners who have sacrificed the best years of their lives, toiling at their jobs for decades, buying a property so modestly, are now going to be rewarded royally from the housing market in 2017.

Okay, maybe not that rich, but you’re doing okay:) pic courtesy of diceybrown.com

The housing market lottery: Some of you will receive 100% to 300+% of what you paid for your property if you sell this year. That’s like winning a lottery. And the fun won’t stop anytime soon. You’ve got lots of options, beginning with how you’ll sell your home to what you’ll do with the rest of your life such as travel, move to a warm climate, and complete your bucket list.

The real estate market 2017 is very bright in many cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, New York and Vancouver. For sellers that is. With a historically unprecedented lack of housing supply and strong employment and income growth, buyers will be willing to pay very high homes prices at zip codes all over.

If you’re hoping to sell your home in 2017, you should read my post on selling over asking price and why selling your home now is wise. There’s plenty of other reasons to sell your home and sell it at the highest price possible.

Good Things Happen When You Sell and Move onto Your Ideal Life

I like the story of homeless Louise Gourley who went from rags to riches, got tired of the grind, sold her house and went and helped the poor. A richer life is waiting anyone who wants it. And you’ll likely be able to live your dream comfortably. Read Louise’s story on the Sunday Post. I like happy stories.

Your Buyer’s Want the Best Growth in Equity

Don’t forget that property investors will also be bidding on your home or condo this year. The outlook for rental property is extremely positive. First time buyers face challenges in gathering a downpayment and qualifying for a mortgage when home prices are rocketing. If the Trump administration should infuse further life into the economy and housing market, it should ease home prices. Rather than hoping for the best home sales price, why not plan for your sale?

You have other options for selling a home if you want the maximum price. And that premium on the price might be well worth it. Realtors aren’t your only option. You can hire a digital marketer and a real estate lawyer to market your home. It might take a little more effort, but you’ll likely save quite a bit of money and get a higher sales price.

Keep your mind open about getting the best price or staying even with the Realtor’s market assessment of your property. That’s all out the window these days. Your home is worth what you can make others believe it’s worth. It’s all marketing and the selling price is yours to choose (when you carry out a powerful marketing and sales strategy). While it may be wise to use Realtors, they often boast about BIG marketing campaigns, but as a digital marketer in real estate, I can tell you most spend very little. Dig deep to discover exactly what they’re going to do for you.

Your house and property are an investment, your most important financial investment, so don’t burden the buyer with demands. It’s their money. Sell it for maximum value, let it go and move on.

Which City has the Best Home Prices?

Before you sell, you need somewhere to go – to choose a city or country where you can buy cheap once again (deja vu?). You could retire in Costa Rica or some other heavenly tax free country. Wouldn’t that be nice! Or you could check out cities in Arizona, Utah, Florida, Texas, or Oregon, or perhaps the Okanagan in Canada. These places are popular too.

Ideas: With your own home solar power system, you would likely be creating your electric power for free. Living off the grid is something many babyboomers are becoming interested in. Solar power technology is just one exciting entrepreneurial opportunity you can pursue if you’re business minded and want to keep busy too.

Top 25 Cities to Retire in the US.

Take a good look at this list of 25 great cities to retire to. If you’re an Internet or social media entrepreneur, you might find them ideal to work from too!

This list is compiled from Forbes Annual List of best places to retire. I’ve added in estimated average income and zip codes so you can accelerate your own home search.

	US City	State	Average Home Price	Estimated per capita income in 2013:	Zip Code
1	Abilene	TX	$142,000	$21,032	79563
2	Ashville	NC	$206,000	$29,195	28704
3	Athens	GA	$139,000	$17,534	30605
4	Blacksburg	VA	$235,000	$18,618	24060
5	Boise	ID	$175,000	$28,479	83616
6	Bowling Green	KY	$138,000	$20,116	42101
7	Cape Coral	FL	$190,000	$47,767	33903
8	Casper	WY	$245,000	$31,475	82609
9	Colorado Springs	CO	$225,000	$29,030	80829
10	Columbia	MO	$159,000	$26,994	65202
11	Fargo	ND	$176,000	$27,622	58047
12	Great Falls	MT	$172,000	$25,015	59401
13	Huntsville	AL	$174,000	$29,399	35649
14	Lexington	KY	143000	$28,924	40361
15	Lincoln	NE	$155,000	$25,745	68430
16	Logan	UT	153000	$16,572	84321
17	Mesa	AZ	$200,000	$23,771	85021
18	Oak Grove	OR	$279,000	$29,019	97267
19	Pittsburgh	PA	$133,000	$28,176	15201
20	Port Charlotte	FL	$147,000	$21,950	33948
21	Raleigh	NC	$213,000	$31,145	27587
22	Rochester	MN	$168,000	$33,894	59901
23	San Angelo	TX	$189,000	$24,293	76903
24	San Marcos	TX	$198,000	$16,087	78658
25	Tucson	AZ	$174,000	$19,669	85701

Get Creative Minded and Build Your Vision

Let’s hope you’re not making the decision now after divorce, serious health issues, or big debt. That’s what happens when you wait too long. When the time has come, you must act and sell your home. Don’t hang on for a few more years to get a few thousand more dollars. Take the gift you’ve been given by the economy now.

If you don’t know how to research and plan for such a future, find a professional with enthusiasm and talent for that sort of thing and hire them. Giving you focus to your future, inspiring you, and helping you smooth over the rough spots is well worth the fee. It’s an investment in you and your spouse and family. Don’t be traditional — get a solution that works today. The roles for advisors, marketers, and enablers have changed. You’re the master. Go with your intuition — it’s likely right on the mark.

The millennials who want to buy your home are looking for certain things besides the lowest price. Don’t forget to improve your home before putting it up for sale. Staging isn’t enough when your goal is to sell it in a bidding war from hungry buyers who are all in to your marketing presentation. You’ll discover the power of real estate marketing. Good luck with your sale and if you seriously want to get the best price – I’m the guy who can introduce your home to the world and make it look like a mansion.

Learn more about the housing market in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, St Louis, Minneapolis, Green Bay, Charlotte, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Kelowna, Aurora, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Malibu, San Jose, Sacramento, Mountainview, Palo Alto, Portland, Washington, Atlanta, Irvine, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Riverside, Glendale, Oceanside, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, Santa Clarita, Redmond, Kansas City, St Louis, Stockton, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Indianapolis, Columbus, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Fort Worth, Chula Vista, Escondido, and Honolulu.

November 5, 2016February 21, 2018

Sell Your Home Now – This is the Best Time!

Selling Your Home at the Top of the Market is Wise

So many babyboomers and Gen Xers are sitting on a fortune right now. Some own houses that have average value of over $1 million and they don’t need to buy lotto tickets.

If you’re stuck and feeling as though there’s no way you can cash out of the real estate lottery, you should be talking to a realtor who has ideas about selling your house for a fortune and helping you relocate.

In this post, I reiterate why you need to sell, and offer some ideas on how you can manage this very fortunate transition in your life.

The housing market doesn’t offer opportunities like this very often. Almost never. So good advice is to look into selling right now. Don’t hesitate because if your local market crashes, your once in a lifetime opportunity – you lose. Get out before the tidal wave of listings begin. Markets that rise this fast are vulnerable to a crash.

In Toronto in particular, we could be looking at a burst bubble. Last summer the banks were sounding the Toronto housing crash alarm and with the quickening pace of prices in the GTA this year, home sellers should be ready to pull the trigger.

I have friends and relatives sitting on these fortunes and some are preparing to sell. They’re on the hunt for rental properties or moving onto new builds in other cities. In the grand scheme, this is such a smart personal move. The $200k to $600k profit they will make on their home sale, it would take them 10 years to earn that money in their jobs. 10 years of hard labor.

Buy low and sell high.

That’s traditional wisdom in real estate investment, and it still works today whether you live in Miami, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco or Los Angeles. The cycles of the housing market undulate like a roller coaster ride at Disneyland, and are we nearing the plunge (crash forecast) in a few markets?

The housing markets in Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco are seriously overheated and a plunge in 2017 might not be so exhilarating or good for your personal wealth. Selling now in these markets might be the wisest financial decision you’ll ever make. You’ve got a short term where you can market your home online and build demand, perhaps even to get over asking price.

Some babyboomers bought their houses in the 70’s and 80’s and are now cashing in for 1000% profit. No one could foresee that kind of return, nor would any of them know they would be so incredibly wealthy from selling that property when they bought it in the 70s or 80s.

Do you need a professional, reliable realtor to help you prepare and sell your home? Contact me so I can connect with a good one with experience and a passion for selling.

Sharing is good for your social health. Pass this post onto your friends and neighbors. Buying and selling is serious business and they need the facts!

Mike Wall has the right idea and has a guide to help you do the right thing – convert your equity on paper to real cash

How Could You Engineer Such a Feat?

It’s easy, and here’s 7 alternatives that can help you cash on what was a great ride in the realty market and now your maximum payoff in 2017.

Move Somewhere else Cheap for a Year or Two. Just rent in those towns, (12 to 24 months is $18000 to $40,000) and get ready to buy or custom buid your next home when the market falls.
Sell and use some of the funds to renovate your parent’s old place to create an income suite. Live in the income suite for a couple of years. You’ll break even and you’ll be ready to do a custom build somewhere cheaper.
Check Your Weight, Blood Pressure and Stress Levels: look at how stressful and stagnant yours and your family’s life has become — it is worth it to keep on paying down a mortgage when you’re passing by an opportunity to profit in the hundreds of thousands – get a quote from a realtor about intelligent renovations and staging – let’s fatten this one for market and save your health (later on, you’ll recognize the toll your life as put on your health).
Can you believe some places have Tax Free living?

Move to Costa Rica or Belize – these countries require you to have an income of more than $3000/month (or a big bank account which you’ll have). Consider how much fun you and your kids are going to have – unaparalelled experiences, once in a lifetime thrills and fulfillment.
Sell and move to a rural area – locations inland from LA, San Diego are amazing, as is central British Columbia, Muskoka and Haliburton, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington State and Colorado, upstate NY or in the Adirondacks, or how about near Phoenix? I wouldn’t mind some sunshine and warming heat to bask in. There’s a life of excitement, zest, passion and fulfilling experience that could be yours. You just need to make the decision.
Build a custom home way out past the burbs and build in a rental income suite and get your next mortgage paid! The renter could pay a good portion of your home loan and you’ll have plenty for a better education and travel experiences for your kids, not to mention a bigger yard for them to make every day fun.
Sell your home, leave your job and start a new business. How about starting a new online business now that you’ll have the cash resources to make it go? You could use my digital marketing services to help market your home persuasively and for over asking price, then use my services to build your business and make it soar. You could even live on Google Adsense revenue like I do! Let’s have crazy fun making videos and starting businesses in fun markets anywhere in the world!

Even More Reasons to Sell Your Home Now

Yes, there’s more reasons to sell your home now. Perhaps you’re getting older and the commute to work is taking its toll on your health. This is no small matter. There’s lots of talk about telecommuting as traffic worsens everywhere, but guess what? Despite rising costs like car insurance and gasoline, no one’s telecommuting.

Barb Schwarz book on staging during a down market will be handy if you’re deciding to wait a while:)

Perhaps you need to begin thinking about fulfilling your dreams while you’re still young enough? Maybe markets outside Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle or Boston have excellent low priced homes at rock bottom prices that are about to start going upward on the price curve?

Accelerate your Family wealth. If you sell, you can give a portion of the proceeds to your kids, perhaps tax free, and let them invest in income generating property and pay off their mortgages.

Dark Thoughts – consider whether the economic fundamentals in both Canada and the US can sustain price growth and whether the next administration will tank the US economy. In my Los Angeles housing forecast and US home price forecast, I pointed out how strong economic factors will likely prevail. In fact, things are good which means buyers are optimistic and willing to buy. You need a buyer that’s motivated to pay you top price. If you wait too long, you may be stuck. New housing construction is on the rise.

Buyers are Hoping, Waiting and Voting for a Market Crash – A huge and growing market of Millennials want to buy a home but prices and mortgage rules are making that impossible. They are waiting for the market to semi-crash so they can afford to buy.

Poor Market Awareness – The problem with the way most people buy and sell is that they don’t anticipate trends or respond to them fast enough We’re not economists, and even they haven’t been that accurate in the past. It’s unlikely you’ll ever get a better price for your home in markets such as Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, the Bay Area, Boston, Seattle, or Toronto. Although you’re probably getting sentimental about leaving your neighborhood, the rewards and benefits of moving on with your life are many. A new life in a location far from the aggravation, congestion, noise and smog of the city can revitalize your life.

If you’re a babyboomer wondering about the quality of your years ahead, that curiosity or doubt should be sufficient warning.

The fact is, tens of millions of babyboomers and Gen Xers right now are weighing the value and opportunity of selling and putting a new emphasis on quality of life. You’re not alone.

Is 2017 the right year to purchase rental income property? Find out more about the best investments in 2017 including investing in real estate.

This Golden Opportunity Will Pass

Consider how the plunge of oil prices affected those in Calgary, Edmonton, Dallas, Houston, and North Dakota and how they saw their big investment plummet in value becoming a terminal debt sentence rather than a return on investment.

When the market is high, be smart, cash in and enjoy the results. Move onto a new exciting home and business life where you follow your passions and enter a new phase of learning and growth. Your family will thank you for it.

Real Estate Leads for Realtors in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, New York, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, St Louis, Minneapolis, Green Bay, Charlotte, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Oshawa, Hamilton, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Calgary, Kelowna, Mississauga, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Malibu, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Oceanside, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, Santa Clarita, Henderson, Mesa, Temecula, Kirkland, Redmond, Kansas City, St Louis, Stockton, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Indianapolis, Fort Worth, Chula Vista, and Escondido.

GordCollins.com – Exceptional Marketing Services for Real Estate Agents

September 20, 2016February 26, 2018

Online Home Valuation for Homeowners

Market Value Appraisal for Homeowners

Well, if you’re reading this blog, then you may be considering selling your home, and the market appraisal is one of the first tasks to get done. You’re wondering “what will we get for our old place anyway?” And then that will beg your next question: how do we increase the selling price of the home?

mjs-house — A Beautiful Home with incredible character, but was once a condemned property. The best house in the neighborhood by far, but will it be appraised as such?

Welcome, and I hope you’ll surf around and learn all about choosing a great real estate agent and getting the best results, in terms of price, professionalism, and moving onto the next phase of your life.

The essence of real estate is feeling good and finding the very best lifestyle for you. Having a home appraised well is key to establishing the right selling price. And it’s the funds you’ll be starting with on this next exciting phase of your life.

Were you aware that you can actually get a free home market evaluation online? See the one below from Zillow. Or, you can do a Google search for [Realtor + market evaluation] and find a realtor who is interested in providing that service for you.

What’s so nice about about using Google to explore real estate topics, such as finding reputable realtors who are motivated and fun to work with, is that this is part of your journey. Google is making it easier, giving you endless education and insight into the real estate world.

If a Realtor ranks at the top of the results, it’s a good sign they want to work with you. It’s not easy to appear at the top of Google search results so you know they’re confident, put the hard work into it, and want to be successful. That desire for success is a good sign, not a sign of greed.

I Want to Get the Best Price Possible for my Home

And you should get the best price. That home and property represent a lot of daily toil on your part for year on end. Never forget that. Don’t give away value you created. You worked hard for years to make your mortgage payments and it is your investment. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you want to sell it for maximum price, you’ll want to use a realtor who has a habit of selling homes for over asking price. In today’s market, you’ll probably get it.

Thinking about Selling your California home and hiring a California Real estate agent in 2017? Check out the real estate predictions for the US, and forecasts for apartment rentals and home construction in San Francisco, San Diego housing outlook and predictions for home sales in Los Angeles.

Preparing for the Maximum Selling Price

You’ll need a realtor and perhaps a renovation/designer to determine what could be fixed up to create an even better price and be sure to get it sold fast. The speed of the sale might save you some misery.

Once you get a ball park figure or Zestimate®, you’ve got a good number to work with. Realtors criticize Zillow mostly because they’re such an aggressive competitor online. Their Zestimate® tool is a little off the mark, sometimes low by $20,000 or more. Yet as Zillow collects more information on homes across the US and Canada, they’ll become more accurate. But this number is just a number to rally on. You can raise the value of your home with your realtor’s advice and help. Appraisals are often based on comparables which could be the wrong comps, so you may want to go out and carefully find your own comparables to show the buyers the real value.

How do I Raise the Value of my Property?

Now you’ve got your base price often based on comparables in your neighborhood. What can you upgrade that’s worth doing? Homeowners tend to be way too passive about fixing the place up, as doing so could raise the selling price considerably, especially if your realtor manages to bring in a boatload of buyers who might compete for it. It’s the simple pleasure/pain response. It may be very effective to get rid of everything that could offend or turn off the buyer, such as dirty toilets, broken light switches, dirty stained carpet, or some of your old nostalgic art items.

A Los Angeles Real Estate agent gives some insight into appraisers and how appraisals will affect what buyers might be willing or able to offer for your home.

Here’s 10 of the Best Ways to Raise and Get your Asking Price

Fix/Renovate the Bathroom – Home buyers want all memories and evidence that you lived there gone. The bathroom is a sensitive topic and they likely want the fixtures like the toilet, basin, shower replaced. Freshening it up with new fixtures tells them it is clean and ready to be used.

Fix the Roof – If there’s any signs the roof has had it, they will not even give you a bid. Here’s an opportunity to get rid of the old shingles and put in new solar shingles to create added value for them. Free hydro could be very excited for them.

Open Concept Kitchen – Just knocking down the walls could open up the buyer’s mind to the warmth of your kitchen. Most buyers insist on a kitchen/living room connection so try to make that happen. Don’t buy new appliances, just look for some cheap used ones that still look good. Replace the obvious stuff that hints of poor hygiene such as grimy looking countertops, worn kitchen sinks and faucets.

Get Rid of the Old and Broken – Old just means old style, and items that have no relevance to the life they’re going to live. Although you love your statue, antique furniture, or old small deck, they might really turn your buyer off. Broken things could get your appraisal reduced by $500. Just one broken faucet or wall socket that doesn’t work could cost you $5k in appraised price because appraisers work in $500 increments.

Improve Exterior Features – Put in some exterior lighting, LED, for security reasons and for aesthetics. The lights warm things up and create an evening presence that would otherwise be cloaked in dreary, scary blackness.

Try some New Window Shades – These are an inexpensive upgrade that can pick the windows up and help block bright sunlight and give privacy. These buyers don’t know the neighbors yet.

Remove Dirty Carpets – replace them with the new cheap linoleum based engineered flooring. It looks like wood, feels like wood and it’s easy to keep clean. Make cleanliness a theme if it suits your ideal selling strategy.

Improve whatever the Realtor tells is wrong with most of the houses in your Neighborhood – If your house is the only one that doesn’t have the common problem, it will give them an emotional lift.

Make sure your top home Feature really Stands Out – there’s no point in going half way with the best thing about your home. If it’s got a rooftop deck for instance, make sure it looks like something they will be compelled to use. A rooftop deck or pool or large ensuite bathroom that they won’t use much is actually a waste. Everything being sold has a top benefit, so ensure this is 100% fantastic.

Have the Home Staged – having the right style, furnishings, and dressings for the intended buyer is important. Sorry, your style of furnishings only reduces the value. Appearance is so important, from the condition of the lawn to the art on the walls. Let the realtor’s home stager make the place look immaculate.

Then comes the issue of how to choose the right realtor. There are almost 2 million real estate sales people to select from.

Choosing the best realtor is important. Some are motivated and some are not. Some are optimistic, some are not. You need to take some time doing a search of the best on Google. Take the top ten you find in the search results and assess their skills, strengths and weaknesses

A good realtor will be very optimistic, encouraging, and imaginative about how to help you get the best home selling price. That’s perhaps the most important criteria you should consider. Please don’t treat this like it’s just another transaction, and that you’ll take whatever you can. Your realtor will be making a good commission on the sale. You can expect them to come up with a brilliant online marketing strategy to capture more and better prospective buyers for your home sale.

How does their online marketing presence look to you? Would you buy from them if you were about to buy? What about their website and the image they project? Does it seem to speak to you and put them in an exclusive class of quality realtors? Do they really look like they care? Is there much content on their website? Can you see anything about their character or personality? Of course, you can call a brokerage and take whoever is next on call, or you could interview whoever is willing to come to your home to be interviewed. Save some time and do a pre-screening of their website. Their website is a tell tale representation of their professionalism, skills, and commitment.

If you get a Good Real Estate Agent – Stay with Them

It’s an interesting statistic that most sellers don’t use the same realtor to help them buy the next property, even though they’re buying in the same city. Your selling realtor will be helping other buyers on other deals so why not you? Either you believe in your realtor or you don’t. Choose a great realtor and use them for everything.