LOW HANGING FRUIT FOR HOME BUYERS

Have you ever heard anyone talk about low hanging fruit? That is a phrase that refers to something that is easier to retrieve or get. As most of us know, it is certainly easier to get the pretty apple or peach that you can pick on the lower limbs of the tree than the fruit on the upper branches. Today, I want to speak about low hanging fruit for buyers and sellers of real estate. Obviously, it is not as easy to buy or sell a house than to pick an apple. However, these are some ways in my experience that are easier than some others.

LOW HANGING FRUIT FOR HOME BUYERS

If you are looking for motivated sellers of properties, here are some places where you can find them:

HOMES FOR RENT- Property owners who rent homes or apartments may have something for sale. They may be like a property owner I spoke to last week who is tired of the hassles of renting.

ESTATE SALES- When someone dies in a family, there is often a home that needs to be sold. You can find estate sales in classified ads in your local newspapers or on the internet. Though they may only be selling the contents at first, you can contact them about whether they will be selling a home. One caution: approach these persons with care and sensitivity as they are in the throes of the loss of someone they love.

CODE INSPECTORS- Your county or city code inspectors can also be a source of motivated sellers. They may know of properties with code violations where they have been unable to get the property owner to correct the problem. Check with these public officials. A reminder that the information they have is public information.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT CLUBS- REIA's are a place where you will sometimes find motivated sellers. It might not have anything to do with the property, but simply that the real estate investor needs to liquidate their assets for some reasons. Check the internet for the real estate investment club near you.

COMMUNITY HELPERS- Community helpers like mail carriers, pubic utility personnel, firefighters, etc. can also be a source of motivated sellers. For example, a homeowner might nto want to repair a home after a fire. A mail carrier might know that a person is getting ready to have to move into a nursing home.

REALTORS- Realtors can be a great source for finding motivated sellers. By checking out their MLS, they can easily find out which homes have recently been reduced in price, been on the market for 90 days or more, or are foreclosures.

Good luck in your search. These are a few ways for finding a property that might turn out to be the apple of your eye.- Randy Wall, Lora Lee Properties