You should always have a home inspection contingency in a real estate contract you sign to protect yourself from unforeseen problems with a property like termites, a leaky underground oil tank or major structural defects. In a hot real estate market where there is lots of competition between buyers, people often get frustrated are often tempted to cut corners just to win a bid and make a home purchase–this is a huge mistake that may come back to haunt you later. You have the most control in a transaction when you buy, if you waive the inspection contingency in real estate contract you sign, you may end up stuck purchasing a property with major problems that make the property uninhabitable […]
continue readingGerald Lucas was recently seen on NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX network affiliates around the country as an expert guest on the TV show, America’s PremierExperts® Jersey City, NJ – October 11, 2013 – Gerald Lucas, Managing Director of Performance Property, LLC., was recently featured on the hit TV show “America’s PremierExperts®” which aired on NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX network affiliates around the country. “America’s PremierExperts®” host Nick Nanton interviews the best business, marketing and financial minds from around the world. In the interview, Gerald described how he accidentally began his career as a real estate investor and how he has shared his knowledge and many years of experience with hundreds of his students throughout the United States and […]
continue readingReal estate is always a good investment if you know what you are doing regardless of whether the writer of this article says it’s the next hottest investment or not. Also, you should not use averages and macro trends like # of housing starts or # of new permits to make an individual real estate buying decision. There are people who make money and people who lose money in EVERY real estate market–you just want to make sure you are one of the former. The writer does give two good pieces of advice: 1) “Investors should should filter opportunities based on the project partner and project’s ability to generate yield & 2) investors should come in with an understanding that […]
continue readingHeadlines like RED HOT HOUSING MARKETS are compelling and attention-grabbing, but it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that banks are still saddled with tons of foreclosures and pre-foreclosure properties. Because there are still so many homeowners upside down on the mortgages or behind on their mortgage payments, banks are deliberately manipulating housing inventories giving the impression that a housing recovery is happening. Ultimately, income drives everything and a long sustained housing recovery is not going to happen until the economy and people’s incomes start rising again. Do your homework and get intimately familiar with your local real estate market because every residential real estate market is different—each local market has its own property characteristics, its own regulations […]
continue readingThe thought of writing a hardship letter sometimes causes fear and anxiety in homeowners, but it’s really quite simple and if written properly, a good hardship letter can help a homeowner make a powerful case to their lender. Certain elements written into your hardship letter can help make your case to the bank while others can hurt your chances of getting a short sale approval. Here are 7 tips to writing a persuasive hardship letter:
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