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Becoming an Interior Designer

By
PhillipHatchett
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Interior Designer or Interior Decorator?

People often romanticize the work of an interior designer with the misleading notion that the work consists solely of picking out colors and fabrics for a room. These duties are a bit closer to interior decorating. But an interior designer has an array of responsibilities that include both those of an interior decorator as well as more complex jobs. They include light management, space planning, color coordination, providing estimates that fit a budget, and subcontracting the fabrication and installation of flooring, light fixtures, draperies, paint and wall coverings, furniture, and so on.

An increasing number of designers even take part in the architectural aspect of building of a home, so designers need to be able to read blueprints and possess a knowledge of building codes. It is desirable for an interior designer to have experience with CAD software and home design software in order to prepare blueprints or presentations for clients.

Training and Entry Requirements

Up until recent years there existed no accredited education programs for budding interior designers in the United States. Now there are a number of institutions with interior design programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. These programs typically run from two to five years and most often lead to an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. Coursework for these programs may include CAD, furniture design, color and fabrics, space planning, ergonomics, architectural courses, and even psychology.

Most interior designers opt to enter an apprenticeship after a formal education. During this time recent graduates work under the supervision of an experienced designer. This gives designers a chance to build a portfolio and learn the nooks and crannies of the business before going solo.

Interior designers can also choose to become certified by passing an exam administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). One must have both a formal education and work experience to even sit for the NCIDQ exam. The NCIDQ has defined six various routes that can be found on their site. Note that this certificate is a requirement for professional registration in 26 of the U.S. states and Canadian provinces that require licensing. You must also possess an NCIDQ certificate if you wish to become a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association, and other similar organizations.

Work Environment and Conditions

Interior designers most often work as a part of a larger design team or on a freelance basis, although some find work in architectural firms or home-furnishing stores. Clients range from individuals wanting to renovate their homes to corporations planning to open a new business location.

Building relationships with clients is an absolute must for any designer regardless of where he or she works since the main goal of an interior designer is to identify the wants and needs of a client and integrate them into both the aesthetics and function of the interior. This can lead to working on weekends or long hours in order to fit a client’s schedule.

Interior designers tend to travel from place to place quite a bit since much of their time is spent on-site discussing plans with clients and overseeing contracted work. But interior designers actually spend the majority of their time in the office.

Note that designers often work under stress since they constantly juggle deadlines and budgets.

Earnings

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wages for interior designers were $44,950 as of May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between The lowest 10 percent earned $27,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,750.

Give Interior Design a Try

Designing interiors is a fulfilling job that allows one to express his or her creativity, but it is by far not for everyone. Those wishing to become interior designers are encouraged to try themselves at interior design before making the decision to enroll at a design institute. You can do this by designing the interior of your own home or getting acquainted with home design software. If you find that interior design is for you, then embrace yourself for a worthwhile career and jump in head first!

 

Interior Design Vs Interior Decorating Vs Home Staging Vs Interior Redesign – What’s the Difference?

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

The other day a real estate agent whose listings I stage for sale introduced me to someone as a “designer”. I didn’t want to take the time to correct him, but I thought to myself, “This isn’t the first time I’ve heard people use ‘designer’ erroneously. It’s often used to label someone who’s an interior decorator. So, why does everyone lump us all in one category, when we all clearly do something different?”

To put the differences succinctly:

  • Interior Design involves, among many other things, the preparation of documents often by a licensed professional for the construction of an interior space such as plans and elevations, and details and specifications, including lighting, power and communication locations, materials and finishes, and furniture layouts.
  • Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space, such as fabrics, wall coverings, furniture, decorative accessories, flooring, light fixtures etc., and takes into account the lifestyle, taste, needs and preferences of the user of the space. While interior designers may decorate, interior decorators don’t design.
  • Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and “decorating” so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
  • Interior Redesign is often done by home stagers for homeowners not currently selling because it employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Now, let’s explore each one more in-depth.

Interior Design

According to the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ):

  • Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment.
  • These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive.
  • Designs are created in response to and coordinated with thebuilding shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project.
  • Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.
  • The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is the leading organization for interior design professionals. Certain levels of its members must meet certain education, work experience and examination requirements administered by the NCIDQ. Further, some states have licensing requirements for interior designers which include the passage of this exam. ASID also has continuing education requirements for its members.

Interior Decorating

No wonder people often confuse Interior Decorating with Interior Design. Even I had trouble finding a definition for Interior Decorating. Often it said “see interior design”.

Perhaps its best to understand interior decorating as it exists in contrast to interior design:

  • An interior decorator would select floor coverings based upon the tastes and lifestyle of the client, whereas the interior designer would take it a step further and look at usage, sound transference, flammability, etc.
  • An interior decorator would select lighting fixtures, whereas the interior designer would plan for the location of lighting and ensure that it is in compliance with building and safety codes.
  • An interior decorator does not need to have any formal education and/or work experience, testing or licensing, whereas an interior designer does.

Home Staging

Home staging is the art and science of preparing a home for sale so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers in order to sell quickly and for top dollar. The objective is to make the potential buyer fall in love with the home, envision themselves living there and aspire to the lifestyle the home portrays.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association’s Consumer’s Guide to Home Staging, it is a “systematic and coordinated methodology in which knowledge of real estate, home renovations and creative design principles are applied to attract a buyer.”

Home staging involves any or all of the following:

  • Evaluating what furniture and decorative accessories (throw pillows, artwork, decorative objects, lamps, knickknacks, etc.) the owner has, and:

– eliminating some of the furniture and/or decorative accessories, otherwise known as decluttering as well as depersonalizing (removal of family photos, trophies, collections etc. so the buyer can envision living there)

– arranging the furniture and accessories for optimal placement to enhance flow (the ability to walk freely through the room), focal point enhancement (e.g., emphasizing a fireplace or a beautiful view), balance (are there too many or too large pieces in the bookcase or on only one side of the room?) and the positive aspects of the home while downplaying the negatives

  • Carefully selecting for purchase or rent, if necessary, the appropriate furniture and accessories for the style of the home and it’s market.
  • Recommending, implementing and/or arranging for enhancements, updates and repairs such as painting, flooring, sink fixtures, lighting fixtures, window treatments, landscaping, etc.

Interior Redesign

As stated above, interior redesign is like home staging, however it enhances the home for the homeowners rather than for potential buyers. And it does so with an eye towards its future sale. It is like home staging in that it primarily uses the client’s existing furniture and decorative accessories to transform the space, and may also involve the purchase of additional furniture and accessories as well as updates to the wall colors, window treatments, lighting fixtures etc.

Summary

To summarize the differences:

  • Interior Design involves the planning of all aspects of interior space often by a licensed professional.
  • Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space. Interior designers may decorate, but interior decorators don’t design.
  • Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and showcasing so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
  • Interior Redesign employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

 

The Use and Symbolism of Buddhas in Gardens

By
PhillipHatchett
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Buddhas in Gardens

Statues and images of the Buddha have been placed in the grounds of temples and gardens since ancient times and gardening has strong associations with Buddhism:

It is believed that;

The Soil of the garden represents the fertile ground of Buddha’s Mind. A Sangha (Pali for Buddhist community) is the same as community of plants in the garden. Dhamma (teachings of the Buddha) is the expression of wisdom that is in the Temple – Garden.

If a garden can be regarded as a mind then:

Paths represent the ways to enlightenment. The soil represents the state of our own internal Karma. It’s planting represents fertile and blossoming ideas. The changing seasons represent of the changing moods of the mind. Eastern tradition also suggests that the Buddha should not face south, as this is associated with Yama, a Hindu god and judge of the dead. North is the preferred direction when placing Buddha statues in the garden.

Buddhist gardens

Pure Land Buddhism

The making of Buddhist gardens in Japan was inspired by Pure Land Buddhism movement which originally came from China. It has as its centre piece the Mandala showing the Buddha with a temple and a garden – it has inspired the making of gardens with equivalent symbolism.

Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism believes that by making a fine garden can contribute to enlightenment and contentment. This requires skill, artistic judgement and a deep understanding of nature combined with constant attention. So gardening can be a deemed a religious activity.

They should generally have:

  • A beautiful place for sitting quietly or for meditation.
  • Numerous Paths for the practice of walking meditation.
  • A lotus pool containing a Buddha statue.
  • A place for the feeding of fish, birds or animals.

Ten of the World’s Most Beautiful Buddhist Gardens

1. Totekiko Temple Gardens, Kyoto Japan

Totekiko is one of the five gardens at the Ryogen,Temple Kyoto, Japan. It was laid in 1958, and is said to be the smallest Japanese rock garden. It is a small enclosed garden, composed of attractive simple boulders placed on raked sand. These rocks are surrounded by concentric gravel circles and are connected by parallel ridges and furrows. The garden briefly receives the sun at around noon each day, and it is sometimes covered by snow in the winter. The garden represents a Zen saying, that the harder a stone is thrown in, the bigger the ripples will be.

The temple also includes three other gardens, Isshi-dan, Koda-tei, and Ryogin-tei – which is a moss covered garden which is claimed to be the oldest in Daitoku-ji.

2. Imperial War Museum Peace Garden, London UK

This beautiful and peaceful area is located in the park in front of the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth. The garden aims to encourage world peace and promote non violence. Its Tibetan name translates as “The Garden of Contemplation”. The design and decoration uses many Buddhist symbols. A tall pillar has in four languages the Dalai Lama’s message about the importance of choosing non-violence.

The garden’s layout is based on the eight spoke Buddhist Wheel representing the Noble Eightfold Path. There are eight stone seats in a circle representing the eight principles in the Noble Eightfold Path. When you sit here you can focus on the centre of the garden. Around the outside of the area is a trellis and plants from the Himalayas. This garden consciously represents the elements of Earth, Fire, Air and Water and the space is often visited by Tibetan Buddhist teachers when visiting London.

check: https://www.dailyrealestatestudy.com/the-use-and-symbolism-of-buddhas-in-gardens/

3. The Mahabodhi Temple Gardens, India

This temple is built at the actual place where the Buddha reached Enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi Tree. Almost all activity at the Temple takes place in the large garden surrounding this huge stone spire. This is full of tall, shady trees and little lawns, monuments and marigolds. The holiest place at the Mahabodhi Temple is outdoors under a Bodhi Tree. This Bodhi Tree has been grown from cuttings from a series of earlier Bodhi Trees, which came from the original Bodhi Tree under which Buddha sat and meditated 2,500 years ago. Buddhists from all over the world come to visit this sacred spot

Some people come and sit near the Bodhi Tree on their own and some come in groups of Buddhist pilgrims from the same country. Throughout the Mahabodhi Temple garden you see people worshipping. The Bodhi Tree itself is where all Buddhist meditation began. All around the Mahabodhi Temple you see people practicing Walking Meditation – walking slowly along the paths which lead round the Temple garden always doing so in a clockwise direction.

On the east side of the Temple is a beautiful Meditation Park having many winding paths for walking meditation and little marble platforms, where people can sit and meditate. This garden is filled with the sounds from thousands of brown mynah birds. On the south side of the Mahabodhi Temple is a large, rectangular Lotus Pool. In the centre of the pool is a statue of Buddha. The Lotus Pool is full of large catfish.

4. Ryoan-ji Temple Gardens – The Temple of the Peaceful Dragon, Kyoto Japan

This is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. The temple is one of the Historic Monuments of Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring a dry landscape rock garden. The dry landscape rock garden was built in the late 13th Century. It consists of raked gravel and fifteen moss covered boulders placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time.

5. Sigiriya Temple, Sri Lanka

This is a World Heritage Site and is sometimes said to have the oldest surviving garden in Asia. It was originally the garden of a residential palace later becoming the garden of a Mahayana Buddhist monastery. The present layout of Sigiriya is believed to date from in the 5th century AD.

6. Lumbini, India

This was the site of the Buddha’s birth. The site was re-discovered in 1896.The sacred pool had earth banks at the time of its re-discovery. It now has a paved margin and steps – but it remains a place of exceptional calm. The garden also includes a bathing tank of the Sakyas where the water is bright and clear as a mirror and its surface covered with a mixture of flowers. This is where the Bodhisattva was born. In 1997 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

7. Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery, Scotland

Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre is a Tibetan Buddhist complex located at Eskdalemuir, near Dumfries,Scotland. The Tara Healing Garden preserves and propagates medicinal herbs native to Tibet. The grounds feature a Garden of World Peace, an organic kitchen garden, with greenhouses a vinery, peach-house and a traditional herb garden (TaraHealingGarden) which preserves and propagates medicinal herbs native to Tibet. The garden is surrounded by woodland and arable land grazed by a herd of Yak.

8. Secret Buddha Garden, Ko Samui, Thailand

This beautiful spot on Ko Samui is one of the most important tourist attractions of Ko Samui. It was designed and built by a fruit farmer in 1976 called Nim Thongsuk, who was 77 when he started building the garden. This has also resulted in another name for the area – “Uncle Nimm’s Garden”. It is surrounded by jungles and rocky hills and is slightly difficult to find as it lies high on the mountain overlooking the island. The entire garden is filled with sculptures and statues depicting humans as well as various gods and Buddhas.

9. The Peace Pagoda and Peace Temple Gardens, Milton Keynes, UK

Founded by Nichidatsu Fujii, a Buddhist monk from Japan who worked with Gandhi on finding peaceful ways of opposing government’s wrongdoing. After the Second World War, he campaigned strongly against with nuclear weapons. He lived to be 100 and his movement built 80 Peace Pagodas and Peace Gardens all round the world. In the beautiful gardens surrounding the pagoda are a thousand cherry trees and cedars planted to remind us of the victims of all wars.

To left of the pagoda is a small Japanese garden of rocks, moss and bushes and a water lily pond full of carp and to the right of the Temple is a little moss garden. Behind the Temple is a typical Zen garden of rocks and gravel. Finally at the rear of the Zen garden is a stupa.

10. Wenshu Monastery Gardens, Chengdu, China

This Zen Buddhist monastery was built between 605 – 617 during the period of the Tang Dynasty and is the best-preserved temple in Chengdu. This Buddhist Temple is set within splendid landscaped gardens containing examples of religious Chinese architecture as well as a superb vegetarian restaurant.

The landscaped park within the Wenshu Monastery are very beautiful and serene and are beautifully maintained and clean and has many trees and shrubs as well as spectacular water features. The courtyards and gardens seem to melt into each other, making for a very quiet and contemplative environment.

 

Finding the Right Kind of Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures

By
PhillipHatchett
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Plumbing fittings include a wide assortment of plumbing hardware including pipes, faucets and the joints that connect these fixtures. It is important to install quality plumbing fittings in order to have an uninterrupted water supply and properly functioning drainage system.

Many people give more attention to internal plumbing fixtures while they ignore the basic plumbing fittings and pipelines that run underneath and alongside their house. They do not entirely realize the importance of having a safe and strong plumbing system. If the plumbing fittings are not working properly, it can lead to leakages. And if such leakages remain undetected, it can lead to wet walls and cracks in the concrete due to water seepage. The situation can weaken the foundation of your walls. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain a well functioning plumbing system.

Plumbing works need regular checkup and maintenance. Technically speaking, plumbing fittings are nothing but the objects used for connecting two or more pipes. There are different types of fittings available in the market and you should choose only those that are recommended for your plumbing fixtures and pipeline patterns.

If you plumbing system are made of copper piping, brass-bodied fittings would be a more suitable choice. However, the material used for making these fittings is most often made of the same base material as used in case of the pipes. The common metals used for constructing plumbing fixtures and fittings are steel, copper, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), and polyvinyl chloride or PVC.

Finding cheap and affordable plumbing equipments is not a really challenging task. You can begin your quest in your local plumbing supplies store. Common plumbing hardware stores usually offer pipes and fittings at a comparatively reasonable price than your plumber services or local plumbers would provide.

If you need to purchase plumbing equipments for your home, you should know the right size of these fittings and fixtures. You should know the correct measurement or the exact size of the pipe that has to be repaired or jointed using a new fitting. Further, you should be able to identify superior quality fittings from the cheaper ones. if you end up using cheap or used materials for your plumbing system, it will only pay way for more expenses in the form of repair and further maintenance.

So, the bottom line is, in order to ensure that your house is sealed with a high performing plumbing system; you should take the help of an expert. Only a professional plumber would know what kind of plumbing fittings or devices would work well for your pipeline system. A lot of reputed plumbing companies are also offering their services at reasonable rates. By and large, main plumbing supplies that are quite imperative at the time of construction includes sinks, faucets, bath tubs, showers, water heaters and dish washers. All of these items are available in the market in different varieties. There are countless sizes and shapes to choose from.

 

Hiring a Plumbing Contractor For Your New House

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

The term ‘contractor’ is used for a person indulged in the construction services. And construction includes building new structures, roads or dams as well as modifying or repairing the existing ones. Further the role is divided into different types of contractor depending on nature of construction work handled by them. For instance, if you are planning to build a new home, you would need services of building contractors, electrical contractors, remodeling contractors, painting contractors, plumbing contracts, landscapers etc. Plumbing contractor is a person who is involved with plumbing works like laying pipelines and fixing plumbing fittings like bath tubs, sinks, faucets, toilets etc.

You would need the services of a plumbing contractor at the time of building your new house as well as for maintenance of your old plumbing fittings. When you are constructing a new home, the amount of plumb work required is too comprehensive. You should discuss the plumbing requirements with your main contractor. He must have appointed a plumber for all the immediate plumbing needs like laying main pipes and fitting bathroom fixtures etc. however, if you wish to appoint a different plumbing contractor, then you can ask your building contractor to cooperate with your decisions. A plumbing contractor should work in close coordination with the building contractor. An Auckland plumber should have a clear idea about the building’s layout and foundation in order to create a proper foundation for underground plumbing fittings.

If your plumbing works are too extensive it would be wise to appoint a reputed plumbing contractor to oversea the entire plumbing division of your construction. However, finding a reliable contractor who can deliver you with quality plumbing fixtures and equipments is a challenging job. There are many factors to be considered before finalizing the contract with a plumbing service or company. You should not sign up the deal with the first plumbing service you come across. You should only hire the services of a reputed plumbing company or contractor who has years of experience to boast about.

You can search for feasible plumbing contractor in your locality by initiating a casual online search. There are online directories where you will find hundreds of plumbing services listed along with their contact numbers and address. You can enquire the nature of service and rates quoted by each of these contractors by placing a direct call.

If you have any specific demands you should discuss the same with a potential plumbing contractor before finalizing the agreement or paying the advance sum. Ideally, a plumber should accommodate his services as per your demands rather than thrusting his opinions on you. Further, he should be able to procure all the hardware requirements at cheaper rates. These contractors have connection with many hardware dealers, so it wouldn’t be tough for them to procure bulk orders at economic rates.

Finally, you should enquire about the past working history of your contractor. You can visit a few house owners with whom your contractor has worked with. This would give you a fair idea about the nature and quality of his service.

 

The Many Uses For Homeowner Loans Otherwise Known As Secured Loans

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

Two forms of loans are unsecured and secured.

Unsecured loans, as the names makes more than clear, require no form of security whatsoever, and as such are available to both those who do not own their own property, that is, tenants, and also to homeowners.

It has never been easy for tenants to obtain loans at any time in history.The main reason for this is that as these loans are not secured against any asset they are considered as a bit risky for the company advancing the unsecurd loan.

For homeowners unsecured loans were slightly easier to obtain, although the maximum loan was normally restricted to around £15,000 which is often not an adequate amount if the loan is required to fund a major purchase such as a motor home, or to pay for subtantial home improvemnts such as a conservatory, an extension, a swimming pool and so on.

Tenants have no option but the unsecured loan but for homeowners the situation is very dufferent as they also have the choice of homeowner loans.

Homeowner loans are only available to homeowners and they are an excellent way to fund almost anything. Homeowner loans are also called secured loans as they are secured on the equity of the property.

Unlike before the recession, homeowners cannot obtain a secured homeowner loan if there is no equity on the property.Equity is the difference between the value of the property and the balance left on the mortgage.

To give an example of the above, if a property is worth £200,000 and the mortgage is £190,000 the equity is in fact £10,000. Equity margins have been restricted nowadays and secured loans are only available at a maximum of 80% and 70% for employed and self employed borrowers respectively.

If a property is worth £300,000 and the mortgage balance is £200,000, the maximum available homeowner loan would be £40,000 if the applicant is employed and £10,000 for a self employed borrower.

Before the credit crunch 125% equity plans were available but only to employed borrowers with a good credit rating, and in those golden days of yore if a property was valued at £200,000 and the mortgage outstanding was £190,000 homeowner loans of up to a maximum of £60,000 were available.

Unsecured loans are more expensive than secured loans and homeowner loans have interest rates commencing at around the 9% mark.

As these loans are secured, lenders are not concerned about and never require proof of the purpose of the loan, unlike with unsecured loans.

With unsecured loans to be used say to buy and fit a new kitchen, it is not simply a matter of stating to the lender that you intend to buy a new kitchen as he will require proof in the shape of several estimates.

With homeowner loans it is only a matter of stating the purpose for the loan on the application form and no proof will be asked for, making this a simple way to borrow money.

With secured homeowner loans you will have cash in hand to obtain the best possible deal whether it is when buying a car, doing homeimprovements, etc.

One of the most common reasons for obtaining a homeowner loan is to consolidate credit cards, personal loans and hire purchase.With the interest rate for secured homeowner loans being so much lower than credit cards, etc. there are massive savings to be made, and in addition to saving money the homeowner will have only one payment to make each month compared to several making finances easier to handle.

The only really sensible way for a homeowner to obtain a loan is via the secured homeowner route and these loans can be used for any legitimate reason.

 

Real Estate Agents and the Internet – How to Buy and Sell Real Estate Today

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

Then and Now

Ten years ago, a search for real estate would have started in the office of a local real estate agent or by just driving around town. At the agent’s office, you would spend an afternoon flipping through pages of active property listings from the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). After choosing properties of interest, you would spend many weeks touring each property until you found the right one. Finding market data to enable you to assess the asking price would take more time and a lot more driving, and you still might not be able to find all of the information you needed to get really comfortable with a fair market value.

Today, most property searches start on the Internet. A quick keyword search on Google by location will likely get you thousands of results. If you spot a property of interest on a real estate web site, you can typically view photos online and maybe even take a virtual tour. You can then check other Web sites, such as the local county assessor, to get an idea of the property’s value, see what the current owner paid for the property, check the real estate taxes, get census data, school information, and even check out what shops are within walking distance-all without leaving your house!

While the resources on the Internet are convenient and helpful, using them properly can be a challenge because of the volume of information and the difficulty in verifying its accuracy. At the time of writing, a search of “Denver real estate” returned 2,670,000 Web sites. Even a neighborhood specific search for real estate can easily return thousands of Web sites. With so many resources online how does an investor effectively use them without getting bogged down or winding up with incomplete or bad information? Believe it or not, understanding how the business of real estate works offline makes it easier to understand online real estate information and strategies.

The Business of Real Estate

Real estate is typically bought and sold either through a licensed real estate agent or directly by the owner. The vast majority is bought and sold through real estate brokers. (We use “agent” and “broker” to refer to the same professional.) This is due to their real estate knowledge and experience and, at least historically, their exclusive access to a database of active properties for sale. Access to this database of property listings provided the most efficient way to search for properties.

The MLS (and CIE)

The database of residential, land, and smaller income producing properties (including some commercial properties) is commonly referred to as a multiple listing service (MLS). In most cases, only properties listed by member real estate agents can be added to an MLS. The primary purpose of an MLS is to enable the member real estate agents to make offers of compensation to other member agents if they find a buyer for a property.

This purposes did not include enabling the direct publishing of the MLS information to the public; times change. Today, most MLS information is directly accessible to the public over the Internet in many different forms.

Commercial property listings are also displayed online but aggregated commercial property information is more elusive. Larger MLSs often operate a commercial information exchange (CIE). A CIE is similar to an MLS but the agents adding the listings to the database are not required to offer any specific type of compensation to the other members. Compensation is negotiated outside the CIE.

In most cases, for-sale-by-owner properties cannot be directly added to an MLS and CIE, which are typically maintained by REALTOR associations. The lack of a managed centralized database can make these properties more difficult to locate. Traditionally, these properties are found by driving around or looking for ads in the local newspaper’s real estate listings. A more efficient way to locate for-sale-by-owner properties is to search for a for-sale-by-owner Web site in the geographic area.

What is a REALTOR? Sometimes the terms real estate agent and REALTOR are used interchangeably; however, they are not the same. A REALTOR is a licensed real estate agent who is also a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. REALTORS are required to comply with a strict code of ethics and conduct.

MLS and CIE property listing information was historically only available in hard copy, and as we mentioned, only directly available to real estate agents members of an MLS or CIE. About ten years ago, this valuable property information started to trickle out to the Internet. This trickle is now a flood!

One reason is that most of the 1 million or so REALTORS have Web sites, and most of those Web sites have varying amounts of the local MLS or CIE property information displayed on them. Another reason is that there are many non-real estate agent Web sites that also offer real estate information, including, for-sale-by-owner sites, foreclosure sites, regional and international listing sites, County assessor sites, and valuation and market information sites. The flood of real estate information to the Internet definitely makes the information more accessible but also more confusing and subject to misunderstanding and misuse.

Real Estate Agents

Despite the flood of real estate information on the Internet, most properties are still sold directly through real estate agents listing properties in the local MLS or CIE. However, those property listings do not stay local anymore. By its nature, the Internet is a global marketplace and local MLS and CIE listings are normally disseminated for display on many different Web sites. For example, many go to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Web site, http://www.realtor.com, and to the local real estate agent’s Web site. In addition, the listing may be displayed on the Web site of a local newspaper. In essence, the Internet is just another form of marketing offered by today’s real estate agent, but it has a much broader reach than the old print advertising.

In addition to Internet marketing, listing agents may also help the seller establish a price, hold open houses, keep the seller informed of interested buyers and offers, negotiate the contract and help with closing. When an agent provides all of these services it is referred to as being a full service listing arrangement. While full service listing arrangements are the most common type of listing arrangement, they are not the only option anymore.

Changes in the technology behind the real estate business have caused many agents to change the way they do business. In large part, this is due to the instant access most consumers now have to property listings and other real estate information. In addition, the Internet and other technologies have automated much of the marketing and initial searching process for real estate. For example, consumers can view properties online and make inquires via email. Brokers can use automated programs to send listings to consumers that match their property criteria. So, some agents now limit the services they offer and change their fees accordingly. An agent may offer to advertise the property in the MLS but only provide limited additional services. In the future, some real estate agents may offer services in more of an ala carte fashion.

 

Factors to Consider In Selling Your Home at Miami Real Estate

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

Planning to sell your home in Miami real estate? What have you done to your home before advertising it for sale?

Yes, you heard it right, what have you done to prepare your home before advertising it for sale. You have to plan and prepare before marketing or advertising your home for sale in Miami real estate. Since in preparing, you could sell your home faster and you will get the best deal out of your home. Definitely, this is what you want to happen, so you have to take time and effort in preparing your home before posting for-sale sign outside.

Hiring a real estate agent can be an option. The real estate agent can guide you in what you should do in preparing your home for sale. So it is really up to you if you prefer to hire one, but make sure to hire a real estate agent that can truly assist and guide you with your selling process. You can ask for recommendation in finding real estate agent.

Definitely, your real estate agent will let you fix and prepare your home and make it appealing enough for the buyers.

Check out your walls, windows and doors, does it look faded and unpleasing already? Why don’t you take time to repaint it? In repainting your home, make sure to use earth tone color such as cream, since cream can make a home look larger and bigger.

You have to look out every room of your home, clean each room and make it mess-free. Remove clutter. Remove equipments that are not necessary and usable in order to make your home spacious and cozy place to live in. Your main goal is to make buyers feel comfortable in your home; make them feel like they are the ones living at your home.

Check out the faucets and flash of the bathrooms, make sure that each is functioning well. If not, better to replace them with new ones.

Free your home from unpleasing odors. Clean up the carpets, towels and curtains to make sure that they are odorless.

Clean up your yard; make sure that it is attractive enough for the buyers. Trim the trees and plant. Clean the gutters. Plant some flowers at the empty flower boxes.

Definitely, these with be all the instructions and preparations that your real estate agent will tell you and let you do in order to make sure to attract buyers.

But preparing your home and making it attractive is not the only factor you need to consider in selling your home in Miami real estate.

You should look at your asking price and make it reasonable enough, not too high and not too low. Your real estate agent can help you out in making the right asking price for your home.

The real estate agent will search at your neighborhood and look for similar houses like yours and ask the prices of these houses and base it from there.

 

Think Of Selling Your Home in Miami Real Estate, Do Some Improvements

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

If you think to sell your home in Miami real estate, you have to improve your home to make it sell quickly. In making improvements, you make to be careful.

Yes, most sellers made improvements at their homes, but they usually based it on their personal choice and preferences. This is actually a major problem regarding selling a home and making home improvements. Your main goal here is to sell your home in Miami real estate, so you have to make improvements not depending on your own choices, tastes and preferences.

Making improvements based on your own tastes, choices and preferences can not be the way to successfully sell your home but it can be a block in finding the best deal.

In repainting your home based on your tastes can clash with the taste of the buyers. In buying a new tile may not be pleasing to the buyers. The new carpet you buy may conflict with the design the buyers want. So all of these will just add up to your expense but not certainly helpful on selling your home in Miami real estate.

This article doesn’t mean that you do not do something to about your home. Yes, you have to do some improvements, but you have to do it right. There are some simple tips that you can consider in making sure that you will have an attractive home and you will find the best deal and have good sum of money out of your home in Miami real estate.

In choosing colors in repainting your home, you have to stick on the basic colors that are non-offensive. This is actually a reason why most houses are painted off inside. It can make the rooms look bigger and clean. It can also easily allow the buyer to personalize the paint of the walls without using two coasts of primer in order to hide a darker incompatible color.

In using or putting new carpets, earth tone colors are necessary, since it can hide the dirt.

Do not buy or replace major replacements of appliances. All you have to do is check out the cabinets, carpets, bath and kitchen fixtures. Make sure that all of these are in working condition, if not you have to replace them such as the faucets, etc. These are the things that buyers usually look into and make sure that they are all working.

Make sure to clean the whole house. Remove clutter. Make the home looks comfortable and spacious. Do not overcrowd your home. Just put furniture that can attract buyers, make it simple but modern.

You also have to clean your yard. Make sure that it is attractive enough to catch the attention of the buyers. Trim the tress, mow the lawn.

In making improvements, do only that needs to be done and do it properly. In doing only what should be done, it can save time, effort and money. With all of these tips, it can help you sell your home in Miami real estate quickly.

 

Home Improvements Can Help You Make A Quick Sale At Miami Real Estate

By
PhillipHatchett
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0

Planning to sell a home in Miami real estate requires time, effort and preparation. It is not just purely putting a for sale sign outside your home.

If you would put a for sale sing outside the home without even preparing the home for sale, do you think a good offer will come to you? There have been a lot of situations like this, they post for sale sign in their homes, but for long period of time, there is no good offer came to their way. Simply because they didn’t even gave any effort and time to prepare their homes for a quicker or faster sale.

To have easier and faster sale in Miami real estate, you have to prepare your home first. You have to do some improvements in order to make it appealing and attractive to buyers.

You have to look at your home, do it looks appealing to you if you where the buyer? You have to be honest with your answer. Search every part of your home, do you see a home that you want to be with for the rest of your life, if you where in the shoe of the buyer.

Let us begin at your yard, since this part is the first part that a buyer or buyers can see as they visit your home. Is it pleasing to the eye? Doesn’t it need some cleaning? Do the trees need some trimming? If it does, you have to make something about it. Clean your yard. Cut the grass. Trim the tress.

Then look at the outside of your home, is it appealing? Is the paint of your home fading already? If yes, then you have to repaint it. You do not have to spend too much with it, you can use cheap paint. Just make sure to clean the walls before painting, in order to make sure that it will look good and clean.

Usually, if we live in a home for a long period of time, we just put on things there even if we are not using it. But now, that you are selling your home; you have to remove excess things, equipments, furniture and so on, if they are not useful anymore or simply to do work, better to remove them.

Remove the clutter or mess. Search every part of the house and clean it all up. Make sure that the kitchen and bathrooms are clean and odor free. Unpleasing odor can make a buyer or buyers move away. So clean thoroughly each room and part of your home.

Make the home a comfortable one. Just put furniture and décor which are enough to make the home appealing and attractive to the buyers’ eyes. Make it simply but modern, in order to make sure it is attractive enough to have good offers.

 

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