Do you have friends in real estate? Do they give you back 75% of their commission?

Our President Manuel Iraola was recently asked to comment of Homekeys' rebate policy and this is what he said.

"Most people have friends in real estate. Have you asked any of your friends in real estate if they are willing to give you back up to 75% of their commission in cash at the time of the closing?
At Homekeys, we do.

1. Why do we do it ? Because in today's environment the consumers are doing a lot of the work traditonally performed by traditional agents.
2. How do we do it? Technology allows us to achieve economies of scale and this means that we can be more effectiove, productive and efficient. We use technology for the benefit of our clients thus enabling them to buy/sell cheaper,faster easier and smarter.

Bottom line, our transaction costs are lower and this enables us to give you back up to 75% of our commission in cash at time of closing."

For additional details vist www.homekeys.net

Ad Campaigns Target Buyers of Real Estate

Real estate brokerage firms are launching ad campaigns that promote low mortgage interest rates, improving affordability, and the availaibilty of home loans. "Think you can't get a home loan?" some ads state. "Well, think again. You may be pleasantly surprised."
Another frequen message states, "Now is the time to make your move. If a home purchase is in your future plans, now may very well be the time to act. There is ample inventory on the market for you to capture that 'dream' home you've always wanted at a price and terms you can handle. But don't wait too long, because another qualified buyer may capture it first."
The battle is on to kick consumers off the fence and back into spending mode. And it could be an uphill battle, with news piling on of a possible recession, Wall St. losses and layoffs, and declining home prices.
Bottom line, there is not such a thing as a right time or a bad time as long as you buy for the right reasons. See www.homekeys.net for details on the richest cash rebate to buyers of real estate in Florida ---75% of our commission.

75 % Buyer Rebate in cash at closing!

With over 2 million people licensed as real estate agents in the United States it is almost a certainty that you have a realtor friend that can help you buy and sell. Are your friends willing to give you back 75% of their commission in cash at the time of closing?
At www.homekeys.net, we do.

Lease Option may be the way for many home buyers

Often the biggest obstacle to becoming a homeowner is coming up with enough cash for a down payment. One way for cash-strapped home buyers to realize their dream is to lease a home with an option to buy.
Here's how a lease option works. The buyer (called an optionee) leases the property from the seller (called an optionor) for a period of time. The lease contract gives the optionee the right to buy the property at the end of the lease period, or earlier by mutual agreement, at a price agreed upon in the contract.
The optionee pays a sum, called option money, to the seller at the onset of the lease. This money is applied to the purchase price if the option is exercised. The option money is forfeited to the seller if the optionee doesn't go through with the purchase.
Like any contract, the terms of a lease option are negotiable: the length of the lease, the amount of the option money, the purchase price and the rent. Sometimes, a seller will agree to credit a portion of the rent toward the purchase, providing an additional incentive for the buyer to go through with the purchase.
Even though the amount of the option money is negotiable, it's usually less than the down payment amount required to purchase an equivalent property. So, for relatively little upfront cash, a lease option allows the buyer to tie up a property at today's prices, and live in it before deciding to buy it. During the lease period, the seller cannot sell the property to another buyer.
And remember, http://www.homekeys.net/ buyers receive a cash rebate of up to 75% of our commission at closing. This can be the difference. Visit http://www.homekeys.net/ for details.

Tip # 9 For First Time Buyers

Tip 9: Begin with the end in mind
Author Stephen Covey’s advice for effective living also applies to effective home buying. Resale may not your primary consideration, but it’s an important factor. Can you buy in an up-and-coming neighborhood or region? How is the “commutability” from your new home to local employers? How good are the local schools? A few queries to your favorite search engine will turn up free or inexpensive school rating services. Also be on the lookout for outdated features when you buy. If the those small closets and harvest gold appliances seem out of step now, you can bet that they won’t look any better to prospective buyers in a few years.
Visit us at http://www.homekeys.net/ for details.

Reinventing real estate: How online empowered consumers are taking charge and paying less

Homekeys Town Hall Meeting- February 19, 2008

Remarks made by Manuel J. Iraola, CEO of Homekeys

What is going on in real estate?

These are fun times for the Real Estate industry. So much is going on !

For decades, the real estate world turned in a predictable manner. And now, everyday brings the news of many start ups using technology to transform what has been a "well protected business model".

For many years,the roles of buyers, sellers and real estate professionals were fairly well defined and transactions followed a predictable path of yard signs, newspaper ads, open houses and miles of paperwork. Not anymore ! Online and empowered consumers are and will continue to change the game.

Real estate professionals now face issues similar to the ones that have transformed the
retail, personal finance and travel planning industries. As technology advances and new business models evolve, the real estate industry has begun to transform itself from providing traditional, carefully controlled “agent-centric” transactions to new “consumer-centric” practices.

What are the trends driving these changes?

The “Five Ds” that are driving change in real estate are:
1. Disruption – Over the past 10 years, the Internet has matured into a powerful platform for delivering real estate information, forever changing the interaction between buyers, sellers and real estate professionals.
2. Displacement – The popularity and acceptance of self-service and consumer direct business models is being felt by real estate professionals, who are striving to develop attractive new offerings for Web-savvy consumers.
3. Demanding consumers – You now have more real estate knowledge, tools and resources at your fingertips than ever before. More savvy consumers tend to be more independent and demanding.
4. Downward pressure - Traditional real estate commissions of 5-6 percent of a property’s sales price are facing downward pressure.
5. Developing alternatives – The real estate industry is transforming itself to provide targeted services and exciting new options that add value for consumers.

Tomorrow's topic : Disruption

Look for us on the Web at www.homekeys.net and give us your feedback, ideas or input.

We would like to hear from you!

Tip # 8 For First Time Buyers

Tip 8: Clean up your credit
Low credit ratings mean that buyers won't qualify for the best available interest rates and fees, which could mean considerable extra expense each month for the life of the loan. Financing is getting tighter but those with good credit have an advantage.
Credit reports frequently contain inaccurate information, which can hurt a buyer’s purchasing power. First-time buyers should check their credit scores and fix any problems before applying for financing.
Visit us at http://www.homekeys.net/

Tomorrow's Topic : Begin With The End in Mind

Tip # 5 For First Time Buyers

Tip 5: Buying – personal decision, business transaction
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) advises home buyers to create a wish list to help focus priorities. That way, you’ll remember that a spectacular foyer is nice-to-have, but safety and services are essential. Having clear goals will help keep you from getting carried away with emotional factors. Sellers who love their homes tend to ask too much, and buyers who fall in love can end up overpaying. With a little research, you can get can get an objective estimate of property value to make sure the seller has set a fair asking price. There are tools and resources on the Web to help you better understand home valuations.
Visit us at http://www.homekeys.net/ for a full demonstration and free consultation.

Tomorrow's topic : Don't Let The Closing Costs Surprise You

Tip # 7 For First Time Buyers

Tip 7: Build a support team
Buying a home is a big investment and a big decision, but you don’t have to go it alone. Remember, at each step of the way, there are people and resources to help you. Use the Internet and ask friends for referrals. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call real estate professionals, mortgage providers, title companies and insurers to ask questions. These professionals should be good resources to help you learn more about home buying, because they want to earn your business. If they are not helpful, then you have also learned something important…that they don’t deserve your business.
Homekeys supports you every step of the way and on top you receive a rebate of up to 75 % of whatever commisiion we are entitled. Visit us at http://www.homekeys.net/ for details.

Tomorrow's Topic : Clean Up Your Credit

Tip # 6 For First Time Buyers

Tip 6: Don’t let closing costs surprise you
Once you understand the buying process, you should understand and budget for transaction costs. In addition to your down payment, buyers pay most of the closing costs when purchasing a home, including things like inspection fees, title insurance, taxes and more. Closing fees can add up to 5-7 percent of purchase price, and must be paid before you get the keys. Your lender can provide what’s called a “good faith” estimate of your closing costs. Most closing costs are not negotiable but some are. When you’re comparing lenders, don’t be shy…ask which fees are negotiable, then ask if any discounts are available. Finally, be cautious about “no-cost” closing promotions because the lender may be simply passing on the costs in the form of a higher interest rate.
Do you know that you can use homekeys buyer's rebate to offset most of the closing costs?
Visit http://www.homekeys.net/ for details

Tomorrow's Topic : Build a Support Team

Tip # 4 For First Time Buyers

Tip 4: Lock in a realistic budget
To save time and trouble, first time buyers should have a realistic budget in mind before they shop for homes. One way to determine how much house you can afford is to get “pre-approved” by a lender. Pre-approval means you know exactly how much of a loan you’ll qualify for, so you can limit your search to homes in the right price range. Pre-approval also boosts your credibility and negotiation position with sellers. Most lenders will offer pre-approval as a no-obligation free service, in hopes of winning your business.
For additional details visit us at http://www.homekeys.net/

Tomorrow's topic : Buying is a Personal Decision and a Business Transaction

Tip # 3 For First Time Buyers

Tip 3: Check out the new real estate business models
Real estate’s old guard seems to be under assault at every turn today as traditional brokers battle competition from discount and Web-based brokers. Today, buyers have more options than ever before. You can use a full-service broker, discount broker or buy without a broker. To make buying more affordable, consider the homebuyer rebate programs that are becoming more popular. Rebates can help offset closing costs, which are a real obstacle for many first-time buyers. Be aware that some states currently ban real estate rebates all together, and others limit rebates to credits applied to closing costs. Rebate fans around the nation are proliferating .
Do you know that homekeys.net offers a rebate of up to 75 % ? Visit http://www.homekeys.net/ for details.

Tomorrow's Topic: Lock In a Realistic Budget

Tip # 2 For First Time Buyers

Tip 2: Leverage free and low-cost resources
There’s an abundance of free and low-cost resources for homebuyers on the Web. A Web search can turn up helpful articles, buyer guides, online tools and purchase/ refinance calculators. Keep an eye out for helpful tools like step-by-step guides and checklists to help organize your search. Some Web sites now offer online tools to help you estimate home prices and search for undervalued properties. Many offers on the Web for free property valuations actually are come-ons from real estate brokers looking for seller listings, so check first to see what strings are attached.


For additional details visit http://www.homekeys.net/



Tomorrow's tip : Check Out The New Real Estate Models

AVM's with Homekeys ValueKey

The interactive approach used by Homekeys to determine the market value of a property is unique. In addition to providing historical comparables, Homekeys allows the consumer to adjust property values by reflecting existing market conditions; that is, by also providing detailed info on comparable properties that are “listed for sale”. This allows the consumer to gauge the impact of “market forces”. Homekeys is the only company I am aware of that offers free online value estimation tools that include both historical comparables and current comparable listings in determining the “market value” of a property. In addition, users are guided in reflecting unique property characteristics gathered from actually being at the property site.
To round out our self service offerings Homekeys provides consumers with a plethora of real estate information and resources including rehab and income property analysis tools, calculators, step by step buyer and seller guides, tips, original content and service providers of real estate related services at absolutely no charge…no strings attached.
Homekeys is one of the fastest moving real estate space. Feel free to contact Homekeys for details on how to buy, sell and rent easier, smarter, faster and cheaper.