7 Great Reasons for Australians to Buy US Property By Lisa Locke

Below are the top 7 reasons why investing in US property is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Australian Property Investors that they should take advantage of right now. It will not always be ideal to invest in US Property, there are a lot of factors to consider and for the reasons below the timing is right at the moment, which will only be the case for a relatively short time.

1) Our Strong Aussie Dollar
Recently the AUD has achieved its best exchange rate against the USD in history, at one point valued over US$1 and it's still holding strong with no expectation this will change any time soon, given the state of the Australian and American economies.

2) US Properties are on Sale 
The massive drop in house prices has occurred as a result of the following issues - the impact of the non-recourse loans on offer previously in the States, the 2008 banking crisis, increasing unemployment rates and the impacts of the GFC. The drop in prices is so high that Aussies can actually purchase already discounted houses in the US, in good areas, valued at 50-70% off their market value, which is less than the price of stamp duty on an average home in Australia!

3) Over 100 US banks have gone bankrupt since the GFC
Many US banks are now too scared to lend to local home buyers and they are burdened with debt, which has opened the doors for International Investors.

4) US Buyers aren't in the Market
Loans are too hard for most to get and others are concerned about rising unemployment and the overall state of their economy.

5) Poor Credit Ratings
FICO is the most common credit assessment model in the US. Due to the high number of people who have either lost employment, defaulted on bills or walked away from their mortgages, millions of people in the US now have a low FICO credit score.

6) Lenders want International Investors
Due to the weakness of the US economy, lenders are preferring international investors, which was not previously the case. According to the recently released "2011 Profile of International Home Buying Activity" from the National Association of Realtors, the value of international residential purchases in the US surged $16 billion from $66 billion to $82 billion in the year ending March 2011.

7) High Rental yields delivering Positive Cash flow
Even though property prices have dropped in the US, rents have largely remained the same, creating historically high gross rental yields, making it possible for Australians to affordably purchase high yield positive cash flow properties.

The Counteroffer Conundrum: How to Make the Most of Selling Your Home By Shaun Greer

Selling a home can be a challenging task. However, with these tips, you can make a decent counter offer and net in thousands more than you would have ever expected! When we buy houses, we have to look at the location and quality of the land as well as the structure of the house. It's just as important for the seller to make their house safe and clean for the buyer.

First, an important step to making a good counteroffer is to observe the buyer. The reason they are buying a house can help you develop a decent counteroffer. Someone that is moving because of a job may need to purchase quickly and may be more inclined to agree more quickly. Determine this by asking the buyer indirect questions to find out more about why they are buying the house.

Next you'll want to recheck the area property values. Don't forget to factor in any additions you have made to your home such as an extra bedroom and anything your house may lack compared to other homes in the same area. A counteroffer that is too high can end negotiations.

Reiterate what the buyer liked about the home. Remind them again why they won't want to wait to close the deal: a possible raise in interest rates or another buyer has offered as well. Don't be too pushy about it, though. Remember, you are selling a home, not a used car! Adding perks to the counteroffer can entice a buyer like offering an earlier or later closing date depending on the situation or free appliances (without warranty) included with the home.

We buy houses through real estate agents, but they can also help to see if the counteroffer you have made fits with the area and value of the house. These agents have experience in buying and selling homes and their advice can be invaluable when finding out whether your offer is reasonable or not. You may even want to delay the counteroffer a 1-3 days after the buyer has offered to consider other offers you received.

Finally, it's time to put up the counteroffer. Generally, this is handled by your real estate agent, but it is a good idea to be there in person. If the buyer returns an offer that doesn't meet your price, it may be a good idea to lower your counteroffer. With these tips, you should be able to make a decent counteroffer and come away with much more money than you planned. Happy selling!

To sell your house fast I would suggest contacting a We Buy Houses company like ExpertHomeOffers.com. They will connect you with a local home buyer your your area at no cost!

House Shopping? Here's Why You Need to Visit A Display Village By Jack Haymaker

For anybody that is looking into purchasing a new home, one great way to do this would be through a custom builder. These builders have become more popular in the past few years and allow homeowners to practically design their own homes as they would like them. One of the most important aspects of this process would be to visit the display village or model homes.

It is one thing to look through a catalog or look online at options for flooring, faucets and carpeting, but it is an entirely different thing to see it all in person. By going to the display village and walking through houses, one is able to get the best possible picture of what their new house could look like.

Many times, a home builder will have a number of different communities in an area. Each community may have some different models home that can be visited. By seeing a number of different homes, more informed decisions can be made when it comes time to plan and approve the final work order for the new house.

There will be several different floor plans and house types that will be available through a home builder. Unfortunately, not all types are always represented in a display village. In these instances, there may be an existing home in that desired floor plan that is already occupied. There is no harm in asking a sales representative if they could show an occupied home. Many times, the homeowners are willing to extend this courtesy.

A unique feature that many home builders have would be a design studio or showroom where all of the different choices for the house can be seen at once. Here, there are living room displays that show all of the fireplace designs and options for flooring. There is a bathroom section where one can see all of the fixtures and tub options. Every aspect of the home that can be customized is on display in this showroom. Home buyers can walk through the showroom and start to plan out what will be selected for their home. In the decision phase, there is nothing wrong with visiting the showroom and the display village several times. This will help to make the best decisions for the new home.

Once the display village homes have been looked at and all of the design choices have been made, a sales representative will go over all of the options and it will be time to approve the final plans so the new home can be built. By going through houses in the display village and taking some time, the dream home can be easily obtained.

With some of the best house and land packages Perth developer LWP Property Group can show you what your potenital new home will look like with one of their many display homes Perth property can be pricey so consider building the home of your dreams.