Five Tips for Selling at Live Auctions

Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.

People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!

Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.

Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.

Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.

After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.

Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.

Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.

Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.

Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.

Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.

It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.

Tip 4: Present your items neatly.

No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.

There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.

While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.

Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.

The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.

Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.

If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.

Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!

The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.

Procedures in Selecting the Best Home Loan

A home is made of hearts. Inside the strong compound of bricks and cement, a home narrates a story- the story of past, present and probable future. It is where one finds pleasure, hides sorrow and dreams for the incessantly moving seconds. It is contentment when a home becomes a reality.

John Payne said, “Mid pleasures and palaces though we roam, be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.” This explains the significance of a home, the place where one finds his real self. A home is something that gives everything.

To possess a home of our own there are various processes that has to undergo. It is not that simple. It is an after effect of a long process of planning, execution and proper administration of various factors. Sometimes, you get the best home with nice surroundings and favorable situations. Or otherwise, you might get a beautiful plot to make a home of your choice at affordable rates. The next step would be necessarily to go straight and buy it. But disturbances happen and hurdles come in the way blocking your dreams. The main threat would usually be finance.

To tackle the problem effectively and easily, there are so many home loans available. Depending upon the priority and need, one can select the loan to finance your home. A lot of brainstorming and perfect planning is necessary before taking the right decision for choosing the loan for your home.

There are different steps that include in the process of buying a loan-
Purpose of buying the loan
Usually loans are provided by banks and Housing Finance Companies. They give loans for various reasons. They are:
Purchase of property
Construction of property
Extension of property
Repairs of property and
Site loans
How much can you afford

Once the purpose of applying for the loan is clear, the next step would be analyzing your ability and present financial status to go for the type of loan you can borrow. It is mere foolishness to go for a loan that gives you exorbitant amount you cannot afford. So it is always advisable to go for an amount you are confident that you can pay back. Basically, the affordability scale can be put in to different points.
How much you can afford to pay back every month?
The evaluated value of the property
Your credit history
How much money you have for down payment
The type of loan you choose

Home loans are of various types. Understanding the benefits and the nature of loans, the selection can be done. You can also consider your expectations regarding the financial conditions, and how long you want to keep your house. Various types of loans are given below.
Fixed Rate Mortgages (FRM)
Fixed rate mortgages have higher rates. They usually have terms lasting 15 or 30 years. Throughout those years, the interest rate and principal will never change. There are also mortgages, which shorten the loan by calling for half the monthly payment every two weeks. Fixed rate mortgages can be considered if you plan to stay at home for more than five years. This is because as the interest rate increases, the monthly rate payment on this type of loan decreases.
Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM)
The interest rate for ARM in the beginning is less than the Fixed Rate Mortgages. But here the rates change at specified interval of time. Thus the monthly payment increases or decreases. Even then you can go for higher amount for your loan prices as the monthly payment will be comparatively lower. ARM is a good choice if you are looking for a way to consolidate debt or if you are going for an investment, you need immediate cash from. Thus each ARM has four basic components Initial interest rate is lower than that of most fixed rate mortgages. This is all the more tied to certain economic indicators that dictate in part what the monthly payments will be. Adjustment interval is the time between changes in the monthly interest rate and payment happens. Index, against which the lenders measure the difference between the profit they make in the mortgage and other types of investments. Margin is the additional rate the lender adds to the index to establish the adjusted interest rate on an adjustable interest rate.
Seller Assisted Mortgages
Here the seller of the home helps with the financing by underwriting all or part of the loan. This holds a lower interest rate with lower monthly payments. But the previous homeowner may hold the deed of trust and thus if the loan trusts call for certain payment schedules, the buyer may have to seek an altogether new financing.
Balloon mortgage
These are short-term mortgages with almost the similar feature as of the Fixed Rate Mortgage. Balloon loans have different types of maturity periods, but most have a term of 5-7 years. Balloon loans can be considered if you prefer to live in an appreciating house and for a short period with less payment.
Graduated Payment mortgage
This is an alternative to the Adjustable rate Mortgage. GPM has a fixed note rate and payment schedule. Like the ARM this also gives the customer the ability to avoid the negative amortization and pay the additional principal. The note rate of a GPM is .5% to .75% higher than fixed rate mortgage. GPM is useful in market a market with rapid growth and appreciation.
Combination Rate Mortgage
Combination Rate Mortgages is a combination of ARM and FRM. They are also referred to as hybrid loans by the lenders. The interest rate is fixed for the first three years were the monthly payment also remains the same. The interest rate varies in the next years and is also adjustable.
The best way to find the mortgage or loan type that suits you is to consider the opinion of a mortgage professional.

Applying for a loan

Once you are determined about the type of loan you are going to buy, then the next step would be applying for it with a written loan proposal. Filling up the necessary information, you can apply it in a local branch. Now there are also facilities to apply it online and over the phone. The applied form will be then processed, reviewed and evaluated.
Closing stage

Closing your loan happens when you finish the paper works and pay closing costs and procure ownership of the property or home. Here a closing agent will review the settlement sheet with you and loan documents will be signed which include mortgage, deed of trust and note.
Once all the formalities are finished, you are given the ownership of the home with dealings and procedures written on a paper. All the closing documents will also be given.

The banks, which lend money, will consider certain things before giving you the eligibility to go for a loan. They are divided basically in to 3 different things.

Capability
This is the most important criteria in lending a loan to the buyer. The capacity of the loan applicant to repay the amount will be taken in to consideration along with the payment history or credit history of the person. They evaluate the credit history by three different ways- grading, scoring and automated underwriting. Usually other mortgage lenders than the banks consider the credit scoring.
Collateral security
The bank necessarily wants to know an alternate way of repayment. Collateral security is the additional form of security you can provide a lender. Both personal and business assets are considered sources of collateral security for the bank. A guarantee is a document some one else signs expressing the willingness to repay the amount if you don’t pay.
Character
This is completely on the personal impression you make on the lender. The educational background and importance of references you make is also determined.
A home is an important place. You can make it a heaven by building dreams in bright colors. You can also make it a hell without prior planning, improper administration and bad financial plan. Every minute detail that deals with the construction or purchase of a house should be taken in to consideration for a hazard free life.

Real Estate Auctions – The New Land Rush

On a sunny afternoon in Florida, an energetic crowd gathers on the lawn of a high end luxury estate. A loud and eager banter between an auctioneer, a group of bidders and bidder assistants fills the air. For several minutes the auctioneer asks for the next highest bid and the bidders respond. Suddenly the bidders grow silent. The high bidder holds his breath in anticipation of winning the auction. The auctioneer calls for one more bid. In a loud clear voice which rolls over the audience he says, “Fair warning, last chance” the auctioneer pauses, “SOLD!” And in less than 10 minutes another multimillion dollar estate has changed owners.

Successful real estate auctions like the one above are happening all over North America and the Caribbean. Recently real estate auctions have been on the rise, the increase in popularity is partly driven by growing inventories and fading buyer confidence. Properties that were selling in weeks using traditional methods are now languishing on the market unable to attract buyers even as seller’s lower prices. Many say the real estate boom is over but savvy buyers and sellers are profiting from real estate auctions.

Real Estate Auctions Work in Up or Down Markets.

Regardless of trends or market cycles, real estate auctions provide an open and transparent process for buyers and sellers. Properly conducted real estate auctions attract ready and willing buyers and motivate them to act now.

The auction method removes the “wait and see” attitude which serves to further depress real estate values. Buyers are always concerned about overpaying. Buyers gain confidence with their purchases at real estate auctions because they can see what others are willing to pay.

When market demand is high and inventories low, real estate auctions can deliver selling prices well above what a willing seller would have accepted in a negotiated private treaty sale. In good selling climates many property owners using traditional real estate methods; negotiating with one buyer at a time, leave thousands of dollars of equity on the table. During up markets real estate auctions are the best way to establish top market price.

Evaluating Your Real Estate for Auction

Not every property or seller for that matter makes a good candidate for auction. First of all sellers must be ready to sell now and for the current market value. Also a real estate auction will not fix problems caused by a downturn in market value of your property, if you owe more than a willing buyer will pay, be prepared to come to closing with your check book.

Properties that do well in real estate auctions have a high uniqueness factor. Ask your self, “What makes my property different from most others?” Maybe you own a resort property or high end luxury home, commercial properties and land do very well at auction. Real estate auctions thrive on uniqueness. If your property is like everyone else’s, the best thing you can do is offer the most competitive price.

Most importantly sellers must be reasonable about setting a minimum bid. A seller must look at the lowest, most current comps and price below that to generate the interest and urgency necessary for a successful real estate auction. Once the auction begins and qualified bidders start competing against one another you can watch the selling price increase.

Locate a Qualified Real Estate Auctioneer

Start by checking with the National Auctioneers Association, the best real estate auctioneers belong to this organization. These real estate auctioneers are well trained and adhere to a standard of practice and a code of ethics. Many attend the annual International Auctioneers Conference where the latest techniques and innovations in the real estate auction industry are presented.

Find out if the company you are interviewing is a full time real estate auction firm. Many real estate agents are getting auction licenses yet have no experience with the auction method of marketing. Conducting a successful real estate auction is nothing like (private treaty) traditional real estate sales. Go with a real estate auction pro.

You’re probably better of with an auction house that specializes in real estate auctions. There are many qualified auctioneers who have generations of experience selling personal property; furniture, dishes, lawn equipment and the occasional rare painting. Selling real estate at auction is a complex matter that should only be attempted by full time experienced real estate auction professionals.

Commissions and fees may vary, sellers must pay all marketing expenses up front and buyers typically pay 10% of the sales price to the auctioneer of which a share goes to participating real estate agents.

Types of Real Estate Auctions

Auctions are effective because they create a seller’s market. Professionally conducted real estate auctions create urgency, a reason to buy today and competition for the property. Terms and conditions of sale are established ahead of the auction. Real estate auctions will follow one of these three approaches:

Absolute Auction

The property is sold to the highest bidder regardless of price- using this process often returns the highest sale price.

Minimum Bid Auction

Seller agrees to sell at or above a published minimum bid price – this method is useful for internet auctions.

Seller Confirmation or Reserve Auction

With a reserve auction, the seller “reserves” the right to accept or decline any bids usually within 48 hours of the auction. Reserve auctions are used when there is a lien on the property from a lender or a court ordered sale with a minimum selling price.