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The Wisconsin housing statistics are in for July of 2014. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors® Association (WRA) had to say:

Wisconsin’s existing homes sales fell in July even as median prices continued to rise. Home sales fell 2.4 percent in July 2014 compared to the same month last year, and median prices rose 2.4 percent to $158,700 over that same period according to the most recent housing market report released by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA).

“Although sales fell short of the last year’s levels, it’s important to remember that 2013 was a very strong year for home sales in the state,” said Steve Lane, chairman of the WRA board of directors. “Sales were down 7.6 percent for the first five months of 2014 before they bounced back in June, raising 5.7 percent above June 2013. For July home sales to be close to last year’s strong showing indicates the current market is solid.” Lane said. He noted that with the exception of last year, this has been the strongest eight-month period since 2007.

Below are the number of Home Sales and Median House Prices for the state of Wisconsin, Rock County, and Dane County. These stats include Janesville and Madison. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions pertaining to these figures. This month showed a decrease in the number of home sales statewide and in Dane County, but a sharp increase in home prices! Rock County remains one of the better recovery stories with significant increases in both price and home sales. 

Thinking of purchasing a home before prices or rates rise any further? I'd be happy to show you any homes currently listed for sale. Feel free to visit either site below:

Real Estate Listings in Janesville, WI 

Real Estate Listings in Madison, WI.

Now might be the right time to sell your Wisconsin home. Feel free to take a look at our cutting edge Rock Realty Marketing Plan! If you would like some insight into how much your home is currently worth, I would be happy to provide you with a report that gives a close estimate to what your home might sell for in your current local Wisconsin real estate market. Click below:

What's My Wisconsin Home Worth?

Has your home value fallen below what you currently owe? Have you experienced a hardship like divorce or job loss? A short sale may be right for your situation. Visit our page for more information.

Wisconsin Short Sales

Housing Statistics for the State of Wisconsin:

Signs That You are Ready to Be a Home Seller

Most people easily recognize when the time is right to buy their very first home. They are tired of their current situation and the appeal of getting their own place is too enticing to resist. However, the signs are not quite so easy to notice when it is time to sell the home. Some home owners have a long, drawn out inner debate before coming to the conclusion that they need to sell and move to another place. Here are some ways that you can know the time has come for you to sell your current home.

The Attachment to the Home is Gone

Many people hang on to a home for far too long because they are emotionally connected to the home. The nursery where they brought home their first born, the hallway where a baby took its first steps and other sentimental memories make it tough to part ways with a home. However, if the idea of selling the home brings about a feeling more of relief and not sadness then you are emotionally ready to move on.

A New Plan Has Developed

If you have already picked out another home, or decided what the next home should look like and what features are necessary, then you are ready to move on. Knowing where you wish to live and what the house should look like is a huge step in getting ready to sell your current home and move to a new place. This type of preparation is typically very motivating for most people and helps them to get everything in order for the move.

Your Finances are In Order

Getting ready to purchase that first home is quite an experience for most people. Monitoring credit scores, reducing debt and keeping all payments up to date while saving up a nest egg takes time and discipline. However, once those habits are in place it is easier to maintain a solid credit score. Also, if you have been in the home for any length of time it is likely that there is built up equity which can be used as a down payment on the next home. All of these factors make it simpler to sell a home and be in the right financial position to purchase another home.

It is Time to Move On

Lots of people have come to the realization that they need to change jobs, end a personal relationship or sell some of their long held items. When the thought occurs to you that you would be OK with the idea of getting rid of your house, then the time has come to move on to a new place.

Sell your home for top dollar, by putting it in front of the largest online pool of buyers! Check out the Rock Realty Marketing Plan.

Probates are the low hanging fruit because heirs want to cash out. Get an overview of probate investing in this blog post. While every case is different and the executor has their own unique time frame in selling the probated property, the biggest obstacle that blocks the executor from selling is the personal belongings that their loved one has left behind.

It is a gut wrenching process to dispose of these personal belongings. To everyone else, it is “stuff”. To the family, it is a treasure chest of memories. What if the family just is frozen and cannot finish the job? Providing assistance in removing these items in a dignified manner may just seal the deal in a probated property.

Yesterday, I spoke with an investor that relayed a story. Without much background on the house he was about to see, the investor showed up at a potential property to meet with a real estate agent. They walked in to discover a treasure trove of furniture and other items. “This is a great REO property”, the investor said to the agent, to which the agent said, “This isn’t bank owned. It’s in probate. The relatives already came to get the things they wanted”.

The investor, who also has a property preservation business, not only offered to remove the items, but to donate the items to charity for the estate to realize a sizable tax write off. The family paid the investor $7,000 to clean house and donate the belongings to charity, and the family claimed over $11,000 in deductions. That adds new meaning to “win win”.

That’s an atypical example, but the quintessential point is that if you – the investor or agent – can oftentimes seal the deal by offering your help in disposing of these non-real property assets. We know of several subscribers to our probate data that make “house cleaning” a prominent benefit of their service by offering to rescue vintage paintings, the 59 Corvette in the garage, the coin collection, the boat on the side of the house, and other prized items that the family simply does not know what to do with. In many potential probate deals, these gems may be the only thing standing in the way between you and a discounted property.

With an aging baby boomer population, the coming years will see the largest shift of wealth transferred from one generation to the next. At probateleads.net, our mission is to pair REALTORS and investors with executors that are motivated to liquidate the real property in the estate. 

While probates are the low-hanging fruit because the heirs want to cash out, to many real estate agents and investors, probates are shrouded in mystery. What exactly does the probate process entail? Who is the decision maker that has the authority to liquidate the real property in the estate? What is the time frame for these houses to sell, and how can you get the conversation started with these motivated sellers? 

We've taken on these questions in our 9-page eBook that walks you through the basics of probate marketing. To get your complimentary copy (no lead capture forms), download the pdf here: http://www.probateleads.net/IntroToProbateMarketing.pdf

If you find this resource to be informative, please share. 

Throughout the real estate industry there are numerous platforms that allow real estate agents to infuse technology into the offer process. This is particularly the case when it comes to digital signature technologies such as DocuSign, Dotloop, EchoSign, and a plethora of others that allow agents to gather signatures on offer docs and send to the listing agent. 

All of these technologies put control of the offer process into the hands of the buyer and their agent. What we mean by control is the medium in which the offer is delivered and the process in which it is negotiated. By submitting an offer using ABC technology, the buyer's agent is expecting the list agent to grasp a technology they may have never used before. On first thought this may not seem like a big deal, but what if a listing receives multiple offers on multiple listings and each offer comes over in a different format utilizing a different technology? Each offer needs to be responded to on a different platform or utilizing a different technology. This is where we feel all of these technologies are missing the boat.

Our thinking is that the listing agent should be the one controlling the offer process. The listing agent should dictate the medium in which they receive and negotiate all their offers for a property. This will allow them to have all their offers in one standard format that they are familiar with and allows for easy management and reply to the submitting agent. In multiple offer situations this will allow for much more organization and efficiency. It will also alleviate errors because the listing agent will be familiar with the technology they are using to negotiate the offer.

This is why with eBrokerHouse.com we allow the listing agent to dictate the offer process. This ensures they receive all their offers on all their listings in the same format. They can search and sort their offers by any criteria, reply to all submitting agents at one time, ensure complete offers by requiring certain fields be filled out and certain documents be included with the offer... and more. The platform is simple to use for the buyers' agents submitting offers. The process of submitting an offer is as easy if not easier that sending an email with an attachment.

In many locales, the attorney’s contact information is contained in our list of probated properties. It raises the question of whether you as a real estate agent or investor should make contact with the attorney involved in the estate.

This provocative question was posed in an interesting forum discussion on Bigger Pockets, raising several arguments for and against reaching out to the attorney that has their footprint in the probate case. To get the global view, read the entire discussion here.

In my own personal view, I believe that if your marketing budget persists, it is overall a good practice to contact the attorney, “leading in” with the probated property in question, but then launching into how you can be of value in other probate cases that come across the attorney’s desk. Some subscribers of our data use this strategy to get future referrals from that attorney. Of course, this takes time and the attorney has to see you in action to truly cement trust, but to the extent that attorney referrals can be a source of leads, I think that it is well worth it to get the conversation rolling with legal counsel.

Of course, if you do decide to contact the attorney, it should be in addition to, and not a substitute to contacting the Personal Representative, better known as the executor, who has the most influence into how the estate is settled because the Court has assigned them with the fiduciary duty of equitably divvying up the estate.

Scratching your head as to what to say to the probate attorney? Here is a sample letter that I came across as food for thought:
http://www.probateleads.net/SampleAttorneyLetter.doc (Word file)

I will elicit the thoughts of others – including yours – and update this post once the feedback comes in, so check back soon.

Until next time, A-B-C …. Always Be Closing.

OK-

I accepted an order 4 days ago from RESNET-

of course they tell you to do it for free in hopes of getting a listing in the future-

I assume the only reason they are getting away with it is that other brokers are doing free BPO's-

guys-have a little more self respect-

I suggest you accept them and do not do them-

Just curious of how many people have been receiving this e-mail from Fresh Start.

It's Lease to Purchase program, has anyone heard of them?  Are these people legit?

I want your feedback, please.  Has anyone been successful dealing with them?

Many real estate agents that provide BPOs know what is entailed in the process. Many BPO agents enjoy doing BPOs and many that don’t necessarily enjoy them, but feel that it is necessary to supplement their Real Estate business and to develop relationships in the industry.

There are even companies that seem to offer BPO education, certification and lists of companies looking for BPO agents. Do these companies provide value for agents? Are their “Membership Fees” worth it? Have you had a good experience with such companies?

Here is a list we found that covers many of the different tasks when processing a BPO.

• BPO Preparation

• Review BPO Order

• Gather Information & Property Inspection

• Market evaluation

• Distressed Properties

• Accessing Public Records

• Contact Property Owner

• BPO Photos

• Neighborhood Inspection

• Exterior Property Inspection

• Interior Inspection

• Gross Living Area

• Room Count & GLA

• Rating a Property & Amenities

• House Types & Photo Examples

• House Styles & Photo Examples

• Roof Types & Photo Examples

• Comparables

• Comparable Standards and Guidelines

• MLS Searchs

• Adjustments

• Adjust Features

• Time Adjustments – How to appreciate and depreciate

• Determine Feature Value & Paired Sales Analysis

• Determine Appreciation or Depreciation rate

• Application of Appreciation or Depreciation rate

• Superior, Inferior & Equal Comps

• Pricing & Submissions

• Final Property Price

• Reconciliation Process

• Land Value

• BPO Form Common Fields

• Property & Amenity Rating

• Sources of Information

Of course there are many different lists out there, and depending on the experience of different BPO agents, this list could be accurate or even lack other steps necessary. Let us know if you feel there are other steps worth mentioning.

PamsVAS

I received this request today from Pro Teck:

A MORTGAGE INSPECTION request is waiting for you at Pro Teck

Fees collected by Vendor: $10.00

Services Requested:
- AVM Value Focus
- Photo of house # (located on house, curb, mailbox etc) to verify correct property
- Photo of the road in front of the property
- Photo of the subject from the front

Please provide commentary on subject condition. 
Please provide commentary on subject location highlighting any positive or negative features.
Please provide commentary on local market area (stable, increasing, decreasing, presence of distressed properties, etc.)
 A clear photo of the house is required, if you are unable to provide a clear photo (gated community, long driveway, etc.) please contact your vendor manager immediately for instructions on how to proceed.
 Clear address verification is also required, if subject does not have house number please provide alternative form of verification for client to verify that the correct house was photographed.
  If the subject address differs from that provided on order please contact vendor manager, address must be exact (including abbreviations such as "N" or "S" or "St" vs. "Ln" for example).
 APN (if provided above) must also match exactly, if the APN is discovered to be different please contact vendor manager.
 In the General comments section, please indicate/comment on if the subject is detached or attached.

The kicker is that when I went on the web site to DECLINE it, someone already accepted it.

Agents/Brokers! You are doing this to yourself! Its a shame to be requesting a service like this for $10, but it is a greater shame to actually do the work for $10. If you have no value for your professional skills, knowledge, expertise, time - you have no business to be in this business. We spent thousands of dollars on education, memberships, licensing, and other business associated costs and to allow these companies to treat you like an unskilled laborer is disgusting.

Rock Realty Client Testimonials

"Mike is simply the best Real Estate agent I have ever dealt with!!!He sold my house in such a short time which is what I needed to move quickly..I would recommend him to anyone who is looking to buy or sell a home..very honest and caring person..Explained everything to me so that I could understand exactly what I would need..He went above and beyond in my Real Estate closing.....always got back to me immediately with any questions I was asking...super person!! He takes care of his PEOPLE! Which is hard to find today!! Thanks again Mike...I really appreciate all your hard work!! Definitely referring you to all I know!"

Cindy J. (Janesville, WI 53545)
Rock Realty Home Seller Client

Thanks for the compliments, and Congratulations Cindy on the sale of your home! Congrats to Michael Collins on another successful Rock Realty closing!

Are you considering purchasing property in the Janesville Wisconsin area? Click below to start your home search!

Janesville, WI Real Estate

Escrow is that bit that makes sure all is fair in love and war when you sell your home and both parties (seller and buyer) are satisfied and fairly treated during this most testing of processes. If you have ever sold a home before – or indeed purchased one – you will have been more than aware of the term "Escrow".

Once the contract has been signed by the seller and once the buyer has put pen to paper, he or she is legally obligated to go ahead with the purchase. Should the seller pull out of the deal and has already signed the contract they may be subject to an administration fee or penalty charge for breaking the contract.

The escrow officer will read the details of the contract and every piece of small print that details fully the sale of that property. The escrow officer can act as a peacemaker in any dispute, verify any parts of the contract that one party doesn't quite understand and generally make the entire process of selling or buying property go smoothly.

The escrow company will make sure the mortgage lender releases any monies at the same time as the deed is recorded so it will reflect the new ownership of the property at the same time. To ensure the transaction is complete and the sale of the home runs smoothly, the escrow officer must hire a neutral arbiter to handle the funds, documents and transfer.

That third party can be the escrow company and in many states, the escrow company will handle the arbitration of the home sale by itself. You may choose which escrow company you hire to handle the sale of your property and in much the same way as you would choose a lender, a real estate agent or a solicitor to handle the different episodes that go with any property sale. Although, in the majority of Real Estate transactions, the seller typically chooses the Escrow Company.

An escrow company will open the process by assigning an account number or reference number that is unique to your sale. The escrow officer will collect the buyer's deposit funds and any other documents which related to the sale of the property.

The escrow officer can be your hand holder during the process and are their for both the buyer and seller, to explain the fine details that you may be unsure of.

PamsVAS - Real Estate Virtual Assistant Services

I'm always reminded by the plaque on my wall that says, "We are compensated only to the extent that we add value to the other people". Simple but instructive. The human element should not escape real estate professionals.  The only way to get any seller to work with you is to convince them you can solve their problem.

When marketing to probates, you can convey to the executor that you can close quick on a property, pay all cash, reduce attorney fees, utilities and mortgage payments, avoid repairs, etc, but these are intellectual features, while "people buy on emotions and then justify it with logic", said the late renowned sales trainer Zig Ziglar. Features are the language of intellect, benefits are the language of emotion.

What would be a better way to sell diamonds?

“This ring features a 1.4 carat, pear-shaped cut white diamond with a Sl1 clarity grade and an H color rating”. 

Unless you are gemologist, this ad is gibberish. Here is what might sell diamonds better:

“Imagine that special evening when you gently slip this on your finger and stare intensely into their eyes. She peers at this symbol of your devotion, the promise of your future together, and tears begin to glisten. An adoring smile spreads across her face, and at that moment your love is sealed forever”. 

What is in it for the seller of a property that has entered probate? Can they move on to build better memories, get a good night's sleep by relieving the stress of bills and let go of the loads of bricks on their shoulders? Return to their normal day to day affairs, stop the in-fighting among the heirs, which brings out the worst in people?

These are the problems that executors want to solve. Yet we have seen some campaigns where an investor sends a generic "We Buy Houses Fast" postcards to a grieving family, rather than taking the time to offer their condolences and discover the family's needs. At best, it is impersonal, and at worst, strikes as disrespectful and generates complaints.

The executor of an estate is not initially concerned with how many homes you have bought, what your track record is or what designation you received. They merely want to know, WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME? HOW CAN I FEEL BETTER?

"I don't sell. But I can solve problems"

That according to Ken Lawson JD, real estate attorney and owner of Lawson Group Mediation Services, which handles delicate real estate situations such as distressed properties, bankruptcies and separations. The stereotypical thinking of people limits the possibilities that you as a real estate professional provide. They expect an investor to rip them off. They expect an agent to sell their home. They expect a lawyer to advise filing bankruptcy. To overcome this stereotype, Mr. Lawson advertises "debt relief without bankruptcy".

It is this solution based, problem-solving approach that is attributed to the success of Rick Geha, a partner in Keller Williams Benchmark Properties that leads his team to record-breaking sales. When talking in a YouTube video about working with distressed homeowners, he says,

“When your whole life is spent making sure… clients are well taken care of… that your reaching out to them, say ‘what can I do for you’, without regard to whether they buy or sell real estate from you, your whole life will open up, and people be throwing leads at you”.

In our view, it is this fundamental role change, from Real Estate Investor or REALTOR, to problem solver, that defines success, particularly in the sphere of sensitive real estate transactions such as probates or distressed properties.

About Us

It’s a fact of life that trillions of dollars will be passed from one generation to the next in coming years. Atprobateleads.net, we help real estate agents and investors capture their share of this niche market by compiling data on recent probate filings. Armed with this information, you can reach motivated sellers that have an urgency to sell real property attached to the estate. For expert consultation, call us at 1-800-9124.

One of the most often asked line of questions we field as  a compiler of probate data is related to timing. “How long do they take to close?”… “When does the executor want to sell the property”, etc.

Before we address these questions on the merits, a little refresher background is in order. Probate is the process supervised by a surrogate court of competent jurisdiction that determines the validity of a will, itemizes assets including real property, paying taxes and debts to creditors as well as expenses associated with will administration, then finally distributing the assets left over to the heirs that are entitled to them. Depending on the complexity of the estate and the intent of the parties, this process can be short or lengthy, typically ranging from three to seven months and rarely, upwards to a year or more. > Read more about the probate process.

It’s been said that there are riches in niches. Savvy investors and agents understand the benefits of finding probate properties. Among them are the potential for deeply discounted properties, a huge inventory that only stands to balloon with an aging boomer population, the ability to get in front of motivated sellers that have a heightened urgency to sell the property attached to the estate, and less competition from other real estate professionals that seem mystified by the probate process or reluctant to engage in a heart-to-heart talk with grieving families.

Will all of these properties sell? Of course not. For those that will sell, when will they sell? We don’t have a crystal ball – every case is different. But here are some scenarios that span every time frame.

Now vs. Future Business

There is some low-hanging fruit among families that simply want to cash out and move on to create better memories. When you contact these executors that are charged with divvying up the estate, you may find that some of them are motivated RIGHT NOW to sell the property, as if they were waiting for your call and the business falls in your lap. Yet we all know that in most cases, it is not that easy. If only it were.

One instance that we do not see uncommonly is when a living spouse is in the household and decides to sell the property after some period of time. If you contact the spouse or other family member that is residing in the home today, they may not want to sell. Contact these same people 2, 3, 4, even six months from now, and maybe they are ready to move onto another chapter in their lives. Perhaps they are feeling the burden of bills – keep in mind that mortgage payments, utilities, and just about every other expense that an ongoing household has to pay, must continued to be paid when someone passes. Maybe the spouse is emotionally ready to move on after some elapse of time in order to get closer to the kids and get into a new house. In other words, they need time.

In some cases, the probate process plays out and the property reverts to the heirs. At the completion of this process, the heirs have an itch to sell to cash out. Nearly always, the heirs don’t want the property. They want the cash in the property. With the new-found authority and means to sell the property attached to the estate, they are eager to do so.

In some cases, otherwise motivated sellers may not be ready to sell the property until they find out what to do with the personal belongings of their loved ones. Clearly, this is an emotionally charged, gut wrenching job, particularily if the loved one was very close. When someone passes, they have personal belongs and the executor is charged with the often thankless task of disposing of them. To the families, these are a treasure chest of memories. To an outside party, it is merely stuff. Some agents and investors we work with offer to “rescue” classic cars, fine jewerly, antiquest, and other prized items, and we know of at least one agent in Florida that makes this an intergal part of her strategy, as much or more so than selling the property. This is a touchy subject and goes beyond the scope of this article.

In summary,

• Some probates will be sold immediately.
• Sometimes, the estate will hold onto the property and sell it after some period of time.
• Sometimes, the property will be left to the surviving spouse or other family member
• Sometimes, the spouse or family member will want to sell the house after living in it for a short period of time
• Sometimes, the family member will be motivated to sell only when the personal belongings of the deceased is disposed of in a satisfactory fashion.
• Whatever the time frame, once the executor does in fact make an affirmative decision to sell the property, they will want to sell it as soon as possible.

Given such a wide range of time tables, in our view, we can recommend the following:

1. Whether your probate leads are generated through agent or attorney referrals, by compiling this data yourself at the court house, or outsourcing this tedious task to another provider, it is advisable to make multiple contacts with the executor of the estate to keep your willingness to help settle the estate “top of mind”. Through repeated contacts over a sustained period of time (also known as a drip campaign), you will reach the decision maker at the time when they are nearing an affirmative decision to sell the property, whenever that may be. > View some sample letters you can send.
2. To the extent that everyone has a different time frame to sell the property, it may be prudent to find aged or archived probate filings. Remember, someone that may not want to sell today, may find it makes sense to sell 2, 3, 4 months later. So, it is not helpful to think purely in terms of freshness or timeliness of data.

It’s a fact of life that trillions of dollars will be transferred from one generation to the next. Stay tuned to future posts where we further delve into some actionable strategies on how to capture your share of the niche probate market. Till next time, A-B-C – Always Be Closing!

The difference between a listing agent and a buyers agent can be confusing to some people. The listing agent works for the person or persons selling a property. The listing agent usually provides the seller with a market analysis of the surrounding area, opinion of listing price and property value and explain in detail all the fees that the seller will be required to pay, including commissions. The listing agent must evaluate all the local homes for sale that are of a similar size and style to the one they will help to sell. This will give the seller and the listing agent an estimate of value and how much a seller should list the house for.

Once the listing agreement is signed, the Listing agent can then prepare the property for showings and place the property on the MLS and major websites with photos and at the agreed upon list price. 

A listing agent has the real focus to sell a home and sorts through interested and prospective buyers and arrange to show them around the property and highlight all the good points about living in that particular property. Often the seller is not present while the listing agent shows prospective buyers around properties.

The selling agent/Buyers agent will represent the buyer, who should have an idea of their pre-approved price range, and a wish list like: certain amount of bedrooms and bathrooms, location, amenities, etc. The Buyer's agent  can then sift through all the homes currently active on the mls and recommend properties that fit their buyers criteria and price range. The can then show the prospective buyer around the property in the same way the listing agent will do for the seller.

Before you sell your home or start looking for a home to buy, be sure you know the differences of the different types of agents, and choose the one that will represent you and your interest solely.

www.pamsvas.com

I wanted to avail this post to provide an overview of the often overlooked but lucrative niche of probate investing. Literally TRILLIONS of dollars will be transferred from one generation to the next. Enter an aging baby boomer population and this fact of life will only balloon in the coming years.

Probate is the legal process to obtain the legal authority to act on behalf of the estate of a person who has passed (Decendent). The estate is distributed in accordance with:

1) The will of the deceased.
2) When a will is not present, the laws of intestate succession are applied. These laws parcel out property to the deceased person’s closest relatives.

Who’s the decision maker?

The decendent usually spells out who they wish to be in charge of their estate. Yet absent a will, the court will assign a Personal Representative (PR), more commonly known as the executor, who is tasked with the fiduciary duty of divvying up the estate to pay creditors and distribute the remaining proceeds to the heirs. While anyone can petition the court to fill the role of a Personal Representative, most states prefer the surviving spouse or registered domestic partner as the first choice, followed by adult children or other blood relatives. > Read more on the role of the Personal Representative and to familiarize yourself with other vernacular, view a glossary of probate terms here.

As a real estate investor, the main point to grasp from 40,000 feet is that the PR has been awarded the authority to sell the house. Your job is to contract it and buy it, or assign to another cash buyer. This is the crux of investing in probates.

Probates are the low-hanging fruit because the PR often has a heightened sense of urgency to sell the real property in the estate, for a host of reasons:

• There are taxes and other estate-related expenses that need to be paid, such as ongoing mortgage payments, utility bills and just about every other expense that is typical with an ongoing household.
• The heirs must pay the mortgage out of their personal finances, and this creates an urgency to sell the property as soon as possible.
• More often than not, the heirs do not want the house. They want the cash in the house. Heirs may live too far away from the property to play landlord or travel on a regular basis to maintain the property. Better to cash out and move on to build another chapter in their lives, than to be bogged down with the property.
• The PR may get in the middle of unfortunate heir in-fighting where heirs have disagreements as to their equitable share. This normally brings out the worst of people, and the PR has an increased need to liquidate the estate to end the fighting.

Investors that are able to make an early connection to build empathy and rapport with the PR and explain the benefits of working together will undoubtedly be successful. > See some letters that other investors have used to make an introduction.

The length of the probate process varies on myriad factors such as the complexity of the estate and intent of the parties – every case is different. Sometimes these deals seem to fall in your lap, as if the PR was waiting for your call. If only it was that easy in every case. One phenomena we see not uncommonly is that a living spouse remains in the house and may not be motivated to sell RIGHT NOW. A few months later, when bills are accumulating and they want to build a new life, maybe get closer to the kids, the timing is better to sell the house and move on. Since everyone’s timing is different in terms of when they want to sell the real property attached to the estate, we highly recommend a concerted, sustained “drip” campaign over time to keep your willingness to help settle the estate top of mind.

Generally, while the PR has been awarded the authority to sell the house to investors like you, some states may require the PR to seek the Court’s permission to sell the real property in what’s called a supervised probate process. It is prudent to check the laws and procedures unique to your county and state.

In future posts, I will delve more into the nuts and bolts of probate investing and bounce some other ideas around as to how you can capture your share of this niche market. Till next time, A-B-C… Always Be Closing!

At probateleads.net, our goal is pair REALTORS and investors with executors of probate estates that are motivated to sell by compiling a targeted list of probate filings in nearly every US county. If you found this article to be informative, let's continue the conversation. 

Investors in financial commodities such as the dollar and government bonds have been watching very closely at mortgage rate trends, primarily to see if the Fed will push interest rates up. According to Bankrate.com, a national survey firm of big lenders, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage level is down from 4.31 to 4.30 per cent. It may be a small dip but when you think a year ago (in July 2013) this figure stood at 4.56 per cent, you can start to see a downward trend.

Even the benchmark rate for fixed 15-year mortgages was down from 3.41 to 3.40 per cent in the space of just a week. The thing is rates have been in some kind of financial hibernation for what seems like ages and this might be explained by a series of unstable economic figures that have been coming out.

But experts believe rates might well start to fluctuate during August and September but they are certain to stay well below 5% for some time to come. Earlier this year, experts had predicted that the mortgage rates would start to rise and it has come as a bit of a surprise that here we are, more than half way through the year and the rates are still so low.

It seems that the prime factors that so often move the markets have a very small effect. In other words, a piece of economic news will come out and suddenly the markets move – but then, just an hour later they drop back to the very position they were in before. The pause in massive rate changes has to be down to confusion within investors; they receive economic news and act upon it but caution and fear prevents any chance-taking and opportunistic investing such as the likes we saw back in the earlier years of this century.

Take the example of the latest figures released on unemployment; this ratio of those out of work fell sharply and that means with more people in work, spending should go up. But consumers are still very cautious about spending money and if you don't spend money, the economy just can't get going. Moreover, a stagnant economy means growth cannot happen and interest rates are likely to stagnate too.

Home buyers are wary – very wary. The housing market downturn around 2007 clearly still has a long-lasting and damaging effect on us, and will do so for several years to come.

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To understand the importance of setting the right price, you first need to understand the market place. When selling your home, your market place isn't a specific location, instead it's more of a worldwide economic system for exchanging goods and services. More specifically, the market place for home sales is more a figurative place than a literal place. None the less, in either case, the market place is where the law of supply and demand operates. Understanding how the law of supply and demand affects your home value in a competitive market place is key to setting the right price.

READ MORE: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Single-Most-Important-Factor-to-Consider-When-Selling-Your-Home&id=8608269

The Wisconsin housing statistics are in for June of 2014. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors® Association (WRA) had to say:

Existing home sales in Wisconsin saw positive gains for the first time this year, and median home prices were up slightly according to the most recent housing market report released by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA). June home sales rose 4.5 percent compared to June 2013, and median prices were stable, rising 0.6 percent to $159,900 over the same period.

“This is a welcome sign since June is our most important month for sales,” said Steve Lane, chairman of the WRA board of directors. “In a typical year, Wisconsin sells approximately 11.5 percent of its homes in June, which is more than any other month of the year, so strong sales in June is important,” Lane said. However given the harsh winter, Lane cautioned that even a solid showing in June won’t completely erase the weaker winter and spring sales. He noted that during the first half of the year, sales were down 4.9 percent compared to the first six months of 2013.

Below are the number of Home Sales and Median House Prices for the state of Wisconsin, Rock County, and Dane County. These stats include Janesville and Madison. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions pertaining to these figures. This month showed an increase in the number of home sales statewide and in Rock County, but a slight decrease in Dane County. Home prices rose slightly in all 3 areas highlighted below.

Thinking of purchasing a home before prices or rates rise any further? I'd be happy to show you any homes currently listed for sale. Feel free to visit either site below:

Real Estate Listings in Janesville, WI 

Real Estate Listings in Madison, WI.

Now might be the right time to sell your Wisconsin home. Feel free to take a look at our cutting edge Rock Realty Marketing Plan! If you would like some insight into how much your home is currently worth, I would be happy to provide you with a report that gives a close estimate to what your home might sell for in your current local Wisconsin real estate market. Click below:

What's My Wisconsin Home Worth?

Has your home value fallen below what you currently owe? Have you experienced a hardship like divorce or job loss? A short sale may be right for your situation. Visit our page for more information.

Wisconsin Short Sales