Tips & Articles
Last updated: September 2007

We want to be sure that you are able to make the most informed decision when purchasing property in paradise. The following is a list of helpful tips and suggestions to help the process. Please feel free to e-mail use any further information you feel might help improve any buyers experience. Of course should you require further information that you cannot find on our site, please e-mail us and we will forward it to the relevant persons.

Home Selling Tips

There are many things that are important when you sell your house and the list here is definitely not an exhaustive one. The following brief is to give you the basic guidelines to get the best deal from the sale of your house.

1. Choose the right real estate agent: While it is okay if you want to sell your house directly - and you are confident you can pull it through - it is usually better if you have a good professional real estate agent to do this job for you. To know whether the agent is a good one you watch out for:

a. The agent should have good references with a good turn over of recent listings; ask for names of recent clients

b. Before deciding make discreet enquiries about the agent in your neighborhood, amongst your friends and relatives

c. The agent should be easy to talk to. If you do not find yourself comfortable talking or asking questions, then definitely this is not the right agent for you

d. Choose an agent who can show you the minus points as well - one who speaks frankly - or you will never know why your house is not getting sold

2. Price your house well: Research the market before fixing a price for your house. Beware of the fact that most house-owners think their house is worth more than the market value. Be realistic and fix a price that the house really deserves plus a give and take of 10-15% for negotiations.

3. Ensure that the house makes a good impression at first sight (and later as well):

a. You will need to first of all have the house painted and cleaned thoroughly. The windows will need to be washed, shined; the walls cleaned (repainted preferably); courtyards should be free from any clutter and garbage or any waste; lawns should be mowed and garden maintained (even if that means to keep a part-time gardener); check that both the interiors and exterior are clean and give an open appearance; pay particular attention to toilets and kitchen cleanliness

b. If you are still living in the house when you have put your house for sale, remove all the clutter and keep the rooms furnished to a bare minimum. Remove clutter from staircases, closets and all those nook and corners in the house. Have the house aired, vacuumed and dust-free. The feeling and look of space always creates a good impression.

c. Maintenance & repairs: Check that the plumbing is in order and there are no leaking taps and/or pipes; check that the wiring is okay in the house, the house should be well illuminated both inside and outside for a bright and welcoming look; oil doors which creak, repair stairs that creek, and replace/repair any window that are not closing, or bangs when the wind blows; check and replace loose door/ window knobs

d. Ensure the front door has a welcoming appearance: The front of the house should be welcoming enough for the prospective buyer to feel good about entering into it; have a good door installed if your door is dull and ensure that it is impressive; have the foyer well illuminated and tastefully decorated. Ensure that the doorbell is functional.

e. Pay sufficient attention to the back of the house: Many commit the mistake of dressing up the front and leaving out the back. Most buyers are just as particular with the back as they are the front. Ensure that the back yard, garage, and surrounding are clean, well maintained and de-cluttered. In fact the back yard, just as the toilets of a house, will tell the prospective buyer the real level of maintenance of the house.

4. Lastly, be patient. You will definitely get the price you deserve for the house, and some times this takes longer. Stick to your guns, if you realistically priced your house, you will definitely get the price you quoted.

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Home Buying Tips

Finding the property that 'speaks to you' can be nerve racking to put it mildly. There are so many choices,and it can be frustrating when you finally find the right house but the price is not what you can work with or the right spice but the house is all wrong. There are a few basics to keep in mind when you want to buy a house:

1. Get an agent: This is sound advice, unless you are well experienced in buying and selling. 80 percent of the property goes through agents and if you do not have an agent you you could be missing out. What you will see is only about 20% of the properties being sold by the owners.

2. Choose an agent wisely: it is one thing to decide to get an agent; and another thing to get a good one. You will know that your agent is a good one when:

a. He/she provides you with sufficient background information. Your agent should be willing to provide you with the names of a few past clients as a reference

b. He/she is easy to talk to, not full of jargon and business airs; your agent needs to be "on-your-side" and really understand your needs and requirements. Unless you have a good rapport with your agent, you may never get the right property.

c. He/she should have knowledge of the local market trends and preferably has been in the business for at least a few years (it is not that new real estate agents are not good, but it is always better to have an experienced hand)

d. He/she has a few expired listing that you can check

3. Get your budget right: Before you even start to look for a house, decide what you are willing to spend. Purchasing a property can have is a long term financial commitment, prepare a long term budget be realistic.Only when you have a definite price range (min-max) should you proceed to look for a house. Having pre-approved mortgage will clearly indicate the limits of your budget, not to mention expedite the process when you effect the purchase.

4. Research and decide what is available: Check the housing in the neighborhood you would like to live and see what would suit you best. Keep location, design and facilities in mind. Settle on something that makes you feel good when you are inside and outside.

5. Keep future needs in mind: Buying a house is a long term investment, is your family going to increase, will you be able to expand if the need arises? Whether you would want to have a home office or a large family, see if the house you choose can expand or already has the amenities to accommodate your future needs.

6. Be systematic: Maintain files on each of the properties you see and stored all pertinent information on each house you see such as price, pros and cons, features you love the most, features you hate the most, suitability etc. This will your decision making in the end.

7. Know the facts: Being will educated on what to look for - like walls, plumbing, electric wiring, etc. Be sure that you know what the house inspection process involves so you can not only understand what is good and what is bad in the houses you see, but also know what you have to look for to qualify it.

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What to ask for when buying a new home

Buying a house can be an intimidating and overwhelming experience. Here are some key questions to ask yourself and sellers before rushing into a down payment.

What To Ask When Looking At Potential Homes

The following is a list of general questions you should always ask when considering making a real estate purchase. Keep in mind, however, you are unique.

You have particular dislikes and likes as well as factors in your life that are different from other people. The point I am trying to make is that you shouldn't’t stick to just these questions. You are making an important choice, so give some thought to your situation.

1. Don’t rush into things. The first question to ask should be directed at yourself. What type of home do you want? How big should it be? What amenities do you want? Are you planning for a family in the next three to five years and will the home be able to accommodate a new bundle of joy? Make a definitive list and stick to it. If you stray from it, you could end up with a house that does not’t really fit you and suffer buyer’s remorse.

2. The next question is what area do you want to live in? Pick a few. You may find the prices to be excessive or the selection not so hot, but make sure you exhaust those areas before moving on. Again, you want to avoid buyer’s remorse.

3. Once you start looking at homes, a key question to ask is how long the house has been on the market. The amount of time will give you an idea of how flexible the owner is on price. If the house has been on the market for a month, the owner isn't’t going to be very flexible. If it has been on the market for six months, flexibility will definitely exist.

4. Has the house previously been in escrow, but fell out? If so, find out why? Was it a problem with the buyer getting financing or did the buyer find out there was something wrong with the home?

5. What kind of condition is the house in and how old is it? Remember that a seller has typically done everything reasonably possible to spruce up the home. If you can see wear and tear on the house, it may be a red flag. In such a situation, you need to get a home inspection to make sure there aren’t problems in areas you can’t see such as mold, rust and water leaks.

6. If you have children or are planning on it, you must investigate the school district. Are the schools good? Are there gangs or crime in the area?

7. In addition to the home price, you should ask whether there are any additional fees such as association fees.

8. What are the property taxes and what will they be when you buy? Many people are shocked to find out how much they have to kick out in property taxes. Don’t get surprised.

9. Noise is another big issue to consider. If you are serious about the property, make sure to drive buy on weekdays and weekends. If the property shares a wall with another residence, such as a duplex or condo, make sure you view it while the neighbors are home to get an idea of how loud it is.

10. In the euphoria of buying a property, practical issues can be missed. A big one is traffic. Specifically, what is the commute like between the house and your place of work? You don’t want to buy the house only to find out it takes three hours to get to and from work each day.

Obviously, you should be asking many additional questions before making a purchase. These 10 questions, however, will help you get started.

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How to sell your own home

With a robust real estate market, selling a house isn't’t particularly difficult. Here’s a primer on how to sell your own house.

How To Sell Your Own House

First and foremost, you need to educate yourself on how real estate transactions happen. There are guides and plenty of books on the subject online. When you decided to sell your own house, you are considered a FSBO seller [for sale by owner]. This FSBO market is growing like mad, which means you can find form contracts and agreements ready made for your particular state.

1. Determine the price of comparable homes in your neighborhood. This is going to give you a very good idea of what you can ask for your house when you put it on the market.

2. Objectively look at your home and make a list of things that need to be fixed. Selling a house often comes down to the details. Buyers are making a big investment, so they are going to be very picky about little things.

3. List your house online with photographs at a site like guidetostlucia.com

4. Post flyers or ads in your local property listings magazines.

5. Put a sign on your lawn indicating you are selling.

6. On the sign post, put a box with flyers describing your home and the asking price.

7. Hold open houses for buyers to view your house.

8. Clean your house before all open houses - see home selling tips above. Add fragrant flowers to rooms, mow the lawn and so on.

9. Get rid of your junk through a garage sale and the trash. This includes cleaning out the garage. Everything should be pristine.

10. Create a documented record of all the improvements you’ve made to the home to show potential buyers.

11. Become conversant in the offer, counteroffer process.

12. Develop a clear understanding of what happens during closing and make sure you’ll be able to take care of your part.

13. Figure out what you plan to do when you sell the house, to wit, are you going to buy another house and when will you move?

While these guidelines will take you a long way, it is important you understand the specific laws of land. Once you have those down, the process typically goes fairly smoothly. Considering you’ll save thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in real estate commissions, any bumps in the road will be more than worth it.

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Selecting a Real Estate Agent

The equity in your home is not to be overlooked since in most cases it is your biggest personal asset. So you should not trust your most important asset to just any real estate agent. You should seek the very best real estate agent in your area.
Finding a top real estate agent will make your transactions flow more smoothly, and potentially make considerably more money. The following pointers will help you single out an exceptional real estate agent and may prove to be indispensable steps for a homeowner.

1. Collect names and contact numbers.

For a comprehensive list of Agent in St Lucia to the Real Estate Agents section of this website.

2. Interview Agents

Schedule appointments with at least three or more real estate agents, and be prepared. A prepared list of questions is good advice. Ask questions on the agents marketing techniques, follow-up methods and number of active listings, sales records and the option for cancellation of your listing.

3. The working relationship with your agent is key to a successful transaction

After interviewing your perspective agents ask yourself, who seems to be the most sincere, and who do you think will respect your decisions best? Often your "gut feel" will be your most accurate. Consults other experts such as mortgage bankers, and escrow company personnel. Make sure that you prioritize your needs when contemplating which agent to choose.

4. Take your time.

It takes time, lots of thinking and work to make the right selection. If you find the "perfect" real estate agent, consider yourself fortunate. Now is the time when the real work begins.

But no matter how much work is involved, the whole process will work much more efficiently if you have selected the right agent. Selling your home without the assistance of a qualified realtor is difficult and ultimately cost you more money than you save.

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