Hypo Real Estate Gains Most in Month After Germany Buys Stake – Bloomberg

Hypo Real Estate Gains Most in Month After Germany Buys Stake – Bloomberg
March 30 (Bloomberg) — Hypo Real Estate Holding AG gained the most in more than a month in Frankfurt trading after the German government agreed to buy a stake as it moves closer to taking control of the bailed-out commercial-property lender. Hypo

Chinese city turns cadres into real estate agents – Forbes

Chinese city turns cadres into real estate agents – Forbes
BEIJING, March 30 (Reuters) – A local government in an eastern Chinese city has taken its efforts to prop up the economy to new heights, ordering cadres to act as real estate agents with a quota of selling — or buying — at least one flat each. The

Home Buying 101: Choosing a Real Estate Agent

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Even with the wealth of home buying information available on the Internet, it’s a good idea to have an agent. The fees you’ll pay an agent are nominal when you consider what all an agent can do for you.

Buying a home is a monumental event that can affect you for years to come — an agent can help you make sure it’s a positive event. Among other things, a good agent will act as your home-buying expert, tour guide, negotiator, paperwork administrator, and, most importantly, your trusted advisor.

Additional Benefits of Having an Agent

* They can help you understand the different financing options available to you.

* They can likely refer you to a lender who can help pre-qualify you for a loan.

* They almost always have access to the Multiple Listing System (MLS), an electronic listing of homes for sale by other agents.

* They may know of homes for sale in the area that are not yet being marketed.

* They can help you stay on track throughout the buying process, with the many appointments and events the process brings.

* They will handle all the home-buying paperwork … and there’s a lot of paperwork.

* They can help you negotiate with sellers.

* They can help you determine the realistic value of homes based on recent sales in the area.

How to Find an Agent?
Seek referrals from friends who have bought homes in the area. Look on the Internet. Look in the “Homes” or “Real Estate” section of your local newspaper.

The ideal agent knows the local area well. And most importantly, he or she listens well and respects your needs and limitations. Trust your instincts. If an agent makes you uncomfortable for any reason, find another one.

* Copyright 2006, Brandon Cornett. You may republish this article in its entirety, provided you leave the byline, author’s note and website hyperlink intact.

About the Author

Brandon Cornett is the editor of HomeBuyingInstitute.com, one of the Internet’s largest and most respected libraries of home buying information — more than 100 expert articles in 12 different home buying categories! Put this knowledge to use by visiting http://www.HomeBuyingInstitute.com.