Saturday, January 22, 2011

Agents Vs Professional

The showdown continues!

For those looking to buy a house, sell a house, go to court with an accurate value of their house or tell a government agency how much their house is worth, a professional opinion is an absolute necessity. Property valuation is quite a complex science... and if you have already gotten a few quotes from property valuers, you may be wondering if you need a professional, or if you can get away with the 'free' version from a real estate agent. Today we pit the two teams against each other in the ring... who will be knocked out first?!

Professional Property Valuers - Their Strengths

Here's why you can only use a professional property valuer's opinion in court, in a bank and for government purposes.

Property valuers must be qualified: Before valuing any property, all valuers must have completed tertiary qualifications.

Certification and industry standards:Property valuers must have undergone a certification process, and their valuing techniques must adhere to industry standards - there is simply no way to get a highly unreliable valuation.

Predetermined factors, not opinion: Values for given properties are based on a set of predetermined factors applied to a time-tested valuing method. Real estate agents' 'valuations' is based on experience and opinion.

Professional Property Valuers - Their Weaknesses

They're the undisputed heavyweight in the property valuation-accuracy challenge... but they do have some minor drawbacks!

Cost: As with any professional service, there is a cost involved in having a qualified expert appraise the value of your property.

Real Estate Agents - Their Strengths

Real estate agents put up a reasonable fight in this challenge... but do they come out on top?

They're free: This is the determining factor in many people's decisions. Unfortunately, the allure of getting a service for free often costs home owners and buyers more in the long term. Undervalued properties will sell quickly, but the owners could have had so much more. Overvalued properties will sit on the market accumulating agent marketing fees and potentially tens of thousands of dollars worth of extra loan interest.

They're on the front lines in a particular area: Real estate agents may have 'qualitative' knowledge that can complement the factual knowledge that dominates professional valuers' opinions. For example, they may be able to give opinions on how long the property will stay on the market for at a particular value, the percentage of investors versus owner occupiers looking for property currently, etc.

Real Estate Agents: The Weaknesses

Unfortunately, in the accuracy stakes real estate agents simply don't measure up to professional valuers.

Only salesperson qualifications needed: The minimum qualification for real estate agents consists of a two-week course, compared to tertiary qualifications for valuers.

The vested interest question: Real estate agents have a significant vested interest in the value of your property. If they estimate higher than market value, they get a bigger commission. If they estimate lower than market value, the property may sell more quickly and reduce their workload.

With the noted exception of the qualitative knowledge that real estate agents can provide, it's clear that professional valuers provide a far more accurate representation of your property's value. After all, if the banks, the courts and the taxation department all ask for professionals...

Bobcat Trail Golf Club

A golf community with so much to offer to real estate property buyers-this is Bobcat Trail Golf Club in North Port, Florida, a city midway between Fort Myers and Sarasota. This property is just three miles away from Interstate 75 and it will take less than an hour's drive for its residents to gain access to the many of the attractions in its suburbs around Sarasota County. As befitting its name, the community was meticulously developed into a pristine enclave presenting the natural beauty that southwest Florida is noted for.

The Golf Club recently underwent an extensive renovation recently including the expansion of its clubhouse now equipped with flat screen television monitors among many other improvements. This enhancement of the amenities at the clubhouse further boosted its credentials as a venue for banquets, receptions, and parties, entrees to which are prepared by the club's world-class chefs. The culinary team of the club can easily create the menu tailor-fit for any occasion, be it a cocktail party, wedding reception, social gathering, business meeting, or a simple family get-together.

Even ordinary dining occasions are special treats at the Bobcat Café which serves delicious salads and sandwiches, in addition to a daily fare of fun recipes and homemade dishes. The fully stocked 19th Hole at Bobcat Trail is another delightful stop for drinks and where its "Bar Dog" is reputed to be the best in town.

The awesome scenery at Bobcat Trail provides an inspiring backdrop for the club's other facilities. These include a heated swimming pool, perfectly maintained tennis courts, a fully-equipped fitness center. Moreover, there are extensive, scenic walking trails. Joggers will be delighted too with its palm-lined parkways and winding sidewalks offering the superb natural views so soothing for early-morning runs.

Bobcat Trail Golf Course

These delights are even more pronounced at the Bobcat Trail's 18-hole championship golf course. The club's links has been rated as a four-and-a-half star "must-play" by Golf Digest magazine which also ranked the layout as among the top thirty public courses in the entire golf-crazy Florida state.

The course provides a par 71 play at 6,748 yards, and is a creation of Canadian Open Champion and former PGA title holder, Bob Tway, and noted course architect Lee Singletary. Their layout, nicknamed "The Cat," is of a unique "risk-reward" design wherein any of its eighteen holes could come out as the layout's signature. Golfers of all skill levels will surely relish the rewarding challenge that this course provides.

As part of the club's endeavor to continuously provide excellent member privileges, "The Cat" course which opened in 1998 was renovated recently. Its enhancements included the renovation of its bunkers and its greens which now have brand new Champion grass surface. As an addendum, the club also purchased new Precedent golf carts with GPS instrumentation.

More delights can be found at the golf pro shop of Bobcat Trail which not only carries fashionable gear, accessories, and equipment from major sports and fashion houses. It also offers collectibles and novelties including golf-themed watches and jewelry, unique golf art and posters, commemoratives, awards, and personalized gifts.

Partaking of the club privileges at Bobcat Trail involves a choice from among several membership packages. Among the member categories are Single Golf for $3,300 and Couples Golf for $4,000. Trail memberships are also available for Single, $1,650, and Couples, $1,950. There's a $5,000 membership initiation fee, payable in three years.

Bobcat Trail Real Estate

The finest of Sarasota County residential real estate options are likewise represented in Bobcat Trail's 450-home community. Real estate listings for sale can have entries for one-story or two-story single family homes or villas of Mediterranean design. These residences were built by top-caliber construction companies like Medallion, FERO, and Arthur Rutenberg. Finding a custom-designed Medallion home with over 3,300 square feet of floor space can cost over a $575,000. Smaller Bobcat Trail homes for sale listed around $200,000 will average 1,800 square feet of living area.

All of these Bobcat Trail homes for sale are located in neighborhoods with fabulous landscaping and refreshing vistas of the Bobcat Trail golf course. Moms and dads will be particularly pleased of the club's social and sports offerings and that that there are many excellent schools at North Port. More so, many more urban amenities can be found in the suburban Sarasota cities that truly make for a wise choice for a Bobcat Trail residence.

Residential Conveyancing

Residential conveyancing specialist solicitors are used when people decide to sell and/or buy a property. Here are 10 of the most common reasons why people decide to move.

1. One of the most common reasons people look to move is when they are getting married and want a new home.

2. Young adults who live with their parents often do so because of the cost of moving out, however, when they can afford it, the switch can bring them greater independence.

3. People often look to move when they are in rented accommodation and want to get on the property ladder for the first time.

4. It can be tricky taking that first step on the property ladder, so it can take a long time to save up the deposit required to buy. When they have reached a useful sum, they will usually start looking for a new home.

5. In a relationship, the couple may decide that they are ready to live to together but don't want to spend money on renting.

6. Many people decide to move in order to downsize their property and save money after their children have flown the nest.

7. By the same token, when a couple decides to have more children or their children start to need more space, they may look to upsize by relocating to a bigger home.

8. Another popular reason for moving is to be closer to the best schools, especially ahead of their children reaching the age they'll be joining.

9. However, many a move is simply because the property buyers want to better themselves and move to a nicer neighbourhood or town.

10. They may also decide to move if they come into some money or start earning a bigger salary that affords them the opportunity to upgrade.

In all these scenarios, they'll need to speak to residential conveyancing specialists. These solicitors are experts in everything relating to residential conveyancing and help make sure the move goes smoothly.