Property under 20k team, Author at all-real-estate.com

Real Estate Scams – When you get a call about your Real Estate Tax

You may be shocked at first but of course more than eager to pay your duties. But please don’t! This is one of the newer real estate scams that are starting to circulate.

The call about your real estate tax

This is a nasty trick where someone calls potential victims to tell them of an additional real estate tax or some other kind of fee that they need to pay. This person will tell them to pay in cash to someone who will collect the money at their home.

Please note, the tax office would never work in this way. It will never request money without an official statement, and under no circumstances will they go to a person’s house to collect money.

Residents are advised to be alert because it was reported that some individuals are posing as representatives of the tax office with the intent to scam taxpayers.

It is sad that even in the middle of a pandemic we have to remain vigilant to don’t fall into the trap of one of the real estate scams. The best defence is awareness. So, it is good that you informed yourself – that’s the first step to don’t be scammed.

Don’t hesitate to report real estate scams

If this has already happened to you or you are suspicious about something similar please call your local police department. Don’t hesitate to do so, as this will help others to be alert as well.

Of course, you can also call your local tax office if you like to confirm your real estate tax.

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Our Property under 20k team are the founders of www.propertyunder20k.com and www.listproperty4free.com with the goal to search the cheapest real estate in the world and make it easy for others to find. The team is made up of landlords, real estate investors, architects and builders from several different countries. We just love to have a good strong cup of coffee while we write our experiences in this blog.

Buying vs Renting – should you buy a house?

Buying or to renting a place to call home is one of the questions on many people’s minds at a certain point in life. If you are settled in a place with a good job and can foresee yourself staying there in the nearest future, would it be more advantageous to continue to rent or take out a mortgage?

The answer generally depends on individual’s choice, as you may have different values to the usually home buying route. Of course, there are benefits to renting a house, but the advantages of buying supersede that of renting. It gives you a sense of security and satisfaction in having a place to call your own – permanently. With that said, outlined below are a few key benefits you enjoy when you buy your own home as against renting.

1 – Equity building

One major benefit of buying a home is in building equity. As you make your mortgage payments, the amount of money you owe on a home reduces. And the more your home value increases, the more money you save. You can even consider mortgage as a forced savings plan. When you pay rent, you are technically making someone better off by paying their mortgage and building up their equity. Of course, renting can initially be cheaper than buying a home, but many see it as throwing money down the drain. If I may ask, why do you want to be building savings for someone else when you can contribute towards your own investment?

2 – Modify to taste

It is always fun to create a living style that is all your own. As a homeowner, you can always make changes to your home to suit your taste and preference. You can renovate, customize, and paint the walls any color you wish etc. In fact, there won’t be anyone to tell you what you can and cannot do. But if you rent a house, you are always at the mercy of whatever the homeowner will allow you to do.

3 – Unparalleled stability

The stability you experience when you have your own home is unparalleled. You understand that if you lock in an interest rate your payments remain constant. If you rent, you have no control over the increments in rental payments. The property owner may evict you or even sell the home from under you at will.

Final thought about buying vs renting

Renting a home can be a great place to start. But when you buy your own home you have a sense of permanence, and it also contributes positively to your financial future as you are constantly building equity. Additionally, buying a home provides security for your family knowing that they have a place to call their own.

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5 tips – selling overseas real estate on an international market

Selling overseas real estate to an international pool of clients is a completely different game all together. You know better than anyone that this means to get your property in front of your ideal client in their home country.

Selling overseas real estate – How can you possibly do that?

It can be a mine-field when trying to create an effective strategy when you are marketing your property online. What website will the possible buyer look at? Is there a website where you can offer your real estate to the whole world? Of course, almost every website can be visited from all over the world but would it be popular enough in the country of your ideal client?

1 Get the right real estate portal that is specialized to promote to international clients

In fact, the services of many huge website portals only available to the country they are located in. Realtors with international listings usually are not allowed to list them. Even if one allows it, their focus is not on helping real estate agents to promote to an international audience.

Check out one of our property portals that not only performs extremely well but also will put your ad on a world map, making it easy for international buyers to find it.

Register with them and benefit from a range of services that will help you buy, find, sell or rent international real estate.

If you are looking for overseas property yourself but you are on a limited budget, check out this website https://www.propertyunder100k.com/ and find lots of bargains below 100k.

2 Use a sales platform that is internationally known

There exist platforms that facilitates the sale of real estate between third-party buyers and sellers. This is a very good way to get good leads. One example would be eBay. Maybe it is not available in your country or the real estate section is restricted but once you have an account in eBay you easily can use it on eBay sites of other countries.

Another good website were you can list your property is https://www.listproperty4free.com/

3 Use Social Media to promote your overseas real estate

Probably you heard this many times – no matter what you want to promote – use social media. Used in the right way you are no beating in the air but actually getting some real results. Actually, it might be even easier to find the right audience for your property. In Facebook for example, you can enter your real estate in the market place and promote it in related groups. And the best of all, it’s all free. Just takes a bit of your time.

4 Make the best impression

I can’t stress this enough. When selling overseas real estate, the first impression – which will probably be when someone looks at your ad – is the most important. By this someone might decide to make contact and come for a viewing. How can you do this?

Present your property in the best light, tidy up, declutter do what it takes to give a great feel to the place and very important – do professional photos.

That’s making a good impression from a visual point of view. Also, put some work in an appealing text to describe your real estate. Mention the best features of it and it’s potential. Especially in an overseas real estate it makes sense to tell a bit about the lifestyle too.

5 Be flexible with payments if you can

Sometimes it is already hard enough to get a mortgage for a first home. If you like to get something abroad it gets even more difficult. Therefore, you will have more possible buyers if you can be flexible with your terms of payment.

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Home Improvements You’ll Never Regret

When it comes to home improvements, there are some that surely will last a lifetime.

Home Improvements

Sitting in an apartment that was built when I was born, I wish the builders already had thought about some extras instead of going for the minimum standard. But on the other hand, I probably would not appreciate some changes as much. Although it’s impossible to predict the future there are a few enhancements that surely will give more comfort, sustainability and even increase the value of your home. So, no matter if you’re ‘dwelling or selling’, here are some areas that are a safe bet.

Windows

By replacing old windows with high-quality double-glazing windows, you are adding energy efficiency along with security to your home. Needless to say, it makes your house so much more comfortable, they look good and sometimes they are also easier to clean – depending on how your old windows looked like. This is definitely something you will love.

Heating

Did you know that upgrading a home’s boiler and heating system has the highest return of investment when it comes to increasing a property’s value? At the same time, it is even more cost-effective than other renovations and refurbishments.

Best is to combine the fitting of new heating equipment with other improvements, such as replacing old windows, sealing the entrance door and insulating the roof. In doing this, you can see your energy savings begin to show.

Electrical

Extreme temperatures can put an extra burden on your home’s electrical system. If yours is already older it would probably be a good idea to have it inspected and at the same time the electrician can advise you on electrical improvements you can do.

Getting the right lighting in your real estate is not only saving electricity but it also puts your home in the right light. With the right light fixtures you can cater for the right mood and set an ambience everybody loves.

No-Cost Home Energy Upgrades

Some countries help homeowners to make energy saving upgrades. Whether you rent or own, you could be eligible to receive free energy-efficient home improvements or get some financial help. It surely is worth to look this up in your country before you start your home improvements as this can really make a big difference in your budget.

Are you still looking for your own DIY project? Have a look at homes for sale that need renovations on https://www.all-real-estate.com/derelict-properties-for-sale

Or you just finished your hoome improvemets? Let us know how did it go in the coment below. If you are thinking to sell it, you can list it with us for free.

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Why most Lenders Use Gross Income instead of Net Income

It might not seem logical that most lenders use your gross monthly income when deciding affordability instead of your net income, the money you actually take home. In the end, it’s the take-home pay you will use for your monthly expenses – this will include your mortgage.

Some Reasons why Lenders use the Gross Income

Foremost, it’s widespread. Most mortgage companies use the gross monthly income to analyse the debt-to-income ratio – and consequently affordability. Like this, everyone is using the same procedure and it is much easier to compare the loan that was offered. Of course, there are exceptions, a few loans do take monthly expenses into consideration.

Another reason is this, it’s a number that most clients know. Calculating the net income with taxes and other deductions is complex and can vary every month. Gross income is steady and easier to calculate monthly. It would be too work intensive for mortgage companies to adjust their loan programs for each person’s exact overheads.

Also, another factor that has to be considered is that when clients are asked to proof their income for their loan application, the last two years of your tax declaration is needed along with recent income statements. The gross amounts on those should align with the documents from your revenue office. As those documents will also show the gross income it is just a lot easier to use those numbers.

Thinking to buy real estate?

If you’re thinking about buying some real estate and want to know what you might qualify for, there are many websites out there where you can get a first idea. Just keep in mind to enter your gross monthly income. By visiting a few you will be able to find out what will be a good option for you.

If you are looking for a real estate bargain, check out our property listings at https://www.all-real-estate.com/property-list/for-sale

You may even be able to find a home that is so cheap that you not even need a mortgage. Does this sound intresting? Then visit our partner site https://www.propertyunder20k.com/ where you can find real estate for sale for less than 20,000 EUR.

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From fixer upper to cosy home – 10 practical tips

Fixer upper to cosy home, or better, how to purchase an old, inexpensive, run-down house and turn it into a gorgeous property everybody loves.

It doesn’t matter if you are planning to purchase a fixer upper to turn it into a home for yourself or if you are planning to make some money in the resale afterwards – you will definitely benefit from the following tips to get you through this challenging mission.

Fixer Upper to Cosy Home

The idea is simple, you buy an old building in need of repairs for a great price and a few buckets of paint later it has become a dream home. There are so many tv shows out there where exactly that happens. Of course, it all looks so easy. In reality it is not as simple as it looks. To turn your renovation project into a success lets look at a few areas that need to be considered.

1 Buying the right house

It all starts with picking the right building to start with. The biggest or cheapest real estate is not necessarily the best choice. You have to consider several factors here, especially if you are thinking to sell it after you’re done with it. What are the prices in this location for a home in a good condition? How much will the renovation cost? Is there a lot of demand for houses in this location with this size? To answer these questions, you might need to make a bit of an investigation and talk to a few people. After making all your maths you will see beforehand if it is actually worth it to jump into this venture.

Getting the right project for YOU is the key here. A house that fits in your budget and skills. This is not only the first but the most important decision you need to do.

2 Getting professional help

Unless you are a professional yourself it is always worth it to have some expert by your side to help or to guide you. If you don’t want to get a contractor for the whole job to save some money, you might be able to use him just for some stuff that you find more difficult. This will take some pressure out of you and you can be sure it’ll be a job well done. While you leave those difficult parts to someone else you can concentrate more in the other things that need doing. One thing is for sure, there is always more to do!

A lot of renovation works are not that complicated. It is amazing how quickly one can learn the basics by watching some YouTube tutorials.

3 Planning and Research

With careful planning and some research, you can guide your project in the right direction. This is of course, if you like to make changes to the layout of the house. Best would be to consult with a realtor to see what the clients usually like or dislike. Find out what they have on their wish list and think about a wow-factor you can add to your home. This can make a huge difference in the end.

Just as an example. If your project is in a hot climate, homebuyers might really love to have a pool in their backyard. If you are able to add one for, let’s say 10,000, but in the end, it will make your real estate be worth 20,000 more because of that, it’s totally worth it.

4 Get your hands dirty

You can save a lot of cash if you are working on your own house. There are so many things that are easy enough to do, even if you are not a handy person.

If you belong to this rare specie that can’t even put a nail in the wall, still there are many things you can do. For example, there is always cleaning up to do and often workers can tell you how you can prepare some works for them. This will make their jobs easier and as a result save you some money.

5 Shop around

When it comes to using the right materials for your renovation project it is always worth to shop around for special offers or to find out if the DIY shop offers discounts if you buy a certain amount.

6 Don’t hide – be open about your plans

Keeping an open communication with the neighbours and passers-by is a great way to find a buyer or tenant. Don’t underestimate the power of the word of mouth.

A construction project usually triggers a lot of interest with the neighbours. They all like to know what’s happening and who is going to move there. They might just know the right person who wants to live in your house once its finished.

7 Decorate wisely

When it comes to choose the right colours and decoration it is always good to get a few opinions. Especial value those of people who are usually dealing a lot with home buyers and tenants. Often it is a good choice to keep it simple/neutral and just set a few highlights.

8 Set a budget

When it comes to your budget, be realistic. Doing your maths is one of the biggest challenges and nearly impossible to get it 100% right. Therefore, don’t plan to spend your last penny, always keep a buffer for unexpected costs.

9 Time

When it comes to time, I never met anyone who could stick to a certain time frame when doing his own renovations – except in tv shows. I believe usually time is estimated very optimistic. Therefore, don’t be disappointed if you can’t finish in a certain time frame. Depending on the scale of you project it is always good to give a few days or weeks extra in case something takes more time than expected.

10 Stay positive

Yes, sometimes a positive attitude can make all the difference. Keeping your spirits up can give you the motivation you need to get the job done: turning your fixer upper into a cosy home.

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How My House Project Helped Me to Escape the COVID Insanity

While social distancing is strongly encouraged—and you should stay home if you can—you have the time of your life. Or haven’t you?

Articles about how wonderful this time at home is, are popping up like mushrooms in autumn. You hear how you can find new passions and hobbies like painting, reading, baking, cooking etc. It all sounds really lovely, just like great holidays at home. How cool is that!

Expectation vs Reality

Reality sometimes paints a very different picture. While others become master chefs, you might not even have any appetite. Or while others are proud how they have parties in zoom with family and friends you may just wish to be left alone finding this peace you so desperately long for. Seeing all this happy people at home made me wonder, why is it so damn hard for me?

Although I would generally consider myself mentally healthy with a stable family life, I found the new situation very challenging. This was for many different reasons. And that’s it really. Everybody of us is different and copes with this new situation during COVID in a different way.

Keep Yourself Busy with the Right Thing for YOU

One factor for me was that I had not much to do at home where I could really find my inner peace. Being at home with all the family all the time can get on your nerves a little, especially if you weren’t used to it. This is even worst if you have no space to escape to. For example, if you have just one bedroom—of course shared with your spouse—that functions also as office for both of you.

What saved me was something I noticed even before the COVID. It has to do with retired men in my region who worked in construction. Strangely enough, after they retired, they keep seeking work for themselves. They even offer their services at a very low price. I could never understand why—after a life of hard labour—you still want to work more. But now I do.

I have a thing in common with those retired men. I love to work and I always enjoyed working with my hands. Working in construction gives me the feeling that I create something lasting. Also, physical activity is proven to be very beneficial for your mental health.

Physical Activity Is Good for Your Mental Health

When you hear “Physical Activity” the first thing that comes to mind is doing some sport—working out in a gym. But working in construction gives a fair amount of exercise too. Fact is, working hard makes me happy. This gave me an idea.

My House Project

Fortunately, I live in an area with a number of uninhabited run-down houses in the neighbourhood. Therefore, it was easy to find a cheap house for sale. I was able to buy one for me that I can renovate now in my own time, all by myself. Not only is this incredible rewarding but I can also go there whenever I need some alone time. It has given me a completely new feeling of freedom—something I lost during the COVID.

My house project also helped me to learn lots of new things. Before doing something fresh in the house I always watch some “How to” movies on YouTube. It’s incredible how creative people are. This is definitely contagious.

Not Only a Personal Achievement

My House Project hasn’t gone unnoticed in the neighbourhood. I got a lot of positive feedback from the neighbours. As much as my house project has benefited me personally in this critical time, I’m still looking forward to profit from it financially. Once finished I’m sure I can sell it for a good price.

Looking for your own House Project? Find it on www.all-real-estate.com

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More Sales – Real Estate Turkey COVID-19

Turkey seems like a good investment for real estate as it is a country where the property and construction sector is very dynamic. Despite the COVID-19 situation we have seen an increase in people looking for houses and apartments for sale in Turkey. This is a good sign.

Seeing that, we made some further investigation on this topic.

Advantages for Foreigners to buying Real Estate in Turkey

Not only is Turkey famous for its breathtaking beaches, outstanding hospitality, yummy foods, and fantastic weather but it comes with a whole bunch of other advantages. If you buy a house in Turkey for at least 250 thousand dollars as a foreigner you and your family will have the right to Turkish citizenship within six months This means, you can do both: make a lucrative investment and become Turkish citizen by purchasing real estate in Turkey. But what really hit many by surprise was the excellent response to the pandemic. For sure this had a huge impact on the positive development regarding the property market.

Real Estate Turkey COVID-19

I read a few articles about how well Turkey handled the COVID-19 crisis. Some measures have proven especially successful with foreign investors who could still enter the country. Starting with a full health insurance for travellers to cover medical costs in case of COVID-19 infection for as little as 25$ up to a web application where you easily can apply for all papers needed when making a property purchase. This makes it easier than ever to travel and shop around for some good real estate in the sun.

Web Tapu

First of all, TAPU is a document confirming the right of ownership to the attained real estate in Turkey. It confirms the transaction and only after it is received you are recognized as the full owner of the Turkish property.

Web Tapu basically means land registry on the web. Here you can apply online for many procedures needed to buy a real estate. This is the best answer to any possible Real Estate Turkey COVID-19 problem.

In the Web Tapu Guide it reads:

“It is now implemented as an electronic system allowing the foreigners, who have a foreigner ID no, to manage their real estate in electronic environment without having to physically visit the directorate of land registry and to apply online for 46 different land registry procedures, such as sale, mortgage and transfer, to send information and documentation necessary for the procedures in safe online environment, to verify their documentation and to authorize third persons or real estate agents for these purposes. Web tapu System will very soon be available in 6 different languages (English, German, Russian, Arabic, French and Spanish). “

Thinking to buy property in Turkey?

Are you looking for your perfect home in the sun, or just a good investment?

You can find real estate for sale in Turkey on: https://www.all-real-estate.com/properties-by-country/turkey

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How Homes will change after COVID-19

Homes will change due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We can say this because every pandemic in the past had an impact on our way of living and resulting in a change of the traditional layout of homes.

In this pandemic therefore it is worth to consider how home layouts might change in the future – especially if you are planning to build, renovate or buy a house.

How pandemics have changed house layouts in the past? How pandemics lead to improved living conditions? Let’s look at a few examples.

How homes changed after pandemics

Cholera

Did you know that the Planning for Central Park began in the immediate aftermath of New York’s second cholera outbreak? Frederick Law Olmsted whose first child had died of cholera, was one of its landscape architects. In his writings he often highlights the importance of large open places to allow individuals to breath fresh air, enjoy the sunlight, and in his writings we can read how the air could be ‘disinfected’ by the sun and foliage of the trees. He went on to design more than 100 public parks and recreation grounds all across the US.

The cholera outbreak had an impact in many cities all around the world, especially in the area of developing better sewage systems. By doing so, having an indoor toilet became possible for many households. Yes, you read correctly, the bathroom as we know it today is a fairly recent addition to the traditional home layout.

Tuberculosis

Although Tuberculosis has existed since ancient times it caused widespread public fear in the 19th and early 20th centuries as the illness became common among the city’s poor populations. Many sick people were sent to sanatoriums where – beside a lot of rest, high altitude, and good nutrition – the biggest emphasis was put on a lot of fresh air. Some believe that even modern architecture was inspired by the 20^th century obsession with Tuberculosis as the spaces of the sanatorium gave rise to the clean, sleek shapes of modern buildings with big windows for fresh air and sunlight.

Spanish Flu

In the 1918 influenza pandemic the great importance of sunlight and fresh air was also identified. That was the reason why radiator heating became popular in cities after the 1918 pandemic. Especially those that overheat! A lot of emphasis was put on sufficient ventilation to battle disease and this pushed engineers to design steam heating systems – some of them still overheat apartments today – so anybody would still open their windows even on a freezing cold winter day.

Covid-19

The conclusions we can take from all of the above is that we need to live in a space that is not too big – so we are able to clean it quickly, easy and regularly – at the same time we need sunlight and as much fresh air as possible.

At the same time, we need more space to be able to have a bigger distance between people and to allow enough private space for each individual. Especially if you have children, they need space to play and jump around in case they are not able to go out anymore. A big backyard scores big these days.

How homes will change – What we have seen so far

So far, we can see that buyers look for bigger as well as smaller houses – depending on if they are single people or families. Also, we can see a jump in self-sufficient living – at least partially. People lean more and more in the direction to became a bit less dependent by growing some food in their balconies and backyards, installing solar panels or digging their own well if they can.

Unfortunately, the covid-19 pandemic has complicated our life’s and even traumatised some of us. But it is also a lesson for us to learn how we can improve our way of living. It is thrilling to watch new ways and inventions people come up with to tackle this challenge.

If you are looking for a new home have a look at www.all-real-estate.com. Let us know in the comments below what do you believe would be a great home improvement these days?

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Buy and Sell Digital Property

That’s right, not all properties are made of bricks and mortar, these days, properties can be made with zeros and ones as well.

In many ways digital property is just like real estate, that’s why some even call it digital real estate. You can buy or sell it just like a house a flat or land.

In the light of the pandemic, digital property has skyrocketed in popularity – and it makes perfect sense. With many people either out of work or working from home having an online business seems the obvious solution. But what exactly is digital property and how can you earn money with it?

What is Digital Property

Digital property basically includes all sorts of data– anything you could have in a digital format. Data are the files that are saved on and used by computers – such as text files, pictures, audio files, movies…etc. In most cases those files are saved remotely and accessed over the Internet. Some examples of digital property are: websites, blogs or YouTube channels.

In this article we will focus on digital property that – similar to real property – can generate income for you.

How digital property is generating income

There are many different ways to earn money with your online business. The most common and easiest ways is to earn money from ads that are displayed on your website, blog or YouTube channel. In this case you would allow a third party to display ads on your website, blog or in between movies that you have in your YouTube channel. Usually you will be paid every time a visitor clicks on these ads.

It is very easy to apply for it, but some advertiser would only agree to display ads once your online business has a certain “popularity” or better if it has more than a specific number of visitors per month. The most popular “Pay Per Click” Advertising is through Google AdSense.

Other ways of monetizing your website/blog/channel would be the following.

Affiliate marketing/links

You recommend a service or product to your audience and provide a link where they can purchase it. Once they do so you get a share of the sale.

Sell your own product, ad space or service

Of course, you can sell advertising space directly to brands if you like. Or you could have your own online shop or sell a digital product… there are many possibilities.

Flip your website

You can create an income generating website and then sell it.

How to get a digital property

There are two ways to get your hands on a digital property: you either create it yourself (maybe with some help of a programmer, web designer or a nerdy friend) or you can buy it.

There are great marketplaces out there where you can snoop around to find a good deal.

The value of an online businesses has its own way to be calculated. Depending on the monthly income, age and how stable the income is, as well as how many visitors you have. The average monthly income will be multiplied by 12, 24 or maybe even 36. Best is to leave this to the experts who can also verify the information given by the seller. This again can be compared to buying or selling real estate. There are agents out there that will guide you through the entire buying/selling digital property process.

These agents have the means to verify if all the numbers ad up and if the digital property you are interested in is genuinely what is being advertised. They will also help you to pick the right digital property within your budget, expertise and amount of time you can dedicate to it.

From our own experience, one of the best digital property Marketplaces out there is Trustiu – if you want to buy or sell a website, blog or YouTube channel this is a great place to start. They have a dedicated team of experts ready to help you buy or sell your digital property.

Conclusion

Earning money with your own online business is a great way to support yourself from the comfort of your own home. It is not as difficult as it seems – anyone can do it.

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