Are real estate agents paid on commission only?

The answer is: It depends.

If real estate agents are paid on commission only depends if the real estate agent is self-employed or not. If not, he would get a monthly wage from his employer plus his share in a deal when he sold something.

Being employed

Any real estate agent who does not own a business is usually an employee at a bank or at a real estate office.

This can be lucrative. Although in this case the commission is not particularly large, he receives a fixed salary each month.

The commission varies greatly with the performance of the broker. In most real estate offices the performance-related salary would be between 20 to 50 percent of the commission.

Being self-employed

An alternative to an employment with a monthly salary is being self-employment as a real estate agent.

There is no fixed income, but the commission per sale or rental is higher.

Real estate commissions are based on the price of the property. The commission for a real estate transaction is negotiable. It tends to range anywhere from 1% all the way up to 10%.

But don´t forget, as a freelance real estate agent you also have more expenses, such as costs forrunning your office and possibly paying staff. These costs will lessen your profits. In addition, self-employed need to look after their health insurance and Pay taxes (income tax, trade tax, etc.).

Real estate agents carry a high economic risk, because they are responsible for the accuracy of their statements. Basically, they work for free until they sell something. Some properties may not be sold because of unrealistic price expectations of the seller. Also, some may sell only after many months and countless viewing appointments. In addition, buyers who contact the seller directly to bypass the commission pose a commercial risk to the real estate agent.

Real Estate Investment and the Rate of Return

Once upon a time there was a gingerbread house. It was lovely decorated with lots and lots of candy…

How often we have heard it. “If something looks too good to be true, it probably is”. Unfortunately, a real estate investment is no fairy tale with a happy ever after. Especially when it comes to profit, we must be careful with promises of an unrealistic high rate of return.

But to know if something looks too good to be true, we first need to know what is a realistic rate of return for a real estate investment? And how is it calculated?

The rate of return shows how much profit in percent is made per year in relation to the money spend. Like this it is possible to compare one real estate investment to another or even compare it to other types of investments.

When a percentage value is mentioned as a return on real estate, a serious investor should first ask what return is meant. A distinction is made between gross and net return (or some also call it “cap rate” meaning Capitalization rate).

The gross return covers purchase costs and additional purchase costs, but not ongoing expenses such as administration and maintenance costs or taxes.

It is calculated like this
annual income divided by purchase price x 100 = gross return in %

The net Return includes the current expenses except taxes, so the net return is always lower than the gross return.

It is calculated like this
annual income minus all expenses divided by purchase price x 100 = Net return in %

These are just the very basic types of return – of course there are others, more complex (price return, money-weighted return, time-weighted return…).

Let´s see an example.

You bought a house for 150,000 EUR and you rent it out for 700 EUR a month. Your expenses for the house are 2,000 EUR per year.

This means that your gross return is 5,6 %.
(700 EUR x 12 month) / 150,000 EUR x 100 = 5,6 %

Your net return on the other hand is only 4,26 %.
[(700 EUR x 12 month) – 2,000 EUR] / 150,000 EUR x 100 = 4,26 %

As a result, to get a good idea of your profit it is always better to look at the net return.

What is an average rate of return?

Depending on your country and the type of real estate (residential or commercial) your average rate of return would probably be something between 4% and 10%. Of course, the bigger the rate the better. But again, if the rate of return is very high in a real estate investment you must be cautious. Also look out for the wording “possible” or “potential” yield of …. Meaning you will need to do something to achieve that – maybe even investing more money.

So, if the rate of return in a real estate investment looks too good to be true maybe take a closer look at the tenant of this nice “gingerbread house” or bite marks on the walls….

Real Estate Investment through renovation

It sounds simple: You take the plunge and buy a reasonably priced real estate with small “faults” that are easy to fix and without much effort.

To be successful in Real Estate Investment through renovation you make sure that the building is in a not-too-bad condition. It´s vital to make your research! The least you need to fix, the more you can save. Then it’s time to plan, what needs to be done to create a good layout, make it a charming, attractive property that you can rent and make money from?

You should pay particular attention to those things that attract potential tenants: Maybe a modern open plan kitchen, a gorgeous bathroom and a nice garden…

So far you have to invest money, otherwise you cannot earn anything.

After you finished the renovation of your real estate, you now have two options, depending on your financial needs.

If your goal is to raise a sum of money all at once, then look for a buyer for the house.

Coming up with the asking price is simple: your invested money and the targeted profit make up the purchase price at which you resell the property.

If you rather like to have a regular income from your real estate, then rent it out. Like this you have a guaranteed steady income over a longer period.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you always have your real estate and you can sell it anytime to make a larger amount of money.

The only question is: Is real estate investment through renovation not too risky?

The starting point is simple: the cheaper the renovation can be made, the higher the earning potential. Of course, handy people have an advantage here. If you can do a lot yourself, the costs are reduced.

Be balanced. You should not overestimate yourself and certainly not underestimate. With time and commitment, you can work out much yourself. In addition, the Internet is full of information and DIY tutorials.

Of course, you must invest time, but working on a house is fun and, above all, it’s a paid hobby.

Conclusion for Real Estate Investment through renovation

You must be aware that it will take a lot of patience and commitment.

Maybe you don´t find the right tenant straight away. But sooner or later that will be the case. Every entrepreneur, and one such is you if you want to make money, must take some risk. The chance that it will pay is high.

In summary, it can be said that investing money is never easy. However, investing in slightly older properties is a good way to invest your money.

Look around, if you have found the ideal house, go for it!

Here you can find some renovation projects from our site.

It sounds simple: You take the plunge and buy a reasonably priced real estate with small “faults” that are easy to fix and without much effort.

To be successful in Real Estate Investment through renovation you make sure that the building is in a not-too-bad condition. It´s vital to make your research! The least you need to fix, the more you can save. Then it’s time to plan, what needs to be done to create a good layout, make it a charming, attractive property that you can rent and make money from?

You should pay particular attention to those things that attract potential tenants: Maybe a modern open plan kitchen, a gorgeous bathroom and a nice garden…

So far you have to invest money, otherwise you cannot earn anything.

After you finished the renovation of your real estate, you now have two options, depending on your financial needs.

If your goal is to raise a sum of money all at once, then look for a buyer for the house.

Coming up with the asking price is simple: your invested money and the targeted profit make up the purchase price at which you resell the property.

If you rather like to have a regular income from your real estate, then rent it out. Like this you have a guaranteed steady income over a longer period.

If you are experiencing financial dificulties, you always have your real estate and you can sell it anytime to make a larger amount of money.

The only question is: Is real estate investment through renovation not too risky?

The starting point is simple: the cheaper the renovation can be made, the higher the earning potential. Of course, handy people have an advantage here. If you can do a lot yourself, the costs are reduced.

Be balanced. You should not overestimate yourself and certainly not underestimate. With time and commitment, you can work out much yourself. In addition, the Internet is full of information and DIY tutorials.

Of course, you must invest time, but working on a house is fun and, above all, it’s a paid hobby.

Conclusion for Real Estate Investment through renovation

You must be aware that it will take a lot of patience and commitment.

Maybe you don´t find the right tenant straight away. But sooner or later that will be the case. Every entrepreneur, and one such is you if you want to make money, must take some risk. The chance that it will pay is high.

In summary, it can be said that investing money is never easy. However, investing in slightly older properties is a good way to invest your money.

Look around, if you have found the ideal house, go for it!

Find some renovation projects on our site.

New must-have to sell your property faster

We at listproperty4free.com are there to help you to rent and sell your property. So far you know us as a reliable partner for free real estate ads that are presented internationally. That will remain so in the future.

However, many of our customers want to have better visibility on our websites to get more inquiries and speed up their sales or rentals. We are therefore very pleased to introduce our new sales booster.

Here is a great tool to help you get the buyers attention and rent or sell your property faster. Make your ad stand out by adding a subtitle.

Stand out from the crowd

Subtitle appears right below the title of your advertisements in our lists and helps you to get more attention.

Extra eye-catcher

Subtitle works very well as an extra eye-catcher on the details page.

bold subtitle in property list
bold subtitle in property list

No lifetime

Once bought the Subtitle add-on will be active as long as your advertisement exists.

It’s cheap and can make a huge difference. Simply go to your ad and click “sell quicker”.

Try it.

 

This sales booster is already available from € 1.29 / € 1.49! Further details and prices can be found at https://www.listproperty4free.com/pricing.php

We wish you every success in selling or renting your property!

How to generate passive income with real estate

Many people feel trapped: Pressure and stress at work makes them sick. The good news is, there might be a way out. Anyone can generate a passive income through real estate.

All you need to start is some savings or a good friend who lends you some money. When asking for a mortgage at the bank – depending on the bank of course – they usually would like to see that you have at least 20% of house price yourself.

The advantage of passive income through real estate

Setting up a passive income requires some work at the start. It requires some good decisions and a clever management of your real estate investments. If you want to be free of any work, you will probably ask a firm to look after it for you. After that you are laughing! It regularly fills up your bank account without you moving a finger. Life becomes light and free at once. Finally, you have much more time for the things that really matter to you. Usually only a small financing is necessary to get you started.

Financial freedom through real estate

Of course, real estate is not the only way. There are many ways to generate passive income. Some people write a song, a book or create some other sort of art… or others invest in the stock market. Much of it, however, takes a lot of effort and might not lead to anything. Real estate, on the other hand, is very well suited as a passive income generator.  Rental income will last for as long as you are a property owner. You can rent residential or commercial properties. Even if you are sick of it one day you can simply sell it again. 

Real estate as passive income: what should I consider?

Anyone who rents out a property must pay tax on the income. Also, the owner has a high responsibility towards the tenants. But this burden pays off in cash.  You can have it as simple or as complicated as you like… You are totally free to choose to which extend you like to do this. Some real estate owners bought a house one day and rent it permanently, that´s it. Others use the profits to finance the next house, increasing their real estate portfolio. They usually ask a specialized company to do the property management for them.

Once you generate a certain rental income, you can do things you really like. Now you can write a song, a book or create some other sort of art… and it will be more fun because you no longer have to earn an income from it.

House with swimming pool for sale – find cheap holiday homes

Are you looking to buy a nice property in the sun? Then it must come with a swimming pool, right?

When buying a second home many people are looking for that nice holiday feel: Palm trees, beach, cocktails by the pool… as well as peace and quiet, where you can just relax and unwind.

It all depends on your budget…

…you might think. But hold on. Of course, if you have the money you go for the full package: the best real estate in the best location. But only very few people are in that position.

If you are like most, you will probably invest some time on research to get the best bargain. By making some research in Portugal we found out that the local buyers are very different from foreign buyers. For example: A house in in a remote village does not look very appealing for locals, they must do a lot of travelling to go to work, bring the kids to school or to make shop.

Foreign buyers on the other hand love to be in a quiet spot where they can totally relax and forget their busy lives back home.

For foreign buyers this can mean cheaper deals if they look in remote areas.

For real estate agents this means more clients if they offer those properties specifically to foreign clients.

Now, but what about the swimming pool?

On our website you can search only for houses with swimming pool. Just hit the “show more filter criteria” link and you can tick the swimming pool box under extras. You can sort the results to see the cheapest first. This will give you an idea of what is available.

You can just use this link, too:

https://www.listproperty4free.com/houses-swimming-pool

If there is nothing that you like, don´t give up, good deals go fast! You can create a search alert (yes, including the swimming pool) to be the first to be informed when the next comes up.

And remember, you can always look at real estate without swimming pool that have a good size land and add one yourself. Depending on local prices it might be cheaper than you thought.

Happy swimming!

Can you be a landlord? How to generate rental income

Have you recently bought an investment property? Or are you downsizing and debating what to do with your family home now that it is no longer needed as your family has dispersed? Many people in this situation employ the services of a management company who will prepare the property, advertise it, vet perspective renters, collect rent and take are of repairs. Of course they do this in exchange for a percentage of the rental income that the property generates.  This can range from a set yearly nominal fee to a full months rent per calendar year or more.

If you want to get into this business yourself without a management company, it’s important to be savvy and smart.

First of all, get to know all the local laws that apply. If the property needs renovating or remodeling, make sure all the work is above board and that you get the appropriate certificates to show that you are following regulations on everything to do with electrical, fire etc. This could save you some major headaches down the line. If you are changing the use of a property then even more paperwork and certification will be required.

When it comes to the type of renovations you do, also take a look at the neighbourhood to help you decide what should be done. You do not want your property to make the whole street look bad. But you also do not need to install gold-plated taps unless your property is in Beverly Hills. Stay in keeping with the area. If it’s not an essential upgrade and it won’t increase the amount of rent you can charge, think carefully before taking on extra expenses.

When it comes to setting the rent, you can take clues from looking at similar properties in the area. It’s important to get the rent at a level that is appropriate – reasonably affordable but not so cheap that people wonder what’s wrong with the place. Rent is your income. If the property is an apartment in an urban area, you might expect a higher turnover in tenants. With this in mind your forecasts should allow for occupancy for 10 full months per year only. In more rural settings, it can be more difficult to find a tenant but there should be less of a turnover. A good rule of thumb is to allow 12.5% of the annual rental income toward repairs and required upgrades.

Set up easy and clearly defined ways for your tenant to pay their rent.

Online is often simplest and gives you automatic records with your bank. Don’t allow arrears to build up.  You are the landlord and have the right to demand the agreed rent. However, don’t be unreasonable. Communication is key in this situation and, whilst you may need the intervention of some legal entity, this should be a last resort that follows personal engagement. If your tenant goes into arrears and does not engage with you, check the law and begin eviction proceedings as soon as is legal whilst still attempting resolution.

Finding the right tenant is of course crucial to your rental income.

The first thing to do is market the property. Get some good photographs and write a comprehensive description for an online post. You might decide to arrange an afternoon of open house or set up individual showings with interested people. To make sure you’re not wasting your time, you can also put a short questionnaire online. Like this you will have essential information about them before setting up the viewing. Doing this initial stage by email and online is a big time-saver compared to doing it in person or on the phone.

rent your house

In the US, you will of course check credit ratings of every perspective tenant. A score of 600 or below is considered bad. In Europe, we rely more heavily on references. Look for references from their previous landlord and employer. Get a copy of their legal ID and their national identity number. Meet them personally. Find out how many people they are planning on bringing to live with them. Have a proper legal rental contract for you both to sign, and give them a copy (free templates are available online for this). Have clear rules about smoking and pets, and put this in writing in the contract.

If you personally live nearby your rental property, it’s easier to keep an eye on it and make sure it’s being cared for appropriately.  Of course you should not turn up unannounced or go snooping around when they aren’t home. You must respect their privacy. If you live further away, you might consider employing someone locally. If the property has a garden, having a local gardener to visit regularly will help to keep it looking well without relying on the tenant’s efforts. You will definitely need a local handyman you can call when repairs are required.

It is worth keeping the property in good condition.

In most countries expenses on repairs, cleaning and maintenance are all allowable as claims against your rental income to reduce the amount of tax you will have to pay on your income. So keep good records of these expenses. Your tenant will also appreciate living in a place that is well maintained and where they have a landlord who responds promptly to repair requests.

You can list your real estate on www.listproperty4free.com – start working on your rental income today.

Use our website to post real estate listings for free

No matter if you are a private seller or a real estate agent you are probably always happy to know another online platform to post real estate listings for free.

In this article, we like to show you quickly some of the features we offer when you list your real estate ad on www.listproperty4free.com.

Can I upload Images with my real estate ad?
Yes – you can upload up to 100 Images with your free ad.

Can I set the location of my real estate ad (Mapping Functionality)?
Yes, this is one of the main features of our website. You can set the location of your property. As a result it will show the location in your ad as well as showing your property on the map on our homepage.

Can I link to outside sites?
No. We currently do not support links to other websites. Rather, if you sign up as a real estate agent you kinda have your own page within our website. This will show like this:

www.listproperty4free.com/properties-by-agent/your-name

Am I required to create an account?
Yes. You will need to create an account to be able to post your real estate ad for free but there are no strings attached. Therefore, you can easily delete your account anytime you wish and all your data will be deleted.

Are there Special Promotion Options?
Yes, you can book extra features with your ad but this is not free of charge. Please see our pricing page for more details.

Can I post an international ad?
Yes, it does not matter where your property is located. It can be anywhere in the world.

What are you waiting for? Post real estate listings for free for thousands of new possible buyers or tenants on www.listproperty4free.com.

Property for rent in Europe and all over the World

We are happy to announce that now you are also able to list  property for rent on our website.

Discover real estate for rent in Europe. You can do so easily by using our map feature to find the location that suits you best: Property for rent in Europe or wherever you want.

Why do we offer to list rental ads now?

Initially we focused just on for sale ads. We were interested especially to make it easier for possible buyers to find cheap properties for sale and to make the “hot spots” visible on the map. Users liked this very much; we can see that our section for properties below 20,000 EUR is still the best visited page from all sections we have available.

After a while some users started to list rental ads as well. As the rental price is usually below 20,000 EUR it started to mess up our cheap property for sale page. This got increasingly annoying for everybody who was looking to buy a bargain.

So, what to do?

After thinking back and forth we decided: Why not keep everybody happy? We keep the rental ads but give them their own space. So, that’s what we did. Now you are able to list or search rental ads as well. It might be still a bit edgy as originally our site was not designed for rental ads but we will see where it goes.

As a conclusion we can only say that we are happy that you like our website and use it. We know it is not perfect but we like to keep you happy and always appreciate your feedback.

Your house for sale in autumn – how to get ahead PART 2

When you are preparing your house for sale, you have worked hard to get the place looking pristine.

You have arranged all the ornaments to just the right angle and have the cushions plumped just so. Your house for sale is ready. But this is the time to relax the rules. Let your prospective buyers sit, walk (with shoes on if they whish – if this is not too extreme for you), and set their mug down where they like. If you are hovering in the background with a critical eyebrow-raise and a cloth to wipe up water rings from the coffee table, they may get the impression that you are not quite ready to hand over the keys to your precious home.

Of course, this means that you do have to run around cleaning up and plumping cushions again after each visitor leaves. When the next people arrive, they need to be made feel special and don’t need to be reminded by dirty cups in the sink that they are just one in a string of people (hopefully) coming to view the place.

Another hosting trick that can put you ahead of the game is to learn a little about prospective buyers before they arrive.

This can give you an idea of what to talk about and what might be especially appealing to them about your home or its location. If you learn that their mother tongue is different to yours, you should learn a few words in their language. This really helps a person to feel appreciated. The key ones are obviously “hello”, “thank you” and “goodbye”. If you can manage “Would you like a drink?” that would be very special.

It can also be helpful to know a little bit about their cultural background. Some cultures love to talk and chat, others respect silence. Of course, individuals are individual, but you can be prepared so that you don’t seem disappointed or offended if your efforts at small talk are not reciprocated.

It is challenging to sell at this time of the year but these few simple tips can give you an advantage.

Be ready with the kettle on for tea and hot chocolate or, if you’re feeling really brave, even some mulled wine!