Real Estate Auctions – The New Land Rush

On a sunny afternoon in Florida, an energetic crowd gathers on the lawn of a high end luxury estate. A loud and eager banter between an auctioneer, a group of bidders and bidder assistants fills the air. For several minutes the auctioneer asks for the next highest bid and the bidders respond. Suddenly the bidders grow silent. The high bidder holds his breath in anticipation of winning the auction. The auctioneer calls for one more bid. In a loud clear voice which rolls over the audience he says, “Fair warning, last chance” the auctioneer pauses, “SOLD!” And in less than 10 minutes another multimillion dollar estate has changed owners.

Successful real estate auctions like the one above are happening all over North America and the Caribbean. Recently real estate auctions have been on the rise, the increase in popularity is partly driven by growing inventories and fading buyer confidence. Properties that were selling in weeks using traditional methods are now languishing on the market unable to attract buyers even as seller’s lower prices. Many say the real estate boom is over but savvy buyers and sellers are profiting from real estate auctions.

Real Estate Auctions Work in Up or Down Markets.

Regardless of trends or market cycles, real estate auctions provide an open and transparent process for buyers and sellers. Properly conducted real estate auctions attract ready and willing buyers and motivate them to act now.

The auction method removes the “wait and see” attitude which serves to further depress real estate values. Buyers are always concerned about overpaying. Buyers gain confidence with their purchases at real estate auctions because they can see what others are willing to pay.

When market demand is high and inventories low, real estate auctions can deliver selling prices well above what a willing seller would have accepted in a negotiated private treaty sale. In good selling climates many property owners using traditional real estate methods; negotiating with one buyer at a time, leave thousands of dollars of equity on the table. During up markets real estate auctions are the best way to establish top market price.

Evaluating Your Real Estate for Auction

Not every property or seller for that matter makes a good candidate for auction. First of all sellers must be ready to sell now and for the current market value. Also a real estate auction will not fix problems caused by a downturn in market value of your property, if you owe more than a willing buyer will pay, be prepared to come to closing with your check book.

Properties that do well in real estate auctions have a high uniqueness factor. Ask your self, “What makes my property different from most others?” Maybe you own a resort property or high end luxury home, commercial properties and land do very well at auction. Real estate auctions thrive on uniqueness. If your property is like everyone else’s, the best thing you can do is offer the most competitive price.

Most importantly sellers must be reasonable about setting a minimum bid. A seller must look at the lowest, most current comps and price below that to generate the interest and urgency necessary for a successful real estate auction. Once the auction begins and qualified bidders start competing against one another you can watch the selling price increase.

Locate a Qualified Real Estate Auctioneer

Start by checking with the National Auctioneers Association, the best real estate auctioneers belong to this organization. These real estate auctioneers are well trained and adhere to a standard of practice and a code of ethics. Many attend the annual International Auctioneers Conference where the latest techniques and innovations in the real estate auction industry are presented.

Find out if the company you are interviewing is a full time real estate auction firm. Many real estate agents are getting auction licenses yet have no experience with the auction method of marketing. Conducting a successful real estate auction is nothing like (private treaty) traditional real estate sales. Go with a real estate auction pro.

You’re probably better of with an auction house that specializes in real estate auctions. There are many qualified auctioneers who have generations of experience selling personal property; furniture, dishes, lawn equipment and the occasional rare painting. Selling real estate at auction is a complex matter that should only be attempted by full time experienced real estate auction professionals.

Commissions and fees may vary, sellers must pay all marketing expenses up front and buyers typically pay 10% of the sales price to the auctioneer of which a share goes to participating real estate agents.

Types of Real Estate Auctions

Auctions are effective because they create a seller’s market. Professionally conducted real estate auctions create urgency, a reason to buy today and competition for the property. Terms and conditions of sale are established ahead of the auction. Real estate auctions will follow one of these three approaches:

Absolute Auction

The property is sold to the highest bidder regardless of price- using this process often returns the highest sale price.

Minimum Bid Auction

Seller agrees to sell at or above a published minimum bid price – this method is useful for internet auctions.

Seller Confirmation or Reserve Auction

With a reserve auction, the seller “reserves” the right to accept or decline any bids usually within 48 hours of the auction. Reserve auctions are used when there is a lien on the property from a lender or a court ordered sale with a minimum selling price.

What Kind of Business Can You Run From Home: An Expert Review of Home Based Business Structures

If you have a burning desire to work from home you are not alone. I joined the almost 4 million Americans who successful make a living working home based businesses about a year ago. It was literally overwhelming to look at the endless possibilities in the home based business arena. To make matters worse 99.9% of the folks you are going to run into will surely try to sell you on their “amazing” opportunity. Choose wisely my friends. Over 95% of home based entrepreneurs fail. I believe this is because they jump into a business that does not fit them. Read this article to get started.If you are looking for specific ideas, I have hundreds listed in some of my other articles. In this article I am going to stick with a critical overview of the five basic structures of business that cover about 99 percent of home based businesses. By choosing a category to look into, you can narrow your search and hopefully start to hone into what is going to work for you.The question to ask is not how good an opportunity looks, but does it really fit you? Does it fit your time? Does it fit your skills? Does it fit your passions? Does it fit you realistic investment money and needed income? You must put on your critical thinking hat and look at the process as a type of reverse job interview. There are over 2,700 MLMs currently n the US and over 10,000 home based franchises, affiliate opportunities, and other home based businesses. Anyone can find a business that will make them a decent living from home- if they do their due diligence to find a truly “good fit!”Below are the 5 main categories that home-based businesses fall under. I have listed them with the main pros and cons of each structure. 1) Affiliate Marketing Pros: Good income potential: Previous proven and somewhat branded productsCons: Some have little to no ongoing training or mentorship: Affiliate Marketing is just that “marketing”2) Home Based Franchise Pros: Franchises usually have very well-developed products, services, and marketing plans: Many leave a lot of room for individuals to run their business in the way they choose to: Some provide comprehensive trainingCons: Start-up cost for franchises are significantly high than other forms of business: Many franchises require a set of specialized skills to run effectively3) MLM (network Marketer) Pros: Compared to other forms of business MLMs have a low cost to join: They have very flexible hours: Almost all have a pre-existing plan to followCons: Most MLMs have ongoing financial commitments: Only about 1% of folks in MLMs make a living in the industry: It normally takes several months to build a large enough down-line to see a significant ongoing cash flow: Out of the more than 10,000 MLMs that have been created over the last 60 years only 50 have lived to see their 10 year anniversaries4) Online Business (all other forms can be worked online) Pros: Working online provides an unlimited income opportunity: Flexible hours: Can be easily worked around current employment in needed: Fits almost any nicheCons: 97% of folks who attempt to make a living fail because of a lack of ongoing training and mentorship: There are specific skills and knowledge that must be learned to make money online5) Unique Original Ideas Pros: Started a business from scratch can be a very personally rewarded experience: If a new business is created, marketed, and branded it can create significant wealth for the ownerCons: There are many skills needed to successful run a business as a startup: There can be large startup costs: Many underestimate the time commitment needed to get a new business off the ground
Take a good look at the pros and cons of the different structures. I have successful owned and operated a number of businesses over the years; however, it was honestly an affiliate that allowed me make enough money to quite my “day job” and work completely from my home office. That being said, I know many folks who successfully run home based businesses. Many work in the MLM industry, own franchises, and some have started their businesses from scratch.

Differences in the Types of Auctions That Take Place Around the World

Auctions are those events where properties or goods are sold to the highest bidder. Auctions are mostly public events, where bidders make a series of bids and purchase a particular item for a high price. During auctions, bidders decide the price of an item rather than the seller. It depends on bidders to decide the amount they would want to pay for a specific item. During an auction, a bid is a proof of a legal binding. Bidders agree to pay the amount that they have bid. In a high profile auction, bidders may have to pay a deposit in escrow accounts or give a proof that they can pay for those items.

Types of Auctions:

Different types of auctions take place around the world. Below mentioned are some types of auctions:

1. English auction:
This is a basic type of auction. In this type, people can see the item and then start bidding. Bidders slowly raise the value of their bid until everyone gives up. The highest bidder is the winner. An auctioneer manages an auction, keeps records of the on going bid and decides the winner. Sometimes, the seller will quote a minimum amount for an item to the auctioneer, below which the auctioneer cannot sell that item.

2. Dutch auction:
In this type, the auctioneer sets a particular price and then gradually lowers the price. People in public will start bidding and later decide which prices are suitable for the item. A seller may use this type of auction to sell large quantities of same products to the public. For instance, a seller may want to sell a large amount of hay and will thus, decide to sell this hay to people for the same amount, once a reasonable price is decided.

3. Silent auction:
In this type, the bidders in public will present their bids in a sealed format. These sealed bids open at the same time and bidder with the highest bid wins. There could be a modification in this type of auction. The bidders are allotted a specific period to bid. They can roam in a room displaying the items, and write their bids on an associated sheet of paper. The bidders are allowed to see bids of other bidders and can choose a higher price for an item. At the end of the allotted time, bidder with the highest bid is the winner.

Examples of Auctions:

Auctions can be of two types either public or private. Sellers may trade any kind of items in both types of auctions. Some areas where auctions take place are:

1. Antique auction: An antique auction consists of a trade opportunity as well as provides entertainment.

2. Collectable auction: In a collectable auction, the seller may put up collectables like coins, vintage cars, luxury, stamps, real estate, and luxury for sale.

3. Wine auction: In wine auction, bidders can bid for rare wine, which may not be available in retail wine shops.

4. Horse auction: Bidders can bid for young horses of the best breed.

5. Livestock auction: In livestock auction, bidders can buy pigs, sheep, cattle, and other livestock.

The other examples of auctions may not be public. These auctions are for bidders from corporate levels. Some examples of private auctions are:

1. Timber auction
2. Spectrum auction
3. Electricity auction
4. Debit auction
5. Environmental auction
6. Auto auction
7. Electronic market auction
8. Sales of business auction

Bidders in an auction need to examine the items displayed and decide an appropriate price for an item. Thus, auctions help buyers in getting the best deals and in gaining better profits for sellers.