Smart Moves

A few years ago, a couple in their early 30s -- both sales managers -- made a hasty decision to buy a contemporary condo in downtown San Diego. They were captivated by the apartment's stunning views and sweeping "entertainers balcony."

But once the couple's first child was born, the condo proved an awkward and disappointing choice. Recently, they put the place up for sale. Looking back, they wish they'd been more thoughtful about their buying decision and picked a place better-suited for the family they intended to have.

Their story illustrates how a hurried housing selection -- especially when it involves a condo -- can sometimes prove a disheartening choice.

"In particular, first-time homebuyers need to thoughtfully consider the implications of choosing any property, but particularly a condo. It's only human nature, but some buyers fail to think ahead for their future needs," says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "Home Buying for Dummies."

Of course, no matter the housing style you choose -- whether a condo, a townhouse or a traditional, detached property -- that choice can affect your lifestyle in major ways. But Tyson says those who've never before lived in a condo should be especially cautious about buying one.

"There's a much bigger pool of buyers for traditional family houses," he says.

Leo Berard, charter president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org), says for some categories of purchasers, a condo could be the ideal choice.

"Older buyers who no longer have children at home often relish the low-maintenance requirements of condo living because most condo communities take care of all exterior maintenance. That liberates them from a lot of upkeep and frees their time for travel or hobbies," Berard says.

Another category of buyers who could enjoy condo living are young to middle-aged purchasers who don't intend to have children and who seek an urban lifestyle in an area where it's possible to walk to restaurants, entertainment venues and public transportation.

"Living in a vital urban setting -- in a condo or rental apartment -- is very popular with an increasing number of buyers in their 20s through 50s and beyond," Berard says.

Are you considering a condo? If so, you may wish to ask yourself these questions before you go through with a deal:

-- Would a condo prove a practical, comfortable housing choice for you?

People planning to sell a detached house in favor of a condo should anticipate major life changes, Tyson says.

For example, condo residents -- and their visitors -- typically face more limits on parking. Maybe you and your spouse will receive just one parking space in an underground garage or outdoor lot. That could be acceptable to a single person who travels frequently for work, but it could be troublesome for a couple who love to throw parties.

If you enjoy gardening, condo living could cost you the chance to cultivate your own plot. But if you dislike yard work, freedom from pruning and mowing could give you the extra free time you seek to pursue other interests.

Another factor Tyson says potential condo buyers should consider is the availability of storage space. Although a recently built condo is likely to have larger closets than an older one, a detached house will probably have still more storage room, if only in the attic or garage.

-- Is now the right time to buy a condo in your area?

Tyson says many first-time buyers view a condo purchase as a way to obtain housing at a lower cost per square foot than if they were to buy a freestanding house. But that assumption may or may not hold true, depending on property valuation trends in your area.

"Land costs are high and rising in most metro areas. Therefore, it makes sense that buying a condo -- which doesn't come with land -- should give you more living space for the money than a single family house," Tyson says.

But there are some obvious exceptions. For instance, a luxury apartment in a ritzy section of Manhattan or inside Chicago's Loop would undoubtedly be more expensive on a per-square-foot basis than a house in most suburbs, even upscale ones.

However, Tyson cautions against making blanket assumptions about comparative housing costs without first asking your real estate agent to give you data on recent sale prices in the communities where you're looking.

"You'll want final sales prices for transactions involving like units that occurred no longer than six months ago, unless your market has been extremely stable," he says.

-- Are the condo fees reasonable for the complex you're considering?

Berard says monthly condo fees bear close scrutiny.

"If the fees are very high, that could mean management of the building is not effective in holding down routine building expenses. But low fees could mean upkeep costs are being deferred, which could make future owners vulnerable to steep 'special assessments,'" he says.

To get a feel for the quality of management of a condo building, Berard suggests you ask to attend a meeting of the condo association's board. Alternatively, try to obtain copies of minutes from recent board meetings.

-- Would living close to neighbors be a plus or minus for you?

Tyson says people vary widely in their level of comfort with condo living. Those who grew up in a suburban or rural area with a lot of land around their property may dislike the smell of cooking from a stranger's condo down the hallway. Yet people raised in an apartment building might be at ease in such a setting.

If you worry you might be uncomfortable living in a particular condo complex, you could do well to test these assumptions by taking a short-term rental within the same complex.

"Renting a condo for even a few months could give you all the information you need to make a sound decision about buying in that complex," Tyson says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Donna Goings, who's sold homes since 1985, has a wide-angle view of the home-buying market. Thinking back, she says it's only been within the last 10 years that buyers have become acutely energy-conscious.

Due to increased environmental awareness, Goings, a realty company owner affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com), says, "There's more of a stigma on buying a large, energy-consumptive house."

Because of this new trend, Goings says it can be difficult to sell an exceptionally large property, one with more than 5,000 square feet, especially if it still has outdated heating and cooling systems or poor attic insulation.

Art Godi, a real estate broker and past president of the National Association of Realtors (www.realtor.org), says Americans are increasingly ambivalent about ownership of large homes, given the high costs of maintaining them.

Energy costs aren't the only issue. It's also costly to keep a large property clean and in good repair. Then, too, there are major expenses to maintain the elaborate landscaping that typically surrounds many McMansions.

Sid Davis, a veteran real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide to Selling a Home," advises sellers of very large houses of the importance of setting a realistic list price, which could mean asking less per square foot than for a smaller property in the same area. It's also important that you market the place strategically.

Here are a few pointers for home sellers:

-- Consider the international market for your large property.

One way to widen the pool of prospective buyers for a large, upscale home is to consider potential purchasers from abroad who have the means to buy and maintain an expensive property.

"The Web has made selling property to foreign nationals a lot more realistic. Real estate investment has gone global. For example, there are now many Chinese, Canadian and Latin American buyers searching for homes in the U.S.," Davis says.

Of course, not every neighborhood can attract well-to-do buyers from other countries. Could your large place have international appeal? That's plausible if you're located within or near a cosmopolitan city, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York or Miami. It could also be viable if it's set in an area with great scenery and beach views, like La Jolla, Calif.

Though an increasing number of listing agents are now aware of the overseas market, few have been specially trained to sell homes to this category of purchasers.

"It's important that you find an agent with experience dealing with foreign buyers," Davis says.

As the market globalizes, there's increased interest in the field within the membership of the National Association of Realtors. By going to the organization's website, you can find agents in your area who've earned the designation of "Certified International Property Specialist."

-- Ask your listing agent to create a website for your house.

Those seeking to market a very spacious house are often well advised to obtain a professionally designed website for the place -- one that showcases the property to the well-heeled buyers who can afford it.

"Face the fact that it can cost money to market your home to discerning buyers. It's not enough for the listing to simply appear on your agent's website. You need your own online presence," Davis says.

Once your website is live, how do you attract traffic to it? Davis recommends that you and your agent invest in classy advertising in newspapers and magazines that target upscale audiences.

-- Promote the energy-saving features built into your place.

Does your large house have features such as a "zoned" heating and cooling system, which permits sections of the property to be shut off when not in use? Does it also have energy-efficient appliances, including a state-of-the-art refrigerator that will convey in the sale?

If so, Godi says these features should be promoted in your marketing materials.

Besides the use of online and print marketing materials, Godi suggests you advertise your energy-smart house with a rider attached to your For Sale sign.

-- Seek out contractors' estimates for energy-saving improvements.

Was your jumbo-sized house constructed with little attention to energy efficiency, and there's little you're willing to do to upgrade it before it hits the market? In that case, how can you allay the worries of potential purchasers who fear jumbo-sized utility bills?

Goings suggests you call in contractors for bids on energy-saving work, such as attic insulation and new windows. Then give these bids to prospects, so they'll know how much it would cost to redo your place to save energy. Also, give them copies of your recent utility bills.

"It always helps when buyers see the numbers. That way they won't be in the dark about the cost of all the changes they'll want and need to do to your house," Goings says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Many people think home-buying bargains are gone, a casualty of the nation's gradual economic recovery. They reason that given rising home values, the only remaining areas where you can nail a good deal are those with high unemployment or urban blight.

But seasoned real estate specialists beg to differ. They say you can still find a quality home in a desirable neighborhood for a very good price -- assuming you take a strategic approach, find motivated sellers and exercise care in the way you craft your offer.

"There are always people who want or need to cash out of their house quickly because of divorce, financial problems or a new job in a faraway location," says Tom Early, a real estate broker who specializes in helping buyers.

As the headlines attest, median home prices have risen in many neighborhoods in recent months. And this past spring marked strong sales in many areas due to a shortage of inventory relative to supply. But since then the supply-demand ratio has shifted to a somewhat more balanced market.

"Lots of baby boomers are now coming out of the woodwork to sell homes they've owned for years," says Early, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org).

He contends that buyers can often snag a deal if they find sellers who have a sense of urgency about letting go. It's also important to package your offer in a way that's unlikely to offend the owners, thereby reducing the odds it will be rebuffed.

The term "lowball offer" has bad connotations for real estate professionals, because ridiculously low offers are nearly always destined for rejection.

"An overly low offer punctures (sellers') pride," Early says.

To prevail in negotiations, Early says buyers should stay within a reasonable range of current market value with their first bid, recommending an offer of "no more than 10 to 20 percent off market value."

Here are some other pointers for purchasers:

-- Seek to connect with the home's sellers.

Because nearly all homeowners have emotional attachments to their property, most sellers react badly to any remarks that denigrate their home, says Fred Meyer, a longtime broker who sells property around Harvard University.

When shaping your offer, how can you convince the sellers that you sincerely appreciate their place and would value living there? Meyer suggests you attach to your bid a handwritten note that introduces you and tells the owners why you like the home.

"The idea is to humanize your offer. By writing a note, you help the sellers visualize who you are and what you like about their place," he says.

-- Attach a pre-approval letter to your offer.

In extremely popular neighborhoods, buyers currently outnumber sellers, and multiple bidding situations are relatively common. In those areas, Early says it's especially important to attach a mortgage pre-approval letter to your offer.

"Sellers don't want anything to do with buyers who can't prove they have the wherewithal to finance their house," Early says.

In fact, Meyer says it's often wise for buyers to attach bank statements showing they have the funds to take the deal to closing.

-- Don't forfeit your chance for a home inspection.

It's true that a condition-free offer represents a stronger bid and gives you an advantage over other bidders. Even so, Early urges you not to waive your right to a professional home inspection.

"People who don't get an inspection are at risk of buying a pig in a poke. Very few people have enough money to cover the costs of the horrendous house problems," Early says.

Are you competing with other bidders to buy a highly desirable property and want to present as condition-free an offer as possible? In that case, Meyer suggests you arrange to have your inspection done prior to drafting your bid.

"That way you can make a very clean offer without surrendering the chance to have the house checked out for problems," he says.

-- Keep in mind that timing is critical to motivated sellers.

Whether the sellers of a home are willing to deal with a low bidder often depends on how much pressure they're under to sell, Early says. Those in a rush are usually more willing to entertain a low bid, even if it means making a counteroffer to bring up the dollar amount.

"Timing is often the single most critical factor in getting a great deal on a house. Speed is especially important to sellers under duress who must move soon or face foreclosure. That's why the willingness to move quickly can strengthen your hand as buyers," Early says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)