Do you or your clients want to do some remodeling, but need to make sure the money you spend will pay off in the long run? Here are six ways to ensure a remodeling project is worth your time and effort, courtesy of Josh Garskof of Money Magazine.

According to a study from Remodeling magazine, the average return on value for an upgrade declined from 87% in 2005 to 64% in 2009. But these six new rules will help you maximize your return on your remodeling investment.

Rule No. 1: Repairs get the biggest returns

The smartest money now goes into “undeferring” needed maintenance. That’s because while buyers might appreciate enhancements like Jacuzzis and Sub-Zeros, they won’t tolerate a house with a leaky roof or antiquated plumbing. “If a property is known to have issues, today’s buyers won’t even look at it,” says Austin real estate appraiser Jim Amorin. And trying to keep problems a secret can cost you big-time. If buyers discover them during inspection, it’s now common practice to ask sellers not only to pick up the tab for the repair but also to pay a penalty to compensate the buyer for the inconvenience of having work done. So the $20,000 you saved by putting off a roof repair, say, could turn into a $30,000 credit to the buyers at closing, says Amorin.

Rule No. 2: Remodeling beats adding on

McMansions have gone the way of the SUV—and large additions don’t pay off either. “There’s been a fundamental shift toward quality over quantity,” says Warwick, R.I., real estate agent Ron Phipps. Having a big, formal living room plus an everyday family room is less desirable than having one multi-use common space. So rather than adding on, you’re better off repurposing existing square footage by reconfiguring the floor plan or capturing unused basement or attic space. Want an eat-in kitchen? Knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room ($2,000 to $8,000, depending on whether it’s load-bearing or contains plumbing). That will instantly create a large eat-in kitchen and give the whole house a more open feel—without a huge investment to make up at resale.

Rule No. 3: Eco-friendly upgrades can save cash

Some green improvements pay you back long before you sell your house. Install energy-efficient features, such as EnergyStar appliances and extra wall insulation, and you’ll see lower energy bills every month. Add in the federal tax credit of up to $1,500 that lasts through 2010, plus many local rebates and tax incentives (see dsireusa.org), and the work may pay for itself in just five years. Green features are also increasingly a selling point, says Phipps. “Most people in the market right now are first-time homebuyers in their thirties, and they’ve been raised to care about carbon footprints and being ecofriendly,” he says. The best way to go green is with a while-you’re-at-it job: When it’s time to replace your furnace, for example, upgrading to super-efficiency might add only $500 (after tax credits), compared with standard new equipment, but it will save you — and your buyers someday — $150 or more in annual heating costs.

Rule No. 4: Tech infrastructure trumps cool gadgets

Home electronics seem like a deal, since prices have fallen about 50% over the past three years and continue to drop, according to Stephen Baker, president of industry analysis at NPD Group, a market research firm. Still, that doesn’t change the fundamental problem with expensive built-in technology: Put in a $10,000-plus dedicated home theater today, and something better will come along tomorrow and make your system look as if it’s from the Mesozoic Era. With buyers seeking any excuse to low-ball their offers, they’re not going to reward you for an out-of-date system. Tech infrastructure is different, however. Anytime you’re opening up walls for a construction project, have cabling and Ethernet ports installed. At about $80 a room, it’s a low-cost way to provide the capability for whatever technologies come along.

Rule No. 5: Let the Joneses be your guide

During the boom, you could be the first on your block to have a luxury kitchen, spa bathroom, or in-ground pool and count on others following suit. And even if the neighbors never took your lead, there was plenty of equity growth to cover your costs. Nowadays that fudge factor is gone. “You really have to keep your house’s amenities in line with the neighborhood now,” says Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. If other houses on the block have real marble countertops, by all means add one to your house, but if everyone still has faux blue-marble Formica from the ’70s, you’re not getting your money back. Also, keep your projects design-neutral so they’ll appeal to the greatest number of people. Choose neutral colors and traditional electrical and plumbing fixtures unless your house has a modern architectural style.

Rule No. 6: The new payback time is five years

As with any volatile investment, the longer your time frame, the lower the risk. Don’t take on a big project if you’re likely to move in less than three to five years. There’s just too much chance that any money you put in—aside from necessary repairs or superficial cosmetic work—could be lost while the housing market continues to meander. But if you plan to stay awhile, don’t delay starting a project. Home improvements are a bargain right now, with contractors bidding 10%, 20%, even 40% lower for the same work than just a year or two ago, says Bernie Markstein, senior economist for the National Association of Home Builders. Grab them while they’re hungry for work and make it clear that you’ll be getting multiple bids so they’ll be motivated to undercut one another’s prices. You’ll fulfill the first rule of investing: Buy low. Then hope that when you’re ready to move, you can sell high.

In light of a recent terrifying REALTOR shooting, we thought it was time to again share some safety advice for you to keep in mind in your daily practice in real estate. Please read and adhere to these 10 Tips to Open House Safety:

1. Upon entering a house for the first time, check all rooms and determine several “escape” routes. Be hyper-vigilant about your surroundings and a way out.

2. Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster escape. Be certain there are no obstacles in front of exits.

3. Check to see that if you were to escape by the back door, you could escape from the backyard. Frequently, high fences surround yards that have swimming pools or hot tubs. Find the door in the fence, or locate another way out.

4. Leave one of your business cards, with the data and time on the back, in a kitchen cupboard. Note on it if you were the first to arrive or if clients were waiting.

5. When prospects begin to arrive, jot down their car description, license number, and physical description.

6. When showing the house, always walk behind the prospect. Direct them, don’t lead them.

7. Watch what the prospects are doing at all times. Do not become preoccupied with viewing the home, and expect the unexpected.

8. Notify someone in your office, your answering service, or a friend or relative that you will be calling in every hour on the hour, and that if you don’t call, they are to notify the police immediately.

9. Inform a neighbor that you will be showing the house and ask if he would keep an ear open for anything out of the ordinary.

10. Don’t show alone—have someone from your office, a relative, or friend stay with you.

Source: Washington Real Estate Safety Council

REALTOR^® Magazine provides a lot of resources to help real estate professionals be safe in not only their open houses, but throughout their career. Read their 6 Dangers in Real Estate to further protect yourself in common REALTOR situations.

Sometimes the past is one of the best learning tools around! Use the following Real-Life Errors & Omissions Claim Situation involving REALTOR^® misrepresentation to avoid a similar legal showdown happening to you in your everyday real estate career. And be sure to have a good Real Estate E&O Insurance policy in place to protect you in case you find yourself in the middle of a court battle over not following standard office procedures.

A Real Estate agent listed a residential condominium in an age-restricted community that required, through its homeowners’ association (“HOA”) covenants, that at least one person residing in each unit must be at least 55 years old. Fortunately for the agent and his seller, he was able to sell it quickly to an out-of-state couple who met the age restriction requisite and who planned to live in the property after their retirement two years later.

Problem:
The buyers intended to have their granddaughter live in the property until they retired while she attended a nearby university.

Mistake:
Before the property went under contract, the buyers questioned the agent on whether the restrictive covenants would allow this living arrangement. The agent informed his clients that it would create no problems since the buyers, who would be the actual owners of the unit, satisfied the age condition.

Result:

Soon after the close of escrow, the buyers’ granddaughter moved into the unit and applied for a parking permit only to be informed by the HOA that she and her grandparents were not in compliance with the age restriction covenants since she, as the only resident, did not meet the age requirement. The HOA then declared that she would have to vacate the property. And after unsuccessfully pleading with the HOA Board of Directors to waive the age restriction, the buyers sued the real estate agent, his broker, and the seller alleging negligent and intentional misrepresentation and demanded that they provide alternative housing for their granddaughter until she graduated from college. Following extensive negotiations, the matter was resolved.

Prevention:
The agent incorrectly assumed that there would be no problem with a college-age woman occupying the unit as long as the owners met the age requirement. To complicate matters further, there was a dispute as to whether the agent actually provided a copy of the HOA covenants to the buyers before they executed the Purchase Agreement. If the agent was able to demonstrate that the buyers acknowledged receipt of the covenants in writing, he would have been able to put himself and his broker in a better position to defend the case. Having the ability to prove that the buyers had the opportunity to review the HOA documents would have certainly helped in that endeavor.

Do you have a similar story involving misrepresentation to share with us? Send us your learning experience or just let us know what you think about this one! Just leave a reply below!

If you have any questions about Pearl’s Errors & Omissions Insurance for real estate professionals, give us a call at 800.447.4982—whether you’re looking for a new E&O policy or have questions about your current one. We’d love to hear from you!

You can also visit our website for E&O insurance just for real estate professionals, www.pearlinsurance.com/eo, to find out more about our quality Errors & Omissions program, including policy features, risk management tools, and much more.

3.  Do not speak carelessly. As a professional, a real estate licensee must exercise a higher degree of skill and diligence than a non-professional. Negligent misrepresentation is a major cause of lawsuits. Specifically, the broker is charged with more than a layman’s knowledge of the real estate business.
http://realestateeo.com/extras/lisa-riggins-disclaimer.html

1.  Why is it so important to document your files, keep notes, and maintain records? When you are sued by your clients possibly years after the transaction and they have selective memory—this way you have documentation on the advice and counsel you gave them (admissible evidence). It also helps you remember what you did and what you said. Pride of authorship (specificity) is the key. Use confirming letters, “chron logs,” emails, mobile phone logs, etc. Get key points in writing and do so before escrow closes. Treat your files as if you will get sued. Recognize that the statute of limitations for fraud (in California) is three years and four years for breach of fiduciary duty; both from the date of discovery.

http://realestateeo.com/extras/lisa-riggins-disclaimer.html

Sometimes the past is one of the best learning tools around! Use the following Real-Life Errors & Omissions Claim Situation involving REALTOR^® negligence to avoid a similar legal showdown happening to you in your everyday real estate career. And be sure to have a good Real Estate E&O Insurance policy in place to protect you in case you find yourself in the middle of a court battle over not following standard office procedures.

A Real Estate agent listed an owner-occupied, two-family residential property with the sellers residing on the main floor and tenants residing in a ground-floor living unit. The residence was sold rather quickly due to its appeal to investors seeking a steady flow of revenue from the long-time tenants, who expressed a desire to remain there.

Problem:
On numerous occasions over two decades, the City notified the sellers that the property did not meet the zoning requirements because the ground-floor unit had been constructed without a permit and was in violation of City Ordinances and Federal Flood Insurance regulations.

Mistake:
When the agent entered into the Listing Agreement with the sellers, they provided him with copies of documents relating to the property, including the most recent non-conforming notice from the City, which also stated that the bathroom and kitchen on the ground floor had to be removed, along with the tenants. However, the agent did not take the time to review the material and simply placed it in his transactional file.

Result:
Soon after the close of escrow, the buyers applied for a permit to complete renovations and learned from the City Zoning and Planning Office that the property was not in compliance. The buyers then sued the sellers and the real estate agent alleging breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and unfair and deceptive trade practices.

They sought damages for lost income, the removal of the kitchen and bathroom, and diminution of value relating to the amount paid above the true market value and the deficient square footage. During the early stages of litigation, a copy of the City’s non-conforming notice was discovered in the agent’s transactional file. The case was settled shortly thereafter.

Prevention:
The agent was one of the leading producers in the marketplace and had successfully closed numerous transactions over his 25-year career. But in this case, the agent’s success led to complacency, resulting in his failure to follow his real estate office’s pre-established procedure of reviewing all documents prior to marketing and advertising property to the public. A simple review would have alerted him to the potential disclosure issues and that his clients were not fully forthcoming about the dwelling’s status. The real estate broker also learned a valuable lesson to make sure that he, too, should follow his own procedures of reviewing the work product of his agents so that situations like this can be avoided.

Sometimes the past is one of the best learning tools around! Use the following Real-Life Errors & Omissions Claim Situation involving REALTOR^® disclosure to avoid a similar legal showdown happening to you in your everyday real estate career. And be sure to have a good Real Estate E&O Insurance policy in place to protect you in case you find yourself in the middle of a court battle over not disclosing information about parties involved in a real estate transaction.

A Real Estate agent had an exclusive listing agreement with the builder of a new, 10-lot residential subdivision. The agent was quickly able to locate three individual buyers who entered into purchase & sale agreements and tendered earnest money deposits to the builder. Shortly thereafter, construction was underway and the respective lending institutions began to release money from the buyers’ construction loans.

Problem:
Approximately halfway through the construction process, the builder verbally notified the real estate agent and contract buyers that he was experiencing financial difficulties in a separate development project due to slow sales and the inability to create cash flow.

Mistake:
Despite the contractor’s financial problems, the agent continued to market and sell the remaining lots, accepting additional earnest money and turning the funds over to the builder. The agent decided not to advise the new contract buyers of the builder’s financial problems, assuming he would be able to overcome these problems because he was a “good builder”.

Result:
The builder soon abandoned the projects that were underway and filed for bankruptcy protection. He left three contract buyers with half-completed houses and seven more with lost deposits ranging from a few thousand dollars to six figures. The buyers then sued the real estate agent alleging that he failed to disclose the builder’s true financial ability and status. The claims ultimately settled against the real estate agent, but without immediate contribution from
the builder.

Prevention:
An agent should never make assumptions about any seller’s or buyer’s financial capabilities and should certainly disclose something material in nature such as a builder’s impaired financial ability. Clearly, the agent should not have continued to accept earnest money after having learned about the builder’s financial struggles. Being a “good builder” doesn’t necessarily guarantee good business management skills. For good measure, the agent should also
confirm in writing to the existing contract buyers when a significant development such as this occurs. It should additionally be recommended to these buyers that they seek the advice of legal counsel and other qualified individuals to help them make decisions on how to proceed. Legal and financial advice should never be given by a real estate agent in any situation. Following these practices will not only result in well-informed buyers, but will help avoid
unwanted litigation.

Do you have a similar story involving disclosure to share with us? Send us your learning experience or just let us know what you think about this one! Just leave a reply below!

If you have any questions about Pearl’s Errors & Omissions Insurance for real estate professionals, give us a call at 800.447.4982—whether you’re looking for a new E&O policy or have questions about your current one. We’d love to hear from you!

You can also visit our website for E&O insurance just for real estate professionals, www.pearlinsurance.com/eo, to find out more about our quality Errors & Omissions program, including policy features, risk management tools, and much more.

Sometimes the past is one of the best learning tools around! Use the following Real-Life Errors & Omissions Claim Situation involving REALTOR^® negligence to avoid a similar legal showdown happening to you in your everyday real estate career. And be sure to have a good Real Estate E&O Insurance policy in place to protect you in case you find yourself in the middle of a court battle over not disclosing property conditions.

A Real Estate agent listed a residential property on behalf of a married couple who were supposedly going to relocate to another part of the country. Approximately two months later, another couple submitted an offer through their agent that was accepted and formalized in a Purchase & Sale Agreement.

Problem:
The sellers were in the process of going through a divorce, with the wife having moved out of the property and unaware that her husband was trying to sell it.

Mistake:
The agent allowed the husband to sign the Listing Agreement and the Purchase & Sale Agreement on behalf of his wife, when both of them were the legal owners.

Result:
Following the execution of the Purchase & Sale Agreement, the husband informed his wife that he had sold the house and asked her to attend the closing to sign the necessary documents. The wife refused to do so and notified the real estate agents that the deal was not going to go forward. After the buyers were notified, they sued the sellers for specific performance under the contract. The wife seller then third-partied the listing agent into the litigation alleging that she acted negligently in accepting the forged signatures. The case was ultimately settled when the husband seller and the listing agent’s errors & omissions insurance carrier paid a monetary sum to the buyers to walk away from what was otherwise an invalid contract.

Prevention:
Many real estate errors & omissions claims can be avoided by simply exercising ordinary care to your clients. This entails knowing who your clients are and properly communicating to each one of them anything—from the comparative market values to what they should expect during the listing period and after the property goes under contract.

Obviously, getting the proper signatures or initials on all documents will help protect you and your clients, while assuring that the transaction will proceed in a straightforward and legally-binding fashion. Good communication skills and the implementation of other risk reduction methods into your daily routine will help avoid the need to pay costly attorney fees and settlements.

Do you have a similar story involving negligence to share with us? Send us your learning experience or just let us know what you think about this one! Just leave a reply below!

If you have any questions about Pearl’s Errors & Omissions Insurance for real estate professionals, give us a call at 800.447.4982—whether you’re looking for a new E&O policy or have questions about your current one. We’d love to hear from you!

You can also visit our website for E&O insurance just for real estate professionals, www.pearlinsurance.com/eo, to find out more about our quality Errors & Omissions program, including policy features, risk management tools, and much more.

Sometimes the past is one of the best learning tools around! Use the following Real-Life Errors & Omissions Claim Situation involving failure to disclose to avoid a similar legal showdown happening to you in your everyday real estate career. And be sure to have a good Real Estate E&O Insurance policy in place to protect you in case you find yourself in the middle of a court battle over not disclosing property conditions.

A real estate agent listed a residential property on behalf of sellers who completed a Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement, which revealed problems with leaky windows in the attached garage.

Problem
The property went under contract to prospective buyers, who hired a home inspector. The inspector discovered that the windows throughout the home were either defective or had been installed improperly. The findings resulted in a failed transaction, with both the sellers and the real estate agent having received a copy of the report.

Mistake
Another buyer came along and eventually purchased the property and was provided a copy of the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement. However, the statement was not amended to reflect the results of the recent home inspection and the buyer was not provided a copy of the inspector’s report. The real estate agent claimed that she verbally advised the buyer of the content of the report.

Result
Following the close of escrow, the buyer soon discovered that most of the windows were experiencing problems. He then sued the sellers and the real estate agent alleging that by not providing the inspection report and not amending the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement, they failed to fully disclose the defects. It was further alleged that the real estate agent recommended to the buyer that he waive the inspection contingency in the Purchase Agreement. The case ultimately settled for $12,000.

Prevention
The litigation may have been prevented if an amended Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement and the home inspection report were provided to the buyer. Although this would not necessarily guarantee that the buyer would not have brought suit under the same pretext, it would have helped the defendants position their respective cases to request that the court dismiss the litigation.

Do you have a similar story involving disclosure to share with us? Send us your learning experience or just let us know what you think about this one! Just leave a reply below!

If you have any questions about Pearl’s Errors & Omissions Insurance for real estate professionals, give us a call at 800.447.4982—whether you’re looking for a new E&O policy or have questions about your current one. We’d love to hear from you!

You can also visit our website for E&O insurance just for real estate professionals, www.pearlinsurance.com/eo, to find out more about our quality Errors & Omissions program, including policy features, risk management tools, and much more.

Sometimes the past is one of the best learning tools around! Use the following Real-Life Errors & Omissions Claim Situation involving misrepresentation to avoid a similar legal showdown happening to you in your everyday real estate career. And be sure to have a good Real Estate E&O Insurance policy in place to protect you in case you find yourself in the middle of a court battle over an optimistic promise.

A real estate agent marketed a commercial piece of property that included street level retail and several residential units on the upper two floors. The owner of the property operated a failing video rental business and was eager to sell the entire building before foreclosure action was undertaken by the mortgage holder. On the other hand, the residential units were producing a steady stream of revenue since they were occupied by longtime occupants who were making timely rental payments.

Problem
Optimistic about the location of the property, the real estate agent erroneously believed that a retail operation could be successful and that the residential lease amounts could be increased since the tenants were comfortable living there and were unlikely willing to move.

Mistake
While working with a prospective buyer, he guaranteed that her greeting card business would generate a positive cash flow and that the tenants would be able to absorb an increase in their monthly rent.

Result
Given these assurances, the buyer decided to acquire the property and notified the tenants of their respective rent increases shortly after the close of escrow. Within the first few months, four of the six tenants informed her that they were unable to pay the increase and decided to move. The buyer then experienced difficulty in finding new tenants willing to pay what she needed in order to make the residential component successful. Compounding the problem, the greeting card business was not seeing the desired foot traffic and corresponding revenue. Over the ensuing 18 months, the status of the business remained unchanged so the buyer sued the real estate agent alleging that he intentionally misrepresented the property’s profit potential. Damages sought included both lost business profits and lost rental income. The parties ultimately resolved the litigation for $75,000 in lieu of enduring a two-week trial.

Prevention
An agent should never make promises or guarantees about the revenue potential or future value of any property marketed for sale. Acting outside the scope of expertise is a dangerous proposition and should be left to a buyer as part of their due diligence obligation. Always recommend in writing that buyers seek counsel of qualified accounting and financial planning experts to help them make decisions on whether to acquire revenue-producing property. Following this practice will not only result in satisfied buyers, but will help avoid unwanted litigation. It should be noted that most, if not all real estate errors & omissions policies do not provide coverage for claims arising out of promises, warranties, or guarantees made as to the future income/value of property or the performance of a business.

Do you have a similar story involving acting outside of your expertise to share with us? Send us your learning experience or just let us know what you think about this one! Just leave a reply below!

If you have any questions about Pearl’s Errors & Omissions Insurance for real estate professionals, give us a call at 800.447.4982—whether you’re looking for a new E&O policy or have questions about your current one. We’d love to hear from you!

You can also visit our website for E&O insurance just for real estate professionals, www.pearlinsurance.com/eo, to find out more about our quality Errors & Omissions program, including policy features, risk management tools, and much more.