When meeting a property owner for the first time it is critical to understand the how and why factors as to what property they have and why they want to sell or lease it. The property is usually underperforming for the client in a number of ways and that will be the catalyst for change.

Find the ‘property pain’, and you find the reason to list. Listing a property for sale or lease is not simply a matter of taking down the information and going to work. Understanding the property owner’s position and the ‘pain’ factors that motivate them is at least 50% of the equation.

These key qualifying questions help you on the listing process. They help you know what the property owner is doing and why.

How long have they owned the property?

• This will have impact on the price today. Most owners look at the differential in price from when they purchased the property as a factor in completing a sale. They want to make the most amount of money possible above what they paid for the commercial property.

Why did they acquire the property in the first place?

• Every owner of property has a key reason as to why they bought a property. In many cases this original reason of purchase will be the same reason why they are selling today. The key benefit of the property to the owner is now not being satisfied.

How did they acquire the property originally?

• Was it by private negotiation, auction, tender, or trade? It is likely that the original method of purchase will be a suitable method of sale today for the property owner. They will be comfortable in that method of sale having been through it once before. Of some importance today will be the suitability of the property to sell by that method. Only you can judge that fact.

Do they own other property and will that impact the sale of this one?

• Certainly other property can be integrated into the performance of the property you are about to list. This is commonly the case when the owner runs a business from the site. Be sensitive to how each of the properties operates and the timing of any disposal.

Does the property owner know much about the sale and lease strategy of investment property today?

• If they have owned the property for some time they may be unaware of the current trends in property marketing and disposal. The internet is now a major marketing tool for commercial real estate sales and leasing. The more traditional paper advertisements have less of a role to play in property marketing. It is a good idea to carry examples of property marketing with you for just this very reason.

What does the property owner know about current prices and rents?

• Perhaps the key question for the property owner. If they have an inflated idea of prices and rents it is better to know that from the start. There is no point in taking on a property for sale or lease if the price or rent is so out of balance with the market. If you are like me, the thought of wasting time on an overpriced listing is not attractive.

Is it possible that the property owner knows more about property than you do?

• This is a difficult situation for some newer real estate agents. When the property owner knows a lot about the industry and the property market it makes it more difficult to move them towards a decision. The normal arguments and discussions you make will have to be of solid reasoning and logic. When this becomes a challenge take your office manager with you to meet the client. This can diffuse the demands that the client can make on you in discussion.

As simple as these factors are, they are largely the factors that will impact the clients thinking at the time of listing. Real estate agents should adjust their presentation and proposal to suit. Go to the meeting prepared and the listing will likely be yours.

The first step towards buying a new vehicle, after choosing it of course, is arranging the money for it. On an average, three out of ten potential buyers never need external financing for money, the other seven just cannot buy it on their own. There are a lot of options and corresponding catches in car financing so prospective buyers get confused. To choose the best of the available financing for automobile purchasing, one needs to understand the basics of each of the options.

One can get an automobile loan from multiple lending institutions, banks and credit unions. The security or collateral for these types of loans is the vehicle being purchased. In simple terms this would mean that the loaner or the lender can snatch the vehicle in case of non-payment of the loan. The advantages of auto loans are their reasonable interest rates and relatively easier availability which makes them the most popular car financing option.

The total cost to be incurred by a loan is decided by two factors mainly – term or duration of the loan and credit rating. Basically, a longer term loan implies lower monthly installments in lieu of higher interest rates. This interest rate in turn increases the total cost of the auto loan. Hence a short-term loan is recommended which may result in higher monthly installments, but lower overall costs at the end. The credit rating factor determines the total amount of money which can be loaned to a person, based on his past performance. The creditors with a not so impressive credit history are charged a higher interest rate to cover the credit risk and hence the overall cost is increased.

An alternative of the conventional auto loans is dealer financing. These types of loans are also easy to get. An advantage with this financing is that as many dealerships have relationships with most of the lending institutions and they offer car loans for people with blemished credit histories too. Also, many dealerships offer zero percent or very low interest on dealer loans for car buyers with stellar credit ratings to compete with the traditional bank loans. It is recommended that the potential buyers get their loans approved from a bank or credit union and then approach the dealership for possible financing as it gives the car buyer an upper hand when bargaining for a lower rate on a dealer loan.

There is also an option of home equity loans and home equity credit lines for car loans. These types of loans require the possession of a home or an accumulated substantial equity on the property. Generally, home equity loans are fixed or adjustable rate loans that can be repaid over a predetermined period, while the home equity lines of credit are open-ended, adjustable-rate revolving loans where the maximum credit limit is usually based on the total equity of the home. It is observed that the home equity loans have lower interest rates than credit cards and other types of personal loans. Moreover, the interest payments on home equity loans are tax-deductible to a limit. The only thing to ensure is the capability to pay the monthly installments as the home is on collateral and eventually there is the risk of losing it.

The credit cards companies offer sufficient advance and over draft to buy the car. These types of loans are revolving lines of credit with variable interest rates. Generally, the credit card companies waive cash-advance fees, guarantee low rates during the initial period of the loan, and offer high credit limits to encourage the existing customers to avail themselves of credit card drafts and loans. Usually, credit card drafts have higher interest rates than home equity loans, traditional auto loans or dealer loans due to high risk. The point to note is that in case of late payments or the credit limit being exceeded, it will result in hefty penalty charges.