Tuesday, January 31, 2017

One Stop Shop

Eeeck, Refin is now getting into the mortgage business.

Okay, they list for less, offer discounts if you choose one of their buyers agents to help you. Now, they are going into online mortgage biz as well.

I've seen discount brokers come and go. I've worked with a few, well, maybe only one, Redfin buyers agent referral....and she truly wasn't very good. When her buyers went to sell their house a couple years later....they chose a different agent to list their home...and not with Redfin.

So, now they are going into mortgage.

I have clients that love the Redfin search engine site. But, funny, they are listing and buying with me!

I just don't believe in giving up my hard earned money right up front. It gives me no wiggle room to help those that really, truly, need the help later in escrow. Zero wiggle room. And, quite honestly, as we say....how the hell are these people going to work hard for you if they are willing to give up .....their personal income.....right up front?

Ugh, yes, it's a tad of an annoying subject matter.

So, back on the new item they are adding......do you really think the mortgage lender is going to be working hard for you either? If they are giving up income....are they getting it another way? Like bumping up your interest rate to make it on the back-end? Hmmmmm????

I'm sorry, I'm a firm believer in trusting what is known. Work with a Realtor that you've found to be trustworthy, one that your friends/family/co-workers, have found to be hardworking and honest. Am I the only one?

And, arranging a 1/4 million, 1/2 million, 1 million.....THIRTY YEAR mortgage with an unknown?

Sheesh. I'm not for that, not at all.

You let me know what you think.....about this fishy idea!


Tuesday, January 24, 2017

"Why Do You Want To Be A Realtor?"

Met a nice young woman, well saw her after it'd been a really long time, last night. I was introduced back to her and she said she's getting into Real Estate.

I was impressed with her kindness, courteousness, intelligence at knowing to study enough & pass the exam on the first try. She did tell me she had friends that have taken it over a dozen times and still failed. I told her to tell them forget about Real Estate as a career!

So, we chatted for a bit, I couldn't recall what her current job was. A well paying, yet somewhat seasonal career. Time off that she used to get paid during, no longer being paid.

I asked her why she wanted to 'get into Real Estate'? She said she had a good friend that would do lots of big paying deals. Figured she'd do them when she had her down time from current job.

Hmmmmm, I was totally turned off after that. Completely.

We go through this all the time, new agents coming on, doing 'deals' for their friends, then going back to their regular job.

When I was first licensed in 2002, I was working 4 days a week managing a dental office. I'd talk to people on the way to the office, at my morning, lunch, afternoon breaks, and again on the way back home. I'd work with Real Estate clients on my Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday's off and any evening they wanted me!

But, I've always been in a career that helped people. When I first started heading towards Real Estate, it was to help the Dentist I was working with to revamp his practice. And, then it became a way to help other people.

Not going to say the income provided isn't a big benefit, but, I still enjoy the original reason I started....to help....to assist people in one of the most emotional decisions of their lives.

There are parts of my 'job' that are grueling, definitely, yet the smiles for keys to buyers & proceeds received by sellers.....the most satisfying....ever!

Anywhohow, while I started P/T, the reason I 'got into Real Estate' is the reason I still am a Realtor....to help people.

I'm here for you, full-time, for your needs...always.


Friday, January 20, 2017

New House Decorating/Design Ideas For 2017

I was reading an article on Houzz this morning about 28 new & upcoming ideas for the home that seem to be in the forefront of designers for this year.

Some were good, some were already touched on....some were just awful....ugh, awful.

Please let me know what you think!


Dutch Doors.....LOVE, had one of these in my old home in Los Angeles!


Brass fittings. This was a big UGH for me!


Distinct, and very functional, coffee stations.
Husband would love this....


Remember when sage green was in? 
This green? Leave out! Huge UGH!


Some serious Kitchen compartmentalizing. 
Saw a kitchen something like this yesterday....my buyers loved it!


Bringing the outdoor in, for your bathroom.
I love this. Of course you have to be concerned about privacy.
There is a track in Valencia that one of the models is very similar!

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Am I An Expert?

I've been helping people in & out of homes for 15 years. Am I an EXPERT?



I'm dang good, but there is always something to learn in almost every transaction. And, even the super big dogs, that are selling 600 properties a year say that. If they don't, they're not really working their transactions.

Do I know more than my clients? Of course I do. That's why they hire me. Would you hire a doctor that you knew more than? How about an attorney? One that didn't know as much as you did about the type of law you needed help with? Would you hire either of those?

What about the Realtor that says they know everything? Would you believe them? LOL Please, no one knows everything. But, you sure better hire someone that has some stellar knowledge in Real Estate. And, who is looking out for your best interest, not their paycheck.

This is just a reminder topic. Reminding you that I know a helluva lot more than you do, more than any newbie Realtor that is a friend of yours does. That the discounted agent knows too, they can't afford to know what I know. I know more than most agents, less than several.

Truly the most important thing I do know? Is that when I don't, to be sincere in my lack of knowledge, but to find the answer quickly & report back to you. Honestly, that's one of the most important things for every Realtor to know.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Don't Put The Cart Before The Horse

When you're thinking about moving, and it involves buying a home, try very hard not to put the cart before the horse....you could be setting yourself up for disappointment.


Let's say you want to sell your home and buy bigger, or maybe smaller. You know you have equity in your home, but you still have to take a loan out to purchase the next house. Talk to a lender, banker, mortgage broker.....first.

If you want to buy a home....and you've never bought one before, or it's been a long time since you purchased one....talk to a lender, banker, mortgage broker first.

If you go out and look at homes, and you fall in love with one? Well, guess what? You can't even write an offer on that home without having been financially analyzed by a good lender. No agent/seller will ever consider an offer on a home as a valid offer unless there is a pre-approval letter with it. And, don't get a fake one....heartbreak can easily follow that deception.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've taken buyers out to look at a few homes while they are working through the pre-approval situation. But, I've always told people that you need to know for sure you can spend as much as you think...or maybe even a bit more...before you fall in love.

Just my two cents for today!

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Winter Home Sales

It's about that time again. When I blog about the last 30 days sales and current inventory!

SCV.....Awesometown and our surrounding communities.

Active right as of this morning?
460. 432 of those are Traditional Sellers, so 95% of the active inventory are regular people selling regular homes....if the agent has entered it in the MLS correctly.

Under Contract/Pending? i.e. in Escrow?
426. 370 of those are real people selling homes. So, that's interesting, right? About 85% are Standard Sales....so the MLS says.

And, of course, Sold in the last 30 days?
234. 222 were Standard sales....what's that 95% again? Yup, sure is.

Am I wigged out about the low inventory? No, not really. It's dang cold outside, we just finished with the holiday season.



It's only 68 days til Spring. If the inventory is this low then? That's going to be rough. But, it won't be, trust me on that. I've got a few people prepping their homes for sale in the next couple of months. I'll add to the inventory for us!

If you have questions about real estate, anywhere in Southern California, just ask!

Monday, January 2, 2017

All This Whining About Millennials!

I'm focusing on housing. The whining about how difficult it's going to be for Millennials. How their desire to be a homeowner has fallen.

I may get slack for this...but sheesh! It was really hard when I was their age to get a home too. Hard for my mom, when she was a single mother of three, to find a home.

Each generation, Millennials, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Greatest Generation, Gen Y (that's some made up one)....they all had some type of struggles. Every single one of them.

Why are we so focused on the M gen? I honestly don't know.

Well, maybe because they seem to be the biggest/longest generation. Maybe because all of us Baby Boomers are their parents? Maybe because the technology of 'their' generation is talking about them?

I am laughing as I'm writing this. But, really, let's stop whining about them, about who they are, about their expectations. They have to make their way. Just like we did. They will buy a home, when they can afford to buy a home. They will have children, when they want to have children. Just Like We Did. They will find their way in the world....just like every generation has before them.

Each with struggles, some worse, some better. All with something that created who they are. Made their name in history.

For me, and anyone related to housing...let's just help them when they are ready. That's the best we can do. No blood squeezed from a turnip (or is it a stone?) over here. I'll be ready when they are.