Santa Clarita Valley & Surrounding Communities ~ MLS Info 3/27/2015

Inventory is creeping up a tad. New escrow numbers are as well. Interest is amazingly still low.

Acton, Agua Dulce, Canyon Country, Saugus, Valencia, Newhall, Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, & Val Verde are included in these numbers.

ACTIVE ~ 604

PENDING/BACK-UP ~ 651
507 of those are Standard Sales. Many are contingent upon finding home of choice so they may be in escrow for longer than normal as sellers are locating replacement property in this low inventory.

CLOSED IN LAST 30 DAYS ~ 308

For any questions about our market, don't ever hesitate to contact me.

(661) 964-1610 x 3317 / Lauren@KeepYourWitz.Com

Those Who Lost Their Homes Back In The Day

Are they back? Are they coming back?

Yes, they are. Not all, but they're coming! I'm working with 2 right now that lost their home in the housing crisis. I've got another in the wings that is working on getting back soon.

The ones that are back are the ones that have been digging themselves out of their financial distress. Families that have been preparing to get back into a home of their own.

There were many reasons why people lost their homes. Foreclosure, Short-Sale, loss in value, loss of job, family change, mortgage adjustments.

Enough have been working their way back.

Why do I bring it to your attention? Well, the more that make their way back, the more that will be competing for homes. We all should know what that means by now.

Really just a reminder. More buyers, we need more homes, we have great interest rates. You can't not love a healthy housing market.

Still Lots Of House Cleaning Going On

The last few posts I've written have been stories of real estate. Things going on, or things that have happened to me and my clients.

Today I read through all the 'newsie' stuff. It's been the same for a few weeks now. Well, honestly for a few months.

This mortgage company getting sued. That mortgage company paying out for crappy loans. Job growth, foreclosure declines (except in the judicial states, eeeck), wage changes.

Optimism is the best thing I read about. People are more optimistic about our economy. As they should be.

We do still have a bit of clean up to do, and it appears to be happening. So, be happy that we are continuing to correct the mistakes that were made. Be optimistic that we have learned from those errors of days gone by.

Let the 'House Cleaning' continue!

It Was An Article About Barn Doors, But I LOVED This Garage/Panel Door In The Living Room

Barn doors, using them in your home. What's that word? Re-furbish, Re-Use, Re-Condition? Regardless, LOL, I am a fan of utilizing an old product in a new way instead of it going to waste.

My mother always said 'Waste Not, Want Not'  Meaning ~ If you use a commodity or resource carefully and without extravagance, you will never be in need. Sorta fits here.

At any rate, the article I read this morning, from a home decorating site, was talking about the use of old barn doors in your home as decorating accents.

This picture, however, caught my eye and I absolutely loved it!

Note the re-cycled barn door on the right.

 But, my eye was brought to the garage like panel door pulled overhead!

I've seen some unusual decorating in so many homes. I did sell a home last year that the seller converted, not completely though, the 3rd car garage into a beautiful living area that opened into a bedroom. They did leave the existing garage door intact.

This is different, this is a great way to change up a space. To bring the outdoors in. Through light of course when closed, but wow, swing open that panel door and now you've got your indoor/outdoor space beautifully combined. Together, as with a sliding glass door, but throwing this one up instead of to the side? Did I say Love it? Totally, and completely, love this!

The Dreaded BOM

BOM, Back On Market. Hate it. But, I'd rather know early in escrow than after we've been in escrow for 2 or 3 weeks!

My sweet Valencia listing just had a buyer cancel a week after we opened escrow. She apparently didn't like where a fan was? Also decided that the master bath wasn't appropriate for her.

(In Case You Know Someone Looking ~ The Video Tour Link is Directly Below)

Sweet 3 + 2 Valencia Single Story Home

Yes, buyers are certainly allowed to change their minds. But, it's usually related to a bad inspection, disclosure, appraisal. Not because they decided the house wasn't for them. 

I also blame the buyers agent a bit. Feel like they didn't do their job right. I've made that mistake before....well once only honestly.

So now, after a multiple offer situation originally, I had to put it back as active. The dread of that? The property shows as 26 days on market. Ignoring the fact that less than 2 weeks in we had offers, 1 week of escrow. Only good agents know how to check this out. But, the general public sees it as being on the market longer than normal for the market we are in.

I only have about 5 homes in that neighborhood as competition so we'll get it back into escrow pretty quickly. This is where the master marketer.....yep, me......really has to change some stuff up. Spread it everywhere, network like crazy again. Write a blog post about it!

It is what it is, but it is dreaded by all agents.....the BOM. 

Adding a B for the photo effect. Back On Market BABY!! 

I Need A Team That Is Going To Work With Me For My Clients Goals

There is a reason I put a good team of affiliates together. Lenders, Home Inspectors, Escrow, Title, Home Warranty, they are all working for the same common goal. Get a client taken care of and facilitate the clients needs.....above all!

Today, I'm working with a not normal part of my team. And, they don't seem like they necessarily want to play on the team.

Sometimes we have to get creative. That's all there is to it. We have to come up with new solutions that work for our clients. Game plans that involve a strike out less and less. Creating a better team is sometimes necessary. Or getting the existing team to play a different way. Getting them to think a bit more creatively, a bit outside their normal box.

I've been doing this long enough, with a great team, to know when some crayons need to be colored with a little more. Or some need to be sharpened. Or maybe just tossed out with all the other little stubby ones.

Mortgage Lenders False Advertising Is Going To Bite Them In The Butt

Damn, I just can't even believe people sometimes! Really, with all the crap our country has been going through related to the crash of the housing market last decade, they would fraudulently advertise that their loan advertisements were being sent out by our government?

Sheesh....smh.....(ShakeMyHead) in wonder. Absolutely disgusted with anyone that has anything to do with false crap!

So the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) is stepping in. YES!

Not a huge fine. The one in California is paying 85K and prohibited from further advertising of the GSE loans. But at least they are getting a bit of a butt bite!

At any rate, the point of this post? DON'T TRUST ADVERTISING!! Do not pick a lender, or a Realtor for that matter, based upon a piece of paper you received in the damn mail. Or on your doorstep either.

Please, get a referral from a friend. If you don't have a friend, PLEASE, do further research on the advertising you received.

Thank you.