2022 Garage Sale Registration Form – College Estates, University Park Estates & La Marina Estates 2022 Garage Sale Registration Form – Los Altos / X-100’s, Los Altos (Tincher Area) & El Dorado Park South
Prop 19 Information
May 18, 2021 By
Summary of Major Con and Major Pro Major Con – If you inherit a property with a low basis you can only keep this basis if you use the property as a principle residence. Major Pro – Previously seniors older than 55 could transfer their tax base to a home of equal or lesser value. […]
True Wealth – How to Avoid the Looming Retirement Crisis
June 15, 2020 By
Wealth vs. Saving – The Distinction There are many different definitions of wealth. For this purpose I will define wealth as “a durable and perpetual source of significant income”. If you are planning on retiring, income is what you need. Many would consider one million dollars in the bank as wealthy, but let’s think of […]
Covid – Part 3 – Market Surprisingly Resilient
May 24, 2020 By
Consider Your Source When you listen to any “Alleged” expert it is good to know that person’s bias. So here is a my quick bio and my economic leanings. I have a back ground in engineering and am very analytically based. I read a ton of financial information, around 2-3 hours per day. I know […]
My Favorite Alternative Investment Media
May 4, 2020 By
Somewhere around 1986 the Fox Network started. Many including myself thought, “Well how is this going to work, we already have 2(CBS), 4(NBC) and 7(ABC)”. Three decades later we have more media choices than we know what to do with. The sad thing is that when you listen to Fox or MSNBC you think you […]
Coronavirus Negatively Impacting New Sales
April 10, 2020 By
Last week I posted my assessment of how the Coronavirus MAY impact the Long Beach real estate market. This was a theoretical exercise. At the leading edge of the stock market correction and self quarantining, it was too soon to report any results. Anecdotally, I had not seen escrows fall out. My conclusion however was […]
Coronavirus, Market Meltdown & Real Estate
March 19, 2020 By
Coronavirus and Real Estate – First Impressions Friday February 21st, was the last day before the market meltdown. On that Friday the Dow Jones industrials closed a little under 29,000. The following Monday the markets closed down 1,000 points. Tuesday, another 1,000 point drop. Wednesday gave us a reprieve and Thursday we were hit with […]
Negotiating Repairs Like a Pro
March 13, 2020 By
Understanding Your “Very Limited” Obligations as a Seller In the State of California home sellers are only required to install smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors (one per floor) and the hot water heater must be properly strapped. That’s it. Everything else is sold “AS IS”. The buyer does however have the right to perform an […]
It’s Time Again to Look at Refinancing
February 24, 2020 By
With interest rates hitting all time lows its once again to look at refinancing your home mortgage. Only this time with a different twist. When you buy a home you have to accept the interest rates at the time of purchase. It is discouraging to know that you are likely to never get the absolute […]
Home Sellers – Be Very Afraid of the Agent that Tells You This….
February 15, 2020 By
“You don’t have to do any fix up, I have buyer that will buy it “AS IS” !!!” Well guess what? So do I. All I have to do is look in my email deleted folder. I have hundreds of buyers wanting to buy my fixer upper listing. These Flippers are so nice that they […]
Pricing Confusion – What’s the Market Telling Us?
January 27, 2020 By
Economically, we are living in strange times. Usual sign posts are not as reliable as they once were and it is leading to contradictory signs. Contradictory indicators have been a re-occurring theme for quite a few years. I will chalk it up to the Federal Reserves machinations and monkeying with money and interest rates which […]
What Does “As Is” Really Mean?
December 12, 2019 By
Sellers often tell me that they want to sell a property “As Is”. This is where we need to define what “As Is” really means to the seller. There are three possible interpretations. One – “As Is” as it applies in the legal world means there is no “Warranty” included with the property, but this […]
Inventory Hits Record Lows!!!
December 6, 2019 By
The number of homes on the market just hit a record low of 228 for sale. This is the lowest number of homes that I have seen since I started tracking the number in 2005. See Chart Below. During 2003, we also had an extremely low inventory of homes for sale. What however is different […]
Nobody Moves in Long Beach!
November 7, 2019 By
This year I sold a client a home in the Island Village development in Long Beach. My client was looking for something very specific and she needed to sell her home first to buy. She chose to sell her home first in case the perfect home came along, she wanted to be ready to pounce. […]
Why I Love Real Estate & Why You May Not
October 25, 2019 By
Running your own business requires you to be a jack of all trades. This is exactly what I like about real estate. I get to learn about all difference facets of business and life. This suits my ADD personality. I really enjoy getting to learn, and sometimes master, many different skills. Running a real estate […]
An Argument for Flexible Commission Splits
October 22, 2019 By
Most laypeople (Non Realtors) know that the seller pays a commission to sell a property. Most people also know that most property are sold on the MLS. Most people are also probably aware that agents cooperate in sharing listings and then share the commission. In many instances the commission is then split 50/50 between both […]
A Level Playing Field – The New Normal
October 21, 2019 By
I had an agent call this morning about one of my listings. I faced the standard question. Other agent- “What will the seller take?……”. In my head I am think – “Really??? “ I am not answering this question. I never do. Then a secondary question “what comps did you use”. Really again in my […]
Universal Appeal & Liquidity
October 18, 2019 By
One of the most common questions a seller asks me is “How long will it take to sell my home”. I then show them the average DOM, or Days on Market, for competing homes. This does answer how quickly homes sell in their marketplace, but does not the question about the saleability of their home. […]
80% of Realtors Don’t Know Anything!
October 17, 2019 By
This morning one of my new listings was on tour. It is an adorable mid-century modern home. This home has been maintained in very good condition. It also just underwent a $33,000 face lift, plus it has also been staged to perfection. See the listing below: https://lbre.com/listings/6521-el-roble-street-long-beach-ca-90815/ There is no doubt that this listing is […]
Where Have All of the Fixer Uppers Gone?
October 15, 2019 By
I became a full time Real Estate agent back in 1989. This was when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and the MLS was a printed phone book. In this primitive world there was no world wide web. 1993 was the first year of the web with the advent of Netscape Navigator. Shortly after getting into […]
Home Maintenance – Pick and Choose Your Battles
October 14, 2019 By
There are a lot of great DIY, home remodeling and fix up shows on TV today. Somehow I wish that I had all these skill. From framing to painting to electrical and plumbing. The truth is that I can do a lot of these skill, but the other truth is that I don’t like doing […]
Home Prices Still Rising, but only Slightly, as 2019 comes to a Close.
October 7, 2019 By
For two years now, real estate market’s gains have been slowing towards flat to only slightly up. In the East Long Beach markets of 90808 and 90815, the average home sold for $709,000 in 2017. In 2018, the average home sold for $734,000 representing a 3.5% price increase. Good news, but down from the previous […]
The Perfect Storm for a Very Difficult Escrow
October 3, 2019 By
Every transaction requires work. There is no free lunch. Sometimes the home has some challenges, sometimes personalities can be challenging. It is always something. Either way, it always seems like I earn my keep some where along the line. However, in one recent transaction, I earned my keep several times over. It was stressful and […]
3412 Sandwood – Before & After
April 11, 2019 By
Project Description This was an inherited property. Prior to my clients inheriting the property their Aunt lived in the property. The Aunt had not done any maintenance in 30+ years and was afraid to leave the home. Needless to say the property was in shambles and had much deferred maintenance. The Perfect home to make […]
Cracking the Solar Panel Code
January 5, 2019 By
I recently self installed solar panels on my home. In the process of doing tons of the research, design, permitting and self installation of a 9.24 kW solar system I have unwittingly become somewhat of a solar expert. I thought I would share what I learned. Over the last several years I had met with […]
State of the Market – A Top is NOT in sight…..
October 24, 2017 By
Lately I have had quite a few appointments where sellers were concerned about the future of real estate prices. With homes hitting new highs, they question the sustain ability of the market. My answer has been that I don’t think there is anything to worry about, as long as interest rates remain stable and the […]
Real Estate Continues to Rally, But for How Long?
February 15, 2016 By
The current Real Estate market in Long Beach continues to be strong. However the climb back to 2006’s peak values from 2011’s bottom, may be running up against a little bit of resistance as this year unfolds. My outlook is positive, but there are concerns on the horizon. The History of Long Beach Home Prices […]
Buying With a Partner When All is NOT Equal
November 10, 2015 By
When you buy a home with a partner or spouse and everything is split 50/50, it is easy. But what happens when what you bring to the table is different? How do you make it equitable for both parties when contributions are not equal? This morning I spoke to a couple that are looking to […]
Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Times and Locations
November 7, 2015 By
Times and Locations for Household Hazardous Waste Click for Flyer – Household Hazardous Waste Disposal The County of Los Angeles has hazardous waste pick up the second Saturday of each month from 9am to 2pm. The location for this drop off is 2755 California Avenue, Signal Hill 90755. The above link is flyer with complete […]
A Tepid Recovery
July 31, 2014 By
This recovery is very unlike the past two recoveries of 1985 and 1995. In both previous recoveries, prices climbed to new highs and powered forward for 5 – 10 years. The two previous price moves forward were 1985 – 1990 and 1996 – 2006. In both previous recoveries, it was like a light switch was […]
The Future of Real Estate Prices
December 5, 2013 By
The investment world has no shortage of commentary and media on the state of the economy. CNBC runs 24/7 with analysts prognosticating the next boom or bust. Most larger stocks have analysts that follow with baited breath each new earnings report. Real Estate on the other hand, receives no such treatment or following. I just […]
2012 Prices up as much as 5+%, Inventory Low, Prices Poised to Rise!
November 7, 2012 By
1995 was a pivotal year. Prices stopped going down. It had been 5 long years since prices peaked in 1989/90. Each year seemed to drag on with no end in sight. The fact that prices weren’t going down anymore seemed like little consolation because the market still felt dour, unexciting. Maybe prices weren’t going down […]
Barron’s Real Estate Article Correct! – But Missing Risk of Higher Rates
October 8, 2012 By
Last month Barron’s cover story was about the housing market. The cover predicts that home prices will be headed up 7% in the next 3 years. This prediction almost seems a day late a dollar short, as in August I wrote that Los Altos homes price were up $30,000 year over year, which translates to […]
Tips for the New Landlord
August 18, 2012 By
Many moons ago, when I was 23 years old, I purchased my first duplex. The back unit was vacant and I was in a rush to get it rented. Being young and foolish, I just assumed that people were responsible and paid their bills. To make a long story short, one year and lots of […]
Los Altos Homes Up $30,000+, Year over Year!
August 2, 2012 By
Yesterday I had a client call me asking if I could help him calculate what his home was worth every year for the last 5 years. While I couldn’t say what his home was worth, I could run a quick analysis across the entire neighborhood of Los Altos on a yearly basis for home similar to […]
Organic Recovery or Fabricated?
July 16, 2012 By
If your personal financial household was experiencing a rough time, and you dipped into your savings or used credit cards to shore up your finances, make purchases or take trips, would you feel good about your newfound economic recovery? Probably not. But if you were the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics you would be […]
Lack of Inventory, a Problem for Agents Looking for Open Houses.
June 6, 2012 By
As an individual agent, my personal business does not provide enough statistical data to draw relevant market conclusions. For valid market data I rely upon the Multiple Listing Service. But what experiences I do have, becomes anecdotal evidence. I can then follow up on these anecdotal stories to see if my personal observations are market […]
What are the Secrets to getting YOUR offer accepted?
April 25, 2012 By
You just saw a home. Your excited about the future. You can picture yourself coming home from work to your new home, working in the yard, or in the garage, or preparing dinner for the family. This new home is everything you could want. There is only one problem. Many other buyers feel the same […]
Barron’s Says Housing Market “Ready to Rebound”
April 4, 2012 By
I just re-read Barron’s cover story from story from two weekends ago. Barron’s is the only paid subscription newspaper I get, in addition they tend to be conservative or on the bearish side of the coin. While I thought the article was quite lacking in substance, their timing I believe is of value. So here […]