2008-01-11T02:44:00.001-08:00

Questions & Answers
Answers to some of the most common questions.
For more advanced questions you should contact a Realtor.

Stay tuned as more questions & answers will be answered.

Should I Stay With A Professional?

Not all that many decades ago, people went to a barber when they needed to have a tooth removed. This wasn't the best thing you could do for your mouth, but there weren't many alternatives. Fortunately, we can go to a dental specialist today. And just as a dental specialist can prove invaluable to your teeth and your threshold of pain, a real estate specialist - someone whose one and only occupation is helping clients with real estate matters - can prove invaluable to your wallet and peace of mind. For one thing, real estate law is constantly changing. And it's nearly a full-time job staying up with changes in legal, taxation, and mortgage matters, so that a real estate professional can provide you the best possible guidance in any transaction, steering you clear of the many minefields that could turn a transaction into a court contest or explode a deal with unexpected expenses. For another, many local markets are constantly changing, and it requires full-time attention so that the real estate professional is always aware of changing values, trends in population and commercial growth and important zoning issues.

Fixer-Upper: Two Magic Words

For many homebuyers - whether they intend to occupy or are seeking a good investment - the magic words in a real estate ad are "fixer-upper".
The idea, of course, is that you can buy a home at a bargain price, discounted for all the work that needs to be done to it to bring it up to par with other homes in its neighborhood. Ideally, most of that needed work will be cosmetic and require more elbow grease than money.
Obviously, it takes a lot of work to find a viable "fixer-upper". You need to research the value and upkeep of other homes in its neighborhood…find out how much rent can be charged if you intend to rent the home…examine very carefully the improvements that will need to be made, and cost the work out very realistically, perhaps calling in a professional home inspector. And you need to make sure the home will allow the best available options.
It isn't easy…but a "fixer-upper" can be extremely profitable.

When will this market stop declining??

2008-01-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Well it is speculated that the market won't stop until 2012, but I think that includes a couple of years of a level market. My professional opinion is that we will continue to see a decline for the next 12 to 18 months, but the decline will start to slow down in the next 6 to 8 months. After the election this year we will still see properties decline but at a much slower rate. Plus over the next 18 months we are going to see financing change, that will help buyers continue to purchase homes.

California Real Estate Market

When will this market stop declining??