Seal Beach
December 23, 2009
Seal Beach, California – If you’re looking to visit, vacation, to shop, enjoy a beach, dine, watch a classic movie, fish on the pier, kitesurf and just hang out, by all means go to Seal Beach. Of the Orange County beaches, it offers the best blend of shopping and beach-ing that you’ll find. Why? There’s lots to do in Laguna Beach but the traffic can be daunting. Newport Beach doesn’t offer enough shopping along Main Street near its beaches, unless you seek souvenir gifts. Huntington Beach Main Street shopping offers a few gems but lacks those great antique stores, garden shops and clothing for the over-25 crowd. San Clemente’s shopping isn’t at the beach, per se. So after checking them all out, we choose Seal Beach as our favorite beach experience with the premier beach shopping, free parking and shops offering something for everyone at affordable prices.
Duration : 0:2:35
Buying Real Estate – How To Be Smart When Attending Open Houses
December 4, 2009
If you’re planning on buying a new home, attending open houses can be a good way to find a home you want or pick up useful ideas from what you find. Visiting open houses should be an enjoyable and fun experience, but you also have to keep focused on the reason why you are there. Primarily you’re trying to get home buying information and maybe even find that special house that you have been looking for.
With that in mind, you need to approach visiting open houses with an organized mindset. Very often, you’ll be visiting several open houses in the same day. And over the course of a few weeks, it can add up to quite a few homes that you have visited. As a result, it can be very easy to forget important points from one house to the next. So to ovoid this problem, it’s a good idea to take very good notes on each home that you visit and perhaps even take along a digital camera to get a few snapshots if you wish. Of course, make sure that it is agreeable with the householder before taking photos of the inside of their home.
Whenever you visit an open house, jot down a few things that you like and dislike about it as soon as you arrive. What is its overall appearance from the outside? Is it close to nearby schools if that is a necessity? How about shopping malls? And how far away would it be from your job? Sometimes these are questions that home buyers fail to take into account early in the buying process.
When inside the home, be sure to check everything and take plenty of notes as you go. A few things to watch for are the condition of the cabinets, the carpet, the walls, the ceilings, and so on. Take good notes on any items if you feel may need repair.
Consider the size of all the rooms in the home, and determine if they will meet the needs of you and your family. If necessary, even take a tape rule with you to be able to measure out individual rooms and see what kind of space is available. Pay particular attention to storage and closet space, as this is an area that is quite often overlooked by new home buyers, but will become very important if you should decide to buy.
It’s also a good practice to spend a few minutes outside the home and listen for noises that could be bothersome. Perhaps there is a train that passes nearby, or freeway noise that seems excessive. Just taking the time to listen can sometimes be very illuminating, and can help you ovoid moving into a home where noises could be constantly irritating.
Of course at most open houses, a real estate agent or broker is likely to be present. If so, feel free to ask plenty of questions, but keep in mind that the answers may not always be straightforward. If you try to make notes though as the questions are answered, there is a good chance that you’ll get more honest answers. Don’t be shy about asking questions either, as the purchase of a new home is a very large investment, and you want to be sure that you are well informed about all aspects of the home before you even consider it as a purchase.
Sometimes you may even find some mortgage lenders attending certain open houses as well. But just be sure to stick to your original schedule, and not fall for any special deals that they offer you if you buy right away. Remember, open houses are just for looking, not for buying.
Sometimes you can find the home you want within a short period of time, and other times you may have to visit several open houses before you find anything that seems to appeal to you. Just be sure to take your time and be patient as you go through the process of visiting local open houses.
Jim Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/buying-real-estate-how-to-be-smart-when-attending-open-houses-26970.html
Real Estate: Buying Smart
December 3, 2009
This has definitely become the era of the consumer. Buyers are expecting and getting more for their dollar than ever before. This is a trend that has become extremely evident in the real estate industry. Now, more than ever you will need to educate yourself on exactly what it is that you are purchasing when you decide to break into the housing market. Not only will this help you in getting the best deal possible in a home but it will also enable you to avoid some of the pitfalls, and help you to buy with confidence.
Really, enough cannot be said about becoming an educated buyer. A home is likely the single largest purchase that you will ever make so it only makes good sense that you should spend more time investigating your options on a purchase of such magnitude. So, what can you do to improve your knowledge of the real estate market and increase your chances of getting a home that is perfect for you and makes sense financially? Well, start by examining the financial requirements of home ownership. This goes far beyond the mortgage, also take into account and fixes that can crop up as well as monthly bills and expenditures. Let’s face it, a home is a huge financial commitment and you need to be ready for all aspects of it.
Next, try to become familiar with problems that commonly occur with homes. This refers to structural problems, liens and easements, leaks, mold, and any other small problems that can cause problems with a home. One way of doing this is educating yourself on the process of the home inspection that all homes must pass during the sale process. This will, of course be conducted by a certified professional but that doesn’t stop you from learning as much about the process as possible. If you can identify potential problems right off the bat you may save yourself a lot of time and money.
Simon Conway
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/real-estate-buying-smart-132398.html
Generate Residual Income Through Real Estate by Buying Foreclosures
November 11, 2009
Buying a foreclosure is a good way to generate residual income through real estate. Foreclosure is basically a situation which occurs when an individual doesn’t pay the mortgage bills. You can make money on foreclosure before anybody gets to know about them and it becomes public knowledge. There are clearly 3 etched out phases in the process of foreclosure – pre foreclosure, foreclosure at action, and post foreclosure. You can get a better leverage position if you can intervene at an earlier point in the process of foreclosure. The best time to enter the process is just after the auction or just before the cure day.
An investor can purchase properties that are in their foreclosure at prices lower than the market value. Such a person can find a list of foreclosure properties through real estate listings, mortgage brokers, internet website or local newspapers. However, it is best to stick to one area and buy foreclosure properties there. This has an added advantage of you getting to know the market well. Familiarization with a targeted area or locality means that there are more chances of profits.
An investor must be adept at identifying properties that will allow the chance to make the maximum benefits from residual income through real estate in a very short time. In fact multiple properties should be purchased to avoid a period of inactivity that might arise in the future due to non availability of foreclosure properties.
Once a property is purchased, the house can be quickly repaired with adequate renovations, replacements and refurbishment. An important fact that must be kept in mind before buying a foreclosure property is that houses that need only cosmetic repair are the most profitable and useful for making residual income through real estate.
After the necessary changes have been made, the real estate investor should quickly look for a buyer and should finalize the deal with the first interested buyer. It is not a good idea to wait for any others who might make a better deal. This is because the more a flipped house sits in the market, the lower its price becomes in the market. However, a real estate investor might want to keep a property for a length of time in the group holdings for investments. The primary reason behind this is the chance to build equity. In fact the more the number of properties the real estate investor has, the more his profit will be.
Purchasing a foreclosure is good and extremely popular method of making good profits and residual income through real estate. In fact with a bit of smart thinking a lot of money can be saved in the renovation stage.
James Klobasa
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/generate-residual-income-through-real-estate-by-buying-foreclosures-136030.html
Looking at Seal Beach Homes For Sale – A Few Things To Consider
November 10, 2009
http://www.NatSellsSealbeach.com
If you are looking at homes for sale in Seal Beach, there are a few things you’ll want to do. Watch this video explaining just what you’ll need to do before buying.
Duration : 0:1:50
Just Listed – Seal Beach Income Producing Real Estate – Distress Sale
November 2, 2009
Does an extra $4,600 – $6,900 of monthly rental income suit the needs of your portfolio? How does a 10% discount to cash buyers sound? Watch this short video to get details on these incredible properties.
Duration : 0:3:38
10 Tips For Buying Or Selling Real Estate
October 25, 2009
Whether you are a buyer or seller, here are some helpful tips to enable you to make the best out of a real estate transaction.
(there is a free ebook: 101 Tips For Selling Your House,for you to download, from a link at the bottom of this page).
Buyers
Pick a developing area. You can scientifically predict which areas are boom towns or not by reading the business pages.
Learn the real estate market in the area you picked. You need to develop a thorough knowledge of what properties are available and the going rates for houses. Be ready to make an offer in the shortest time possible.
Make your offer to buy conditional on a thorough inspection of the property. If you discover some problems, try to negotiate for a lower price to offset the inherent property flaws.
Be patient and prepared to keep looking until you find the right house that will give you a good return on your investment.
Sellers
Make sure that you let natural light inside the home during a buyer’s inspection. Open curtains, draw the blinds and turn on all lights in all rooms of the house.
Repair and/or renovate door and window hinges, door handles, broken shutters, leaky faucets, broken bulbs etcetera. Make sure that there are no squeaking doors, windows close and open smoothly and faucets are leak-free!
Deodorize the house to neutralize pet or tobacco odors. Better yet, bake bread or chocolate chip cookies before a buyer makes a visit to your home!
Make sure the house is cleaned from top to bottom, inside and outside including all those hidden corners, under the sinks, bath tubs and baseboards. Mow the lawn and trim the hedges!
Get rid of all unnecessary clutter and personal souvenir! Buyers want to see the home as they would live in it and not as you live in it!
Give your home a fresh coat of paint inside and out. Painting your home is one of the most important and inexpensive investment you can make to maximize your sale price.
Real estate is slowly becoming a rewarding investment, more rewarding in fact than stocks and bonds because they have not been performing as in the past.
On the other hand, real estate investment is performing beyond expectations because of its appreciation and due to demographic factors.
Analysts have been claiming that the real estate boom will fizzle out but that was 4 years ago and the market continues to improve due to demographic factors, lower loan interest rates and easier mortgage requirements!
Gerald Mason
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/10-tips-for-buying-or-selling-real-estate-103212.html
Buying Real Estate Steps
October 8, 2009
Buying Real Estate is part of the American dream. For those who have never been down the “buying real estate” path yet, you just…
1. Get Pre-Approved. Even if you don’t think you can afford it, or are concerned about a down payment, or your credit – the first thing you should do is talk to a skilled mortgage lender. It’s their job to help you fix your credit, tell you how much you can afford, and help make it all happen. They will advise you if a down payment is needed (it may not! Many people arrange to buy a home with nothing down, $500 down, or 5% down), how much your monthly payment will translate to (i.e. tell them you want to spend $X a month, and they’ll translate that into a purchase price of $Y). If you need to repair your credit, they’ll be able to refer someone or give you some tips and help on how to fix it up.
2. Once you meet with a mortgage lender, you’ll get a letter of pre-approval. It looks informal, but what matters is the listing agent (representing the sellers of a house you later want to buy) calling them and doing some research on whether you can in fact close and purchase the property. You then take this letter to a Realtor (R) / Real Estate Agent (note: Realtor is a real estate agent that adheres to a code of ethics; for practical purposes they’re essentially the same, though a Realtor(R) has more accountability and is therefore more highly recommended). This is step 2 of buying real estate.
3. The fun part: Shopping! Step 3 of buying real estate usually involves you looking at a bunch of properties on the internet, driving around some neighborhoods, then when you see some homes you think you might like, just email or call your agent and ask to go see it. Don’t get too hung up on this, and at first, go see some houses even if you know it’s not quite right – just to get some ideas of what you like and don’t like. On paper, or on the computer, a house is just a bunch of numbers – 3 bedrooms, 1873 square feet, etc. – but in person, you’ll find that the “bones” of a house, they layout, and the materials vary widely. On each home, communicate what you like and don’t like to your agent. Ideally, you should do this on each home, and by listing your favorite points, and factors you didn’t like, you’ll help your agent slowly hone in on what you really want. This is step 3 of buying real estate, and it usually turns out to be more work than you expect. By the way, it’s OK if a house or condo or lot seems ok on paper, but just doesn’t feel right. Trust your gut…buying real estate is emotional and you want to feel at home. Usually, if something doesn’t feel right, it’s because it reminds you of some other home, and many times, people ultimately buy a home that feels like a home they lived in as a child and therefore feel at home in.
4. The exciting part of buying real estate comes when you find a home you want. Just tell your agent this one feels right, and you’d like to put in an offer. Let your agent do the negotiating for you, it’s their job, and they get paid by the seller so the service is essentially free. You can call the mortgage lender back now and tell them you’re finally buying real estate, and give them the purchase price you want to offer, along with any other expenses such as taxes and insurance. They can give you a more exact payment on the house, which you’ll then give your agent a range to offer, starting low with a walk-away price. The agent helping you in buying real estate will know the conventions and strategy best for your local market and sniff out competing offers, etc. This offer will then be accepted or declined or counter-offered.
5. The nerve-wracking part of buying real estate is closing the actual transaction. Once your offer is accepted, you then start a 2-way “dance” called “escrow” or “under contract” or “closing”. This means the further you get into the deal, the more committed you are financially, and the more committed the seller is because they’re packing their life into boxes. Expect a bit of buyers remorse – it always happens about a week in, and just remind yourself why you like the house and imagine your life in your new home. Also, expect that the closing date is just a guideline, and it could be earlier by a few days, or later by a few days. Most commonly, people close in about 30-45 days. Depending on your state, you’ll sign a new loan on about day 25 or day 29, and then move in about day 30 (or 45, depending on your contract period). You’ll sign a binding loan and get keys, the seller gets cash (and their old loan paid off, if they have one), and the bank gets an enforceable contract that you make house payments toward. Once it “records” the deal is 100% done, you own the home, and about 6 weeks later you’ll make your first house payment to the bank.
Buying real estate is fun, and can make a big impact in how you live your life. For most Americans, buying real estate is one of the most important financial investments they ever make, and regardless of market it continues to prove a good investment simply due to inflation if not market appreciation. Just as your grandparents paid 15 cents for coffee and bought their first house for what seems like little money, so will your grandchildren (or you in your old age!) look back on buying real estate that first time as “cheap”. Back when people were buying real estate for $5,000 for a home, the average income was only $1200 a year for some… our relationship with money changes over time. Once you cross the buying real estate bridge, you’ll not only build wealth – but you’ll build a home filled with memories as well.
Roger Vetruba
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/buying-real-estate-steps-736743.html
Buying Real Estate For The First Time
September 26, 2009
Buying a home for the very first time is both exciting and terrifying in spite of its numerous advantages such as value appreciation, tax breaks, and deductible depreciation costs etcetera.
(there is a free ebook: 101 Tips For Selling Your House,for you to download, from a link at the bottom of this page).
Despite the advantages there are also vulnerabilities and risks that you have to contend with during the acquisition process. You can manage these risks and lessen the stressful process by observing the following guidelines.
Seek the help of a mortgage broker or mortgage specialist to help you determine your budget, secure a pre-approval for your mortgage and to have him assist you in the home acquisition process.
As soon as you have done the above, most especially getting a pre-approval for your mortgage loan, you can then start the process of searching for your dream home. As soon as you have a short list of homes that interest you, get in touch with a real estate agent. Having a buyer’s agent costs you nothing since it is the seller who pays all the fees. But if the owner is selling on his own, then the situation becomes better for you as the price of the home would be lesser than if there was a real estate broker involved.
Make sure that the location of the property meets your needs and specifications.
Make sure you get a disclosure statement from the buyer or the real estate broker.
Do not allow yourself to be pressured by the real estate broker or seller.
Before you ask to view the short-listed properties, conduct your own research to identify any problems or issues that might impact the acquisition and the amount of your offer.
As soon as you have decided on one particular property, visit the neighborhood during night time as well.
Interview the neighbors regarding schools in the district, playgrounds, and other amenities.
Find out the property value taxes in the neighborhood and inquire about neighborhood association fees if any.
With the assistance of a lawyer, make a formal offer, give a deposit and outline all of the conditions and terms of your offer.
Provide the owner a copy of your pre-approval to signify the seriousness of your intent in buying the property.
Request all necessary documentation from the owner including title clearance within a specified number of days so as not to prolong the buying process.
It normally takes 30 to 90 days from the date of offer to complete a home acquisition deal but it is very important that all terms and conditions and guidelines between you and the seller are taken cared of as early as possible.
It is always best to educate yourself when buying real estate and not simply rely on the real estate broker, the owner or somebody else to provide you with the necessary information. This makes the home buying process much more exciting!
Gerald Mason
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/buying-real-estate-for-the-first-time-103218.html
Buying a House – 12 Ways to Signal Your Real Estate Agent
September 1, 2009
You can learn how to take advantage of your real estate agent’s expertise before buying a house.
You’ve probably heard home buyers routinely complain how their agent didn’t do enough while they were buying a house. In truth, most buyers don’t know what to look for from a real estate professional in order to receive the best results.
With proper homework while shopping for a Realtor, you can be assured you’ve located someone who will watch out for your best interests. She is there to help you make better home buying decisions. So here are some ways your real estate agent can help in the decision buying process and questions you can ask to signal when you want her assistance.
1- A case in point, once you have toured several properties, ask your Realtor to help you rank your choices. An experienced agent can guide you to clarify your prospects and narrow down the field.
2- Additionally your Realtor can assist you regarding finances. Almost everyone buying a house needs a mortgage. Because agents are constantly in contact with lenders, they are often the best source of referrals to mortgage brokers and bankers. They have the inside track on lenders that have serviced other clients well in the past. Based on your particular needs, request at least two referrals of mortgage bankers.
3- Accordingly use your agent to discuss your concerns. When it is time to make decisions it is often good to have an objective opinion. Your agent can assist you in buying a house by pointing out trade-offs and how to set priorities.
4- From the start explain what your housing desires are so your agent can easily point out neighborhoods, communities, and developments that seem right for you. Good real estate agents are out visiting properties to stay current. So be sure and indicate that you welcome input.
5- Everybody understands buying a house is an emotional decision but it is important to know the facts too. Your agent has access to recent comparable sales, how long property has been on the market, and details regarding the area. It would be a shame not to take advantage of her expertise.
6- Along these same lines, if you work with an agent closely she can alert you to property that just came on the market or perhaps is about to be listed. So make sure your Realtor knows that you intend to work exclusively with her. Your loyalty will be rewarded.
7- Real estate professionals are also well versed in Seller Disclosure Statements and can help you wade through this detailed disclosure provided by sellers. This form is designed to reveal any defects regarding the desirability of the home and neighborhood. Your agent sees these disclosures routinely so be sure to request assistance.
8- Because real estate agents see so many houses they can also be sources of advice regarding redecorating, renovating, or remodeling a particular home. We all have a tendency to spend money on upgrades that might provide little or no return. Look at the property through the eyes of your Realtor to plan for value added improvements to the home.
9- The best agents are adept at following the process of buying a house from your first meeting to the final close. You should expect your transaction to be followed from beginning to end.
10- From the initial process of buying a house to signing final documents, you will have many experiences. Your real estate agent is comfortable with the roles of the seller’s agent, lender, appraiser, escrow officer and homeowner insurance agent. Realtors are trained and equipped to work through each step of this process.
11- In my opinion, here is what makes your agent worth her weight in gold. Because of seeing hundreds of real estate transactions a year, she is better able to anticipate problems ahead of time. Diligent agents know how to trouble shoot issues before they get out control. This is probably the most important service your agent can provide and the least obvious. So be happy when your house closes without a hitch. It’s outstanding proof of your agent’s performance.
12- Finally be sure and ask your real estate agent from the start to keep you fully informed concerning the state of your purchase. This is second nature for most Realtors. But it is okay to signal that you want to be kept in the loop at all times.
If you know what to expect from your real estate agent it should be easy to send the right signals and benefit from her expertise while buying a house.
Kate Ford
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/buying-a-house-12-ways-to-signal-your-real-estate-agent-711102.html