New census data show Los Angeles and Orange counties have the lowest homeownership rates in the nation. In the 2nd quarter, only 46.5 percent of local residents lived in a home they owned. The Los Angeles and Orange County region had the lowest homeownership rate in four out of the last five quarters among the 85 metropolitan areas tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The lack of affordable housing drives these numbers. This lack of So. Cal. affordable housing has very negative implications for our regional and state economies. Area businesses have an ever increasing challenge attracting and retaining talent. Too many businesses are expanding or moving out of state to locals where housing is more affordable. Housing affordability (reflecting the American Dream of Home Ownership) is high on the list of factors influencing high demand prospective employee employment decisions.
Looking from a more personal perspective, just think of the many So. Cal families and parents who sadly experience their young adult children (and grand children) moving out of state where housing is affordable and the American Dream is so much more attainable.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
1056 ENCANTO DRIVE ARCADIA (LOWER RANCHO)
SOLD AUGUST 5, 2016 Asking Price: $3,680,000 Sale Price $3,330,000
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
Get the Top Dollar for Your House
So you're getting ready to sell your house. Just thinking about it can be an overwhelming experience.
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. A Realtor who is successfully moving properties in your neighborhood and comes with references will likely get you a better price for your home than you could get on your own. Most nonprofessionals (homeowners) end up losing more in the transaction than the commission they would have paid a professional.
NO RADICAL CHANGES. Should you remodel the kitchen? Replace fixtures in the bathrooms? Probably not, unless they aren't working. Often such updates done to achieve a higher sales price don't pay off. Almost anyone buying your home will want to make their own changes, so you are not likely to recoup your time and money investment. Unless your Realtor recommends major changes like a new roof or exterior paint job, hold off and put your energy into other areas.
APPEARANCE. Curb appeal is the impression your home makes when a potential buyer sees it for the first time. —Repair cracks in the driveway and on the walkways leading up to your home. —Keep the landscape neat and tidy. Flowerbeds should be blooming, weed-free and well-cultivated. —Make sure the home looks freshly painted. A good scrub down might do the trick. —Keep the garage door closed. —Make sure garbage cans, tools and outside clutter are completely out of sight.
INSIDE CLUTTER. You want the inside of your home to appear as large as possible. That means the clutter in all of the rooms has to go. And don't stuff it into the closets and cupboards. They need to be clutter-free and neatly organized, too. Motivated buyers look behind every door. Remove most or all of the items from your kitchen and bathroom counters. You want storage areas to look spacious, so take items out of the closets and clear shelves of knickknacks. Pack up your collectibles if they are visually overwhelming. Leave only a few tasteful decorator items on the mantle. Your goal is to create a simplified and calm atmosphere. Remove signs, pictures or other wall hangings that could be construed as offensive. Remove all the papers, magnets and coupons from the refrigerator. There should be nothing on the ground but floor coverings and furniture.
CLEAN. Soap and water are cheap. The cost to get your house ready to sell will come in terms of time and elbow grease. Your home should be so clean that a Marine sergeant inspecting it with a white glove could not find a single exception.
BATHROOMS. Sanitize and scrub the bathrooms until they sparkle. They can be impeccably clean even if they are old. Shine the faucets and fixtures until they gleam. Leave no water spots. All toothbrushes and products should be out of sight. Clean every trace of soap and scum from the tubs and showers. Clean shower-door tracks with an old toothbrush, removing every trace of gunk. FLOORS. No matter how old or worn your carpets are, have them professionally steam-cleaned. If you have hard floors, clean, wax, polish or do whatever is necessary to make them glisten. Scrub the corners even if you're sure no one will ever look there. VERTICAL SURFACES. Clean the baseboards, and scrub the woodwork and walls in every room
FURNITURE AND FIXTURES. Dust and polish until there isn't a single speck of dust anywhere. Vacuum all upholstered furniture. If you have so much furniture that your rooms appear crowded, move some of it out. Stand back and look at each room through the eyes of a stranger. Rearrange things to give a more pleasing visual impression.
So you're getting ready to sell your house. Just thinking about it can be an overwhelming experience.
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. A Realtor who is successfully moving properties in your neighborhood and comes with references will likely get you a better price for your home than you could get on your own. Most nonprofessionals (homeowners) end up losing more in the transaction than the commission they would have paid a professional.
NO RADICAL CHANGES. Should you remodel the kitchen? Replace fixtures in the bathrooms? Probably not, unless they aren't working. Often such updates done to achieve a higher sales price don't pay off. Almost anyone buying your home will want to make their own changes, so you are not likely to recoup your time and money investment. Unless your Realtor recommends major changes like a new roof or exterior paint job, hold off and put your energy into other areas.
APPEARANCE. Curb appeal is the impression your home makes when a potential buyer sees it for the first time. —Repair cracks in the driveway and on the walkways leading up to your home. —Keep the landscape neat and tidy. Flowerbeds should be blooming, weed-free and well-cultivated. —Make sure the home looks freshly painted. A good scrub down might do the trick. —Keep the garage door closed. —Make sure garbage cans, tools and outside clutter are completely out of sight.
INSIDE CLUTTER. You want the inside of your home to appear as large as possible. That means the clutter in all of the rooms has to go. And don't stuff it into the closets and cupboards. They need to be clutter-free and neatly organized, too. Motivated buyers look behind every door. Remove most or all of the items from your kitchen and bathroom counters. You want storage areas to look spacious, so take items out of the closets and clear shelves of knickknacks. Pack up your collectibles if they are visually overwhelming. Leave only a few tasteful decorator items on the mantle. Your goal is to create a simplified and calm atmosphere. Remove signs, pictures or other wall hangings that could be construed as offensive. Remove all the papers, magnets and coupons from the refrigerator. There should be nothing on the ground but floor coverings and furniture.
CLEAN. Soap and water are cheap. The cost to get your house ready to sell will come in terms of time and elbow grease. Your home should be so clean that a Marine sergeant inspecting it with a white glove could not find a single exception.
BATHROOMS. Sanitize and scrub the bathrooms until they sparkle. They can be impeccably clean even if they are old. Shine the faucets and fixtures until they gleam. Leave no water spots. All toothbrushes and products should be out of sight. Clean every trace of soap and scum from the tubs and showers. Clean shower-door tracks with an old toothbrush, removing every trace of gunk. FLOORS. No matter how old or worn your carpets are, have them professionally steam-cleaned. If you have hard floors, clean, wax, polish or do whatever is necessary to make them glisten. Scrub the corners even if you're sure no one will ever look there. VERTICAL SURFACES. Clean the baseboards, and scrub the woodwork and walls in every room
FURNITURE AND FIXTURES. Dust and polish until there isn't a single speck of dust anywhere. Vacuum all upholstered furniture. If you have so much furniture that your rooms appear crowded, move some of it out. Stand back and look at each room through the eyes of a stranger. Rearrange things to give a more pleasing visual impression.
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