Linda Kay -The Barefoot Realtor: April 2013

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Tackiest Prom Dresses - Tackiest Homes

Tackiest Prom Dresses - Tackiest Homes

Written BY: The Barefoot Realtor

Okay, so I was browsing the internet this morning, just like a ton of other mornings, coffee in hand. I saw this horrible story about the tackiest prom dresses this year and you know I just had to look at the pictures. My mind was telling me, look away, look away.

It got me to thinking, some of the homes we see in showing or previewing are pretty bad. I've seen things where walls inside have been totally grafittied and called art. I have seen children's murals painted obviously by the owner that looked extremely awful. I have seen old kitchens with the obviously still 1940's hardware that nobody bothered to change out.

And during this housing "crisis", I have seen owners ready to lose their homes do unspeakable things inside. Bullet holes in the walls, stuff smeared all over, kids allowed to paint and color all over. I have even seen the granite (that is custom fitted to this kitchen and will fit nowhere else) taken out. Really, the granite?

On the flip side, I have seen people who care very much for their home. Beautiful decorating, amazing paint colors and fabulous artwork. I have seen great room additions, fabulous kitchen remodels and amazing master bedrooms.

When you walk into a home looking to purchase it, what do you see? Do you see the potential of putting your mark on the place, or are you caught up in someone else's choices? Can you picture your furniture and art there, or are you bound by what you see?

Just a side note: I loved the first two prom dresses.... does that make me tacky? LOL

If you have real estate questions or need a free home valuation for your house, please don't hesitate to contact me. And always if you are looking to buy or sell in the SoCal 210 Corridor, I am your go-to girl!

Serving the 210 Corridor - the cities of Monrovia, Duarte, Azusa, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Pomona, Chino, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana - wherever the need arises.

Warmest Regards,
Linda K. Mayer, Realtor, SRES
License # 01767321
A Realtor you can Trust!
(626) 824-8927 Cell
LindaKMayer@live.com
Linda's Website (Home Search
Reliable Senior Help

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

San Dimas Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

San Dimas Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

Written BY: The Barefoot Realtor

Market Watch

New Listing (8)
Price Change (2)
Back On Market (2)
Backup Offer (2)
Expired (0)
Pending (4)
Sold (5)

Okay so, last week there were a total of 7 new listings in the City of San Dimas. When you compare this week's 7 listings to the 5 sold homes it doesn't give you enough of a picture. But when you combine the 5 sold with 4 more pending, that's 9 and you can see that there aren't going to be many homes on the market for very long. Okay, so the last statistics have proven to you that it is definitely a SELLERS MARKET. But the trend is continuing and even escalating here in San Dimas, CA.

What does this mean to you if you want to sell? This means that your home can be sold in a short period of time and many times will sell for more than the asking price. Naturally, this doesn't mean that you can price your home high and expect the same results. But that's another whole blog. This whole environment can cause bidding wars which can make the price of your home increase. For a good case in point on this, please read this short story. Really, We Have To Go HOW High?

There were 2 price changes, this usually this means lowering of the asking price and 2 more have gone into back-up status. Back-up status means that the home has an accepted offer but for some reason they are preparing in case the buyer backs out, or for some other reason like a short sale waiting on the bank's response.

So, in recap, 4 pending, 5 sold, and 2 into back-up for a total of 11 homes off the market. When you compare that to the measly 7 that came into the market, you can easily see why this is a great time to get top dollar for your home.

When you are thinking of buying or selling a home, contact me, a local expert. All real estate is local down to the neighborhood still and so you need someone who knows what's what in that area. I stay on top of the cities I serve in the SoCal 210 Corridor (such as San Dimas, CA) as you can see and will be more than happy to help you with your real estate needs from free home valuations to answering questions and of course helping you buy a house or sell your home.

Glendora Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

Glendora Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

Written BY: The Barefoot Realtor

Market Watch

New Listing (14)
Price Change (5)
Back On Market (4)
Backup Offer (10)
Expired (1)
Pending (11)
Sold (7)

Okay, so last week, there were a total of 14 new listings in the City of Glendora. When you compare this week's 14 listings to the 3 sold homes it doesn't give you enough of a picture. But when you combine the 7 sold with 11 more pending, that's 21 and you can see that there aren't going to be many homes on the market for very long. Okay, so the last statistics have proven to you that it is definitely a SELLERS MARKET. But the trend is continuing and even escalating here in Glendora, CA.

There were 5 price changes, this usually this means lowering of the asking price and 9 more have gone into back-up status. Back-up status means that the home has an accepted offer but for some reason they are preparing in case the buyer backs out, or for some other reason like a short sale waiting on the bank's response.

So, in recap, 11 pending, 7 sold, and 4 into back-up for a total of 22 homes off the market. When you compare that to the measly 14 that came into the market, you can easily see why this is a great time to get top dollar for your home.

When you are thinking of buying or selling a home, contact me, a local expert. All real estate is local down to the neighborhood still and so you need someone who knows what's what in that area. I stay on top of the cities I serve in the SoCal 210 Corridor (such as Glendora, CA) as you can see and will be more than happy to help you with your real estate needs from free home valuations to answering questions and of course helping you buy a house or sell your home.

Claremont Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

Claremont Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

Written BY: The Barefoot Realtor

New Listing (8)
Price Change (5)
Back On Market (0)
Backup Offer (3)
Expired (0)
Pending (9)
Sold (2)

Okay, so the last statistics have proven to you that it is definitely a SELLERS MARKET. But the trend is continuing here in Claremont, CA. It is somewhat calming down, but you can see from the chart above that things are calming down and hopefully in the next couple of months there will be a whole lot more homes on the market.

Last week, there were a total of 8 new listings in the City of Claremont. When you compare this week's 8 listings to the 2 sold homes it doesn't give you enough of a picture. But when you combine the 2 sold with 9 more pending, that's 11 and you can see that there aren't going to be many homes on the market for very long.

There were 5 price changes, this usually this means lowering of the asking price and 5 more have gone into back-up status. Back-up status means that the home has an accepted offer but for some reason they are preparing in case the buyer backs out, or for some other reason like a short sale waiting on the bank's response.

So, in recap, 9 pending, 2 sold, and 3 into back-up for a total of 14 homes off the market. When you compare that to the measly 8 that came into the market, you can easily see why this is a great time to get top dollar for your home.

When you are thinking of buying or selling a home, contact me, a local expert. All real estate is local down to the neighborhood still and so you need someone who knows what's what in that area. I stay on top of the cities I serve in the SoCal 210 Corridor (such as Claremont, CA) as you can see and will be more than happy to help you with your real estate needs from free home valuations to answering questions and of course helping you buy a house or sell your home.

La Verne Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

La Verne Market Stats, April 16-23, 2013

Written BY: The Barefoot Realtor

Market Watch

New Listing (8)
Price Change (4)
Back On Market (4)
Backup Offer (4)
Expired (0)
Pending (6)
Sold (3)

Okay, so the last statistics have proven to you that it is definitely a SELLERS MARKET. But the trend is continuing and even escalating here in La Verne, CA.

Last week, there were a total of 8 new listings in the City of La Verne. When you compare this week's 8 listings to the 3 sold homes it doesn't give you enough of a picture. But when you combine the 3 sold with 6 more pending, that's 9 and you can see that there aren't going to be many homes on the market for very long.

There were 4 price changes, this usually this means lowering of the asking price and 4 more have gone into back-up status. Back-up status means that the home has an accepted offer but for some reason they are preparing in case the buyer backs out, or for some other reason like a short sale waiting on the bank's response.

So, in recap, 6 pending, 3 sold, and 4 into back-up for a total of 13 homes off the market. When you compare that to the measly 8 that came into the market, you can easily see why this is a great time to get top dollar for your home.

When you are thinking of buying or selling a home, contact me, a local expert. All real estate is local down to the neighborhood still and so you need someone who knows what's what in that area. I stay on top of the cities I serve in the SoCal 210 Corridor (such as La Verne, CA) as you can see and will be more than happy to help you with your real estate needs from free home valuations to answering questions and of course helping you buy a house or sell your home.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Dodgers Baseball: SoCal 210 Corridor Living

Dodgers Baseball: SoCal 210 Corridor Living

By: Linda K Mayer, SRES

Okay, so I FINALLY got around to sharing the pics from the Dugout Club atDodger Stadium! I know, I know. My husband has great pics inside the Club, maybe next blog as they are still on his computer. He even has Tommy Lasorda's side profile as he was sitting about 10 seats away from us.

The day we happened to go was "Scandal" day at the park. For those of you who do not watch Scandal, my comment is, "You're Missing the BEST Show on tv right now". Well, that and Banshee... So we do have Scandal photos in here too, because I was beyond excited.

Bellamy Young who plays Mellie, the president's wife on Scandal sang the National Anthem

Guillermo Diaz who plays HUCK on Scandal threw out the first pitch... ya, not quick enough to catch his picture. SO SAD.

Kerrie Washington who plays Olivia Pope on Scandal announced the Dodger lineup and ROCKED it!

The view from the 3rd row. On Deck circle to the left and plate just to the right. My son sent my his picture from the Oakland Collesium first row... he just HAD to beat me by 2 rows....

(I am not sure why this is sideways and all crazy, it's not that way on my compy.) This is Katie Lowes who plays Quinn in yet again Scandal. She sang God Bless America for the 7th inning stretch.

This is Dodger Nick Punto in the on-deck circle. His average during this game hit .600! That's phenominal in case you aren't aware!

And FYI, this is a mere 30 minutes from the middle of the SoCal 210 Corridor! Easy in (my way) and easy out! So if you're thinking of moving here, more fun to be had by all!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Really, we Have to Go HOW High?

Really, we Have to Go HOW High?

Okay, so I am in the process of submitting an offer for a fabulous family. They found the house they have always wanted at a decent price. Sure, it needs some fixing up, but the issue is the price. The offer we were to submit, that is before I spoke with the other agent, was $33,000 over asking... you would think, right!

But in speaking with the listing agent, he said he already has five, yes five offers over what we were thinking of coming in with. We would have to be nearly $70,000 over asking to be the top contender. Really, we have to go HOW high?

So for those of you doubting that the bidding wars are back, I would say, "The bidding wars are back with a vengance!" It seems to be way worse this time around. Maybe because of the lower interest rates, maybe because some people jumped on this housing band wagon way too late and still want in. Who knows.

All I can tell you is, if you are thinking of buying right now, be prepared to go really high. And if you are thinking of selling, what's the wait - get in on this action before it goes away!

If you are thinking of selling, or buying for that matter, please always contact a local expert for the area so they know how to advise you. All real estate is local down to the neighborhood still and so you need someone who knows what's what. I stay on top of the cities I serve in the SoCal 210 Corridor as you can see and will be more than happy to help you with your real estate needs whether that be to answer any question you may have or give you a free home evaluation. And ALWAYS go with a Realtor you can trust!

Monday, April 8, 2013

What is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)

What is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)

By: Linda K Mayer, SRES

Okay, so I told you how I recently received my Seniors Real Estate SpecialistDesignation (SRES). So now let me tell you a little bit about what an SRES is and how that factors in to taking care of your elderly relative, or even a baby boomer who may need to make a change.

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist Course is at least 12 hours of concentrated study on various topics that can affect senior citizens or even baby boomers. It covers issues such as tax implications for seniors, in home care, assisted living, complete care, reverse mortgages, etc.

Those who take the SRES course are taught how to distinguish between when seniors may need a reverse mortgage or when they can use other options, the difference between all types of care, and various ideas for real estate having to do with seniors. Also taught in the course are financial planning ideas such as IRA's and 401K's, etc. Medicare, Medicaid and social security are also discussed. An SRES actually has the complete picture so they know how to serve the seniors better than those who aren't so educated. we are taught to be a seeing eye dog, if you will, for the various issues that affect seniors and their families.

So if you are in the SoCal 210 Corridor area, don't hesitate to give me a call or send an email for help or references. My senior website has some references listed, but I have many, many more available. Reliable Senior Help. And if you happen to be looking to buy or sell a home, the website for a home search is LindaKay.Biz.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Why A Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)

Why A Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)

By: Linda K Mayer, SRES

Okay, so I have been around senior citizens all my life. My father was nearly 59 when I was born and I was around all his friends. Because of this, I feel very in tune and comfortable with older people.

My favorite real estate deal was with an older couple in a home with stairs. She had fallen down and had an extremely painful time going up the stairs to the bed and bath. And he was to have back surgery in about 1.5 months. Apprently I was the third agent they had used. We not only sold their home, but got them into their next one about a week before the husband's surgery. But the most exciting thing about this was that the new, single story home had lots of open space and the doors were wide enough for a wheelchair. And lo and behold she ended up in a wheel chair about five months later. You just know that God orchestrated this entire transaction.

Then I did Reverse Mortgages at Wells Fargo for a while. I loved working with seniors who truly needed or wanted my help. And it was amazing to see, at least on paper, how much I could help change their lives for the better.

My mother was even asking about a Reverse Mortgage for herself. She was a teacher for many, many years and has a good pension. But her house needed painting and new carpet and her furniture was getting kind of threadbare. So we placed her in a Reverse Mortgage, too. Not only did she fix up her home, but she also has the peace of mind to know that if she ever needs in home care over and above what her long term care insurance pays for, we have the funds available to care for her properly.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I partner up with a Reverse Mortgage Specialist. She and I met with a client to talk about Reverse for Purchase. It was enlightening and fun to talk with this wonderful senior woman about her hopes and dreams and plans. Afterwards my friend said how she noticed I seriously love and care about older people.

That comment stuck with me and wouldn't let me go. So I went ahead and got my Seniors Real Estate Specialist Designation (SRES) from the National Association of Realtors. A course which involves everything from real estate to tax implications to senior abuse.

And now I am truly ready to help those seniors who may need a bit of help or advice to live out their days in comfort and peace.

So if you are in the SoCal 210 Corridor area, don't hesitate to give me a call or send an email for help or references. My website has some references listed, but I have many, many more available. Reliable Senior Help.

Serving the 210 Corridor - the cities of Monrovia, Duarte, Azusa, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Pomona, Chino, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana - wherever the need arises.
Warmest Regards,
Linda K. Mayer, Realtor, SRES
License # 01767321
A Realtor you can Trust!
(626) 824-8927 Cell
LindaKMayer@live.com
Linda's Website

Monday, April 1, 2013

Tax Time Again - Can't Pay Your Taxes?

By: Linda K Mayer, SRES

Okay, so I was reading an article about what to do if you can't pay your taxes on the FoxLA website. It was pretty good information and I thought this year, since tax laws have changed and taxes are going up, maybe there were some people having this issue and could benefit from the article.

The first thing is to FILE YOUR TAXES ON TIME. The penalty for not filing is much greater than the penalty for not paying. If this is not a possibility, ask for a tax extension. The IRS may grant you up to six months.

And try to pay something, if you can't pay all of it. Not only will this show good faith on your part, but it will lower the interest if you pay some of the principle tax debt to begin with.

I got all the way down to the last step which was to get a tax advocate. Most people and small businesses can take care if their tax issue themselves. Very few will indeed require a tax advocate. So try everything yourself first before deciding to pay a professional tax advocate.

For more useful tips, you can read the article called, "6 Steps to Take if You can't Pay Your Taxes".

Remember, the IRS wants to work with you to collect your tax money. And if you are coming to them voluntarily to get them paid, they will work with you!