Will You Be Ready on Moving Day? – II
With the holidays rapidly approaching and the New Year just around the corner, you no doubt have loads and loads on your mind. And some of you will have even more squeezed into your bursting-at-the-seams schedule. Those are the people moving into a new L.A. home during this joyous season. Sure, the relocation will add a million and one new items to your mile-long task list. But it will be worth it in the end. I mean, how could you resist that mind-boggling year-end price? And won’t your larger new home with the breathtaking view be the perfect locale for exhilarating holiday get-togethers?
Still, moving during this hectic time of year can be fraught with challenges. Fortunately, these can be met with simple preparation. It’s really a matter of following some common sense steps. The road to success already has been paved in the previous installment. These additional steps will help you complete the journey.
The Early Bird Edge. You’ve booked the moving company well in advance. But the same early-bird approach is required for important connections like phone and utility service. These companies are piled high with orders. So jump in well in advance. Or your heating system could wind up being the cozy fireplace.
Box It, Baby! Sure, you’re hauling your belongings in the well-padded storage compartment of a beefy moving van. Nevertheless, you’ll want the property further protected and neatly organized in sturdy containers. Your first impulse might be to rush straight into your local stationary store and buy their entire supply of packing boxes. Squash this thought immediately. You can save a small fortune by hitting up local stores for empty boxes. Good choices are electronics and grocery retailers.
Keep Track. Be sure your property is well-documented and tracked on the moving company’s inventory form. And please, insure your valuable belongings. Even the most careful movers in the world aren’t exempt from mistakes.
You are now ready to embark on a smooth move to your L.A. home. If you’d like additional info about making the move to your new home, feel free to reach out to me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Signs Matter
I just can’t believe these people who’ll jeopardize the sale of their home for the sake of a discounted commission. Or even worse, those who’ll badger and push for a commission cut so they can pocket the proceeds. Not surprisingly, the infamous commission grinders think the name on the front yard sign is of no consequence. KW, Coldwell Banker, Remaxx or White House – they’re all the same, right? If that were true, would all these companies be shelling out major bucks to carve out their own brand identities? (i.e. Century 21 as the supreme king of lower end properties.)
The truth is, most realties strive to stand out as a unique brand. It’s like shopping for a new sweater. Why would anyone choose Marshalls over Barneys if price were the only factor? The point is, of course, brand distinctions make these sweaters as different as night and day.
Same holds true for brokers. Do you really think the discount broker delivers the same level of service as the high-end master? Only in Fantasyland. The discounters couldn’t afford to rise so high.
Allow me to elucidate with a dose of reality from my recent excursion through the marketplace. Had a listing for a cool $2.3 million. My fellow realtors howled that this price tag was way too high. Instead of bowing to peer-group pressure, I promptly waltzed out, snagged the best high-end photographer I could get my mitts on, and ordered mind-bogglingly expensive card/fold-over brochures befitting the castle I represented. Parted with another grand to cover a radiant selection of flowers and a very special caterer. Then I poured all this magnificence into our Sunday open house and broker caravan. Yes, there was major sizzle on this steak!
Out went scores of invitations. And in flocked agents from as far away as ten miles (a very unusual distance.). One realtor quipped, “Terre, with this crowd of agents, I thought you were giving away $100 bills!”
The upshot? My super-spiffed out Camelot sold for its list price — $2.1 million. Would a discount broker go to such extravagant lengths? You know the answer. All of which goes to show, signs matter — because brands and service matter. End of story.
If you’d like more info about selling your L.A. home in record time, feel free to reach out to me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Negotiate Your Way to Buyer Bliss – II
In my previous revelation, I spotlighted the importance of turning the tables a bit on the buyer-seller relationship. Home buyers, I pointed out, should know what lurks in the minds of sellers. The purpose of this knowledge, of course, is to boost a buyer’s negotiating prowess and ultimately maximize one’s chances of grabbing the best possible deal.
Those of you who took my advice to heart may already be lighting up the negotiation table with your newfound skills. Those who ignored it will be mocked forever by the real estate gods.
The good news is, my previous pearls of wisdom were only the beginning. There are many more ways to beef up your negotiating efforts. Here are three more of the steps that will whisk you up the ladder of buyer success.
Ask and You Shall Receive…Hopefully. The vast majority of sellers are itching like mad to close the deal. To reach this goal, many are willing to pony up the dough for new appliances and even the first year of HOA dues. You won’t know unless you ask.
But Don’t Ask for Anything Requiring Specialized Craftsmanship. More than a few buyers have been horrified by paint jobs carried out by sellers. If you ask for a home improvement of this caliber, you’ll likely learn the meaning of ‘you get what you pay for.’
Never Sweat the Small Stuff. Saving a thousand or two is virtually meaningless in the long run. Plan on enjoying your new L.A. home for awhile (minimum five years), and you’ll gain endless satisfaction that far outweighs a meager price reduction.
If you’d like more info about maximizing your home-buying success, feel free to reach out to me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Get Your Green on With an EEM
You say you don’t have an extra wad of greenbacks to give your L.A. home an eco-friendly upgrade? Well, if you’re buying a new house, there’s a simple way to create an environmentally enriching living space that significantly cuts down on the natural resource drain – and your money drain for utility bills.
An energy efficient mortgage (EEM) offers homebuyers a golden opportunity to finance energy-saving improvements in a single, convenient loan package. Instituted and backed by Uncle Sam, an EEM enables a lender to ‘increase’ a borrower’s reported income by a monetary amount that matches estimated energy savings. The better debt/income ratio allows for a fatter home loan. For most people, this show of lender generosity is far easier than slinking into the office of your boss on hands and knees and pleading for a raise.
Among the upgrades covered by an EEM are adding double-paned windows, tankless water heaters, new HVAC systems, the full range of Energy Star appliances, and new insulation. The last on the list is real biggie — the U.S. Department of Energy reports that 60% of U.S. homes are not sufficiently insulated. Blanketing your home with new insulation can save you as much as 10% on your annual energy costs.
If you’d like more info about improving the energy efficiency of your L.A. home with an EEM, feel free to reach out to me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Move Smart 101…Secrets of the Summer II
According to my calendar, there’s about a month of summertime left. Those of you prepping to move into a newly-purchased home during this time will have your hands overflowing. This is peak moving season, made all the more enjoyable by blistering heat and summer crowds. Even if you’ve hired a reputable moving company, you’ve no doubt got a to-do list higher than the Eiffel Tower.
Fortunately, I’m following up my recent article on summertime moving with this helpful sequel. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be waltzing your way into the land of Smooth Moving.
Give Kids a Special Place. Moving day will load a ton of responsibilities on your shoulders. The kiddies don’t have to be one of them. Consider day care or a deserving friend for child-watching duties while you’re howling at the movers for dropping your priceless antique cabinet. If the kids refuse, tell them you’re taking them to Disneyland, then deal with the disappointment after you’ve settled in.
Secure a Pooch-Sitter. If you think moving is stressful, imagine what the family dog thinks of all that frenzied activity. A good dog-sitting service definitely will be a stress-reliever for both of you. Perhaps you can persuade your friend to take both in a package deal.
Keep Track of the Little Things. Knowing where to find important screws, nuts, and bolts can mean the difference between re-assembling your ten-tier shelf or having a clutter of wood decorating your front lawn. Put these critical little items in clearly-labeled baggies to keep track of their whereabouts.
If you’d like more info about smart moving, feel free to reach out to me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Move Smart 101…Secrets of the Summer
Congratulations. You’re moving into a shiny new home. At least, it’ll shine once you get your foot in the door and unleash your inner decorator. In the meantime, you’re in transition mode, preparing to haul everything you own into unfamiliar territory. If you’re like most people, your to-do list could reach the far side of the moon. And the blistering summer heat sure isn’t lightening your load.
Fear not. You can ease your burden considerably by making all the right moves before you move, even if you’re relocating during the ultra-busy summer season. Here’s your prescription for a smoother transition:
The ‘Me or Them’ Quandary. Should I move everything myself or enlist a fully-equipped, bona fide moving service to haul my bundle?…That is the question. Major factor to consider – Cost. Secure a minimum of three quotes from reputable movers to ensure you’re getting a honey of a deal. If you opt for self-service, its best to calculate the number of boxes needed before you start packing your clutter of personal belongings.
Peek Before You Pack. Architects work with blueprints. Directors, with storyboards. Why not have your own visual aid? Stop texting for a moment and use that smart phone to snap photos of the rooms you and yours soon will be occupying. Then get your favorite medium for storing data, whether electronic or paper, and list the exact location for each item going into the new rooms. Beats running around at the last minute in a frenzy of indecision.
Divide And Conquer. Dig through years of your accumulated belongings and separate them mercilessly into useful categories such as: keepers, charitable donations, gifts for friends, throw-aways, and recyclables. You’ll rejoice in the extent to which you’ve lightened your load.
If you’d like more info about smart moving, feel free to reach out to me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Does the Home You’re Buying Have Dirty Little Secrets?
What little morsels of hidden information is the L.A. home you’re buying keeping from you? What horrendous troubles might it lay in your path to trip you up? You say, no problem, I’m getting a home inspection. Bully for you! You’re a major risk taker if you don’t.
But there’s no need to wait for the full-scale, turn-the-place-upside-down investigation. You can conduct your own preliminary look-see to find out what’s brewing beneath those walls. Having this advanced info not only will save you a healthy chunk of time. It will also provide you with a bundle of info that can serve as one monster of a bargaining chip. As in: “The pipes obviously date back to the Roman aqueducts. Knock a few grand off the price to cover new plumbing.”
Here are some key guidelines for conducting your own home inspection.
Get Fat With the Insulation. Skimpy layers of insulation mean you won’t be taking that vacation in Maui. That’s because you’ll be covering the soaring heating and air conditioning bills. Have the seller to bulk up on the layering, or cut you a deal. Maui is calling.
Find Out How Old They Are. Not the sellers, the appliances, roof, siding, and the like. If you have an idea of replacement dates, you can use this intel to bargain big.
Eyeball the Exterior. See any cracks? Large trees with hefty roots that could put the squeeze on plumbing and foundations? “Oh, seller, we need to talk.”
If you’d like more info about pre-inspection inspections, feel free to give me a shout. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s plenty of space.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Should You Go Mini-Mortgage?
Unless you’re an all cash home buyer, you’re likely looking at a 30-year mortgage on that beautiful L.A. home you crave. But you’re not necessarily stuck with this prospect. That’s because you could be eligible to slash a healthy chunk from the time period. Believe me, if the home loan lords of your local bank decide you qualify, a 15-year term could be gold for you. Here are the key benefits of a ‘mini-mortgage’.
Quicker Ownership – Why wait thirty long years to own your home outright? A 15-year mortgage gives you the pink slip in half the time. And gone much sooner will be those monthly mortgage payments eating away at your fun-money funds. Remember, however, even when your beloved castle is completely yours lock, stock, and barrel, there are still property taxes and homeowner’s insurance to contend with. Nobody escapes.
Less Interest Paid – Herein lies your ticket to saving a small fortune. We’re talking in the six-figure range just by cutting your mortgage period in half.
Accelerated Equity – With a 15-year mortgage in place, your monthly mortgage statements will bring new excitement to your life. That’s because they’ll be revealing a rapid buildup of equity as your outlays for interest shrink. Even if you sell your home before fifteen years have elapsed, you’ll still pocket more greenbacks than you would on the 30-year plan.
If you’d like more info about mortgage options for homebuyers, feel free to contact me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Need Good News? Ask Freddie.
Credit luck, fate, or the U.S. government. But our friend Freddie Mac has fantastic news for homebuyers. It appears the honchos there have just completed an in-depth survey of mortgage rates. And here’s what the Big Fred has to say about the topic:
Averages for both 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgages have dropped to record lows. Also dipping to record levels was the 5-year ARM. In this past week alone, the 30-year variety averaged about 3.53%. Compare that to last year’s much beefier rate during the same time period – 4.52%.
Anybody who’s ever crawled into a bank in search of a mortgage loan knows what a difference even a miniscule quarter percentage point can make. Over thirty years, that microscopic margin can equate to a small fortune. Better in your pockets than the bank’s, right?
Understandably, the super-low rates have kicked this summer’s housing demand higher than it’s been in eons. The story’s in the stats: New construction for single-family homes rose for the fourth straight month in June, hitting its strongest pace since April 2010. Homebuilder confidence was equally robust, rising for the third month in a row in July.
Unless you happen to be the proud owner of a fully functioning crystal ball, it’s hard to know how long this rose garden will stay in bloom. But the juicy mortgage rates are here for the taking now. And they’re creating a gold mine of opportunities for buyers of L.A. homes.
If you’d like more info about current interest rates and how they can impact a new home purchase, feel free to contact me directly. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Property Valuation: Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Need!
Let’s see a show of hands – who knows the easiest way to overpay for something? Answer: Pouring out bucks for something you don’t need. It’s unbelievable – I see this misstep all the time in the world of L.A. real estate. But I no longer can stand by and watch you toss all that good ol’ U.S. currency on the garbage heap. So pay attention. This dedicated Beverly Hills realtor is setting you straight and saving you bundles with –
The Three Ways to Value Your L.A. Property
- Appraisal – You know this one. Hire a licensed pro, get an opinion, and bang – you know what your property is worth in the marketplace. A great route to take, of course. But not always the right one. That’s because there are two others designed for particular situations.
- Broker Price Opinion (BPO) – Banks and other institutions order this service to assess short sales and the like. Typically carried out by a realtor with BPO training (but no appraisal license). Bear in mind, you’ll be needing a full-scale professional appraisal down the road.
- Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) – Your friendly ‘family’ realtor can field this one. Comes into play when a lawyer needs a property valuation for trust or probate purposes. Like the best things in life, this is absolutely free!
OK, now that you have the lowdown on property valuation, be sure to opt for the one you need. I mean, do you really want to shell out those hard-earned greenbacks for an unnecessary appraisal? I don’t think so.
If you’d like more info about property valuation, feel free to contact me. Or just fire your questions or comments into the box below. There’s always a vacancy.
And, of course, if you want to be connected to the latest info and opportunities in the Beverly Hills real estate market, I’m ready to make it happen. Call or email today.
Back soon.
Terre Steinbeck
(310) 666-4094 DIRECT
(310) 724-7100 OFFICE
Terre Steinbeck Beverly Hills real estate 