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Painting Your Own Home: Tips to Make the Process Painless
Painting Your Own Home: Tips to Make the Process Painless
While it’s might seem easier to hire professionals to paint the house, but with a little research you can find the job is not as intimidating as it seems. With a few free days set aside and some preparation, painting one room (or multiple) is easily doable for anyone. Here are a few things to consider before you start.
Apply a Primer Coat
Preparation entails most of the painting process. It’s easy to become frustrated during the preparation stage, because prepping to paint can take longer than the actual painting component of the project.
Interior walls aren’t always perfect, and painting the walls is a perfect opportunity to fix those imperfections. If you’re using a putty or a filler to patch holes, the paint will react differently to those substances than it will the wall itself. The solution here is to prime your walls, so the new paint color has a uniform surface to adhere to. It’s one simple step that doesn’t seem like much, but could end up saving you a whole lot of work at the end of the process.
Factor in taping time
Taping up the room is tedious work, but will be worth it when you don’t have to waste time being ultra-careful or nervous when getting close to edges. Instead of trying to take the tape off while the paint is still dry, wait at least 24 hours for the paint to dry, and use a knife to slice the tape off at the edge. If the paint is still even a little wet or gummy, don’t continue. Make sure the knife is sharp enough and pull the tape away at a 45-degree angle, making sure not to rip the paint.
Set up with clean-up in mind
To protect floors, a drop cloth is a necessity. In some cases, cotton or canvas drop clothes can work better than plastic. Plastic drop cloths can be slippery and don’t easily stay in place, especially when ladders are involved. Any splatters or drips of paint that fall onto a plastic drop cloth won’t dry or absorb right away and can be easily tracked throughout the rest of your house. A canvas or cotton drop cloth will be more stable and will protect the floors better. Tape the edges of the drop cloth to the tops of the trim to protect both the floor and the trims from any splattering or dripping paint.
Work top down
Not only does it prevent drips from ruining anything you’ve already painted, but it keeps the walls and baseboards free of any dust or debris from sticking to wet trim. Paint the ceiling first, move to the walls and possible crown moldings. Only then should you move to any trims around windows or doors and finish with the baseboards. Not only will this keep a system in place to ensure there’s no questioning what’s been painted and what hasn’t, but it’ll keep things clean.
Check thickness of previous paint layers
Cracks on an exterior paint job don’t reflect the owner’s best intentions and should be fixed before the damage is too much to fix. Too thick of a layer of paint means that the paint might just be too heavy to stay, and will start to crack and to peel off. It loses its grip and can’t attach to the other layers of paint. In older homes, it’s likely that some of those layers of paint have lead in them, in which case you’ll need to look into how to remove it safely. The EPA has guidelines here. This could be the one step that requires you to outsource, if the layer of paint is extremely thick, because removing it completely (and correctly) will ensure the next coat of paint will attach correctly. Hiring a home washing company can help you identify these cracks in exterior paint as well. If anything, have the exterior of your home professionally power washed, so the paint will have a clean surface to adhere to.
Using these tips, ideally the house-painting process will be doable for anyone. Prepare yourself to set aside time for set-up, knowing that it will help when you’re done painting and ready to clean up. Instead of hiring painting professionals, save some money for decorating and tackle the job yourself.
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Bio: Matt Lawler is an Internet marketing specialist from Tempe, Arizona where he attended Arizona State University. Whenever he can step away from the computer, Matt enjoys playing sports, traveling and exploring the great outdoors. Follow him on Twitter.
Laura Key, REALTOR® Cal BRE 01908085 310-866-8422 Laura.A.Key@gmail.com www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Tips on How To Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests
By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon *Published: November 14, 2011
Is your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion.
I'm lucky and have a guest suite always ready for holiday guests. But even with a dedicated space, preparing my home for the annual onslaught of friends and family takes time and forethought.
Some preparations for holiday guests take only a few minutes; some take a lot longer. My advice: Start preparing your home for the holidays now.
Prioritize
The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter guest rooms and public areas — foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now.
If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and arrange after your guests depart.
Safety
Light the way: Even though you can navigate your home blindfolded, your guests can’t. Make sure outside lights are working so they don’t trip on the way to your door. Put motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms to ensure safe passage after the sun sets.
Child proofing: Ask parents to bring hardware that keeps their small ones safe, such as baby gates and cabinet locks. Transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from base to wall cabinets. Hide matches and lighters.
Fire prevention: If you didn’t freshen smoke detector batteries when you switched the clocks to Daylight Savings Time, change them now. After your guests arrive, run a quick fire drill: Make sure they can locate exits and fire extinguishers, and that they know how to open windows and doors.
Entryway upgrades
Your home’s foyer is the first place guests see, so make a good first impression.
- Upgrade exterior entry doors or give old doors a new coat of paint. Polish and tighten door hardware, and oil hinges to prevent squeaks.
- Remove scratches from hardwood floors, stairs, and wood railings. Place a small rug or welcome mat at the entrance to protect floors from mud and snow.
- Clear out shoes, umbrellas, and other clutter.
- Add extra hooks to walls so guests can hang coats and hats.
- Add a storage bench where guests can remove boots and shoes.
Kitchen prep
Your kitchen is command central during the holidays, so make sure it’s ready for guests and extra helpers.
- To increase storage, install a pot rack to clear cooking items off countertops and ranges.
- Move your coffee station into a family room so guests don’t crowd the kitchen when you’re trying to fix meals.
- If you like to visit while you’re cooking, place extra stools and chairs around the perimeter of your kitchen so guests can set a spell.
Sleeping arrangements
If you’ve got a guest room, replace the ceiling fixture with a ceiling fan and light combo, which helps guests customize their room temperature without fiddling with the thermostat for the entire house.
To carve sleeping space out of public areas, buy a folding screen or rolling bookcase, which will provide privacy for sleepers. Fold or roll it away in the morning.
Bathroom storage
Bring toilet paper, towels, and toiletries out of hiding, and place them on open shelves so guests can find them easily.
If you don’t have enough wall space for shelves, place these items in open baskets around the bathroom.
Also, outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment).
What tips do you have for getting ready for guests this holiday season?
Find your next home with me! I'd love to hand you a set of new keys! www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Home Design Inspiration For Your Bathroom
A few candles, a dimming light, a glass of bubbly, some music and some bubbles....YEAP!
Start your home search out RIGHT! Access homes from a direct source! Text LKHOMES to 87778 today or go to http://87778.mobi/LKHOMES Available on iPad/Tablet/Smartphones
Source: http://homedesignboard.com/bathroom/home-design-inspiration-for-your-bathroom-12/
Laura Key - the Ultimate Answer to All Real Estate Needs (Press Release)
Laura Key - the Ultimate Answer to All Real Estate Needs
In the world of cut throat competition and greed where every penny is considered precious, Laura Key uses her heart while doing business. The real estate specialist has decided to donate $100 in her client’s name after the closing of every deal.
Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/13/2013 -- Everybody has heard of real estate agents who brag about finding homes for celebrities, later using that as a tool to promote themselves and increase business. But, Laura Key is a REALTOR® with a difference, she is not only one of the most competent realtors that one can find around the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills area, but one of the very few realtors who has an inclination towards social service.
She has decided to donate $100 to one of the five non profitable organizations in the area, every time she closes an escrow- that too in the client’s name! Inspired by the popular quote- “Charity begins at home, but should not end there.” By Thomas Fuller, she makes sure that she is fulfilling her social responsibilities and returning a percentage of what she takes from it.
Making a business deal with Laura Key is one of the most convenient things to do. Unlike her competition, she is a professional who will provide her personal touch to understand every requirement that her client has. Her mobile application enables the users to find homes without having to compromise much on their busy lifestyles. They can find new homes or homes for sale from wherever at any given point in time. Her objective is to make sure that her clients have found their dream home where they can make memories at an affordable price. Her prices are genuine and the services that she provides are worth much more.
About Laura Key A prominent name in business for over seven years, Laura Key is a prominent name in the real estate business. She is a compassionate, enthusiastic and dedicated woman who will happily go the extra mile to make sure that her clients are satisfied with the outcomes of the deal that they strike with her. She understands that a home has a lot of sentimental value to the inhabitants and look at it as a place for solace, peace and comfort.
Media Contact: Name: Laura A. Key e-mail id: Laura.A.Key@gmail.com Ph. No.: (310) 866-8422 Website: http://www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Find your next home with me! Instant and free access to the MLS! Text LKHOMES to 87778 or visit http://87778.mobi/LKHOMES! Available on Smartphones and Tablets!
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Condominiums – Should You Consider Purchasing One
Condominiums tend fall into the love them or hate them position for buyers
Condominiums are all about communal living, which can be good or bad depending upon your personal views. This type of communal living doesn’t refer to the failed experiments of the sixties wherein hippies packed into a structure and shared everything. Instead, the modern condominium community is all about sharing common spaces as well as rules, rules and more rules.
Condominiums come in all shapes and forms. Condos can be found in a single high rise building in a downtown area or in an apartment complex type of layout in a planned community. The structure isn’t the determining point. Instead, the issue is how the properties are owned.
Unlike a stand alone home, the property lines on a condominium are the walls of the structure. Essentially, you own everything inside the condominium as your individual property. Everything outside the condominium is owned jointly with the people who own the other units. These areas are known as common areas and are subject to group rule.
Every condominium has a homeowners association in one form or another. The association has rules set out by the original developer regarding landscaping and so on. Members of the community are then elected to the board of the association, whereupon the immediately become a focal point of aggravation from individual owners and often wonder why they took the thankless job.
The problem with the association and condos in general is the issue of uniformity. If you desire to change the exterior of your condominium in some way, you must comply with the rules of the association. This means you cannot paint your property a different color, do landscaping and so on. For some people, this isn’t a problem, but others are frustrated they can’t express themselves.
When deciding whether a condominium is a good option for your next purchase, you need to carefully weigh the restrictions of a particular association. If you consider yourself an individual and want to show it, a condominium is probably a very poor choice for you.
Bank Faces Lawsuit Over Excessive Fees
Are you facing or someone you know facing foreclosure? There are sources out there to help you! Call me for a list of free resources! Laura Key 310.866.8422
JPMorgan Chase faces a lawsuit that alleges the bank imposed overly high or unnecessary fees on delinquent borrowers. The banking giant tried to get the case dismissed, arguing to the courts that the claims were unjust, but a federal judge ruled the lawsuit should proceed.
Borrowers are accusing the bank of “imposing excessive or unnecessary fees to inflate profit, including on services performed by third party vendors, cheating thousands of already-strained borrowers out of millions of dollars,” Reuters reports.
Among the fees in question range from $95 to $125 for “broker’s price opinions.” The plaintiffs, who reside in Tennessee, California, and Oregon, claim that the BPOs cost $30 to produce and that according to Fannie Mae guidelines they should not cost more than $80.
Similar lawsuits over mortgage fees charged to delinquent borrowers are pending against Wells Fargo and Citigroup.
Source: “JPMorgan must face lawsuit challenging mortgage fees,” Reuters (June 14, 2013)
Where Asking Prices Are Rising the Most
California is rising fast, yet it's not at the highest it's ever been. Interested in buying or selling! Let me assist you in reaching your real estate goals! Laura Key 310.866.8422
Median list prices in May edged up 2.10 percent month-over-month, as housing inventories also were on the rise, creating a greater balance between supply and demand, according to realtor.com’s latest Real Estate Health Report.
The nationwide median list price was $199,000 for May, and up 4.79 percent year-over-year.
"We are seeing large regional markets across the country leading the way to national recovery. These regions are acting as a microcosm for what's slowly happening in the larger real estate market," says Steve Berkowitz, chief executive officer of Move. "Overall, we're seeing seller confidence beginning to respond to consumer demand. Nationally, there are more homes going on the market for a shorter amount of time. And this is happening in our hot markets on a much larger scale."
California housing markets are seeing some of the highest median price gains. The following 10 markets have seen the highest year-over-year list price gains:
1. Sacramento, Calif.: up 42.45%
- Median list price: $284,900
2. Oakland, Calif.: up 38.27%
- Median list price: $495,000
3. Detroit, Mich.: up 31.73%
- Median list price: $125,000
4. San Jose, Calif.: up 30.58%
- Median list price: $679,000
5. Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif.: up 27.80%
- Median list price: $428,000
6. Fresno, Calif.: up 27.48%
- Median list price: $219,900
7. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.: up 27.03%
- Median list price: $235,000
8. Stockton-Lodi, Calif.: up 25.63%
- Median list price: $199,750
9. Reno, Nev.: up 24.23%
- Median list price: $235,900
10. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, Calif.: up 24%
- Median list price: $775,000
Source: realtor.com®
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Laura Key
Realty Goddess
Laura Key on CBS News
Rare Opportunity to Buy by the Beach!
What a wonderful opportunity to live your dream of living by the beach! Redondo Beach to be exact! Call me for a scheduled showing! Laura Key 310.866.8422
630 The Village Unit 110 Redondo Beach, CA
$385,000
1 Bed 1 Bath 621 SqFt - HUD
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Call me today! Laura Key 310.866.8422!
Experienced HUD Selling Agent!
Laura Key on CBS News
Great Burbank HUD Home! 2 Bed 2 Bath
HUD Homes are a wonderful way to purchase your first home! Most are FHA approved and don't need much work at all. Make sure you use a HUD experienced agent as myself! I have helped many families obtain their Home Dreams with HUD! Call me today for more info! Laura Key 310.866.8422
2359 N. Reese Place
Burbank CA 91504
Does HUD Offer Financing On Their Homes?
Buying a HUD Home is not as difficult as you may think! I have helped many people purchase their 1st Home from HUD! Call me today for more details about the process! Laura.A.Key@gmail.com or Visit my website to sign up for FREE HUD Listings! http://www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
HUD does not provide direct financing to buyers of HUD Homes. Buyers must obtain financing through either their own cash reserves or a mortgage lender. If you have the necessary available cash or can qualify for a loan (subject to certain restrictions) you may buy a HUD Home. While HUD does not provide direct financing for the purchase of a HUD Home, it may be possible for you to qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage to finance the purchase.
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Do I Need An Appraisal On A HUD Home?
Buying a HUD Home is not as difficult as you may think! I have helped many people purchase their 1st Home from HUD! Call me today for more details about the process! Laura.A.Key@gmail.com or Visit my website to sign up for FREE HUD Listings! http://www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
It is not necessary to have a HUD home independently appraised, HUD offers an appraisal every 6 months. Your Lender may require a more current appraisal than the one provided by HUD. Ask your loan officer or HUD registered agent.
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Rising Student Loan Debt Keeps Buyers Out
There are simple solutions around this issue. Call me today to discuss your options! Laura Key 310.866.8422
Between 2004 and 2012, student loan balances nearly tripled, according to a new survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. What’s more, one-third of student loan borrowers are delinquent on their debt, according to the Federal Reserve report. This will impact their credit rating and possibly keep them out of the mortgage market much longer.
"Short term, you see a decrease in the number of first-time home buyers," Brian Coester of Coester Valuation Management told CNBC. "You're going to see somebody who would have been able to afford a more expensive house maybe go for the lower version or the downgraded version."
Potential buyers with heavy student debt burden have been forced to rent or even move back in with their parents as they chip away at their debt.
"Long term it's going to really affect especially the upper end, because people aren't going to have the excess income to buy the jumbo property or buy that high end property," says Coester. "It' s going to affect home prices as a negative, as more of a cap, because it's really debt that they are servicing."
Source: “Student Debt Is Housing’s $1 Trillion Challenge,” CNBC.com (April 8, 2013)
Making an Offer On A HUD Home?
Buying a HUD Home is not as difficult as you may think! I have helped many people purchase their 1st Home from HUD! Call me today for more details about the process! Laura.A.Key@gmail.com or Visit my website to sign up for FREE HUD Listings! http://www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Buyers will want to make offers based on ‘as-is’ appraisals determined by HUD. HUD will accept no offers that are lower than 50 percent of their appraisal. If you offer more than the appraisal price, you will be required pay the amount of the over-bid at closing, as your lender will base their loan amount on the appraised value of the home. Also, the process is a bit different than a regular offer on property. Your offer will be submitted online and government forms will be used to conduct the transaction.
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Housing Shortage Will Dampen Spring Market
Buyers must be prepared more than ever! Do you have your PRE-APPROVAL in hand? It could mean the different of you getting your new home or renting for another year. Call me, let's discuss your options! Laura Key 310.866.8422
The housing recovery is progressing, but a shortage of homes on the market will limit the number of home sales this spring selling season, industry insiders say.
"If we don't see more people listing their properties, I don't think we will see the home sales volume increase that we are accustomed to seeing," Glenn Kelman, chief executive officer of Redfin told Reuters. "There are far more buyers than there are sellers on the market. We would have a huge boom spurred by low interest rates if there were more inventory on the market."
Still, the National Association of REALTORS® predicts existing-home sales will rise around 7 or 8 percent this spring compared to year ago levels.
In some areas where inventories are particularly constrained—like Washington, D.C., New York, and several California cities—homes are selling within hours of being placed on the market.
"The demand for properties is insane. The bidding wars that are going on, there is not enough inventory and it has become truly a seller's market again," says Neil Garfinkel, real estate attorney at Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson in New York.
Source: “Analysis: Supply crunch to take steam out of home sales,” Reuters (April 3, 2013)
Economist Quashes Housing Bubble Rumors
I love what I do; however I have reservations about this report. I have had deep conversations with other agents and I firmly feel we are in a danger zone. Your thoughts? Laura Key 310.866.8422
Recently, rumblings of another housing bubble have been emerging, but one economist says with inventories expected to rise soon, the housing market is not at threat.
Rick Sharga, executive vice president with Carrington Mortgage Holdings, told a crowd at the REOMAC 2013 Summit & Expo in Dallas on Monday that the housing market should expect things to get worse before they start improving.
But “this is not the 2005 market,” he said. “We are not creating a bubble.”
Sharga says the lack of available home inventory is the reason why home prices are rising. New-home inventories are at their lowest level in more than 30 years, he said. “Very few markets are anywhere near where we were at the peak,” he said. The markets showing some “bubble-like tendencies” are housing markets that saw the biggest declines, he noted.
LPS Applied Analytics recently predicted that home prices could rise another 35 percent without affecting affordability.
Sharga predicts that by this time next year there will be too many homes for sale. Housing and foreclosure starts are expected to start rising within the next year.
Source: “Carrington’s Sharga: We Are Not Creating Another Housing Bubble,” HousingWire (April 8, 2013)
Cleaning House: Secrets of a Truly Deep Clean
Spring Cleaning Tips to help keep your home in tip-top shape! These little tips also help when you are selling a home! Buyers want to see a clean home that they can imagine living in! Call me today for your free home evaluation! Laura Key 310.866.8422
Deep clean your house and you’ll brighten rooms and help maintain your home’s value.
De-bug the light fixtures
See that bug burial ground within your overhead fixtures? Turn off the lights and carefully remove fixture covers, dump out flies and wash with hot soapy water. While you’re up there, dust bulbs. Dry everything thoroughly before replacing the cover.
Vacuum heat vents and registers
Dirt and dust build up in heat vents and along register blades. Vents also are great receptacles for coins and missing buttons. Unscrew vent covers from walls or pluck them from floors, remove foreign objects, and vacuum inside the vent. Clean grates with a damp cloth and screw back tightly.
Polish hardware
To deep clean brass door hinges, handles, and cabinet knobs, thoroughly wipe with a damp microfiber cloth, then polish with Wright’s or Weiman brass cleaner ($4). Dish soap shines up glass or stainless steel knobs. Use a Q-tip to detail the ornamental filigree on knobs and handles.
Replace grungy switch plates
Any amateur can wipe a few fingerprints off cover plates that hide light switches, electric outlets, phone jacks, and cable outlets. But only deep cleaners happily remove plates to vacuum and swipe the gunk behind. (OK, we’re a little OCD when it comes to dirt!) Make sure cover plates are straight when you replace them. And pitch plates that are beyond the help of even deep cleaning. New ones cost less than $2 each.
Neaten weather stripping
Peeling, drooping weather stripping on doors and windows makes rooms look old. If the strip still has some life, nail or glue it back. If it’s hopeless, cut out and replace sections, or just pull the whole thing off and start new. A 10-ft. roll of foam weather stripping costs $8; 16-ft. vinyl costs about $15.
Replace stove drip pans
Some drip pans are beyond the scrub brush. Replacing them costs about $3 each and instantly freshens your stove.
Source: Houselogic.com By Jane Hoback Published Jan 14, 2011
Beginning Your Home Search
Once you've determined that you're ready to buy, it's time to begin thinking about where you want to look. You'll find there are many questions you must answer about the type of house you want to purchase. For example, are you interested in an older home or a new one? How big of a home do you need? Would you like to move closer to certain major roads or freeways? Your REALTOR® can answer many questions about the homes and communities you're considering, and in the meantime, there are myriad resources available for you to begin your research. Location Is Everything
Do you want to live in a particular city or neighborhood? If you're a parent, you're probably considering school districts and other child-friendly options like the proximity to parks. If you're relocating to an unfamiliar area, you can contact the city or county government for information about the community. It's a good idea to investiage crime statistics per neighborhood when you're narrowing down the areas of your home search.
Or perhaps location is the reason why you're buying in the first place -- to move closer to your work, your spouse's work or your extended family, or to live within a particular school district's zone. As you're probably aware, the location of your home can have a dramatic effect on its price.
Size Matters
You may have experienced growing pains in your current home, which prompted you to pursue buying a new abode. Or you're entering a self-employed profession and need a home office. Consider all your space requirements before you start searching for a new home. There's no reason to waste time looking at two-bedroom condos when you really need a four-bedroom house.
Locating Listings
Once you've narrowed down the specifics of your ideal home, where do you find listings? Your REALTOR® has access to thousands of listings in your area through the Multiple Listings Service (MLS). He or she will help you find available homes that meet your criteria. Or, you can start your home search by calling Laura Key at 310.866.8422
Source: CAR (California Association of Realtors)
www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com ● Laura.A.Key@gmail.com
The American Dream of Homeownership!
In addition, owning your own home provides a sense of security and well-being that's hard to beat. Home is where we raise our families, have friends over for summer barbeques, paint the baby's room pink or blue, and find refuge from the outside world.
Owning a home offers other advantages as well. For instance, as a homeowner, you have control over your environment. Not only can you change your home to meet your needs, but you also aren't subject to the terms of a lease or a landlord. As a homeowner, you can experience the emotional and financial security that comes from knowing what your housing expenses will be from year to year. Unlike rents, which can increase annually, most mortgages have fixed or capped monthly payments. So, as a homeowner, you can have a much better idea of what proportion of your paycheck goes toward your home. Think of it as the ultimate savings plan.
And it only gets better. Homeownership is the primary component in the creation of wealth for many Americans. Data from Harvard University's Joint Center of Housing Studies illustrate not only that the median net wealth of homeowners is 34 times greater than that of renters, but also that over half of that wealth is generated from home equity. As you pay down your loan amount each month, you accumulate equity, a growing ownership interest in your property. If you need funds, you can borrow against this equity in the form of a home equity loan. Further, interest on a portion of home equity is tax-deductible.
Most homes appreciate in value over time and can be a source of income for you, especially if you've lived in your house for many years. When you retire, you can sell your home if you need the funds or make use of a home equity conversion mortgage.
Finally, don't forget about the significant tax advantages of owning your home. Interest on a home mortgage and property taxes are deductible. For most of us, mortgage interest provides the largest tax deduction. Also, a home is the single most important factor that determines whether you will be able to file a return which takes advantage of the wide range of allowable itemized deductions.
Homebuying Means Getting Back To The Basics
Recently, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® surveyed homebuyers to find out what they considered to be important in the purchase of their homes. The largest percentage, 27 percent, considered the mere ownership of a home as the most important reason to buy. Moving to a better neighborhood (17 percent), wanting a larger home (10 percent), and realizing the tax advantages of homeownership (8 percent) were other reasons cited for buying homes. Seven percent focused on investment value as their primary motivation for homeownership.
Over the years, your home likely will be the best investment you'll ever make. But more importantly, it will be the place that offers you and your family shelter, security and stability. That's some return on investment.
Great Los Angeles HUD Home!
3 Bed 3 Bath 2 Car Garage - $616k - Click Photo Below for Virtual Tour SINGLE FAMILY HUD HOME IN MOUNT WASHINGTON AREA OF LOS ANGELES*** GREAT VIEW HOME IN A SECLUDED AREA OF LA. THIS INCREDIBLE TRI-LEVEL FEATURES 3 SPACIOUS BEDROOMS INCLUDING A LARGE MASTER SUITE, A LARGE LIVING ROOM, DINING AREA AND A KITCHEN WITH DARK WOOD CABINETRY AND GRANITE COUNTERS. FOREVER VIEWS FROM TWO BALCONIES, A NICE PATIO AND A FRUIT ORCHARD. EASY ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN AND THE VALLEY VIA THE 5, 110 AND 134 FREEWAYS. THIS HOME HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR THE CREATIVE HOMEOWNER. DON'T MISS THE BEST BUY IN LOS ANGELES TODAY!
Contact me to schedule a showing!
Laura.A.Key@gmail.com
www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Owner Occupied Bidding Ends Feb. 1, 2013 - Investors can bid after that date!
Underwater Sellers, what are your Options? Cash to Short Sell? Cash for Keys? Foreclosure?
We get these questions and would like to share our thoughts about this dilemma. Some home owners who are underwater may not know their alternatives. The “Cash for Keys” is a program that banks do for some home owners. The “new twist” you’ll be hearing more about is “Cash to Short Sale”. Lenders are figuring out that if there is anything they can do to make a deal happen, they need to do it. This apparently is what is starting to take place with people that are trying to “short sale” their homes. Instead of “Cash for Keys” to homeowners that lose their homes to foreclosure. This was not offered to home owners who were trying to short sale their home. Often the banks would basically give them a certain time to complete the short sale until they foreclosed.
Now because of tight lending practices, new buyers would take so long to qualify, it is often “too little, too late” to close escrow before foreclosure. When that happens it seems everybody loses. The lenders lost a willing & able buyer and the seller because, now, not only did they lose their home to a foreclosure, but also because a foreclosure was now on their credit report instead of a short sale. (It may be better to have a short sale than a foreclosure on a credit report?) Plus, the buyer may or may not wait until the home came back on the market at a later date.
Source: http://realtyworld-sierraproperties.com by Douglas Zeller