Selling for sale by owner during the holidays.

Well it's November and the holidays are coming whether you’re ready for them or not. Most people think that it's the slowest season for selling real estate but that doesn't mean you can't sell.

            Yes it's probably true that there is less buyers buying during these times but there is also less sellers selling. This is your chance as a seller to make your home stand out and get noticed.

            It's important to take advantage of this lol in the business to maximize the opportunity available to make your home the one to buy this holiday season.

            Yes like I said there is less buyers but that's because there is less sellers willing to list and show during the holidays.

     Stand out. Schedule open houses and have showing availability be a top priority to insure that you stand out among the other properties on the market.

            Make sure your home is showing condition ready at all times and do all the usual things to insure that your home is inviting to those doing a walk through. Many people are going to have many different answers regarding how to stage your home and what to do and not do during your processing of trying to obtain an offer.

             I would say that it's safe to follow these five easy tips:

1.    Keep the home clean at all times.

2.    Make your holiday decorations minimal or none at all to avoid pushing people away or any other issues.

3.    Have set hours for viewings

4.    Hold open houses

5.    Remove clutter

     It's important to try to get as much exposure as possible for your home. Use this holiday time to mention your plans of selling to all the people you speak to during the holidays and ask them are they looking fr a new home like yours or do they know anyone they could refer that might be looking for a home like yours?

     This is your time to shine make your home the star of the holidays and get it sold. For any questions please don't hesitate to contact me at any time.

     Also remember we have special flat fee options that will save you thousands while still providing you with full representation. So save money and get your home sold this holiday season. Just ask us how. We would be happy to schedule you for our no cost no obligation initial consultation. All it is, is an opportunity to make sure that working together is the best fit for both you and our company.

Asset Management and Liquidation Solutions, Inc.

G@amlsonline.com

424-209-8297

California department of real estate broker’s license number  01900987

This real estate turmoil has created the best opportunities in decades for first time buyers who are looking not only to purchase their first piece of real estate but also want to start their real estate investment portfolio.

     I mean for example I'm seeing duplexes in my area for less than $280k that is a huge opportunity for first time buyers. These are usually a combination of a 2bedroom home with a smaller 1bedroom home on the same property. Now if a buyers mindset is properly set by the agent and or broker that he or she is working with they'll see that a purchase like this is one to jump on.

     Why is it such a great opportunity well let’s do the math.

1.    Total down payment required 3.5%=$9800

2.    Amount being financed $270,200

3.    Principle and interest payment at 5% interest $1450.49

4.    Estimated MI monthly payment $252.19

5.    Monthly hazard insurance aka home owners insurance estimated at $67.55

6.    Estimated monthly property tax bill $281.46

7.    Total monthly mortgage payment estimated $2051.69

8.    Rental income conservatively $800 but in my area can be as much as $1000 for a 1bedroom back house.

9.    Mortgage payment after rental income from high end of $1251.69 to as low as $1051.69

     Now no matter how you view the numbers that two bedroom house is less expensive to own then renting a two bedroom apartment or small house. The two bedroom homes and apartments in our area range from low end of $1300 to up to $1600. It is a no brainner. Now we used a FHA loan in the above calculation. Of course FHA allows borrowers to purchase anywhere from a 1 to 4 unit property as long as they’re going to live in it as their primary residence with only a 3.5% down payment.

     The other factor that we didn't include in this calculation is that there is a tax advantage to the home owner for owning this property. Also we used an estimated interest rate of 5% witch everyone knows is high for this current market. We also over estimated on all the other figures just to be sure no one thought we were using unrealistic numbers.

     So if you’re thinking about buying why aren't you looking and duplexes and or 3 to 4 unit properties? Are you not familiar with the advantages? Do you not think it is a smart decision? Or has your agent or loan officer not discussed how owning a duplex at today’s prices well have a huge effect in a positive way for you and your family’s financial future?

     Oh but wait we're not done,  I know it doesn't seem like it will ever happen but yes that property will appreciate with time let’s think 5 or 10 years down the road. Will you gain any appreciation benefits from the place your renting now, no?

     Maybe you say to yourself I don't want to be stuck in a 2bedroom home for the rest of my life and I sure want my own home with no one else on the property. Well look at the numbers if you bought this property save for 3years your tax return and the money you'll be saving on renting because owning is at least $100 to $600 cheaper using our calculation then you can buy a new home in 3 to 5 years and have the one you buy now not only pay for itself but also maybe even bring in positive cash flow to your family.

     It is a option that as a first time buyer you would regret not considering. If you'd like to know how purchasing residential income property will benefit your family please don't hesitate to contact us for a no cost no obligation initial consultation.

     We are a full service real estate and insurance brokerage that specializes in wealth accumulation and protection. We are not your traditional real estate agents. We look at everything and guide you through your financial goals not just regarding buying and selling real estate. We are a licensed CPR aka College Planning Relief Advisor as well as so much more. We guarantee our initial consultation is not a sales pitch but a meeting to see if we are a good fit to work together. We will make sure even if you decide that working with us isn't the best fit that you leave with information that will help your family save money.

Asset Management and Liquidation Solutions, Inc.

Department of Real Estate CA License

Guillermo Serafin

California department of insurance license number

Phone: 424-209-8297

Text me at 424-265-5992

Email: g@amlsonline.com

www.amlsonline.com

www.shortsalesdoneez.com

www.guillermoserafin.com

www.truecollegesolutions.com

www.flatfeefsbolistings.com

www.freerealestatebuyerhelp.com

1.     

Insurance and are you paying too much for too little?



     As a real estate broker and now insurance broker, insurance is something I've always had to pay for in my professional life. Like most or maybe few, lol? I called my insurance broker friend before I was one when I leased my first commercial space for my real estate office and told him I need General Liability it's required by the
property management company that is leasing me the space. Now when it happen he sent me over a quote I said ouch and paid it. No brainer I thought aka assumed hey this guy is an insurance broker he knows to shop for the best rate for me and get me the most coverage. I was wrong. 
  
      Now that I'm an insurance broker as well as a real estate broker I have learned so much about how little service I got from that friend way back when.
 
      I mean does anyone know about ELPI policies? They protect you if you’re an employer for sexual
harassment lawsuits and conduct type of risks that accrue from behavior in your company’s work place. That is not covered in your E and O and it is definitely not covered in your general liability policy. I had no clue before becoming an insurance broker I assumed my GL aka general liability policy covers that, I was wrong.
 
      Now let's talk about what you pay for your general liability policy depending on your business but most cases if that's all you have is a general liability policy your probably paying too much for too little coverage. There are Policies known as BOP's, Business Owners Packages. These policies offer more than just your basic general  liability coverage and at cheaper and more affordable costs. Yes you can get
better protection for less money. 
 
      So the lesson for today’s insurance blog is don't just assume your insurance person whether it be an agent or broker is providing you the best coverage at the best rate ask questions and lots of them.
 
      We provide a no cost, no obligation analysis of your insurance policies and risks whether it be personal or professional and let you know if you’re good with what you have or if you could be saving money or be better protected. Again it costs nothing and obligates you to nothing. Just shoot me a text/email/or give me a call and we can give you an insurance checkup.
 
      Thanks for lessoning/reading remember insurance is one of those things we must have to avoid wishing we should have had when poop hits the fan. 
 
Guillermo Serafin 
DOI 0H04158 
CA DRE  01471158 
Cell 424-209-8297 
Guillermo.serafin@gmail.com

Knowing
  your numbers.
 
      I'm sure that most investors already know the following but for those who are new and or just want a refresher the most important thing to know are your numbers.
 
      Now I'm not talking about cost of labor and or repairs I'm talking about local market stats. Do you know exactly the days on market? Do you know what price range has been the hottest? Do you know what type of property has sold the most recently? 
  
      All of the above questions must be answered in order for you to be able to know exactly what will be your purchasing and exiting strategy when buying a property. I mean there is a great deal of other information you must consider but knowing your market is the best way to insure your potential investment doesn't turn in to a nightmare. 
  
      How do you know your numbers? Well there is a great deal of sites on the web that offer access to MLS
like information. The only real and accurate way to know for sure is working with the local MLS. A lot of the sites may be outdated or slow to record and show new information and if you’re in a market that constantly changes which now a day is every market not having the most recent and accurate information can cost you big.
 
      I know most experienced investors don't want to bother with a real estate agent or broker your determined to find the deals yourself but think about your real estate agent and/or broker as your tool. I know most might lol at that and twist it around the whole tool reference, but let’s be serious for a second. You need the most accurate information possible to make the best decision. You need someone who has buyers or is able to generate you buyer's fast. You need someone to assist with any real estate related issues that might come up during the
purchase. You need someone to take the time to do the marketing of your investment from the design of fliers to the video tour all the way down to the showings. You need a way to track feedback from all your showings to collect that data and insure everything with your investment is good in the eyes of potential buyers. You need someone to cover your butt legally when it comes to disclosures and other requirements whether it be city/state/federal. You need someone to stay on top of the buyer their lender and their agent to insure they
are working and negotiating in good faith. All the above and much more are provided to you by one person your real estate agent and or broker. 
 
      I know we started this as know your numbers and that is what I wanted to re-in force yes know your
numbers but don't try to save $1 to end up losing $20. Your numbers are best provided to you by a real estate agent who is actively listing and buying homes for his or her clients. No matter what a real estate agent or broker is on the front lines of the housing market and has the best idea of what is really going on and what is going to sell or what is a good deal.
 
      I know that full time investors have their own systems and ways of doing things but any successful
investor that I've worked with or just met who is investing and doing it successfully has his or her real estate agent or broker who she or he counts on for accurate and timely data to help that investor make wise informed
decisions.
 
      We understand that times are different and profit margins in some areas have shrunk so we have
created a new retainer pricing structure for our investor partners. This saves you thousands of dollars while providing you not only everything a real estate broker should but also insurance to protect you from legal issues that most brokers are not providing their sellers. For more information and to set up your no cost, no obligation consultation, please don't hesitate to contact us. We work distressed properties/probates/REO's/wholesale properties/ short sales/ rehabs/ and much, much, more we find properties off market and can help you find exactly what it is your looking for from single family homes all the way up to large commercial. 
 
 
Guillermo Serafin, Affiliated
Broker
 Cell
424-209-8297
Text
424-265-5992
Email
g@amlsonline.com
Office
310-547-1436
 Fax 866-408-0563
Toll Free
855-GET-AMLS
Asset Management & Liquidation
Solutions, INC
 CA DRE
01900987


 
 
 

     Today we will discuss just for a bit one of the most vital parts of a short sale and where most transactions are won or lost. The HUD and how it's prepared and by who. When dealing with short sale you need to be sure that you have a reliable team in place. This means an escrow company that understands short sales and the hurry up and wait pace that they can take.

     What I mean is first your escrow company should be able to provide you an updated HUD within 30minutes to an hour at the most. That means the very first time and any additional time that changes are requested your escrow should be able to provide you with those changes to the HUD quick.

     Your escrow must understand that the bank does not pay a lot of the junk fees that sometimes are thrown in on a HUD by both escrow and title and must be willing to negotiate their fees to be willing to cut them if the lender so request it. This is of vital importance.

     Your escrow must be willing to not charge a buyer if a transaction is cancelled and a deposit is returned because a buyer has changed their mind. This is also important because a buyer must put a deposit in to escrow but know that if for some reason the transaction does not work out for them that their deposit is safe and free of any fees as long as they have acted in good faith.

     Your HUD must be clear and always have the buyers and sellers names on it clearly printed on it. It should also clearly have the name or names of all the agents and or brokerage companies involved in the transaction.

     Your HUD should have money allocated to all lenders and clearly define where the money is coming from and who is getting what net. This is EXTREMELY important because if anything is missed you will have to go back and get your deal re-approved by the lender.

     Your HUD is for negotiation purposes and always should be submitted with 10k for the second lender and 5k to the third and 3k to any additional lender and your file should be submitted only to the first mortgage first for negotiation and approval. We will discuss why in a later post. If anyone has questions before then please don't hesitate to contact me with them at any time.

     Your HUD should include the starting amounts I mentioned for the Jr. lenders always sometimes they'll be approved and most of the times they won't but having them in the initial HUD in the initial short sale package will insure that the first is aware of the other lenders and gives you a starting point to negotiate.

     Your HUD should always be correct when it comes to taxes/HOA dues/outstanding liens. You must work with a title company and escrow company that know how to make sure that nothing is missed before submitting for negotiations. This will insure that you don't have the whole deal blow up at the end.

     Your escrow should always include an amount for termite if you didn't happen to get a termite inspection before submitting your package to the lender. You should always get a termite report before submitting to the lender. Again this is to insure that nothing is missed and gives you a starting point of negotiations. $2,500 is a good amount to start at for termite.

     Your HUD should include any and all cost of repairs that you think might be needed to get the transaction closed. This means get contractors to get you bids and include them in your HUDS.  Also make sure to include any city laws or rules or codes that state if a property must be repaired before close of escrow may happen. This will let the lender know that regardless they will be paying for these repairs either now during the short sale or later when they have the property as an REO.

     Your HUD will make or break your transaction and your escrow and Title Company will either help or hurt you. So please work only with people who are experienced in short sales and are willing to do the extra work it takes to insure that a deal closes with the least problems possible. If you'd like to know who I use just shoot me a message and or an email and I'll be happy to send you their info. I'm not promoting to use my preferred escrow and title people just telling you the escrow officer who has been great on regular transactions for years for you isn't always the best one to go with when it comes to short sale transactions. Also the title rep that you've been friends with for years may not be the best person to help you protect yourself during short sale transactions.

P.S.  Always work with escrows that are willing to reword a HUD and make it fit what a lender wants. Sometimes escrow companies are set in their own ways and don't want to meet what a lender is asking for because they don't understand it. The escrow should be willing to do what needs to be done even if they think it's crazy or doesn't make sense.

P.S.S. Don't is swindled out of your commissions by negotiators or attorneys charging huge fees to get your deals approved. We chart a flat fee of $795 per transaction regardless how many lenders are involved and regardless what is the list price. If you don't close you don't pay. Also we will do no cost in office training for your entire office or teem at no cost. We will be there to help from before listing to after close. All, at no cost. The other thing I've noticed is too many coaching companies getting in agents and brokers pockets to teach things that are basic and should be part of the negotiation help provided when hired to negotiate a transaction. See the better we get you at short sales the easier our job is.

Guillermo Serafin

Asset Management & Liquidation Solutions, INC.

DRE: 01900987

Toll Free: 855-GET-AMLS

Fax: 866-408-0563

Email:  g@amlsonline.com