ARE YOU GETTING RIPPED OFF?

Across the country, people who need to have their locks changed go to hire a locksmith – and they are actually being ripped off. Here’s one example in Sandy Springs, GA. This has become a very serious problem and I want to make sure you and your family and friends don’t fall into this trap.

http://communitylock.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=35eaa7ce272aaf29e09911071&id=43c0f1c83a&e=bac0d3238d

Here’s what’s happening: consumers are looking up locksmiths in the yellow pages or online. They think they are calling a reputable business when actually the number is routed to somewhere else, like New York or Florida. These people (who usually don’t have any license or special training) show up at your house to replace your lock. They typically quote 4 or 5 times as much as the current market prices.

The quality of work is sub par, and a lot of times the lock will need to be replaced because they are cheap locks, cylinders, and keys. Dozens of these “companies” are using fake addresses so that they can’t be traced and found, and their numbers get disconnected once any suspicion is aroused.

Fortunately, just being armed with this information is the most important way to make sure that it doesn’t happen to you or your friends and family.

Here’s how you can keep yourself safe:

• If you are in need of a locksmith, get a referral from someone you trust.
• If you can’t find a good referral, do some research and make sure that the address and company checks out. The police are not allowed to give referrals or recommendations, however the local chamber of commerce can.
• When you decide on a locksmith, make sure to get their license number and double check it with the California State Contractors License Board to make sure it is valid.
• If the deal doesn’t feel right, call it off.
• If you live in or near Anaheim, call Community Lock Safe & Service for your needs. Our locksmiths are licensed and have proudly served our community for over 30 years. It’s our job to help you keep your home and business safe.

Call me today if you have any questions.

HOMEOWNERSHIP: REPORTS OF ITS DEATH ARE EXAGGERATED

This headline was posted by the KCM Crew, authors of a blog for a real estate website called, "Keeping Current Matters."  It's a great name for a blog, because in real estate, keeping current does indeed... matter.  The above mentioned article randomly addresses the many negative articles regarding real estate, many of which have been published in local southern California papers.  This newsletter, although not political, strongly disagrees with scare tactics and negative ploys designed solely to sell papers.  After numerous recent articles all playing on the word, "scary", a pun on the Halloween holiday, let's level the playing field with some real numbers and let you, the discerning and intelligent reader, make up your own mind. 
 
Local papers would have you believe that the sky is, in fact, falling; real estate will never recover and will never be the same. More on that later, with some real numbers that are a little sobering.  But first, homeownership itself; is it dwindling?  Is it, "on its way out?"  Hardly.  In fact, pick up a copy of the recently released Fannie Mae 2011 3rd quarter National Housing Survey.  Both Generation Y (birthday mid-1970's to mid-1990's) and Generation X (mid-1960's to mid-1970's) have stronger beliefs in the importance of homeownership than those of the general population... yes that would be the boomers, and boomers have loved real estate.  It seems clear that as the economy improves, so will housing demand.

BUT DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO DEMAND FOR HOUSING NOW

In fact, local associations of Realtors and Multiple Listing Data indicate that inventory is quite low.  Part of the reason sales have slowed is there simply isn't enough saleable product out there.   In this type of market, there will always be properties on the market that are technically available inventory, but simply have too many problems to overcome.  They need a particular type of buyer.  These properties can make it appear there is more inventory than is actually "saleable."  Frankly, it is surprising that people who can buy, have chosen to back away from the market because of predictions of a triple dip.  It's a "cost vs. buy" analysis.  If you believe in home ownership, its tax deductions, its features of durability and stability for yourself and your family, then prices coupled with interest rates should make for a fairly attractive picture.  Yes, prices could go down, but what it actually costs you, may never be better.  Also loan programs could change and availability could change, since lending has been very volatile.  But what won't change is the historic and undeniable return on investment that occurs in real estate every 10 years.  Sometimes the cycle is shorter; sometimes the downturns (such as this one) are annoying.  But check on a property, any property, and see what it sold for in 2000, and what its value is today, in the midst of our worst downturn.  REMEMBER THE PROMISE OF MORE ON THE TOPIC, "REAL ESTATE WILL NEVER RECOVER?..."
 

            REAL ESTATE AS A LONGER TERM INVESTMENT SINCE 2000

        DOW +6.7%          S&P -12%        NASDAQ -30%          REAL ESTATE +43%

THE SHIP APPEARS TO BE TURNING, OR HOUSE PRICES TO FALL OVER NEXT SIX MONTHS

Well, both are true.  October 31st, CNN Money reported: "Home prices headed for triple dip."  Fiserv (a financial analytics company), has predicted a 3.6% fall in prices on a national basis by next summer.  Now remember, southern California is a very different place than Las Vegas or Florida.  But still, nationally it means that the Case-Shiller Home Price Index is going to fall to 35% below its peak in 2006.  But what Ken Johnson, Ph.D. (Florida International University and Editor of the Journal of Housing Research) points out, is that the dip depends on circumstances being in place to lessen the impact that market anxiety causes.  What circumstances?  According to Johnson they are sometimes referred to as "housing affordability measures, and some of them are:  1) Price of income to the house 2) mortgage payment to income  3) buy versus rent analysis for various markets that encourage buying.  Did you know that the payments to income ratios are at a 30-year low in all 50 states?  Why haven't the local papers reported that?  The downturn in prices will bring more affordability factors into play for more people, especially the Gen Xers and Gen Yers, which is where the pent up demand is going to come from in the first place.

Also of interest locally to southern California is the best prognosis for recovery you can have: skilled labor, desirable location, and economic resiliency.

CENTURY 21 AWARD FEATURED IN THE NOVEMBER 2011 REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE

Have you seen David Romero's exclusive interview with RISMedia's Real Estate Magazine? Read our President and CEO's thoughts about a new brand of real estate professionalism and the hope for a better, stronger America:

"We understand that every customer has different needs, different goals, and differing communication preferences. Our job is to provide the best and most current insights and information for every buy and seller, and to be there fr them in every way along the journey." - David Romero

Click here for the entire article

HOME SALES PERK UP & PRICES FALL...NOT AS MUCH AS YOU MIGHT THINK

Orange County home prices rose 9.5% in August (the latest full month available) and that’s good news, no matter how the papers try to spoil it.  The papers posted that prices dipped to their lowest in 5 months, but that is a misleading quote.  Did prices go down? No.  Did the median price go down?  Yes.  There is a difference.  When you have nearly 400 more sales in one month, and the number of sales under $400,000 is nearly 4 to 1 to home sales over $700,000, your median price is going to fall.  It does not mean that prices dipped nearly 5% as recent headlines read.  In fact, even as prices fell in some areas by 1-3%, other prices rose depending on location, condition, and competition.  Homes that are in prime condition and properly staged to represent a home a buyer could picture themselves living in, are likely to garner over list price, especially if they are equity sales.  If the recent market has taught us nothing else, it is that buyers everywhere are tiring of the, “patience equity” achieved by hanging around for months during a short sale escrow.  They can last 3 months to a year.  Buyers are showing up in droves for properties that are in an equity position, prepared to pay a premium to be able to close in 30 to 45 days.  Sellers that are in that position, may well be in the driver’s seat, especially if the only competition in their neighborhood is distressed properties.  The exact numbers will be featured in a later paragraph, but here are some big numbers for the state: there were 37,734 new and resale houses and condos sold statewide in August.  The number of sales typically does increase from July to August, but to give it some context, the lowest July is 29,764 in 1992 and a high arrived in 2005 of 73,285.  It is easy to see we’re way above the low, but nowhere near  the high.  In fact the average is 48,344.  We do have a ways to go, but for some who remember the sting only California really felt in the early 90’s, it’s not your imagination, it was worse then,  than it is now.

HOME MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR FALL

As summer fades into fall, see our checklist to preserve the health of your home.

1. Clean the gutters: As you clear leaves, dirt, and pine needles from gutters, examine downspouts for damage. Check the flashing around your chimney and look for damage to the roof that may lead to leaks.
2. Change the filters: Change the air filter in your central air conditioning system or if you have a window air conditioning unit, remove from the window or place a waterproof cover over it to prevent damage. Change filters in stove vents, clothes dryers and room fans if applicable.
3. Drafty days: Evaluate the seal and caulking around the window frames to prevent losing heat in the winter.
4. Fix leaky faucets: Avoid broken pipes in cold winter months and repair leaky faucets in your kitchen, baths, and laundry room now.
5. Clean sweep: Examine and clean your fireplace damper and ensure the flue is operating correctly. A professional chimney sweep may be necessary.
6. In hot water: Often, if you live in an area with hard water, extra amounts of sediments build up in your hot water heater. Drain and make sure rust is not developing.