The "818" on Real Estate

#TuesdayTip On facebook this morning reading all the memories from years back during this time of year, ..and my posts are pretty much the same. Homes are selling in days whether it's an "up" market or "down" market. What you can do as a home buyer: 1) Get 100% pre-qualified for a loan (unless your cash of course). 2) Have your home in escrow prior to searching for your new home so that you appear much more prepared and competitive. 3) Align yourself with an agent who knows exactly what you're looking for, and available to run out in a moments notice to show you homes. #YourbestshotinRealEstate #jessejamesLA #lifeisbetterwhenyoumove

The FICO score labyrinth can be confusing and is VERY important when it comes to purchasing a home with a mortgage. - Paying off revolving debt (auto loan) can actually drop your FICO score. It might allow for a higher purchase price but without the appropriate FICO, a higher price becomes irrelevant. - Paying off collections, repo's and charge off's can actually drop your FICO score by 60 points. - When rebuilding credit do NOT open a secured or unsecured credit card. Please call me and I can direct you to a true professional for all things pertaining to the credit bureaus. 818-326-0945 #ficoscores #mortgage #YourbestshotinRealEstate #jessejamesLA

The FICO score labyrinth can be confusing and is VERY important when it comes to purchasing a home with a mortgage. - Paying off revolving debt (auto loan) can actually drop your FICO score. It might allow for a higher purchase price but without the appropriate FICO, a higher price becomes irrelevant. - Paying off collections, repo's and charge off's can actually drop your FICO score by 60 points. - When rebuilding credit do NOT open a secured or unsecured credit card. Please call me and I can direct you to a true professional for all things pertaining to the credit bureaus. 818-326-0945 #ficoscores #mortgage #YourbestshotinRealEstate #jessejamesLA

#TuesdayTip What is Probate Court? When a homeowner dies intestate (without a will) and the court has to oversee the sale. What sort of "additional costs" are there when a home is sold through Probate Court? There can be legal fees upwards of 4% of the value of the estate. Keep in mind this is in addition to the standard broker fees and closing costs. 4% of $605,000 (2016 average sales price in SFV) = $24,000!! How do I avoid this for myself or my parents? Give me a call and I'll direct you to thw appropriate professionals 818-326-0945  #babyboomers #Trusts #YourbestshotinRealEstate

Will solar panels add value to my home? It's an important question a homeowner OR "soon to be" homeowner should be asking themselves. As a homeowner you can purchase OR lease the solar panel system. If the cost of the panels are paid off, then an appraiser can try to find a home that sold substantially higher and give some($5k) added value. This of course is subjective to each appraiser. In most cases there is a monthly payment that a buyer of a home typically assumes. A lease payments is almost always seen as personal property with NO added value. As a qualified buyer shopping for a home, you'll really need to weigh the numbers. There is a monthly energy savings but ALSO an added monthly solar panel payment. Make sure to request the last 6 months of the homeowners energy bills. I hope your real estate agent got an A+ in arithmetic. I recently got a $5,000 credit for a buyer client! Call me anytime for assistance: 818-326-0945.