New listing in Harbor Place Tower...

Client Brief Report + Photos I have this listing in Downtown Long Beach, close to the convention center. Great city view... close to the beach... makes a great rental. Private appointments available. Have a wonderful day, Jeff

Where has the time gone...

It seems like yesterday since my last post... but it has been a couple of weeks. So, how has your August been? For those of us in real estate it has been fast and furious, even in this economy. Sales are up, foreclosure notices are up, so it is kind of weird. As a rule I do not chase people who are struggling to make it, so my side of the foreclosure business is when homes are owned by the bank and ready to sell. I prefer to keep clients away from Short Sales, although I do have a few of those listings. The reason I say this is because if you look at the figures it is not really all that bad out there.

The bank owned properties are at bargain basement prices. I am finding the bank is holding firm to their prices. It is a waiting game... it can take two weeks just to hear back from them. One home I am working on went on the market, we made an offer the same day and there currently are twelve offers and no one has heard anything.

It is a good time... if you have can tolerate the wait. Now go out and enjoy the rest of your summer.... Jeff

Is it time to buy....?

It is another beautiful day here in Long Beach, as I sit here to prepare for another day of work my mind is wandering about the market.

Everywhere you go people are talking about Real Estate. Everyone has an opinion as to when and where the bottom of the market will happen. I am asked all the time. The truth is none of us know. In fact when you buy a home you sign a form saying we do not know.

In the past twenty odd years of working within the business I have bought and sold many homes, some at peak of the market and some at the bottom. What really matters is... do you like this home? How long do you want to live here? Can you afford it? Long-term buyers can ride the market up and down... If you see a home you like... Buy it. If you wait it will not be there...

Over the past few weeks we are seeing more and more homes becoming finalized sales. If the home is priced right they are selling. Many of the REO (Bank owned properties) may be cheap, but can you afford twenty plus thousand dollars to fix them up? Most people cannot.

The important thing to remember is you are buying a home for you and your loved ones to live under... that you can paint, and change whenever you want. It is not a cash machine... refinancing is not always a good thing. It is your home...

Buying can be scary and fun... let an experienced agent help you in this purchase to ensure you are doing the right thing.

Now go out and enjoy yourself. Take care, Jeff