October is shaping up to be a busy month for Colvin Residential in terms of buyers- some of whom are first time homebuyers who (obviously) don’t have a lot of experience in the real estate game. All this buyer work prompted me to write about common mistakes that can add up to big bucks, but I was lucky enough to come across this article yesterday instead. It does a good job of summing up the advice I give my own buyers, and if home buying is in your immeidate or distant future, I suggest giving it a read.
"I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."
— F. Scott Fitzgerald (via spoilsofmatter)
(Source: skeletales, via chacongen)
American Dream: Urban Legend or Attainable Goal? Guest post from the boss lady.
I currently have the pleasure of working with four pre-qualified first-time home buyers and am feeling blessed to be able to take part in such an exciting milestone in their lives. I will never forget what it felt like to buy my first home - the $104,000 price tag seemed astronomical! Prices had just shot up & the same house a few years earlier would have sold closer to $35,000. That home was a fixer and we had so much fun making it our own with sweat equity. It was risky business but we jumped in and never looked back.
Unfortunately, many of today’s generation of potential first time homebuyers are under the impression that it is impossible to get a loan and have continued to throw thousands out renting as a result. These beliefs are not necessarily true. Not only are there are several different loan types available to first time buyers including FHA loans requiring only 3.5% down, conventional mortgage loan rates have fallen to the lowest rates since Freddie Mac has been tracking them (per CNN Money). Low rates like this can account for thousands of dollars saved and they can provide 1st time buyers with a shot at “the American dream.”
Contrary to common belief, banks are lending money - given the borrower has good credit, an income to justify the loan, etc. How do I know? I’m working with buyers who have loans! It can be a challenge to get onto the real estate merry-go-round but it’s certainly possible, and definitely well worth the effort.
There are many neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area that offer inventory spanning a great range of prices. Who do you know (a family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker) who is thinking about buying their first home? Please don’t keep me a secret. Introduce them to me so that I can help them find a home of their own.
Your friend in the business,
Claire
Lic # 00913329
To stage or not to stage? Get the facts! This month in Real Estate: September
Hotel Redondo, built in 1890
These stairs used to lead to Hotel Redondo, which bore a bit of a resemblance to Hotel del Coronado.
A Little Peice of History
*Via Redondo beach Patch*
Welcome to the Hotel Redondo. When it opened in May 1890 in time for the summer season, rumor said it had cost $150,000 to build. By July 4, thousands of vacationers arrived via steamships, railway and private coaches to enjoy the hotel and grounds. Folks fished and played on the beach. In August, Hotel Redondo hosted its first tennis tournament.
By the early 1900s, millionaire Henry Huntington added Redondo Beach to his Pacific Electric rail line. Huntington hired surfer George Freeth—”The Man Who Could Walk on Water”—to promote Redondo Beach by giving surfing demonstrations twice daily in front of the hotel.
Until it was demolished in 1925, Hotel Redondo sat where Veterans Park is today. If you’ve ever walked down the shallow, crumbling stairs a block south of the pier, you’ve set foot on this piece of history. Those stairs are all that’s left.
Four Keys to Saving for your Future Home
Courtesy of Claire Colvin, Keller Williams Southbay
