David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com In today’s real estate market, the buzz is all about how it’s a great time to sell your house. Buyer  demand  is high, and there simply aren’t enough homes available to buy to meet that growing need. This means  now is the time to make a  move  so you can close the deal on your ideal terms. Even in today’s strong sellers’ market, there are homeowners who are choosing not to sell due to ongoing concerns around the health crisis, financial uncertainty, and life in general. According to  Zillow , here are the top three  reasons  homeowners who are thinking of selling sometime in the next three years are  not  putting their houses on the market right now: 34% - Life is too uncertain right now 31% - Financial uncertainty 25% - COVID-19 health concerns If you identify with any of these, you’re not alone. Whether it’s the future of your employment situation or simply being uncomfortable having guests in...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com For homebuyers on a tight budget, it’s tempting to consider buying a home in need of repairs; it may grant you access to a coveted neighborhood or a larger home than you could otherwise afford. But sometimes, a fixer-upper can be more than you (and your budget) bargained for, and the home seller is the one who ends up with the great deal by unloading their problem home on you. Money Crashers offers these five things to watch for that could be signs you’re investing in a money pit. The listing says 'as-is.' This signals that the seller is not in a position to make any repairs before selling. Before you proceed with such a home, find out exactly what repairs will need to be made and get a quote or two from a contractor. If you’re afraid of losing the home while you investigate these costs, make an offer with an escape clause in the contract. Also, be aware that the appraiser must sign off on the house as habitable, whic...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com When a real estate agent helps an owner sell a house, the agent receives a percentage of the sale price as commission. You might think that selling your home yourself would save you some money, but it could wind up costing you a lot more. How Selling Your Home Without an Agent Could Backfire Many buyers and real estate agents don’t take homes listed as “for sale by owner” seriously because they assume that the seller has unrealistic or unreasonable expectations or will not behave professionally. Some buyer’s agents will only show their clients houses that are listed by a seller’s agent. It’s easy to overlook problems with your house that you see every day, but a seller’s agent would spot those flaws. A professional would be able to recommend repairs, give you advice on decluttering and staging, and help you find a professional photographer to take pictures that would attract buyers. A real estate agent could get your home advert...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Are homeowners warming up? With prices rapidly rising, homeowners have been reluctant to sell, fearful of being unable to afford another home—a catch-22, because inventory is limited as it is, and compounded further when homes are kept off the market. Now, their confidence is growing, according to the latest National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) quarterly survey. Seventy-percent of Americans are optimistic about selling, with 50 percent “strongly” believing now is ideal to list, according to the survey. Less than one-quarter (22 percent) believe now is not ideal to list—a decrease from 29 percent the prior quarter. At the same time, 70 percent of Americans believe home prices have risen this year, and 53 percent believe they will climb in the next six months—the latter a slight slip from 55 percent the prior quarter. Fifty-six percent say the amount of listings in their neighborhood has not risen,...

714-997-3486 The active listing inventory continued its climb in the past two-weeks ending August 26, 2018, adding 108 homes, or 2%, and now totals 7,001, eclipsing the 7,000 level for the first time since September 2016. This may be the peak for the active listing inventory for 2018. From here, housing transitions into the Autumn Market with fewer homes entering the fray and many sellers throwing in the towel and pulling their homes off the market after not finding success in both the spring and summer. Although it is technically not autumn until Saturday, September, September 22, the Autumn Housing Market starts now, as the kids go back to school, and runs to Thanksgiving. From there, the market downshifts further and transitions into the Holiday Market when even fewer homeowners opt to sell their homes. Last year at this time, there were 5,862 homes on the market, 1,139 fewer. That means that there are 19% more homes available today. The year over year difference continues...

714-997-3486 Provided certain requirements are met, California’s Proposition 60 and 90 are tax initiatives that allow senior citizens to transfer the trended base value from their current home to a replacement property. What is the difference between Proposition 60 and Proposition 90? Proposition 60 allows transfers of base year values within the same county (intracounty) while Proposition 90 permits transfers from one county to another county in California (intercounty) at the discretion of each county. The following counties in California have  an ordinance enabling Proposition 90 :  Alameda, El Dorado, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Clara, San Diego, San Mateo, Ventura, and San Bernardino.  Be sure to call your assessor for verification as it could change  at any time. www.DeemTeam.com DRE#01266522

714-997-3486 Affordability is fading fast—and although millennials are eager to enter the market, and succeeding, they're bearing the brunt of the challenge, according to recent research. Sixty-three percent of millennials under 29 are challenged by the cost of homeownership, according to a CoreLogic and RTi Research study. The expense, in fact, is their No. 1 reason for remaining a renter. "One-third of millennial renters reported feeling they cannot afford a down payment to buy a home," says Frank Martell, CEO/president of CoreLogic. "With home prices rising quickly over the past few years and supplies low, first-time homebuyers face ever-growing challenges to find and buy affordable entry-level homes." According to CoreLogic's June Home Price Index, prices rose 0.7 percent month-over-month and 6.8 percent year-over-year. Despite existing inventory in June perking up, demand keeps streaming in, and the imbalance is taking a toll. Additionall...

Q:  Do I have to consider contingencies made by the buyer? A: You can reject, accept, or counter any offer that is presented to you. Most offers include contingencies, which protect the buyer in case something goes wrong. The two most common contingencies deal with financing, which makes the sale dependent on the buyer's ability to obtain a loan commitment from a lender within a stated time period, and an inspection, which allows the buyer to have a professional inspect the property to their satisfaction. Other contingencies are appraisal, disclosures, insurability, title issues, and in some instances the sale of the buyer's property. There really is no reason not to consider these contingencies because they are quite reasonable and standard. However, think twice about a contingency that is predicated on you making expensive home repairs, such as a kitchen renovation. Now, if the roof is caving in, that is an entirely different story. You may need to spend money t...

There’s no place like home—until it’s ruined by a hellacious renovation. Before you start, hammer out these details. By Kate Ashford, excerpted from  Money  Magazine So you’re standing in the yard of your new house--only it’s missing its windows, a shower is on the front porch, and there’s rainwater inside because of a hole in the roof the size of a sedan. Oh, and your contractor? Apparently he’s gone into the witness protection program. The home improvement industry gets more gripes from consumers than any other group. Among the chief grievances are contractors who abandoned projects, did shoddy work or didn’t meet local building codes. There are the basic safeguards, of course: Get references from friends who’ve had similar work done, and don’t do anything without a contract. But there are other steps that can ensure you don’t wind up being the tool in this relationship. When you call a contractor, grill him. You’d never buy a $30,000 car without doing some res...

www.DeemTeam.com DRE#01266522

Kitchens and bathrooms offer more hiding spaces for germs—as well as grease, grime and other unwanted substances—than any other rooms in the house. Read our bathroom and kitchen cleaning tips to get your home sparkling clean. Bathroom Cleaning Tips Clean all surfaces with an all-purpose disinfecting bathroom cleaner. Once you've removed all surface grime and soap scum, you'll be able to survey your fixtures to see if more intensive cleaning is needed. Rust Stains . Mild acids, like lemon juice or white vinegar, can be very effective at removing rust stains. Another inexpensive cleanser is powdered lemonade. Sprinkle the powder around the rust stain and let it set overnight. You can also scrub the area with a soft brush and a professional strength waterless hand cleaner (like Goop). Mildew Stains . Mildew is a common problem in bathrooms. Clean your tile grout with a mildewcide. If after several applications you are unable to remove the mildew, you may want to consider...

Are you having trouble making your home mortgage payments? Are you facing foreclosure on your home? Get all the facts before you pay someone to help you work out your mortgage problems, says the U.S. Trustee Program. "Bankruptcy foreclosure scams" target people whose home mortgages are in trouble. Scam operators advertise over the Internet and in local publications, distribute flyers, or contact people whose homes are listed in the foreclosure notices. Sometimes they direct their appeals to specific religious or ethnic groups. These scam operators may promise to take care of your problems with your mortgage lender or to obtain refinancing for you. Sometimes they also ask you to pay your mortgage payments directly to the scam operator. They may even ask you to hand over your property deed to the operator, and then make payments to the operator in order to stay in your home. But instead of contacting your lender or refinancing your loan, the scam operator pockets all the...

www.DeemTeam.com

With people moving worldwide for work, Boxers are going bicoastal and cats are clearing through customs on a daily basis. Moving isn’t just stressful for people, it’s equally stressful for pets. So when it comes to moving pets, pre-planning is very important as animals can be very sensitive to changes in their surroundings. So we went to the expert Rachel Farris, relocation specialist at PetRelocation.com. Farris offered three top things to keep in mind as a pet owner moving with pets. 1. Make Friends with the Travel Crate- Whether you travel by car or by air, the crate your pet travels in will be his “home” during the trip and it’s crucial that your pet feels comfortable in it ahead of time. According to Farris, “As soon as you know you’re moving, it’s a good idea to get the crate,” Farris said. “That way, you can start getting your pet used to it well in advance. This will help your pet’s stress levels on your move date.” She also pointed out that many pet stores offer crate tra...

www.DeemTeam.com DRE#01266522

The Deem Team Web Site

www.DeemTeam.com

By Hannah Whittenly A bathroom can be among the top selling points in a home. Upgrading your bathroom prior to listing the home for sale may enable you to sell it at a higher price point. Here are some of ways that you can improve your bathroom and get the highest possible return on your investment: Add More Storage There are many items that you want or need to keep in a bathroom at any given time. For instance, you'll likely want to keep extra rolls of toilet paper handy or have extra hand towels available. You'll also want to keep your toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant in the bathroom. Adding a closet, a larger vanity or extra drawers underneath your current vanity, you provide plenty of space for multiple people to share the bathroom peacefully. Add a Touch of Luxury Buyers will have a harder time not putting an offer on a home when it has a luxurious feel to it. Adding a Jacuzzi to the bathroom will make a buyer feel as if he or she were about to buy a spa instea...

The Deem Team Website

714-997-3486 Appreciation is on a decelerating trend, according to ATTOM Data Solutions' latest quarterly report. On a national scale, prices rose 6.3 percent in the second quarter of 2018—the fifth quarter in a row of slowing. "Annual home price appreciation nationwide has now slowed for five consecutive quarters following a post-election spike to double-digit appreciation in the first quarter of 2017," says Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at ATTOM Data Solutions. "Although home sellers are still in the driver's seat of this housing market, moderating home price appreciation is good news for prospective homebuyers and signals that rising mortgage rates and other housing headwinds are cooling red-hot home price appreciation in some areas." Highlights from the Q2 report: From Q2 2017 to Q2 2018, appreciation was fastest in Boise, Idaho (+14.3 percent), Flint, Mich. (+23.7 percent), San Francisco, Calif. (+14.2 percent), San Jose, Calif. (+25...