My Own Home Buying Experience: Part 4

So I am at the end of my transaction in buying my own home and here is what I will take with me from my experience to help guide my own clients during their process:

1. Keep an open mind when looking for a home. Make a list of a few "Must Haves" and be flexible with the rest. You may miss out on a great home if you don't open your options.

2. The amount of paper work is mind boggling. As a buyer, when your lender is calling and needing something out of the blue at the last minute or escrow is asking the same thing, it can be very stressful and I can see how a buyer may just lump the lender, escrow officer and realtor into one and get frustrated at everyone. I have always tried to prepare my buyers of what is to come and potential outcomes but no one can predict all the odd scenarios that can arise when buying a home so I will continue to work hard at communicating with my clients about being as proactive as we can possibly be.

3. I've said it and written about it but it is so important that when buying a home, that you over-inflate the amount of cash out-of-pocket that it will take. Between all the inspections, appraisal, lender fees, escrow fees, moving fees and other things here and there, you will need much more than just your down payment to make it through the home buying process. So when looking over your numbers, give yourself lots of cushion room for anything you may not be thinking about when buying.

4. And last but not least, work with a great agent that is open to answering all your questions and someone that you feel comfortable talking with about any and all concerns. If you don't fully trust your agent, you aren't going to get the most from them and you really need to be as open with them as possible. So find someone you feel very comfortable with and are able to ask questions, get answers and trust that they are doing the best they can to help you in the process. I try to start every relationship with my clients by letting them know that I am aware how confusing the process may be and that no question is "dumb" or unimportant and I am happy to go over everything with them till they completely understand what is going on.
                                                                      

I Help Buy and Sell Homes, Not Just Houses

I just heard someone that is having an emotional time selling their home, and I'm reminded of selling my first home.  We spent countless hours making a wine cellar area at the bottom of the staircase near the garage. We lived there when we got married and the house was filled with wedding dresses and photos.  We adopted our dog and that was her first home as well.  My husband and I brought our daughter home from the hospital there. We spent days painting and decorating her nursery which we thought was the most beautiful room ever.  And we sold the home to a young bachelor who would probably only appreciate the wine cellar. And the nursery will be painted over for a guest room or office, most likely.  And that closet downstairs will only hold coats for him and not the memory of our dog hiding in there the first day we brought her home.  But we were a growing family and needed to sell.  We moved into a rental since we wanted the next house we bought to be a long term home and we didn't know what our needs were at the time. I think moving into a rental made the sale a bit harder since I knew I wouldn't be able to personalize this new house the way I wanted.  But I reminded myself that the nursery we painted would someday be painted anyway with our daughter growing up and that my kids now have a nice yard they play around in now and we have great times here as well...cause this is where we live now and we are together.  And while we were out looking for a new home recently, my husband had a hard time looking at other people's houses and having it feel like home when it was obviously decorated with other people's things and family photos.  And I just had to remind him that paint and photos are just what hang on the walls and that a house is a home after you move in and start to make memories.  And as a realtor, I really try to let my clients know that I understand the ties that bind them to their home...cause it's never just a house.  And while my job is to get inspections done, and fill out mounts of paper work and help them understand the process, it's also my job to make it more than just transaction and also make it a move forward in their lives. So if you are out looking to buy a home, or thinking of selling yours, I am always here. 
                                                                           

                                                                          

Opened Escrow!

I know that some people shy away from buying or selling a home during the holidays but I think this is a great time to make a move.  Less competition around this time can make for a better search or sale on both sides.  I just opened escrow on this beautiful home that was only on the market for 2 days.  If you or anyone you know is wanting to make a move this holiday season, please consider me in your real estate needs.  I am always here for you.
                                                                          

Buying An Updated Home VS One That Could Use Some Remodeling

I'm in the middle of buying a home myself and it's always on my clients checklist as to whether to buy a home that is already updated, or do the work someday themselves.  And here's what I think, sometimes you can look at a home that has recently been remodeled and it seems appealing to just move in and do no work.  But sometimes these homes are, what I like to call "Lipstick on a pig".  Trust me when I say that granite counter tops and new floors does not improve a home that was not previously taken care of and well maintained.  So new counter tops and floors are going to mean nothing to an owner if they have to put holes into walls to fix bad wiring or rip up the shower since the plumbing is old and there is moisture in the wood underneath.  The thing is, any home can have an array of issues.  A home has many different parts that need to be taken care of and maintained throughout the years and even sometimes when they are, they can still go bad and you may not know till it's too late.  But I've seen many remodeled homes that look as if they've just tried to distract a buyer from really looking at the home and its condition...and it works. These can wind up being a real big money pit.  But if you have a home that is older and hasn't been remodeled, I personally feel that you may get a better idea of how the home itself was taken care of by looking at how the floors, counter tops and how other parts were maintained.  There is nothing that makes me more confident about a home purchase than looking at the condition of the carpet, and windows and bathtubs when they have been around for many years and seeing that they are still in great condition.  So, that is my thought for the week....and if you are looking to buy or sell a home, please consider me with your real estate needs.  I am always here for you. 
                                                                            

Did You Receive A Super High DWP Bill Too?

If so, you're not alone.  I'm hearing it from everyone lately that they have gotten bills in the thousands from DWP here in Los Angeles.  I also got one of these bills in March after moving in December and was SHOCKED at how much my bill was.  After calling LADWP (and of course sitting on hold forever before speaking with someone) it was explained to me by an employee that DWP changed the way in which they read the meters and bill their customers.  With this new change came a "back up" in their system and some customers, like myself, received bills that were for 4 or 5 months worth of bills all in one. So, here is my warning to everyone out there who uses LADWP, keep track of when you are receiving your bills and if you don't receive one for quite some time, then save up the money you would be using to pay it normally because you may get hit with a large bill where they have added a number of months together all on one bill.  For further information and reviews from customers, you can visit the Consumer Affairs website below or go directly to LADWP website.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/utilities/ladwp.html

LADWP 

And as always, if you have any real estate needs please call me.  I am always here to help!

Amber Dolle

Ohio In The House!

Just an odd coincidence or not but I leased a home to a great girl and her kids just a while ago and they were from Ohio.  Then I sold a condo to a really cool girl a couple months ago, who also, is from Ohio.  And now, I have this great couple who is looking to buy their first home together and low-and-behold, she is from Ohio.  So...I guess if you are from Ohio and looking for a home, I'm your go-to girl in LA.  Call me

                                                                         

My Own Home Buying Experince: Part 3

Well, if you read My Home Buying Experience: part 2 you know that I put an offer in on a home where they were asking $60,000 more than the home across the street that had a huge view and sold just a few months ago (pretty much the same house in all regards). They decided not to respond to my offer which they felt was low but I felt was more in line with the comps and what it was really worth.  Well, this realtor came back to me and asked me to resubmit my offer a few weeks later.  He said they had already had an offer that was near the asking price a few weeks back and that is why they would not consider my first offer.  So, I resubmitted the same offer as before. And as I wrote in my last blog, the home across the street sold for $60k less than what this home we were interested in was asking.  And according to the photos of that house that sold, it looked very nice and was completely remodeled. While this home we put an offer on and remodeled their downstairs but nothing upstairs. After speaking with the listing agent, he asked me if I had personally walked through the house that sold and I told him I had not.  He told me that the house had renters in it before it sold and that the photos were extremely deceiving, that the renters had really left the house in poor shape and that is why it sold at the price it did.  So I did my homework and called the agents that sold that home across the street and asked them about the house and the condition that it was in when it sold.  I was told that there were renters in the home but that they moved out and that is when the owner spent a lot of money to remodel the home then sell it.  I was extremely disappointed in this listing agent...I feel it is people like him that give good realtors a bad name.  And I know that there are many many more great realtors out there than the slimy ones but unfortunately, there are still some.  My husband and I were firm with our original offer which was more reflective of what the home's value would be at but again, they decided not to take the offer.  So, that just tells me that this is not the right home for us and that the right one will come up soon.  Moving on.....

Price vs Value: An Understanding of The Real Estate Market Everyone Should Know About

Anyone who is looking to buy a home or sell theirs should know about Price vs Value. There is what a home is priced at, and what a house is valued at, and those are two very different things. Anyone can list their home for any price they want, but they may not get it. Or they may get more that what they were asking.  I'm currently working with a client who had to come face to face with this last week, as many of my past clients have when they have been in multiple offers.  The agent working for the seller sent us back a counter offer that was $35,000 over the asking price.  My client couldn't wrap his head around going that far above the asking price, which I understand 100% what he was feeling.  And while I won't argue a with a client, because ultimately, every client has to do what they are comfortable with, I can at least write about to try to put perspective on it. 
For one reason or another, some homes can get multiple offers on it.  Maybe they priced it low, maybe there aren't a lot of homes out there to choose from, or perhaps everyone just really likes the front porch swing and wants to call this home.  Whatever the reason, going up against another offer can feel stressful.  Some people have felt that once their offer was accepted, that maybe they were paying too much...because their offer was the highest.  Other people have looked back and regretted not going higher on their offer when they didn't get them the home. But there is something that everyone should try to understand...there is an appraiser that will come by the house you have an offer on and tell you whether or not you are paying too much.  The appraiser's job is to tell you the Value of the home.  And just because the seller of the home is asking a certain amount for his place, that does not necessarily represent the Value. So if you find yourself up against multiple offers, and you choose to go forward and your offer is accepted, there is a portion of your contract that allows you to get an appraiser in the home to verify that you are indeed paying the value of the home at that time.  So yes, some of my client's have had to go over the asking price to get a home.  But then they got a home and they were happy to know that they paid for the value of the home, and not more. 
                                                                          

Joan's On Third in Studio City

I'm sure I'm not the only one living in the valley that originated from "The other side of the hill".  This is where we came for less expensive rents, more parking and less traffic (if that is possible).  But what we left behind on the other side of the hill was Joan's On Third.  Well, now they have taken the plunge and moved here with us.  Well, not really moved here but they've made a second home right here in Studio City.  And we couldn't be happier to have them. So stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood and see what all the fuss is about. You can find them at 12059 Ventura Place, Studio City along that little triangle street that starts at Trader Joes and ends at the entrance to the Vons parking lot. 
                                                          http://www.joansonthird.com/

The Top 8 Tips For Showing Your Home To Potential Buyers

Here are my best tips for showing your home to potential buyers

1. Put the lights on in every room including the closets and bathrooms

  Even if your home has a lot of natural light, it's better for a buyer to want to turn a light off than turn a light on to see the room better.

2. Add some plants or flowers to some rooms in your home

 There is something about a tree, potted plant and flowers that just bring life to a room and give it a warm feeling. 

3. Before buyers arrive, have a light scented candle lit for a while in the main area

 (I don't suggest leaving the candle lit when you aren't home for safety reasons) 

4. Take down or box up the extra personal items you have on tables, mantels and shelves

 Although these things may bring good memories to you, to others, they may just feel like clutter and the less cluttered your home seems to others, the better it shows. 

5. Have some very light music playing. Something like Bossa Nova or jazz and play it at a level that you can barely hear

 There is a reason restaurants and stores play music...it gives a lovely ambiance to a room and make people feel welcomed.

6. Make sure the temperature in your home feels nice

Some people are naturally hotter or colder than others and keep their home at a temperature that suits them best.  And then some days are just very hot or very cold so go ahead a spend a little extra energy making your home feel comfortable to others. 

  

7. Put your personal toiletries away

It can make a guest in your home feel uncomfortable when they see toothpaste, deodorant, or perfumes laying about so tuck them away in your cabinets for the time being. 

8. Take the pets with you

If at all possible, take the four-legged family members with you.  Not everyone is as in love with our pets as we are and pets can cause smells and allergies that turn potential buyers away.  If it's not possible to take the pets, put them somewhere out of the way and leave a very visible sign that the pets are there.

And maybe think of showing your home to buyers as if the most important person you can think of is coming for dinner and do the things you would do for them to make them feel welcomed.

New Law For Off Leash Dogs In Los Angeles

Even though we have always suppose to have kept our dogs on a leash while in public, LA will now be handing our stiff fines for those who don't.  Police will now be on the lookout for people who don't have their pooch leashed under an umbrella of a crime considered to be disruptive to the "quality of life".  You can read more about this in the LA Times with their article entitled "Walking The Dog Off Leash? You Could Be Fined $100 Or More"

                                                                           

The Top 9 Sites Everyone in LA Should Be Following

Anyone who lives in LA knows there isn't enough time to do and see everything that LA has to offer.  Not only is this city larger than some states, but it's filled with museums, farmer's markets, outdoor movie nights, live music, art walks, restaurant special events and much much more. But like myself, most Angelenos are always looking for something new and fun to do.  And along with wanting to know what we can do around town, we also like to know what's happening in the news and hot topics here in LA.  Below, you will find a list of the Top 9 sites to follow to get all the information you need while discovering LA.

#1 Experience LA
Experience LA brings you a calendar of events happening all around LA and surrounding areas. If you are looking to head out with some friends or perhaps you need an idea for something different to check out on your date this weekend, this is the site to go to.  From theater shows to happy hours and Greek Festivals, Experience LA is a wealth of things-to-do.  Check out their website and follow them on twitter to get updates on everything fun!
Experience LA
Experience LA onTwitter

#2 Curbed LA
Curbed LA is one of the most fun sites to follow.  If you want to know that one of the apartments Marilyn Monroe once lived in is up for rent, or see some of the homes that Wyatt Earp lived in here in LA, you must follow these guys! They also bring us great information about upcoming commercial sites that developers are planning all around town and fun residential real estate homes that are for sale.
Curbed LA on Facebook
Curbed LA on Twitter

#3 Our Ventura Blvd
If you have lived in LA for a long time like I have, you know there are certain areas that are up and coming, or changing in a big way. One of the areas that is undergoing some changes is the San Fernando Valley.  Just a little over 10 years ago, the valley was mostly known for being the suburbs of LA.  A place where you went off to raise a family or maybe lived in to be close to your job at the studios.  But now-a-days people are coming to the valley for restaurants, bars and other fun attractions. And because of that, Our Ventura Blvd is a great site to follow to find out what is going on the valley. 
 Our Ventura Blvd on Facebook

#4 All About Conjeo
Conjeo Valley is an area of LA that includes Calabasas, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills and a few other neighboring towns.  And if you've never been to these areas or think they are too far from where you are, you should visit them at least once. It's one of those parts of LA that when you are driving through it, you think to yourself  "This can't be part of LA. It's so nice and full of nature." But don't be fooled by the scenery because just by spending part of a day out here, you will see that many of the rich and famous have flocked to this area to call it home to get away from that "LA feeling"  And All About Conjeo will keep you up to speed on all the trending restaurants and new businesses popping up around town as more people call Conjeo Valley their home.
All About Conjeo on Facebook

#5 LA Times
I don't know about you but I'm one of those people who has very little extra time on my hands so watching the news is not something I can do often.  But I don't really think about it much because I follow the LA Times on twitter along with some other twitter sites they have for real estate, business and so forth.  So I get to keep up with the good, the bad and the ugly by reading articles they post to twitter.  This is one site everyone should be on.
LA Times on Twitter

#6 DowntownLA.com
...or DTLA as we call it here.  This is one of those areas that is very up and coming.  DTLA has brought in many high-end businesses as well as local hotspots, massive commercial renovations and real estate galore.  So get on subway (because you do know we have a subway, right?) and head downtown to see what all the fuss is about. And find out where to go when you are follwoing Downtown LA on facebook and twitter.
DowntownLA.com on Facebook
DowntownLA.com on twitter

#7 Dine LA
I have a hard time leaving LA and going to smaller cities sometimes and the number one reason for that is that smaller cities don't have the vast amount of restaurants that LA does.  There is nothing we don't have here and no time of day or night you can't have it.  But one of the best ways to find your new favorite spot or share your old favorite spot with friends is to find out about restaurant week and join in on what so many of us look forward to each time it comes around.  Restaurants all around LA participate in restaurant week by offering a pre-set menu at a fixed price so that you can come and try some of their prized dishes.  If you haven't joined the bandwagon, then jump on and you'll see why it is a very popular thing happening around town.
Dine LA
Dine LA on Facebook

#8 Discover LA
I know what you folks from NYC say about us...we have no culture here in LA, right?  Well New York, think again. Discover LA is here to prove you wrong.  With a list of the top things to do while in LA, and a guide to help learn about areas all over this huge city, along with so many resources of what we have to offer here in this SoCal city, Discover LA has it all!  So when your family comes to visit you here and you want to show them some of the hot spots around town, use this site to navigate your tour bus for the fam.
 Discover LA
Discover LA on twitter

#9 Amber Dolle
Am I self promoting? Yup! But just as I bring you the best sites to follow in LA, I also give you information about all your local farmer's markets times and locations, as well as hot properties for sale, events to check out during the holidays, and massive amount of information for you when you are looking to sell or buy a home. So follow me as I continue to be a great source of information about Los Angeles.
Amber Dolle on Twitter
Amber Dolle on facebook

                                                                         

Use A Well Known Lender When Making An Offer

I'm doing it again...putting in an offer on a place that already has 5 offers. So if you have found yourself up against multiple offers, there are a lot of different strategies you and your agent can try to work with in being the offer that is chosen but there is one very important key element... your lender.  The agent reviewing offers wants to know the home will sell and close and if you are using one of these lending companies you see on TV at 3am, chances are they will go with another offer.  So please get a local, well-known, trustworthy lender to help you with your loan.  And if you don't know of one, ask me for a few references when you call me to help you buy your home. Cheers!

My Home Buying Experience: Part 2

If you've read my previous blog My Own Home Buying Experience: Part 1 then you know we've been pre approved and I have a list of things I would like in a home.  So now we've started touring some houses a couple weeks ago and found that we weren't able to get the things we need in a home in our price range in the areas we began to look in.  So just like trying a new food, I kept my mind open and went to look at some homes in a different area and found that not only did I like the feel of the neighborhoods, but that we would be able to get a lot on our check lists in this area.  And while I thought I would be a hard customer to please since I'm in the business, come to find out, it's my husband who embodies a number of traits of a buyers that keep me on my toes as a realtor. There have been too many times I've come home and the table talk at dinner revolves me sounding like a broken record booo-ing about the fact that my clients try to find the value of a home based on a certain popular real estate website that may rhyme with pillow. That is the last place you should look to try and find the value of a home or base any offer or listing price from. But yet the other night, my husband says..."but I looked on this site and found the home should be worth blah blah blah".  This must be karma for something I've done, I'm sure of it..haha.  But we found a home we really liked this last weekend.  The downside to the home was that the kitchen was super small and so was one of the bedrooms.  The kitchen was updated and I could tell the home owners spent a lot of money since the cabinetry and finishes were top notch...but again, the kitchen was very very small.   The house across the street, which had been updated in the past 5 years and had a terrific view just sold 4 months ago for $60k less than what this home was listed for which had no view.  So we put in an offer that I felt was more appropriate to what the home was really worth without trying to offend the sellers at the same time (but even so, an appraiser would very likely take the sale of the home across the street and use it to value this home). But the according to the realtor of the home for sale, the sellers put a lot of money into the kitchen and downstairs floors and would not budge on the price regardless of the home across the street with the terrific view.  And my husband and I were not willing to budge on the offer we put in so moving on.....more to come soon.

Are We In A Buyer's Market Again?

Here in LA the real estate market has been as crazy as drivers on the 405.  It has definitely kept me on my toes the past couple years.  And here we go again...according the LA Times, we are headed back to being a "buyer's market".  So not only are the interest rates incredibly low but now buyer's may have some cards to play with when looking for a home and negotiating a better price and terms. Here is the article that LA Times wrote about it Housing Price Cuts Point To A Shift In Southland Market