Downtown Long Beach Condo For Sale-Sunset Pointe Condos-640 W 4th St

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Who is Negotiating YOUR Long Beach Home Purchase or Sale

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Do you know who is negotiating the purchase or sale of your Long Beach Homes?  The real power in your Long Beach Realtors ability to negotiate a contract on your behalf lies in their command of the contracts they are wielding.  The standard form contracts that we use were written by attorneys for the California Association of Realtors (CAR).  Each and every paragraph of these contracts was developed to protect the consumer; the buyer and the seller in all Long Beach Real Estate transactions. 

Knowing how to bend the contract toward a buyer or a sellers best interest is an art, in my opinion.  Contracts have little boxes and small seemingly insignificant paragraphs in them which are often glossed over as meaningless.  There is nothing meaningless in any of the CAR contracts. 

Without going into great detail (not going to give away my secrets here, sorry) as a listing agent, representing a seller, there are a few specific items I look for on a contract when I first receive it.  These items, if addressed, tell me if the buyers agent is looking out for their clients best interests.  If they have marked these areas off they have already earned my respect because I firmly believe that all Long Beach Realtors should have their clients best interest in mind at all times.  If these items are not indicated I already know I am dealing with a rookie, or just a lazy real estate agent looking for a check who didnt take the time to learn their trade. I will take advantage of the shortcomings of that buyers agent in my clients best interests.  That Long Beach Buyer should be so lucky! 

When representing a buyer I complete all of the areas of the contract that relate to protecting my buyer and await a counter offer from the seller and listing agent.  Once the counter offer is received these areas are checked first.  If the listing agent has countered back on those items, with the intent of protecting their seller, they have earned my respect.  If these areas are not countered back once again I know, I am dealing with a rookie or a real estate agent without a command of the contracts.  I will take advantage of the shortcomings of that listing agent in my clients best interests.  That Long Beach Seller should be so lucky! 

OK, I will give you a little sumptin sumptin here.  Lets say you are a buyer, writing an offer on a Downtown Long Beach Condo priced at $350,000; you offer $335,000 and ask for some closing costs, the appliances, the plazma TV and a home warranty.  Your lender has qualified you up to $400,000 and you have a pre-approval letter to prove it.  That is a good thing because you will have to present that letter along with your offer to purchase, and you do just that.  So here it is, you just told the listing agent and the seller that although you are offering $335k, you are qualified up to $400k.  Why on earth would you do that?  Why on earth would your real estate agent let you do that? 

 

Caveat emptor

Let the Buyer Beware

 

It would have been very easy to call the buyers lender and have a new pre-approval letter faxed over for $330,000 to present with the offer.  This would have told the seller that the buyer was making the best offer they could and that the closing costs were necessary to consummate the transaction.  It also would have made a counter offer on price less likely.  Why did your agent go ahead and send the letter stating that you were qualified up to $400,000?  Do you think it was in your best interest to have done that? 

 

As a listing agent, I receive pre-qualification and pre-approval letters showing buyers qualified well above listing price most of the time.  As a buyers agent, a new pre-approval letter and a whole lot more is sent with the letter proving that my buyer has the loan and can close it. 

 

Never let the opposing side in a negotiation know what you are capable of,

it will change the response you get and will cost you money. 

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Long Beach Implements New Fire & Building Codes

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All new commercial, industrial and nonresidential buildings that require two or more exits, or that are greater than 3,000 square feet, shall be protected by an automatic sprinkler system.  All new multi-family (3 or more units) residential, hotels, motels and similar buildings shall be protected by an automatic sprinkler system.  All new single-family dwellings and duplexes greater than 4,000 square feet or more than two-stories in height shall be protected by an automatic sprinkler system.  All existing multi-family residential, hotels, motels and high-rise buildings shall upgrade the existing fire alarm system to current code, at the time of replacement of the existing non-functioning fire alarm control panel.  Partial automatic sprinkler systems are not allowed. Where automatic sprinkler systems are required to be installed by this section, or by any other sections in this code, the automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout the entire building.  Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed width of not less than 26 feet, and an unobstructed vertical clearance of 15 feet.  Fire apparatus access roads shall have a minimum inside turning radius of 28 feet.

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Long Beach Homeowners - Foreclosure Relief is on the Way!

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LONG BEACH REAL ESTATE - FORECLOSURES - SHORT SALES

 

Keeping Families in their Long Beach Homes!

 

 

This Thanksgiving day we have some good news for Long Beach Homeowners facing the possibility of foreclosure. California Governor Schwarzenegger has worked with loan service providers from: Countrywide, GMAC, Litton and HomEq to agree to streamline "fast-track" procedures to help keep more subprime borrowers in their Long Beach homes.  These service providers are responsible for having issued more than 25% of current subprime mortgage loans. 

Seven of the top sixteen metropolitan areas with the highest rates of foreclosures in the nation are in the state of California, according to the latest data from RealtyTrac.

 

Read the entire Press Release:

Governor Schwarzenegger Works with Lenders to help Avoid Foreclosure

 

Back in October 2007 Sheila Bair, the Federal Deposit Insurance Coproration (FDIC) Chair, encouraged lending agencies to keep subprime mortgage borrowers at their initial interest rate if they are living in their home, making timely payments, but can't afford the loan "re-set"--or jump to a higher rate.  A half million Californians have subprime loans that will jump to higher rates in the next two years. Bair's proposal has been endorsed by the newspapers including the Wall Street Journal and New York Times as well as public and community leaders.

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Selling Your Long Beach Home

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LONG BEACH REAL ESTATE

 

Selling YOUR Long Beach Home?

 It's TOUGH out there!

Are YOU ready for this Real Estate Market?

 

 
Today's Long Beach Real Estate market is demanding an entirely new approach when selling your Long Beach Homes or Condos.  If your home is on the market you already know just how tough it can be to just get showings.  You have probably reduced your price at least once and are wondering how low you will have to go to actually make that elusive sale.  

 

PRICING YOUR LONG BEACH HOMES OR CONDOS

 

The worst mistake a seller can make is to overprice their Long Beach Home.  The first two to three weeks on the market are critical when you enter the market.  Thinking that you can test the market and lower the price later is never a good idea.  The goal should be to price your Long Beach homes to sell quickly while they are generating the most interest - as a new listing.  There are many homes and condos in Long Beach on the market, too many of which are not priced to sell.  When a buyer sees a property that is overpriced they just pass it by.  Buyers are always looking for new listings just coming onto the real estate market, because much of what is already listed is just not all that desirable and often overpriced.  Another terrible mistake any seller can make is to believe their home or condo is still worth what homes in their Long Beach Neighborhoods were commanding months ago. 

 

• Read: My Long Beach Home Won't Sell - Are YOU Chasing the Market Down?

 

If your home is overpriced it is time to take a giant leap and get ahead of the curve.  Pricing your home under today's market price usually means that by the time it actually closes you will be at market price.  Yes, prices seem to be dropping that quickly.  Why not?  They rose that quickly when it was a hot sellers market. Home sales in Long Beach are traditionally slower through the winter months making selling your Long Beach home or condo that much more difficult during these months.  If you do not need to sell your Long Beach home at this time, this is not the time to be on the market.  Speculating in this market is futile. 

 

HOME STAGING YOUR LONG BEACH HOMES OR CONDOS

 

There are no guarantees on today's real estate market.  You can do everything right and still not sell.  Home Staging is a great way to freshen up and depersonalize your Long Beach home.  De-cluttering and removing family pictures and any other deeply personal items allow a buyer to envision their own possessions in the space. Show your home as the homethe buyer will want to call their home. Remember, it is not luck that will sell your home, it is prepping and staging that will help make that elusive sale a reality. 

• Read:  Why Stage Your Long Beach Homes or Condos
• Home Staging Can Sell Long Beach Homes Faster
• Seller Tips - Preparing Your Long Beach Home For Sale
• Curb Appeal on a Budget

 

 

 MARKETING YOUR LONG BEACH HOMES OR CONDOS

 

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