Thinking Of Selling Your Property As FSBO....Think Again!

            FOR SALE BY OWNER

The question above is quite common and completely understandable, but when it comes to selling your largest investment, a REALTOR is statistically proven to be the best option.

Yes, you can sell your house on your own. However, I highly recommend you consider all the wisdom, experience and problem solving that your real estate agent has to offer. Not only will they save you time and money but most importantly,they will help guide you through the process, help alleviate stress and keep your sanity intact!

10 Reasons You Need a Full-Time, Full-Service Professional!

If you still think you don't need a real estate agent, consider the following:

1) They will represent you: They know the market and the value of your home and they know what will help it to sell quicker. They know how to negotiate contracts so that you do not leave money on the table. They carry the load and stress of the back and forth bargaining over the offers so that you do not have to deal with the stress.

2) Real estate agents offer powerful market strategies: Great agents know the market in your area like the back of your hand. Most likely they have lived in the area for a long time. They will be able to steer you through the uncertainty, of the market as it presently stands.

3) Think of real estate agents as aggressive assistants: Scheduling appointments for qualified buyers to view your home can become a massive headache. When people ask “Why should I use a real estate agent to sell my home”, this is one of the areas people fail to appreciate. When you have a real estate agent on your side they will stay on top of everything and you will not need to worry.

4) Real estate agents have resources you do not have: In most cases, when you pay for the experience of a professional, you are paying for expertise that you do not have. With real estate agents, you will have the advantage of their resources such as phenomenal pictures, social media marketing, videographers, state of the art websites, and so much more.

5) Real estate agents work within a powerful network: Another great benefit you will be taking advantage of through your real estate agent is the powerful network that remains constantly at their disposal. They know lots of other agents. They know where to find the best buyers for your home.

6) You can also rely on real estate agents for assistance with the purchase of your next home: This is yet another benefit that first-time sellers fail to take in to account. When you make the decision to sell your home, usually you are also going to want to turn around and purchase a new home. If you haven’t already purchased a new home, you can definitely benefit from using your real estate agent. The agent who helped you sell your house has now gained your trust and they can turn around and help you purchase a new home.

7) They know lots of other professionals: Real estate agents have access to a powerful, network of individuals. That is one of the reason they can sell your home for the best possible price. If your home needs repairs, your real estate agent has knowledge of exceptional professionals to help with your repairs. Don’t forget that your home is going to need an inspection, in some cases your will need more than one inspection. You are going to love the fact that a good real estate agent can definitely lead you in the right direction.

8) They can give you focus: Staying focused is one of the hardest parts in selling your home. A real estate agent can help you get the most money possible for your house. They can also help keep you focused and aware of the goals you are trying to accomplish. Without a professional real estate agent, staying focused can prove to be extremely challenging at times.

9) They will get you through the closing part: When the time comes to close on the sale of your home, you will start to feel like it is just about over. While you should certainly be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel at this point, you are not completely finished with the sale of your home.. The real estate agent will help you fill out all of the forms and deal with all the complications that can arise at the last minute so that your house can close on time.

10) They can speed things up: With the question of “Why should I use a real estate agent to sell my home”, it really just comes down to money. Time is money! With the best real estate agents working for you, you are talking about the fastest route possible to the most amount of money you can get for your home.

For more information, call me at 310-927-9166 or visit: LosAngelesLuxuryEstates.com 

FYI- AFTER MONTHS ON THE MARKET AND NO OFFERS, EVEN THE CEO OF FSBO.COM HIMSELF, EVENTUALLY USED A REALTOR TO SELL HIS HOME IN NEW YORK.  

(just sayin)  :)

I helped my clients purchase their first home in Pasadena.

944 N. Marengo Ave. Pasadena, Ca 91103

I helped my clients compete against multiple offers

to successfully purchase their first home for $885,000.

If you're thinking of making a move, I would love to provide you with the same successful results.

(310)927.9166

To Find Your Dream Home, click on this Home-Search

Your Los Angeles Home-Buyers Road Map!

On the road to home-ownership,their are many stops and usually the home search is the fun part in many people’s minds, but their are several steps that take place before and after the home tours. 

The Ten basic Steps To Buying A Home In L.A. : 

1) Consult A Realtor (Me)  – Starting your journey with a Realtor is a wise beginning. An experienced local Realtor not only knows the neighborhoods and values, but can bring together a team of real estate professionals that can give you expert service. Your real estate agent will help you find the lender and loan product that works for your specific needs. A real estate agent will have a team of inspectors, title attorney, and service specialists to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle are there.

2) Pre-Qualification – With the recommendation of your Realtor, a credible, local lender will be your first stop on the road. Often with just a phone call, your lender can pre-qualify you for an amount that will guide you in your home search. Not knowing how much you can afford often leads buyers down an “imaginary road”, where they get their hopes set on something that they may not be able to afford, only to find disappointment. Equally important, the lender issues a Pre-Qualification Letter that is of "utmost value" when a buyer makes an offer. Without it, the sellers will not take the offer seriously.

3) House Hunting – Your local real estate expert will be invaluable in helping you navigate the local neighborhoods. An experienced buyer’s agent can listen to your wants and needs, and guide you to the neighborhood and the home that is right for you.

4) Making an Offer – A buyer’s agent will do an analysis of the current values, helping you know what the home is worth in the present market, with the level of interest and conditions. This will guide you to make an offer that will stand the best chance of acceptance, while keeping your best interests in mind.

5) There are many parts to a good, strong offer:
a. Market Value
b. Contingencies – Financing, Home Inspection, Appraisal, Time frames… these are just a few.
c. Time Frames
d. Seller’s Motivations
e. Loan Product
f. Strategies – Many people don’t realize that there is a strategy involved in reaching a “win-win” in the home buying process.

6) Negotiations & Re-negotiations

7) Formal Loan Application

8) Inspections

9) Appraisal – “The Second Sale”

10) Closing! - Your Realtor can help you coordinate the paperwork and all the moving parts of the transaction.

Most home buyers will purchase a home an average of one time every 7 to 10 years. Your local real estate agent helps buyers and sellers every day, 365 days a year, Let that experience work for you as you embark on your home buyer’s journey by giving me a call. I would love to make your dream of homeownership a reality! 

Stefen Lee Liberti

Exclusive Representation Exceptional Results

Buying/ Selling/ Leasing/ Investing
Call me today if I can be of assistance.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
I welcome your referrals. :)

Advantages a homeowner has when they use a real estate professional to help sell their home.

Their are many advantages a homeowner has when they use a real estate professional to help sell their home. It’s good to know that FannieMae agrees.

Listed below are a few of the advantages a Realtor will help with in the sale of your home.

★Selling Your Home.

Maybe you've outgrown your current space…or you want to move into a better neighborhood…or you simply want to move closer to your work. Whatever the reason for moving, there are a few to-do's before the "For Sale" sign goes up:

★Determine Affordability

Look at what you owe on your current home (your unpaid principal balance) and what your home is worth today (see below for help estimating). Then factor in other costs associated with selling your home, such as: any needed home improvement costs; closing costs; moving costs, etc. Make sure you are aware of the financial consequences of selling your home (and moving to a new one) before you take the next step.

★Review Market Conditions

Analyze your local market, including the current inventory of homes for sale, recent sales, and housing prices. Are homes moving quickly, or are they staying on the market for a long time? Are you prepared for a quick sale or do you need time to find a new home?

★Decide How to List

Select how you'll market and list the home (e.g., with a real estate agent).Unless you are experienced at selling homes, it usually makes financial sense to get professional help—homes sold by agents typically sell at a higher price and spend less time on the market. An agent will also help you determine the best pricing for the house, they'll market the home, and they'll be your advocate throughout the process.

★Be Prepared

Inspect your home—inside and out—for needed repairs, cosmetic updates, and general maintenance. Don't make the mistake of not thoroughly inspecting your home to look for areas of improvement.

Finally, you might consider talking to a staging specialist, or staging the home yourself, to maximize your home's appeal to buyers.

If you're thinking of putting your home up for sale, I would love to discuss all of these with you. 

★5 FINANCIAL REASONS TO BUY A HOUSE TODAY★

1.) Housing is typically the one leveraged investment available. 

“Few households are interested in borrowing money to buy stocks and bonds and few lenders are willing to lend them the money. As a result, homeownership allows households to amplify any appreciation on the value of their homes by a leverage factor. Even a hefty 20 percent down payment results in a leverage factor of five so that every percentage point rise in the value of the home is a 5 percent return on their equity. With many buyers putting 10 percent or less down, their leverage factor is 10 or more.”

2.) You're paying for housing whether you own or rent. 

“Homeowners pay debt service to pay down their own principal while households that rent pay down the principal of a landlord.”

3.) Owning is usually a form of “forced savings”.

“Since many people have trouble saving and have to make a housing payment one way or the other, owning a home can overcome people’s tendency to defer savings to another day.”

4.) There are substantial tax benefits to owning. 

“Homeowners are able to deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from income...On top of all this, capital gains up to $250,000 are excluded from income for single filers and up to $500,000 for married couples if they sell their homes for a gain.”

5.) Owning is a hedge against inflation.

“Housing costs and rents have tended over most time periods to go up at or higher than the rate of inflation, making owning an attractive proposition.”

★Bottom Line★

Homeownership makes sense for many Americans for many social and family reasons. It also makes sense financially. If you're thinking of buying a home, give me a call. I would love to help you find the perfect home.

8 TERMS TO KNOW BEFORE BECOMING A HOMEOWNER

The financial jargon that comes with buying a home can be downright mystifying to first-time purchasers. To help make the process of buying that dream home less daunting, here is a primer on the important terms to know. 

1. Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI)
The percentage of your monthly gross income (that is, income before taxes) that goes toward paying debts, such as credit cards and loans. Not surprising, the lower your DTI, the better your chances of qualifying for a mortgage. As a general rule of thumb, you want to target a DTI of 36 percent or less.

2. Monthly Payment
Your monthly payment includes a portion of principal (amount of money borrowed or the outstanding balance on a loan) and interest. It also may include amounts for the escrow of taxes and insurance.

3. Interest Rate
Your interest rate is the cost of borrowing money expressed as a percentage. For example, if you borrow money at a 5 percent fixed interest rate for a year, the interest charged will be 5 percent of the total amount borrowed. Your interest rate, along with the term and loan amount, determines the size of your monthly principal and interest payment.

4. Fixed Rate Mortgages
With a fixed rate mortgage, your interest rate never increases. Even if rates go up, your rate will remain the same. This makes budgeting easier. Lenders generally offer fixed rate mortgages for 10, 15 and 30 years. The longer the term of your loan, the lower your monthly payment will be. With a shorter term, though your payment may be higher, you're likely to build equity faster. Fixed rate mortgages are one of the most popular choices for homeowners, especially those who plan to stay in their home for many years.

5. Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM)
With an ARM, you pay a lower, fixed interest rate for a set period of time. Then, the rate adjusts based on financial markets for the remainder of the loan term. As a result, your monthly payment could change as the interest rate changes. For example, a 5/1 ARM is fixed for the first five years, then adjusts every year thereafter. An adjustable rate mortgage may be a good choice if you're confident that interest rates are likely to remain stable or go down in the future.

6. Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
APR represents the total cost of borrowing money for a mortgage - including certain closing costs, interest, finance charges and points - over the full term of the loan, expressed as an annual rate. By helping you determine the true cost of your mortgage, the APR lets you compare different types of mortgages offered by different lenders. All lenders calculate the APR according to federal requirements and are required by law to provide the specific APR for your mortgage in the Truth in Lending disclosure.

7. Points
A point is a fee equal to 1 percent of your loan amount. You may be able to pay points, depending on the mortgage option selected, to lower your interest rate - these also are referred to asdiscount points. Alternately, you may be able to select a higher interest rate and receive a credit against closing costs. These are known as rebate points. The longer you plan on staying in your home, the more likely you are to benefit from paying points. To determine if paying points is right for you, you should calculate how long it will take for the initial cost to equal the savings you'll realize through the reduction in your monthly payments. This is sometimes called a "break-even point."

8. Amortization Schedule
This is a snapshot of how the interest and principal components of your loan change over time as payments are made. In the beginning, your interest component typically will exceed the principal repayment component. If you have a fixed rate mortgage, your monthly payment stays the same, but the portion of the payment that goes toward principal will increase over time. The interest portion of the payment is calculated on the scheduled amount owed each month. 

HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL!

★ATTENTION LOS ANGELES BUYERS★

House Hunting? Print out this Checklist!

If you’re house-hunting and want to do it Stefen-style, here is what you’ll need:

1) A good agent (me) who will let you control the pace

2) A digital camera or smart phone for taking photos/short videos.

3) My handy-dandy house hunting checklist. Print a stack of them so you have one for each house you plan to visit. Print out a few extras in case you tour an open house or add a last minute one to the list.

4) A stapler. Attach the completed checklist to the listing provided by the agent as well as any flyers or information you pick up for each house.

*To help ensure the success, here is the process you will want to implement:

1.) Examine the neighborhood. If good, tour the home.

2.) Take photos to help jar our memory if it ended up a front runner.

3.) Make notes on the spreadsheet about pros and cons.

4.) Rate each house on a scale of 1 to 10.

5.) Revisit the front runners for follow-up walk-thrus; talk to some of the neighbors, if possible.

6.) Go to the house AT NIGHT. You learn so much about a neighborhood when people should be home and sleeping. In a neighborhood with garages, seeing a lot of cars parked in the street isn’t a good sign. How about noise levels? You may notice there is poor lighting or even see street lights that beam into your house that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

7.) Make an offer

8.) Become owner of a new home.