Showing posts with label South LA County & North Orange County Real Estate Buyer Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South LA County & North Orange County Real Estate Buyer Tips. Show all posts

Will Housing Prices Fall Soon?

A shift into a buyer’s market is possible, but here’s why it isn’t very likely. 

Many people have asked whether the coronavirus will be the event that finally brings housing prices down in Southern California, and while none of us have a crystal ball, there are a couple of really basic things we’re seeing that will shed light on this issue.

First of all, back in 2007, we had a very different lending environment from what we see today. Basically, if you could walk, talk, or breathe, you got approved for a loan in 2007—there were really no qualifications. People were 100% leveraged against their homes after having to borrow everything to buy their homes and had zero equity. Sometimes, folks took out second, third, and even fourth loans just to be able to buy a property.

Those kinds of loans do not exist today, and loan requirements have become much more stringent. We’re simply not seeing risky lending practices, and almost everyone today has some level of equity in their homes. Rather than go into foreclosure, many people can simply sell their homes and end up with a big check.

That being said, the current crisis is different in that we’re seeing an overwhelming amount of people laid off or furloughed as many businesses are forced to close their doors. This is obviously tragic and hard for us to stomach, but the good news for the housing market is that we’d have to see a significant amount of people coming to the market before we experienced a dramatic shift. 

That brings me to the second reason I believe the market is going to remain fairly strong: Sellers who don’t necessarily need to sell still have the luxury of declining the lower-end offers, and can simply take their homes off the market if they so choose.


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We’d have to see a significant amount of people coming to the market before we experienced a dramatic shift.

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Right now in Los Angeles County, we have 11,387 homes for sale, and in Orange County, there are 5,179. Last month, 3,389 homes sold in LA County and 1,667 homes sold in Orange County. This equates to a 2.2-month supply of homes in LA County and a 2.1-month supply in Orange County—a definite seller’s market (a balanced market occurs when there’s a three- to five-month supply of homes for sale, and a buyer’s market is considered anything from six months and up).

That means we’d have to have three times the amount of current for-sale homes come onto the market in order for it to shift so dramatically that we’d end up in a buyer’s market. Unless we see such a massive flood of homes coming onto the market, I don’t believe we’ll see a drop in prices. In fact, the average sale price in LA County has gone up 5.8% year over year, and 8.4% in Orange County. Real estate is still a solid investment.

If you’re still questioning whether you should sell in today’s market, please give us a call or send an email. We’re still hard at work during these odd times, and we’re here to help.
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What an Investment Property Can Do for You


Investment properties are a smart purchase for first-time homebuyers. Here’s why. 

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
My team and I work with a lot of first-time homebuyers, and part of the buying process for them is determining what kind of property is the right fit. A common solution for many of them is to buy a condo, but if you’re buying a home for the first time, there are other options that may be better for long-term growth—especially if real estate holding is a part of your long-term plan. I’m talking, of course, about investment properties. One of the reasons you should consider an investment property as your first purchase is the fact that interest rates are very low. Taking advantage of low interest rates will get you into a better property.

One of the reasons you should consider an investment property as your first purchase is the fact that interest rates are very low.

Ultimately, an investment property will only appreciate over time. You’ll be able to live in it in the beginning, then start renting it out later on as it goes up in value. Renting out additional units while you live in the property will generate passive income, and once you’re ready to move out, that passive income will help you achieve your long-term retirement goals. With a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, you can turn the other units into short-term rentals a lot easier than you can with condos because many condominiums don’t allow short-term rentals. Owning the building gives you more control over what you can do with the extra space. Also, you can put a lot less money down in order to buy a duplex, triplex, or fourplex. If you try to buy one after you’ve already purchased a single-family home, it’s far more challenging to put down a lower amount. Generally, you have to put down 20% to 25% for the purchase to make sense. If you’d like to talk more about purchasing an investment property as your first property or you live in a condo and want to move into a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, give me a call and we can go over your options. As always, if you have any other real estate questions, feel free to reach out to me as well. I’d love to help you.

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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

What You Need to Know Before Buying Into an HOA


Before buying a home with a Home Owner’s Association, there are certain considerations you must make. 

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
If you’re thinking of buying a home located within a homeowners association (HOA), there are certain factors you must be aware of before making that purchase. For your convenience, I’ve provided timestamps of the video above where I discuss these factors in depth so you can skip ahead to various sections: 0:33—The advantages of living in an HOA neighborhood 1:00—Your fees, services, and amenities will vary significantly depending on your HOA 3:40—How your HOA dues are factored into your mortgage approval 4:09—The importance of knowing the CC&Rs of your HOA and what they may stipulate 4:51—Understanding conflict management within HOAs and the penalty of unpaid dues 5:21—Why you need to be aware of your HOAs reputation 5:44—Keeping in compliance with your HOA 6:10—What your HOA insurance covers 7:18—Wrapping things up If you have any more questions about HOAs or any other real estate needs I can take care of, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you.


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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

Homebuyers: Are You Better Off Buying Now or Waiting?


How can your home be a vehicle to maximize your money into retirement? That’s what we’re discussing today. 

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
Is it better to buy now or wait in case the market dips? The answer to this question depends on your circumstances, but you can benefit greatly from buying now. Over the past 60 years, the average appreciation rate per year in our Southern California market has been 6%. That’s a pretty good rate—certainly better than a lot of other investment opportunities out there. Also, interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in a year, and they’re expected to remain flat throughout 2019.

Homeownership is essentially a forced savings plan.

Ultimately, if you buy now and hold on to your property, you’re going to make money off of it. Homeownership is essentially a forced savings plan in that you build equity every month you make a mortgage payment. The bottom line is, if you plan on staying in the home long-term, it absolutely makes sense to buy now before interest rates increase. As an added bonus, you can also take advantage of tax write-offs. If you’d like to talk more about whether now is the right time for you to buy or you have any other real estate questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.


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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

How a Reverse Offer Might Help You


In a market where multiple offers are scarce, what can you do to find the right buyer? Consider a reverse offer. 

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
In a hot real estate market, it’s very common to get multiple offers. We see homes sell very quickly in this type of market. In a more balanced or a downward trending market, however, one tool we like to utilize is a reverse offer. As a proactive agent, I’m constantly gauging the market temperature and the people who are coming through my homes. When I’m able to get feedback from agents and buyers, I sometimes hear about a buyer who is interested in the home but still on the fence. When buyers have more choices, it is tougher for them to make a final decision.

With a reverse offer, the home seller is in the driver’s seat.

In a case like this where a buyer is hesitant, a reverse offer is a good strategy. Essentially, we go back to the buyer and make an offer to them instead of the other way around. This often gets their attention and allows us to really gauge if they’re interested in the home or just browsing because the market is so active. If they’re really interested, they might just accept the offer outright or come back with a counter. This process helps a home sale move along a lot quicker than just having it sit there, waiting for offers to come in. We are proactive and think outside the box in order to help get our clients’ homes sold. If you have any questions for us about reverse offers or about anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

Never Move Into an HOA Before Considering These 5 Things


If you’re considering moving into a property located within a homeowners association, there are a few important things you must consider first. Today I’ll list five critical steps to take before making your decision. 

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
When buying a property within a homeowners association (otherwise known as an HOA), there are five important things you must do. Regardless of the type of property you move to, whether you’re moving to a condominium, townhouse, a planned unit development, or a home in a gated community, these five things will be important considerations to keep in mind as you proceed. 1. Make note of the budget and reserve study. This is especially important if you’re moving to a condominium or any building where you share walls, since homeowners associations will, in this case, be responsible for taking care of the exterior of the property. It’s therefore important that the association has a healthy budget. As far as reserve studies go, not every homeowners association has done one. But they really should. If they have done a reserve study, you will be able to see what the plan is for the building’s next 30 years. And if a homeowner association’s budget falls short of being able to cover these plans, this is a definite red flag. 2. Read the rules and regulations. When reviewing these stipulations, you may certainly ask questions if you need clarification. Things like pet or parking restrictions will be important to consider before you make the decision to move into an HOA community.

Before you make the commitment of moving into a property in an HOA, it’s important to understand what kind of financial obligations you’re agreeing to.

3. Read all available minutes for the homeowners association. Some communities may only hold periodic meetings. Others still may have just one meeting per year. Whatever the case may be, getting the minutes for at least the last year should alert you to what concerns, complaints, or comments are being raised. 4. Check to see if there are going to be any dues increases or special assessments in the near future. Before you make the commitment of moving into a property in an HOA, it’s important to understand what kind of financial obligations you’re agreeing to. If the cost of a scheduled repair is going to translate to increased expenses on your part, this is certainly something to think about prior to making your move. 5. Find out if the building or community is under litigation. If it is, this could impact the financing that may be applied, as well as your own pocketbook. You could be personally impacted if the HOA is sued. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

5 Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Home Value


Which remodeling projects will help you maximize your home’s value? There are five projects that I recommend.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
What can you do to maximize the value of your home? There are a few remodeling projects that will get you a better return than others. 1. Curb appeal and landscaping. If you are getting ready to sell soon, focusing on curb appeal will help you get a great price. You may want to do a little bit of painting if you have peeling paint. You may also want to consider painting the front door a different color; red is very popular these days. You can add a few colorful flowers as well. Drought-tolerant landscaping is very popular right now. Many cities have grants to help you with that if you are interested in that process. 2. Remodel the kitchen. If you plan on selling soon, this may or may not be a good match for you. If you plan on living there for a few years and then selling, a kitchen remodel might be a good idea. Quartz and stone countertops are replacing granite countertops. Upgrade your fixtures and get some stainless steel appliances. Open cabinets are very popular these days.

 Open kitchen cabinets and hardwood floors are very popular features.

3. Smart home innovation. This is a great way to maximize the value of your home. Automated heating and cooling features are very popular, as are garage door openers, keyless entry with smart lock systems, and more. You name it, you can probably find it. 4. Carpeting and flooring. Carpeting has really fallen by the wayside. Most people only put it in their bedrooms these days. Engineered hardwood, laminate floors, or ceramic tile that looks like wood are extremely popular, especially in high-traffic areas. 5. Bathroom remodels. Update the fixtures or replace the bathtub with a walk-in shower. Tiled shower enclosures are very popular. If you have any other questions about which of these projects would be best for your home, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

Are “Pre-Foreclosure” Homes Listed on Zillow Really Up for Sale?


Homes that are listed as “pre-foreclosure” on Zillow aren’t necessarily up for sale. Here’s what that title really means.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
I get a lot of calls from people who tell me they saw a property for sale on Zillow with the word “pre-foreclosure” next to it. What does this mean? It doesn’t actually mean the property is for sale. Pre-foreclosure means the owner of the listed property has either a notice of default or a notice of trustee sale filed against the property. That means—for whatever reason—the owner is behind on their payments. Maybe they’ve passed away and their family can’t make the payments; maybe they’re in the middle of a loan modification and they’re trying to work something out with the bank in order continue with their payments. It could be for a number of reasons. Frequently, homeowners try to keep their homes, and unfortunately, some of them wait until it’s too late and the property goes up for sale on the courthouse steps. The bank may also just take the property and keep it as part of their inventory. There are a few things that can happen, but it doesn’t always mean the property will go up for sale to the general public.

 If you see a property on Zillow that you’re interested in, give us a call.

Sometimes investors will knock on those people’s doors and try to get a good deal for those houses. To do that, you need to have enough cash to make good on the current owner’s loan, and sometimes they’re unable to do that, which is where you see a short sale happen later on down the line. If you see a property on Zillow that you’re interested in, give us a call so we can contact that homeowner to see if they really are selling that home. If you have any other questions about this topic or our market, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to help you.
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Location: Long Beach, CA 90803, USA

5 Tips for Buyers Who Want to Get Their Offer Accepted

Today I have a few tips to help you get a leg up as a buyer in this competitive market.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or you’ve been through the process before, it can be hard to get your offer accepted in today’s competitive real estate market. There are a couple of things you can do to better position yourself in having your offer accepted over competing buyers. 1. Get pre-approved. Unless you’re lucky enough to buy with cash, you need to get a full pre-approval letter from your lender so that you can be in a strong position with the seller. It’s important to talk to a reputable lender who is local to the area. Sometimes online lenders will make a lot of promises that seem good at the time, only for you to later find out that they weren’t the best choice after all. Be careful about which lender you choose, and if you need referrals, I’d be happy to help you with that. 2. Pick a qualified and connected agent. You don’t want to work with someone who isn’t local or is working part-time. It’s important that the agent you work with is well connected, because it means that we can leverage those relationships to get your offer accepted on the home you decide on. Once you choose that agent, make sure you sit down with them and go over a list of specific needs that you want them to be aware of. That way, they won’t waste time showing you homes that don’t fit your needs.

 Be careful about which lender you choose.

3. Be prepared to be creative. If you’re in a multiple offer situation, sometimes it’s not just the price that will give you a leg up. Writing a personal letter to the seller or tailoring your offer to their specific needs and requirements can go a long way to get your offer accepted. 4. Don’t be afraid of the bidding war.Bidding wars may happen if the house was underpriced or priced at market value, making it therefore exposed to as many buyers as possible. With that much exposure comes a lot of interest, so you’re more than likely going to see many buyers jostling for the best position. If you find yourself in that situation, offer the price that you feel most comfortable with that sits within a comparable range to other properties in the area. 5. If you’re selling your home, make sure that home is in escrow. You should make sure you have the ability to stay in your recently sold home while you’re looking for a new one. This can be either through a lease-back agreement or a contingent contract. These are some of the ways that you can get a leg up in this competitive market. If you have any additional questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, please give me a call. I’d be happy to help.

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Location: Long Beach, CA 90804, USA

How Can You Transfer Your Property Tax Base to Your New Home?

You can transfer your current property tax base to your new home, provided that you meet certain conditions.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
If you are over the age of 55, you can transfer your current property tax base over to your new home. According to Proposition 13, once you purchase a home, your property tax rate is locked in at about 1.25% of your purchase price. Your property taxes will stay at that rate, which is fantastic because you won’t have to worry about your property taxes increasing. If you’ve been living in a big house but the kids are grown up and it’s time to downsize, you may be surprised at how much more expensive property taxes are for your new home. The good news is that if you are over the age of 55, you can take advantage of Proposition 60 or Proposition 90.

Thanks to your fixed rate, your property taxes won’t go up.
Prop 60 and Prop 90 allow you to take that property tax base from your old residence and transfer it to your new residence. You can only do this once. You do need to sell your primary residence and purchase a new residence within one or two years within certain parameters. If you purchase a home in one year it has to be 105% or less; in two years, it has to be 110% or less. Remember, the value of the property is not determined by the sales price—it’s up to the county assessor’s office, so don’t cut it too close. If you live in Alameda County, Kern, Los Angeles, Modoc, Orange County, San Diego County, Ventura, San Mateo, or Santa Clara, then you should definitely consider taking advantage of this opportunity. If you have any questions about transferring your property tax base or selling your home, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
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Location: Long Beach, CA, USA

Is Now a Good Time to Buy an Investment Property?

Is now a good time to invest in real estate? Prices might be higher than they have been over the last five years, but there is one factor that makes investing worthwhile.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
When is it a good time to buy an investment property? Is now a good time? Market prices are definitely higher than they have been for the last four or five years. The good news is that, because interest rates are so low, it is still a great time to buy an investment property—especially if you are going to have a mortgage on the property. Ultimately, buying now allows you to keep your interest over the long term at a lower rate. When deciding whether or not to buy, you need to look at the amount of income you will create. You also need to determine your long-term investment strategy. If you want to get a quick turnaround investment, that is going to have a much higher risk than a long-term buy and hold. If you are buying your first home, for example, it’s very common to see someone buy a two or four-unit property, live in the property, and rent out the other unit for a couple of years. That way, you can get an investment property at a low interest rate, build your personal wealth, and save up for a down payment on your first single-family home. You can also hold onto that investment property after you buy your first home and continue to build your wealth.
Interest rates are still low enough to make investing worthwhile.

Once you buy that single-family home, you do have to put more money down as the underwriters don’t necessarily believe that you’re going to move into it. That allows you to maximize on your down payment on that two- to four-unit property, as you may only have to put 3% to 5% down on that. That’s a great investment opportunity. Another option is to buy multiple properties. You can buy single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and even get into commercial properties, which are five units and up. If you buy a number of properties over time, that’s kind of like dollar cost averaging. I have one client who bought multiple properties in the area at the bottom of the market. They have now moved out of the area and sold most of those properties off, taking advantage of this great market appreciation. Ultimately, anytime is a really great time to get into investing. If you would like to learn more about investing in this market, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
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Location: Long Beach, CA, USA

Thinking About Moving Into Your Dream Home? Now Might Be the Time

A high inventory of luxury homes and a high demand for starter homes make transitioning into your dream home a very real possibility right now in our market.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
Do you live in a house that no longer fits your needs and are thinking about making the leap and moving into your dream home or a luxury home?


Well, guess what? Now is a great time to do so. The inventory of homes for sale in the luxury market far exceeds the number of people looking to purchase these properties. This means these homes often stay on the market longer or can be found at a discount.

If you have a starter home or a trade-up home you want to sell, you’ll find that there are more buyers competing for that type of home and entering bidding wars to purchase them. This way, you’ll be able to get more money for the home you have now to help you finance your new home. The sale of your starter home or trade-up home will aid in producing a larger down payment for your new luxury home. Even 10% down on a $1 million home equates to $100,000.
At the moment, many luxury homes can be found at a discount.

The best time to sell anything is when demand is high and supply is low. Demand for starter homes and/or trade-up homes is very high, so if you currently live in one and it doesn’t fit your needs and you are looking to step up into a luxury home, now is the time to list it for sale and make your dreams come true.

If you have any questions or are thinking about moving up into a luxury home, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to assist you.
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Location: California, USA

How to Purchase a Home With a Reverse Mortgage

If you’re looking to downsize or you want to sell your house and you’re afraid you can’t afford the next home you want to buy, reverse mortgages are just the thing you need.
Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 
Today I’m joined once again by Andrew Scammon from Alpine Mortgage Planning, and this time he’s going to help me explain how you can purchase a property with a reverse mortgage.
This option is ideal for someone who wants to move but doesn’t want to have a mortgage payment and may not have the cash to buy a property as all-cash. Generally speaking, a reverse mortgage allows them to double their purchasing power.
Let’s say you have $200,000 net profit from your home sale, but that’s not enough to buy the next property you want. By using a reverse mortgage, you’re in the market for a $400,000 home. It allows you to complete both transactions—you can sell the house you want to move out of and qualify for the reverse mortgage to purchase the property you want to stay in for the rest of your life.
If you have a larger home with $200,000 worth of equity built up and want to downsize, you can sell your current home for $600,000 and buy your next house for $400,000 and eliminate that mortgage payment altogether.
Reverse mortgages can double your purchasing power.
In Andrew’s experience with these situations, the seller completes the sale of their house first before coming to him to make the arrangements for the purchase of their new property. The key requisite in this scenario is the new property has to be FHA-approved. This means if you’re looking to downsize into a condominium, you need to be cautious that you’re only shopping for condominiums that are FHA-approved. If you’re moving into a smaller cottage or a single-family home, this issue doesn’t come into play.
A reverse mortgage is more comparable to a cash product than a traditional mortgage. The reverse mortgage process usually takes about six weeks. Before you start it, you need to know what to expect at closing and years into the future. There are no bad sides to a reverse mortgage unless they’re a surprise. You need to know all the details of how the reverse mortgage will mesh with your retirement plans—how it will affect your estate, your mortgage balance, etc. It’s not a problem if your balance goes up—unless that’s a surprise.
If you’d like more information about reverse mortgages and how to use them, you can reach Andrew at (562) 743-0111 or email him at SoCalReverse@gmail.com.
If you have any other questions, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to help!
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Location: Orange County, CA, USA

Condos Are a Smart Investment


I’ve been getting a lot of questions about condos lately, so I decided it was a good time to answer some of them.

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 

Condo purchases have been a popular topic lately in our real estate market. People want to know if it’s the right time to buy or sell. Well, if you already own a condo and you purchased it between 2008 and 2013, it might be the perfect time to sell because of the property value increase we’ve seen over the last few years.

 The condo market is very strong. We had more than 300 condo sales in the Long Beach area just in the last six months. One, two, and three-bedroom condos are all moving quickly.

"Condo payments are lower."

On the flip side, if you’re looking to buy a home, a condo can be a great option. If you’re just getting into real estate investing or if it’s your first purchase, a condo is a good way to get your feet wet. Condo payments are lower and you don’t have all the responsibilities you do with a single-family home. If you’re someone who likes to travel, it’s nice to be able to leave and have things taken care of. That not always an option in single-family homes. 

 For investors, condos are a great option. The nice thing is you don’t have to worry about things like the roof, the plumbing, or other external items. It’s like having an apartment that you’re able to rent out. Condos are in the price range where people can actually still afford them, and it's an opportunity to get in on a good investment at a lower price.

 If you’re thinking about buying or selling a condo or know somebody who is, give me a call or send me an email. I’d love the chance to talk to you about your real estate goals.
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Location: Long Beach, CA, USA

A Breakdown of Trust Deed Investing


Trust deed investment is a form of property investment that is appealing to some people who haven't seen the returns they wanted from things like stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.

Looking to sell a home in Southern California?  
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 

Today, we’re talking all about trust deed investing with Jonathan Marshall from Bella Vita Property Investments.

Trust deed investing is similar to what the banks will do when they finance real estate acquisitions. Many people think of real estate investment from the ownership approach, as if they'll own the property. Trust deed investing is the banker's approach, where you finance the real estate by loaning an investor money for a property. Like a bank, you would realize the return of the investment via mortgage checks or long-term equity share on the property.



Many consider it a more lucrative investment strategy because they're used to the typical stock, bonds and mutual funds where returns may not be what they expect. With trust deed investment, you can see returns from 6% up to double digits and even up to 20% depending on the type of investment. 


The best candidate for these are investors with liquid capital, or some cases, a qualified self-directed IRA. A lot of investments will be looked at one of two ways. Do you want to be the sole person on the deed of trust, or are you willing to be a co-investor with other people? There are ways to do fractional investments or a trust account, so you can be an investor if you don't have enough money to front the entire investment. 

Jonathan has seen some investors start with as little as $10,000. However, given higher home prices in the California Market, you probably need an initial investment of $300,000 or more to be a sole entity.
Personally, Jonathan prefers investments with a twelve to eighteen-month timeframe; if his money is not sitting waiting for a return, he can re-invest those funds, and put them to work earning again. At times, it’s possible to get a six to eight month turnaround, but Jonathan prefers to set the expectation of a 10 to 12 month turnaround with the expectation that it may be up to a year to 18 months.

If you have questions about trust deed investing, you can find Jonathan at his website or call him at 562-493-4807. If you have any other questions about real estate, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
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Location: Long Beach, CA, USA

Different Ways to Invest in Southern California Real Estate


Most people associate property investment with rental properties or flipping houses for profit like you see on TV. 

 Looking to sell a home in Southern California? 
Looking to buy a home in Southern California? 

Everybody’s heard about flips, and you see them on TV all the time. Of course, there’s also the route of buying a new property and renting your old home. Today I’m joined by Jonathan Marshall with Bella Vita Property Investments to talk about some other options that many people don’t know about. 


 Start with determining what you hope to achieve. Do you want a more liquid investment that you’ll have in a year, or more long-term, meaning you might not have it for years and years? Another way to look at it is; do you want cash flow or appreciation? Or maybe both, if you can?

 The good thing is, you’re not limited to traditional residential property. When renting a home, the chances for losing a tenant (and the cash flow) is extremely high. Investing in an apartment complex can have less risk, whether you’re investing alone or pooling the investment with a group. Your investment is more secure; losing 10 tenants in a 100-tenant complex still leaves you with 90% occupancy. 

 There are other options with trust deed investing as well. Sometimes opportunities arise to invest in a residential rehab in which the initial investment ran dry or the first investors pulled out. These opportunities allow you to bring money into an investment short-term; maybe six months to a year. 

 Then there are commercial investments, such as office space or warehouses. With these projects, you can expect to wait about 2-5 years before the expected cycle and exit strategy kick in. These terms aren’t absolute, though. For example, we were just looking at a commercial office revitalization that was scheduled to be completed in 18 months. 

If you have more questions for us about property investing, please don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email! We’d love to hear from you.
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Location: Long Beach, CA, USA

Don't Fall into This New Construction Trap When Buying

I’ve been working with some buyers lately who are looking at new construction homes, and it got me thinking about all the ways that builders can take advantage of buyers at these homes without representation.

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Today we are going to be talking about new construction housing, specifically, we are going to talk about some precautions you may want to take if you are interested in taking a look at some newly built homes.

I was previewing a couple of new construction properties for a client of mine recently, it made me think of how many people don’t know they can hire their own agent to represent them in a new construction purchase. When people go directly to the builders, without speaking to an agent first, it can cause some issues.

The three most common mistakes that people make when buying new construction are:

  • They don’t hire a real estate agent.
  • They don’t do their research.
  • They don’t read the fine print.


A lot of times when you register with a builder without an agent with you, they won’t allow you to have representation on the purchase. If you were to just come to meet with an agent before taking a look at one of these homes, and take them with you, you wouldn’t have this problem.

If you have any questions or you or somebody you know is looking to buy new construction here in Orange County, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
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Location: Long Beach, CA, USA
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