Kristin Hamilton's Inland Empire Blog

Should I Do a Short Sale or Just Let My Home Go Into FORECLOSURE?

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:22:15 -0700

Should I Do a Short Sale or Just Let My Home Go Into FORECLOSURE?

This is a question many homeowners ask and I have some reasons for you NOT to let your home go into foreclosure.

You will always have to disclose that you had a foreclosure on any mortgage application and many jobs applications you submit in the future. Typically this will make your interest rate go up and the points you pay for your loan when you can finally get a new loan many years from now.

Credit Scores (FICO) will be lowered by 300+ points and a foreclosure is the most devastating credit issue in relation to future credit availability.

You have probably heard of credit repair companies. Well, a foreclosure on a credit report is almost impossible to ever have removed or have the wording changed.

If you took out a second (Home Equity Loan) after you bought your home, the lender may try to come after you for the amount and seek a deficiency judgment in court. They can get a lien and if you ever get another property or hit the lottery, they can collect on the lien.

Many employers run credit checks on prospective employees and when they see the foreclosure show up, you may not get the job.

If you have a job with a security clearance, a foreclosure can put your position in jeopardy; Military, Law Enforcement and Government employees.

After the foreclosure and eviction process by the bank, when you try to rent a place to live and the rental management company sees the eviction and foreclosure on your credit report, they probably will not rent to you or if they do they may want more deposit down.

And the second most asked question…..How many years will it take before I can buy a house again after a foreclosure? With a short sale, the lenders typically say 3-4 years but a foreclosure can be 7-10 years.

You are proud and probably do not want your neighbors to know so if you sell your home, they will applaud you in this market. If you hide your head and think it will go away; the local law enforcement will eventually be knocking and posting an eviction notice. Now this can be embarrassing for your kids and yourself.

Also many of the banks are giving money to the homeowner to assist them in moving to a new residence. This money can help to call the movers, pay first and last rent, cleaning deposits or just other expenses.

Only you can make that decision but isn't it better to try to do the short sale as it can be easier on you and your family.

Isn't this what you want? Walk away clean and not worry about any bill collectors calling you in the future.

If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home. I have experience doing short sales and have sucessfully closed them for homeowners. I have taken many hours of training and continue to go to updated training. Make sure you get a Realtor who has this training or you are probably not going to be sucessful. I am a CDPE- Certified Distressed Property Realtor.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

This post was authored and or picture was taken by Kristin Hamilton. ©2012, All Rights Reserved, This content may not be reproduced or reprinted (Except for ActiveRain Re-blogging) without express written permission of Kristin Hamilton, Keller Williams Realty, Redlands, CA.

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Do I Need to Disclose…………..Everything?

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:44:52 -0700

Do I Need to Disclose…………..Everything?

This is one of the common questions I get from my sellers and also callers who are thinking about selling. As Realtors, we have numerous disclosure forms that the sellers must fill out completely and then they are given to the buyers to read and sign as well.

There are more disclosure forms to be signed than the sales contract. This is the place that sellers need to be completely honest and fill out the forms to the best of their ability. It can be confusing and you are unsure what to put down on the form? That is understandable.

It is alright that you have had repairs done as all homes need repairs. This is why the home improvement stores are full of homeowners and contractors every day buying parts to take care of repairs. It is great that you had the items fixed instead of letting it go and possibly get worse.

If it was a major repair, you should have an invoice from the contractor which will help when you are filling out the papers or possibly the records are in your computer. Was there a permit pulled for a HVAC unit or patio/patio cover? These are items that are usually passed on from one homeowner to the next but the buyers can check with the city for any permits. Do not say you had a permit if you didn’t as the records speak for themselves.

Here are some items you should mention when filling out the papers.

Repairs or Remodeling

Electrical, plumbing, roof, water damage, wind damage, broken windows or any other repairs you can think of.
Any insurance claims for damage to your home.
Mold issues-either past or current problem.
Any Remodeling done on your home and Permits taken out.
Painting- Inside or out
Room Additions or Patio Covers or new poured slabs.
Extermination Problems- Ants, rats or bees in the attic, gophers, Monthly or Quarterly exterminator service.

Amimals

Pets that live or lived in your home-smells, urine stains, chewed carpet.

Neighborhood Drama

Drug house down the street
MURDER in the house 3 doors down 5 years ago
Next door neighbors getting arrested all the time
The lady 4 houses down hung herself last year.

(Just some examples)

Noise Pollution

Trains near
Freeway close by
Planes (like if you are near an airport)
Animals- barking dogs or maybe a Rooster that crows all night.

Medical Issues

Deaths in the house? Let me clarify here I have sold 2 homes that the owners both died of heart attacks inside. That is OK but you just have to disclose it.

Things you do not have to disclose

HIV Medical issues and
Sexual Preference.

Here are some Pictures of things to Disclose that you had repaired.

1. Water damage and Mold.

2. Drywall Repairs

3. Room Addition added.

4. Water damage and Mold.

5. Fence fell down and probably insurance claim too.

6. Animals living in the house.

7. Wires coming out of ducts outside home.

*There are many things that I have not mentioned but…..if you have a question of whether or not you should write it down, then you probably should.

Remember, if you think you do not need to tell something as no one will find out, either the neighbors will tell or the home inspector will detect it and then you look like you are not being honest.

Be totally honest as you would expect someone to be with you if you were in the buyer’s shoes. And if you forget something and remember during the escrow time, we can amend the form, send them an addendum or just an email.

Just be honest!

These photographs taken in Riverside and San Bernardino County by Kristin Hamilton.

I sell real estate in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties; Redlands, Loma Linda, Highland, Colton, Yucaipa, San Bernardino and other cites too. If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home.

My name is Kristin Hamilton and I sell Real Estate. I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Will I Save Money if Sell My Own House Instead of Calling a Realtor

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:06:40 -0700

I’ll Save Money if Sell My Own House Instead of Calling a Realtor; NO…….15 Reasons Why You Really Lose Money.

1. Did you know that only about 5% of the homes listed by FSBO sell? The rest of the homeowners either get frustrated and decide not to sell or they call an experienced Realtor to list their home.

2. Approximately 80% of FBSO’s call a Realtor for assistance after a long and unsetting experience and the other 15% just decide not to sell and most remain unhappy about this situation. In another year, they will call a Realtor as they will remember what a bad experience they had.

3. If the homeowner then gets disgusted and takes their home off the market for a few months or years, they will probably net less money as prices continue to go down.

4. Do you realize you do not have all the current sales available to you? The title company reports all sales: Trusts, Divorces, Foreclosures, Auctions, and Realtor sales. Do you know what sales to consider and what not to? We have all the sales available that count through our Multiple Listing Service and private parties are not allowed to get that data.

5. Buyers will not even know your home is for sale unless they happen to see your sigh. Your home will not appear in the MLS unless you hire a service to put it in for you. Then this service is going to try and convert you to list with them; a full service listing. So why not go ahead and just list first with an experienced Realtor.

6. Are you aware of all the important disclosures necessary to get signed by yourselves and the buyers? If you do not get these signed, you are leaving yourself wide open for a lawsuit later after the home has sold.

7. Do you know what reports you must order and you will have to pay up front for these reports. If you do not provide them, you are looking at a lawsuit in the future.

8. Do you know what this time period may be? The only time period is that the new owners have 3 years to bring a lawsuit after they find the defect that they feel was notdisclosure to them?

9. Approximately 95% of all Sellers and Buyers want an experienced Realtor to help them with their sale and would never take the risk of doing it themselves.

10. Do you realize the risk of just putting a sign in your yard and letting anyone knock on your door? They might be prospective buyers and they might be criminals ready to check out if they want to come back and burglarize your home later. And are these strangers serious or just looking for fun.

11. Also are the buyer’s prequalified buyers? If not, buyers just looking for a home but it can be a waste of time as many cannot qualify. Are you just wasting your time and effort by opening up your house to them? Agents always get their buyers pre-qualified before taking them out to look.

12. Many people drive around and go in FBSO homes if they are considering selling their home soon in the area with a Realtor. They may just be snooping to see what features you have or don’t have as a smart homeowner knows the competition.

13. Unless there are open houses in the area, you cannot just go and see inside the other homes in the area. As most homeowners, expect a Realtor to accompany any buyers walking through their home.

14. Do you know how to prepare your home for sale to get the best price and make it look the most presentable? Realtors are experienced in doing this every day.

15. Here is the Big Reason for most Sellers; Do not want to pay the Realtors Commission. Am I right? Yes, you think you are just as smart so you will keep your money and not share it with a Realtor. Sorry but you are WRONG!

*I am going to share a diagram that will make it easy to see why you are not saving any money.

Scenario 1:

Scenario 2:

Scenario 3:

This is what you want; sold, moved on, no worry of lawsuits, and relaxed and money in the bank.

If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Cruising in Alaska and Still Taking Care of My Real Estate Business

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:33:31 -0700

Cruising in Alaska and Still Taking Care of My Real Estate Business..

This is an entry for the Positive Attitude for the Weary Soul Group Contest! | Fun in the Sun While the Business Still Runs!Join in on the Challenge!

Frankly, I had not been on a vacation in years as I always felt I was too busy to get away. My spouse wanted to go to Alaska and booked a trip in January. So all I could do was prepare to be away for 11 days.

· My assistant could take care of most emergencies.

· A back-up Realtor was there for negotiations, contract issues or listings.

· My BPO assistant could handle any new or re-do BPO’s.

· My Contractor could handle any repairs, emergencies or trash-outs.

· I had my Smart Phone to text, email or telephone if necessary.

So off we go on our cruise to Alaska. We had a great time and cruised for 5 days and then took a land package that took us to Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Mt. Denali.

We had Sprint as our phone carrier and they said we could get service in Alaska. Wrong! I should have known when I asked one of the employees at the Sprint store and he said “Where is Alaska?” My friend had Verizon and said “Oh you will have service so don’t worry.” My husband’s carrier was Verizon so I had service.

Luckily the ship had internet and the Princess hotels had internet computers so I was able to conduct business daily.

Here are some pictures of us on our cruise.

I had one funny thing happen while up at Mt. Denali. I emailed my BPO assistant as there was an email saying they needed a correction but she didn’t understand what they wanted. OK, I can do this since our tour bus doesn’t arrive for 30 minutes. Of course no calculator but had a pen. Logged onto the BPO site, grabbed a flyer laying there and did the calculations in long hand. Good thing I knew how to do math without a calculator. Plugged in the numbers and sent it in. Got back to the front of the hotel just as the bus was pulling up to pick us up. That was a close call!

We had a great time and were gone 11 days and my business ran smoothly. I had great support sites like my MLS, Google, Relay (all documents stored here), Zip Forms and others. I keep my passwords with me so I can always log on from anywhere to conduct my business. When I got home, everything was taken care of and my clients were still happy and most people didn’t even know I had been gone.

Everyone needs a vacation whether it is a long cruise or just a few days away. With modern technology, most of us can go anywhere and not have any problems. My new Smart Phone gets service in Alaska so I won’t have to borrow one the next time.

Everyone should try to get away for a vacation once in a while. We stayed so busy so we didn’t get much rest but it was relaxing. ©

These photographs taken in Alaska by Kristin Hamilton.

My name is Kristin Hamilton and I sell real estate. I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

We Were Ready to Close and then it all Fell Apart!

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:41:12 -0700

We Were Ready to Close and then it all Fell Apart!

One of my very first buyers worked at a major bank but they had such strict regulations that she could not qualify so she had spoken to one of my in-house lenders and I was assured she could qualify as her credit was clear, her work record was lengthy and the price was right.

She had contacted me and we had found the perfect house within the first day of looking. I thought this would be really easy.

Wrong!

I meet the buyer at the office and she signed all the contracts. It was a Saturday and this particular lender came in while we were there. I introduced her and then I asked her to give me a pre-qual letter so I could fax the offer (yes, we faxed everything then).

This lender came out and sheepishly said “Can I talk to you for a minute?” I seemed rather obvious she wanted to tell me something about my client. So I went in the back room and of course she wanted to tell me that the buyer was getting welfare and would probably not qualify! No, she has guardianship of two of her nephews and the county pays her money. The parents were deceased so this was a monthly amount given to her until the children turned 18 years old and they were 2 and 3 years old. I explained this is was not welfare and she works full time.

I came back and my client immediately said “Do I have to use this lender?” No, you can use anyone you want and I can recommend a couple of others to you which I did.

A couple of days later she called and said she found a lender from a friend of a friend. I “Hate” these situations as they can fall apart really fast.

OK, so we were in escrow and the new lender said everything was fine. We got the final Hud 1 from escrow and are right on schedule to close in a few days. And then all H……..broke loose.

Her lender had sent in figures to escrow that did not match the first ones. My client called me crying that she was short $2900 and did not have any more money. Her kids were in the background crying too and oh yes, I forgot to mention she was pregnant too. "Please don't get upset and I will think of something" She had given notice and all her stuff was packed in boxes so where was she going to move if this did fall apart?

I called the lender but she did not return my call so I left a message. Of course she did not want to talk to me.

So instead of giving up, I had a conference call with escrow, title, the seller’s agent and my client. Luckily, my buyer had gotten $1800 from her mother and sister but that was all they had. So we were still $1100 short and no solution in site. Escrow agreed to cut fees by $150, Title agreed to cut fees $150, Buyer’s Agent agreed to pay $300 out of commissions and I agreed to $300 out of my commissions too. Still left us $200 short so I called the lender and I am still getting voicemail. I left a rather firm and unpleasant message and told her she could reduce her fees by $200 or the whole deal would be off….and 2 points of no loan is ZERO. She called me right back and said she had to change the points from 1% to 2% as the buyer had bad credit. I knew this was not true but what could I do at this point. So the lender agreed to reduce the fees by $200 so now we had enough to close.

We closed and everyone was happy and as it turned out the other agent and I only had to chip in $200 each since the lender reduced the fees by $400 instead. I think it was her guilty conscious.

I still cringe when someone wants to use an unknown lender that is a friend of a friend! But it is always the buyer’s option who they choose to do their loan. I can recommend someone but I am certainly not going to try to talk them out of a lender they want to use.

The important thing was that the seller got their money and the buyer’s loan closed and the buyer got a nice house to move her family into. Our clients are the important parties and we must try to do what we can to close the deal. When all seems to fall apart, there is usually a remedy if everyone will participate and not give up. I was glad I found an easy solution; well maybe not easy but a solution. That is my job because when I take on a client I give my all and then some.

If you are a homeowner or seller in Redlands, Loma Linda, Highland, San Bernardino, Colton CA or anywhere in Riverside or San Bernardino counties, call me.If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home. I sell real estate for you.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

The Smart Phone…Greatest Technological Invention Ever!

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:35:36 -0700

The Smart Phone…Greatest Technological Invention Ever!

I am a Realtor in the Redlands/ Loma Linda/ Highland CA area. It is a large area of San Bernardino County and has many homes for sale and has many serious buyers looking to buy daily. Since I am always going to appointments and showing properties, I need to be extremely mobile to conduct business efficiently.

I contemplated over which piece of equipment or a particular website was the most import to me. I have so many sites I use on the computer that make me extremely mobile like Relay, Dot Loop, Zip Forms, Google or even my KW email. I have EchoSign at my fingertips to get contracts signed and can make PDF documents without having to print and scan them as before. I can print to mobile printers and not have to drive 25 miles to get back to our office. I have scanners which copy, scan and fax. I have computers that are stationary and laptops I carry with me. I adore my iPad and was thinking this was the equipment but process of elimination, I decided my smart phone was the best invention ever.

I used to be stuck at my desk afraid I would miss an email. Of course, I had a cell phone so I received calls if I wasn’t in a dead zone but how many times did the phone not ring or drop the call when we tried to answer it. This seemed to happen over and over and over again. It is very frustrating for everyone when you cannot complete your calls.

Then I got “Smart” and bought a smart phone about 3 years ago and my life opened up and changed for the best. I could now attend seminars and receive emails while I was sitting there. I would put my phone on silent mode and I could receive and send text messages too. Plus it did not disturb anyone like the ringers on our phones did. This opened up a new world for me. I could finally get away from my desk and still communicate with other professionals and my clients. What I didn’t realize at the time was that this was just a crude phone and the newer ones would be so much better.

I recently bought a new Smart Phone and I am in love. Yes, this is the greatest invention ever. I can open and view all my email accounts, sent tweets and post onto Facebook, take great pictures and send them by email or text immediately to clients, friends, or colleagues. I can show off my pictures when someone asks as they are at my fingertips. I can take a quick picture if I need to send it or just to save it as a reminder. If I need an address, phone number or email; it is right there in my phone so I don’t have to call someone and ask for it.

The Smart Phone has given me so much freedom and I have so many apps at my finger tips to make my life and career run smoothly. I can attend educational seminars or even slip away for a few hours to go shopping, have a manicure or a dental appointment but still have a tight control over my business as I am my own CEO. I am a happy Realtor and so much more independent now. I am just wondering what the new smart phones will be like in the next few years. Life will just get better and better and we will get smarter and smarter. Ring….Ring.

If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent in Loma Linda, Highland, Redlands, San Bernardino, California or anywhere in the San Bernardino and Riverside , CA area, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home because I sell real estate here.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Buyers- Things to Tell Your Agent before Starting to Look for Homes

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:45:29 -0700

Buyers- Things to Tell Your Agent before Looking for Homes

Here is a list of ideas to get you thinking about what you want and what you must have so you can find your dream home.

Financial Information:

1. How much do you want to spend? Are you flexible?

2. How long have you worked at your particular job?

3. Have you ever filed a bankruptcy or had a foreclosure? When?

4. Do you have any judgments or liens against you?

5. Have you been pre-approved for a house yet?

6. Can we get the pre-approval now before we start looking?

1. How many will be living in the house?

2. Overnight Guests; do you need a guest room?

3. What do you like to do on weekends? Entertaining, Camping, Traveling etc.

4. Do you need a home to accommodate Special Needs?

5. Do you have pets; Inside or outside pets?

6. What do you want the home to say about you?

Location:

1. Do you commute? How far do you want to be from your office?

2. Are schools important or is there a particular school you want to live near?

3. Did you want a home with a view of an area; mountains, beach, desert?

4. Nearby to Freeway access, Shopping Centers, Parks, Little League/ Soccer fields, Day-Care Centers.

5. Do you prefer a rural area?

6. Do you care if the tract of homes has a Home Owners Association fee?

7. Are you interested in a particular tract, ranch, school district?

8. What else is important about your location?

House:

1. Do you want move-in condition or a fixer?

2. Do you want a home with a Pool or Spa?

3. Age of home- How old vs. Newer home?

4. Do you want a Fireplace?

5. Floorplan; are you looking for an open floorplan that flows?

6. What type of Kitchen do you want? Features; Stainless appliances, type of Countertops?

7. Do you need a formal Dining Room?

8. Do you need a formal Living Room?

9. How many rooms? Bathrooms and Bedrooms?

10. Do you want a Family Room?

11. Any particular type of flooring you need?

12. How many Stories?

13. How big of Lot do you want?

14. Do you need a big Backyard? Fenced? Covered Patio?

15. Do you need a Downstairs Bedroom & Bathroom for guests?

16. How big of Garage do you need? Need lots of storage?

17. Inside Laundry room vs. garage Laundry room?

18. What other features are important to you?

19. Do you want a shed or greenhouse?

20. Do you have a drop dead date you need to be moved in by?

21. Anything else you can think of that I did not ask you?

Five Must-Haves:

1. ______________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________

When you get ready to go looking at homes, make sure to prepare a list or print this one out and give it to your agent so she/he can find homes with yours special wants and needs. You do not want to waste your time looking at homes you would never be interested in?

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you like my article, push this button and sign up for my daily posts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

How to Get More Bang for my Buck-Remodeling to Add Value When I Sell

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:57:16 -0700

What Improvements Can I Do to Upgrade My House That Will Add Value When I Sell?

Most prospective buyers are looking for homes that are move in ready so if you want to do a few upgrades before you put your home on the market, make sure you are not just throwing your money away.

Upgrading Kitchens: This is a money making investment if it is done correctly. Here are some suggestions.

New appliances (Stainless/ Black are popular)
Sink
New Cabinetry
Stone Countertops
Adding an Island
Upgraded Electrical-GFI's so important

Upgrading Plumbing
Recessed Lighting–Remove old fluorescent fixture.
Slate, Tile or Wood Floors

Upgrading Bathrooms: This is another place that will add value to your dated home.

New Fixtures; Vanities, Tub, Shower, and Toilets
Walk-In Shower is you have room.
New Flooring
Upgraded Plumbing
Upgraded Electrical; GFI’s are so important.
Painting walls something more than white
New Faucets and Fixtures
Tile Surround in tub and showers
New Glass Doors in shower
Stone Countertops on sink vanity area.

Family Rooms: This is a popular area for most families so if you can enlarge this area and do a few improvements; your home will stand out from others.

Flooring-Wood Floors are so popular here.
Painting and removing old paneling.
Mount TV on Wall to make room look more spacious.
Remove dated Mantel from Fireplace.
Paint a cool color-earthtone beiges very popular.
Built in Cabinets if done fairly inexpensively.
Remove excess furniture and equipment when putting everything back.

A New Front Door: This is usually the first thing a buyer looks at when they drive up so if your door is old, dated, paint peeling, and warped by weather and water it may be a time to replace your door. The major home improvement stores have contractors who will come out and replace the doors within a few days. They do a great job and the prices are fair. This is an improvement that will make sure your home looks inviting and well taken care of.

If you have one of those older aluminum screens (not security screen), just remove it so your new door will be visible from the street. If the door is in good condition, give it a new coat of paint to upgrade it. This will give your home great "Curb Appeal". This door is beautiful and just needs a little touch up paint. It will really attract a buyer and they will remember the red doors. Always give the buyer something to remember.

Open and Spacious Floorplan: When you are remodeling your kitchen and family room, knock out any non-load bearing walls to make it flow better and look bigger. *Your contractor can give you more advice on this.

Exterior:

Paint the Trim around house and garage.
Remove any junk around the house.
Weed, edge, mow and water the lawn
Trim the trees and shrubs.
Plant flowers and maybe a bowl of flowers on the porch
Buy a Roll-Up Garage Door if you have old style.
Buy a new front door mat and throw old one away.

If you do these upgrades in basic colors, and use mid range appliances (black or Stainless), cabinetry (not oak), and supplies; you will add money to the value of your home. Do not buy the cheapest but do not buy the top of the line either. If you spend $100,000 remodeling your kitchen, you will not get the full value back out. As they say “You will not get as much bang for your buck”.

**One more thing, get several quotes and hire a contractor. Go on the state web site and make sure the person you hire is a licensed contractor.

These photographs taken in the Inland Empire by Kristin Hamilton.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Thinking about Selling You Home….De-Clutter First

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:57 -0700

Thinking about Selling You Home….De-Clutter First

So you are thinking about putting your home on the market and you have taken care of all the minor repairs and just about ready to call a Realtor. But you need to do one more thing; De-Clutter inside and out.

The size of your house is not going to change but there are things you can do to make it look larger and more enticing to prospective buyers.

Here is a bedroom with lots of knick-knacks sitting around and the color is pretty bright.

Now here the room has just a few items sitting around now, the picture was changed, and the colors are toned down. The room looks bigger.

Here is a messy closet; yes most of our closets look like this but to sell your home, pack or give away things you are not using. I read somewhere that if you have not worn something in over a year, give it away. Do you need 20 pairs of worn out tennis shoes or heels you haven’t worn in 10 years or those clothes that you wore in high school. Are they really going to come back in style?

Pack them up and donate. Get some big crates or wicker baskets and put all the loose items or small bags into the baskets to give it a cleaner look. Buy a organizer kit at the local home improvement store and look what you have for $35 and what a clean and neat look. This is one of those do-it-yourself projects that you can complete in a couple of hours.

In the kitchen, take all the stuff off the counters that you do not use; appliances, 3 sets of canisters, books on the top of the refrigerator and food that needs to be put away in the cabinets. Do you want your kitchen to look too small to hold everything?

No, you want to pack it away and do you need 3 cabinets full of Tupperware, pie tins or those plastic containers you save from butter and frozen dinners. We all save these but do we need 50 of each?

Here is the side of a house. Remove excess pots, dead plants, junk, stuff that didn’t sell at your garage sale a year ago. Put it in the trash and clean it up.

Here is a garage to view. Can you guess what is wrong with this room? Get rid of the stuff you don’t need. Call the donation truck or take your excess junk to the dump or a storage center. By cleaning up the entire house, it will tell buyers you care and show pride of ownership.

So clean up the house and get rid of your clutter and then you will probably be ready to put it on the market. Then call the Realtor.

These photographs taken in the Inland Empire by Kristin Hamilton.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Help…..I Have Gophers!

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:51:23 -0700

Help…..I Have Gophers!

Usually I am blogging cute little critters but this time I am asking for help. I have called gopher control businesses and have read numerous articles regarding extermination humanely and environmentally friendly but what we have tried has not helped and the problem is getting worse.

I bought traps but the dirt just gets impacted in there. I tried sticking the hose in the holes but that didn’t stop them either. The cat keeps an eye out but doesn’t seem interested in digging for it. I have read about pinwheels, Pine-Sol, Poisonous Bait and flares but have not tried these remedies.

Does anyone have a sure fire way to get rid of them as they are digging up my daisies and putting holes in my front lawn? HELP!!!

These photographs taken in the Inland Empire by Kristin Hamilton.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Cloud Blot Shapes..Do you See it?

Sun, 13 May 2012 09:17:58 -0700

Cloud Blot Shapes..Do you See it?

I find myself looking for shapes in the clouds. It reminds me of the Rorschach Inkblot test. I usually find puppies, cats, rabbits, birds, etc. Here are a few I found recently.

What do you think this cloud is?

These photographs taken in Loma Linda by Kristin Hamilton.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Hummingbirds ……Buzzing in My Yard Finally

Sat, 12 May 2012 11:27:21 -0700

Hummingbirds ……Buzzing in My Yard Finally

I am a real advocate for hanging bird feeders in your yard; the more the better but have never had a hummingbird feeder until last week. I hung it up and not one hummingbird. I hung ribbons and put flower pots below and finally they arrived last night. I am very happy as I love the little hummingbirds.

Do you have bird feeders in your yard?

These photographs taken in Loma Linda by Kristin Hamilton.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966.

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

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Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

The National "Got Your 6" Campaign....Support Returning Veterans.

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:30:19 -0700

"Got Your 6" Campaign....Support Returning Veterans.

Yesterday morning in Los Angeles, California,The Mission Continues announced they were joining other top-tier non-profit organizations along with the major entertainment industry to launch the Got Your 6™ campaign (http://www.gotyour6.org). Got Your 6 will create and offer many opportunities for veterans to successfully convert their military skills and leadership into positive civilian roles.

The Got Your 6campaign will focus on six pillars of reintegration, working with a lead non-profit organization to activate each pillar in pursuit of a specific, substantial launch goal. The Mission Continues is proud to serve as the primary activation partner for the leadership pillar, furthering its mission to challenge veterans to serve and lead in communities across America. “The Mission Continues” has pledged to engage veterans and military families in 1.5 million hours of community service by July 2013. Through service, veterans rebuild a sense of purpose in their own lives while showcasing to the public that our veterans are assets who leadership is needed here at

The Mission Continues challenges veterans to serve and lead in communities across America. The organization was founded by former US Navy SEAL Eric Greitens in 2007 when he returned from his final deployment to Iraq. The Mission Continues offers six-month community service fellowships to veterans, awarding more than 350 fellowships to date. The organization does not offer charity; rather, it challenges returning service members to utilize their tremendous skills and leadership to continue serving our country at home. For more information, please visit http://www.missioncontinues.org.

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Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Easy Steps for Blogging…

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:49:13 -0700

Easy Steps for Blogging…

Most of us have the same goal; to write an interesting post and get our name up higher on Google and get noticed. I have been an ActiveRain member for almost a year now and have learned so much within that time.

I just jumped in and started writing and posting pictures I had taken. Now, I have a better idea of what to do to make my blog more interesting for readers.

Here are some easy steps for blogging.

· Interesting and Popular Subjects- Catchy titles to draw the reader in. You need good curb appeal to get the reader to want to stop and view your blog.

· Good Content-Make it worth their time to stop and read plus you want the reader to come back again for more. Sometimes you can add a zinger to your article that makes the reader go….WOW I didn’t know that!

· Easy to Read & Using Color-Make it interesting vs. bland and boring. Change the font style or color, preferably dark text on light backgrounds, nice pictures. Using headers, sub-titles, bold, underlined, italics, and bullets all make the content easy to read and understand. Too much color is not good though so remember to make it interesting but not too busy.

· Good Impressions-You want the reader to enjoy your article and feel it was worth their while to stop and read. You want the reader to decide to come again, feel your article was full of good information, and write down your name/number/link.

· Entice Your Readers-Subjects that will interest readers searching on the internet. Examples like Real Estate subjects; short sales, how to stage home for sale, questions to ask your agent, 5 things to do before you list your home, etc.

· Clear but Concise-Clear understanding but not long in length or you will lose your reader’s attention. You want the reader to know the basics; who, what, where, when and how. Answer all the readers’ questions so they don’t finish and say WHAT?????

· Adding Photographs- Photographs or clip art make the articles interesting and keep the readers interest. Photographs can make the story easier to envision and follow. Plus with photos, you can make the text shorter as the photos fill in the blanks. Adding scenery or nature photos is a nice way to compliment an article even if they are not about the subject matter. But another point to remember; not too many photos but just enough to make the post interesting.

· SEO Friendly- Search Engine Optimization runs a blog. The theme should be SEO-friendly in terms of its structure and coding. A weakly coded theme can severely limit your reach to search engine visitors and will ultimately affect the popularity of your blog. So the first thing to look for in a theme for your blog is the aspect of search engine friendliness in its coding and basic structure. A general misconception about SEO is that it relates to the content of the blog only. In reality your blog’s theme has a major impact on SEO.

Summary- A good blog is like listing a house. You want good curb appeal to get the buyer to stop and get out of the car. Same thing with your blog post, you must entice the reader to stop and take a look.

***Just remember you have about 6-10 seconds to impress your reader to come back again. Readers do not have a lot of time and will usually skim the article so hit the highlights with subtitles and good photos.

Short, Concise, Interesting, Good Subject Matter, Photos of good quality, Well Written Text, SEO Friendly, Easy to Read and Easy to Flow.

If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home.

I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG

Oscar Meyer Weenie Mobile! (lol)??

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:12:15 -0700

I was so excited when I saw David's post about the Weinermobile so I just had to share it with everyone who may have missed it. I am so jealous as I have never seen it in person. I will be singing the song now all day.

Stop by David Shamansky's post and say hello...great shot.

Via US Mortgages - David Shamansky:

Oscar Meyer Weenie Mobile (lol)

Well you have to give it to those who push the envelope in marketing and branding. To have a hot dog company create a weenie mobile to travel across country does nothing other than bring brand awareness along with smiles to most kids faces.

Its a rare occassion to actually see one but I have seen one driving down the road on one of my road trips before but this one just happened upon me as I pulled into a grocery store parking lot and I couldnt resist taking the pic.

Kudos to the creative who came up with this how can one ever forget a hot dog car?

Enjoy...

1st Time buyers, if you are ready to stop renting, get the many benefits from home ownership, or maybe your a current homeowner looking to move up or maybe looking into what it takes to become an investor in this incredible market, that WILL create millionaires, and you are looking for a strategy, answers and direction, please feel free to call or email me. My 18yrs in mortgage lending and 27 years in finance gives me an in depth knowledge, critical to helping others and making their dreams go from dream to reality!

David Shamansky
"Positive reinforcer, promoter, success coach, entrepreneur, team builder, wealth builder, blessed individual, business leader and professional lender"

US Mortgages
1745 Shea Center Dr 4th Floor
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
720-524-8020
NMLS#245170
Equal Housing Lender

*photos used may come from my personal pictures or www.freedigitalphotos.net

Via US Mortgages - David Shamansky:

Oscar Meyer Weenie Mobile (lol)

Well you have to give it to those who push the envelope in marketing and branding. To have a hot dog company create a weenie mobile to travel across country does nothing other than bring brand awareness along with smiles to most kids faces.

Its a rare occassion to actually see one but I have seen one driving down the road on one of my road trips before but this one just happened upon me as I pulled into a grocery store parking lot and I couldnt resist taking the pic.

Kudos to the creative who came up with this how can one ever forget a hot dog car?

Enjoy...

1st Time buyers, if you are ready to stop renting, get the many benefits from home ownership, or maybe your a current homeowner looking to move up or maybe looking into what it takes to become an investor in this incredible market, that WILL create millionaires, and you are looking for a strategy, answers and direction, please feel free to call or email me. My 18yrs in mortgage lending and 27 years in finance gives me an in depth knowledge, critical to helping others and making their dreams go from dream to reality!

David Shamansky
"Positive reinforcer, promoter, success coach, entrepreneur, team builder, wealth builder, blessed individual, business leader and professional lender"

US Mortgages
1745 Shea Center Dr 4th Floor
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
720-524-8020
NMLS#245170
Equal Housing Lender

*photos used may come from my personal pictures or www.freedigitalphotos.net

Join me in the Active Rain Real Estate Community!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you like my article, push this button and sign up for my daily posts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need a Great Realtor in San Bernardino & Riverside? Google me here...Kristin Hamilton 909.557.6966.

Kristin Hamilton CDPE, SFR, CHS, BA
Keller Williams Realty

DRE-01492138

909.557.6966

CALL ME AT (909) 557-6966.

LOCALISM. COM BLOG