Easy Ways to Customize Your Home’s Exterior

How can you stand out in your neighborhood?

Add a personal touch to your property!

Spring is here, so put this high on your list of priorities. In the past, the options for customizing the exterior features of a house may have been few and far between. But today, everything from siding to roofing is available in a wide range of styles, colors and designs. If you’re looking to customize your castle with ease, concentrate your efforts on a few of the following areas:



• Trim. Exterior trim can give your home a
graceful, appearance: Victorian, contemporary or
traditional American, depending on the taste of the
market at the given time.



• Siding. If you want to give your home a fast and
major makeover, consider replacing its siding.
Available in a vast array of colors and textures, siding
can make your home stand out and increase its value.
Vinyl and fiber cement are two materials that are easy
to maintain and will last over time.



• Decking. Outdoor living is a hot trend this
year and adding a deck is one of the most dramatic
ways to customize your home. Since many decks
are made with easy-to-clean materials such as
weather-resistant composite decking, they’re easy
to maintain as well.



• Railing. To match a new deck or patio,
consider adding a railing where the core is made of
a durable composite material, capped with
colonial-white or desert-tan PVC for a lasting,
freshly painted look. Composite and steel balusters
allow you to further customize the look of the
railing and decking.



• Roofing.A set of new shingles can add a touch
of personality to your home or improve its curb
appeal if you’re planning on selling it. Since the roof
covers the most area of a home’s exterior, it makes a
big difference in first impressions.

Compliments of First American Home Buyers Protection Corp.

See you around the neighborhood!

Easy Way To Save Money

Stick to Your Budget with "Reverse Credit"

One way to save up for large purchases is to buy yourself gift cards in small increments in advance, says a reader at personal finance blog Get Rich Slowly. So if you're saving up for an iPhone, for instance, buy yourself a $20 gift card to the Apple store every few weeks. Editor J.D. Roth writes:

You can use "reverse credit" to save for more than just large items. You might use it to budget for your morning coffee, for example. If you want to limit your spending at Starbucks, put a fixed amount ($20 maybe) on a card at the beginning of the month. When that card is drained, you know you've spent your coffee budget. At the start of next month, put another $20 on the card.

As J.D. points out, this method is similar to "envelope budgeting", the classic method your grandparents used to put money aside for specific purposes.
Use "Reverse Credit" to Stick to Your Budget [Get Rich Slowly]

What Does The Economic Stimulus Package Mean To You?

Hi neighbors,

I have been receiving many inquiries about the Economic Stimulus Package.... Many of my clients are wondering, "What's it going to do for me?" Well I came across this article written by Peter G. Miller that sums it up without all the "mumbo jumbo" our guys and gals on the hill tend to spew. Enjoy and get informed!!!

What Does The Economic Stimulus Package Mean To You?

Since passed by overwhelming Capitol Hill majorities in January, there has been much talk regarding the economic stimulus package. Yes, it will cost $168 billion, but what does it actually do for individuals?

The stimulus package is designed to help the country moderate the worst effects of a slowing economy and perhaps even avoid a recession. The idea is to encourage spending and with more spending to increase economic activity. While the theory looks good on paper, it will likely take months or years to know if it actually works.

From a personal perspective the January stimulus package has five major components that will immediately impact individuals with an interest in real estate.

1. Checks from Uncle Sam: According to the White House, taxpayers can receive rebates of up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples. A minimum of $300 per person and $600 per couple will be available to those with at least $3,000 of earned income. This relief will be available to everyone with adjusted gross income less than $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. The rebates will be phased out for taxpayers above those income thresholds.

2. Additional rebates will be mailed out for those with children. Everyone eligible for a rebate would also receive an additional $300 per child. For example, this would mean up to $1,800 of tax relief for an eligible couple with two children.

3. Reduced Income Taxes for Low-Income Wage Earners: The legislation says that 2008 taxes will be eliminated on the first $6,000 of taxable income for individual taxpayers and the first $12,000 of taxable income for couples. The tax rate used to be 10 percent on such income.

4. FHA mortgage loan limits will more than double in some cases. The usual limit in high-cost areas in the lower 48 states will rise from $362,790 to $729,750. Such financing allows buyer to purchase homes with 3 percent down.

5. Conventional loan limits will increase. The maximum size of a "conforming" loan will go from $417,000 to $729,750.

While the benefits for individuals look good, there are some caveats to consider.

First, those rebate checks are a one-time deal. While the government hopes that individuals will use the money for spending, many recipients will use the cash to pay down debts. Paying off bills can be a good use of your cash because it can mean lower monthly costs and better credit scores, thus lowering interest costs when you borrow to finance a home or car.

Second, if you want to buy or refinance with the new class of "conventional jumbo" mortgages, be aware that the FHA and conventional loan limits have only been raised for 2008. It's possible that the old limits will be reinstated in January 2009, so if you want a larger mortgage start planning now.

Third, while the conventional loan limit applies nationwide, the maximum amount you can borrow under the FHA program varies by location. In other words, the biggest loans will not be available everywhere. For specifics regarding your area, please speak with a mortgage counselor.

Or speak with me, The Realtor of Long Beach .... Check back soon for some more info as well as open house invites.

See you around the neighborhood!

HAPPY EASTER

"Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in his resurrection. Let him say not merely, 'Christ is risen', but 'I shall rise'."
- Phillips Brooks .

OPEN HOUSE IN NORWALK 3/22 12-4PM

Coronation 2008

I had a great opportunity in helping my partner at a fabulous event Coronation 2008. This is a peek of what we endured...ENJOY!!!

Spring Forward

Spring forward neighbors and if you are like me; excited that the sunshine is about to cast its hot rays upon us. I LOVE the warm weather: it gives us all a chance to get out there and frolic together by the water. I myself love a long bike ride along the beach or a boogie board romp with mother nature. It's also a great opportunity to meet or get re-acquainted with our neighbors and see what the hell is really going on in our neighborhoods. Open houses are springing up left and right and I strongly suggest that you visit a few to see what is selling and what is not. A great opportunity to find out where you stand in the market and maybe find yourself wanting a change.


Now April is approaching quickly and we all know what that means TAX TIME!!! eeekkk!

Here are some Real Estate Deductions that are often overlooked :

• Home acquisition mortgage loan fees.



• Home improvement loan fees.



• Loan fees paid to refinance a home loan ( or borrow against other real estate).



• When refinancing, deduct any undeducted loan fees.



• If you bought or sold property in the past year remember to deduct prorated real estate taxes.



• Deduct prorated mortgage interest in the year of property purchase or sale.



• Mortgage prepayment penalty.



• When land rent payment qualify as interest deductions.



• Home construction loan interest.



• Deduct prepaid property taxes and mortgage interest.

compliments of Fidelity National Title

For a more detailed explanation please contact me....

See you around the neighborhood!

Why Home Ownership Beats Stocks

Hi Neighbors! Much has been going on; marketing, networking and keeping my hopes and dreams alive, which has been quite a task at this time of my life. One major life change is that I now am a FULL -TIME realtor and able to start devoting ALL my efforts to the field I do enjoy. As well as inform you all of the latest news and give you helpful tips on what is going on in the real estate arena. Here in Long Beach, real estate is finally beginning to move giving us all a brighter view of what's to come. Thank GOD, I'm tired of living on cereal and Cup of Noodles, ok I may be exagerating a bit but sometimes it feels that way.

Listed on my favs section are some great up to date links to some informative and reliable real estate news sites that can be very helpful, please check them out as well as the link to the newest listings on the MLS on Find My New Home.

Recently I was chatting with a broker friend of mine and we got into a bit of a debate concerning what really is the best investment one could endure. Well I believe there is no better investment than real estate because over time it appreciates (regardless of our little slump). All you need to do is keep your home in good repair in order to maximize your out take.

Here are a few reasons why you get more for your money with a house:

• Leverage: Stocks-you put your money in a little piece of a company. House-you put your money to get all of the house.

• Tax benefits: All I can say here is SUBSIDIES! Thanks Uncle Sam. Don't forget the tax write-offs, interest rate deductions, and depreciation.

• Control: Remember when you buy stocks, you are paying some CEO approximately 500 times the average worker's salary to make decisions with YOUR money and well I don't want to bring up ENRON, oops I just did. That's just one example we could go on and on and on about corporate abuse or should I just say THEFT! When you purchase a home, you have complete control of what you buy, what you pay and where you live. You also have the ablility to increase the value with repairs and updates!
  
  
• Value: Unless some act of nature or a major castastrophe occurs, your house will not become worthless. Yes, some are losing a few percent this year; however you/they will make it up. Housing has lost value only one year out of 35, so don't freak out!

Keep this in mind....when it rains, which would you rather have over your head, a roof or a stock certificate?

Well as I stated, all my efforts are in the real estate biz; however I do have another project I am working on and that is a wonderful community website. It offers a community calendar, discussion forum, local government & school info, free classifieds and much more...Check it out
MyBelmontNews.com

Below is a little peak at me and some friends this past weekend at a great event held by Sam @ HB Skin Spa. Check it out and I'll see you around the neighborhood!

Selling Tips

Hi everyone! First of all congrats to our very own Long Beach hero Angela Madsen, she is the paraplegic who rowed across the Atlantic with Franck Fester (also differently abled). Please check out Row Of Life for the whole story...

I've been talking to many homeowners in our area and some of you asked,

"How do we get the best price in this buyer's market?"

Curb Appeal - I grew up with the notion that we are not to "judge a book by its cover" well that does not apply in real estate. Cosmetic upgrades not only works on us, it works on our homes as well. Fresh paint (like a new insta-tan), manicured lawns (nothing like a trimmed bush) and planting new fresh flowers (like a string of pearls) can really set you apart; which is what you need to do in this market. Ask me about Prudential's Cosmetic Repair Program!!!

Upgrade - Invest in making a room like a bathroom or kitchen "FABULOUS" in order to start a sort of buzz..."Did you see the home with the whirlpool tub?"

Disclosures - Get a preliminary inspection, so that you can improve the condition of your home before a buyer views it. Keep receipts and provide buyer with estimates on upgrades. Buyers will appreciate your proactive approach and above all trust in you.

Be Realistic - Price your home competitively with other like homes in the immediate area. Keep in mind that the market changes rapidly, so a three month comp. check is much more reliable than a 6 month. Also ask your real estate professional to show you homes that have been on the market for sometime or have expired; nine times out of ten the asking price is what drove buyers away!

Well that's it for now, see you around the neighborhood!

Closet Ball

This was the highlight of our weekend. The Closet Ball was a fundraising event for the CARE program that provides services to our very own. BOY did what he does best (sit in judgement of others) and with the help of Sageweb created this great video. Watch and enjoy!!!