FACT OR FICTION: A TAX ON REAL ESTATE SALES

Written by Benny L. Kass on Monday, 21 July 2014 1:26 pm
 
On January 1, 2013, the Net Investment tax went into effect. Despite numerous articles and columns reminding consumers that this tax does not apply to every real estate sale, rumors continue to keep flying all over the country, claiming that the Health Reform legislation Congress enacted includes a sales tax on all real estate sales. While there is a tax, it does not apply to everyone.

The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 was signed into law by President Obama on March 30, 2010. It is a comprehensive and extremely complex piece of legislation. One section (1402) is entitled "Unearned Income Medicare Contribution" and does impose a 3.8 percent tax on any profit on the sale of real estate – residential or investment.

But it is aimed at high-income consumers, who comprise a small majority of American citizens.

Let's look at the true facts of this new law.

First, it is not a sales tax, nor does it impose any transfer or recordation tax. It is often called a "medicare" tax because the moneys received will be allocated to the Medicare Trust Fund, which is part of the Social Security System.

Next, if your income (technically called "adjusted gross income) is less than $200,000, you are home free. The income thresholds are clearly spelled out in the law. If you are married and file a joint tax return with your spouse, the law will apply only if your income is over $250,000. (If you and your spouse opt to file a separate tax return, the threshold is reduced to $125,000. For all other taxpayers, you have to earn more than $200,000 in order to be under the new law.

The up-to-$500,000 exclusion of gain for married couples filing a joint tax return (or up-to-$250,000 for single taxpayers) has not been repealed. Nor has the right to deduct mortgage interest and real estate tax payment been eliminated.

How is the tax calculated? It is a complex formula that could be called "the accountant's protection act". As a taxpayer, you (or your financial advisor) must determine which is less: the gain you have made on the sale of your house or the amount that your income exceeds the appropriate threshold.

Complicated? Yes. Let's look at these examples. Your adjusted gross income is $150,000. You sell your house and made a profit of $400,000. There is no change in the way you determine your gain: you take your purchase price, add any major improvements you have made over the years, and subtract that number from the net sales price. Based on this formula, you and your spouse have owned and lived in the property for at least two out of the five years before it was sold. Accordingly, you are eligible to exclude all of your profit; you are not subject to the new 3.8 tax. Keep the money and enjoy.

Change the example so that your adjusted gross income is $300,000. Since you are eligible to take the profit exclusion of up-to-$500,000, once again you do not have to pay the Medicare tax; your entire gain is excluded, and thus there is no profit to tax.

But let's assume you strike it rich and have made a profit of $600,000. Your income is $300,000. You can only exclude $500,000 under current law, so you will have to pay capital gains tax on the remaining balance. The rate currently is 20 percent, so you will owe Uncle Sam $20,000 ($100,000 x 20%).

But since your income is over the threshold, you now have to pay the 3.8 percent tax. But on what amount?

As indicated earlier, the tax is based on lesser of your profit or the difference between the threshold and your income. Your profit is $100,000. The difference between your income and the threshold is $50,000 ($300,000 - $250,000). In our example, the lower number is $50,000, and you will have to pay an additional $1900 to the IRS (3.8% x $50,000).

According to statistics provided by the National Association of Realtors, the median average sales price for homes in the United States (as of July, 2014) was $213.400. Clearly, none of these homes could make a profit of even $250,000, so if you qualify for the exclusion of gain requirements, you will not be impacted by this new law. Those requirements are: you have to have owned and used the property as your principal residence for two out of the five years before it is sold.

Of course, in homes where a large profit will be made, some home owners may be hit with this tax. But the large profit that you make should offset the nominal tax that has to be paid.

Since the law applies to all forms of real estate, including vacation homes, you should consider consulting with your tax and financial advisors as to your exposure.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

It Pays to Use a Realtor ®

I was reading this article on California of Association Realtor's® and I had to share with all of you.  It explains all the advantages of using a Realtor® to sell your home.  After all the home is the biggest asset for most of us.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Home Improvements that pay you back

This week I wanted to share this post that I found on the California Association of Realtors website.  

These are generic numbers. If you need any specific guidance, please don't hesitate to email or call me.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Repairs before selling - Part 2

Continuing from the last post, here is a list of other pointers of what you ought to be looking into doing:

Kitchen Improvements
Appliances and cabinets are typically the most expensive items to replace in a kitchen. If you don't have to replace them, you'll save a ton of money. However, if your cabinets are dated and beat-up, your house might not sell if the cabinets aren't replaced.

Kitchen remodels return nearly 100%. According to Remodeling Magazine, the high-end kitchens don't return as much as the mid-range or minor kitchen remodels. Most buyers won't pay extra for a built-in Sub Zero refrigerator, professional 8-burner stove, undermount sink or travertine floors. If you live in the Midwest, your return will be less than for those who live in other parts of the country.

Cabinets
Resurfacing is your best option. This involves attaching a thin veneer to the surface of the cabinets and replacing the doors and hardware . If your cabinets are painted, add a fresh coat of paint and new hardware.

Counter tops, sinks & faucets
Granite counters are not necessary. Simple laminates, newer faucets and sparkling sinks sell. Buyers don't want leaky faucets or stained sinks.

Bathrooms
The national average of recouped cost is more than 100% for bathrooms. New floors, fixtures and lights payoff.

Roofs & Exterior
If your home needs a new roof, bite the bullet and do it. Even though most roofing tear-off jobs take one to two days, buyers shy away from buying a home if the roof needs to be replaced.

Other items you should consider:
Patch cement cracks in sidewalks
Resurface asphalt driveways
Plant flowers
Caulk windows and doors
Replace doorknobs and locks
Fix or paint fences

Conclusion
Overall, buyers want to buy a home that has no deferred maintenance, newer appliances, updated plumbing, electrical and heating (including a/c), modern conveniences and is ready to occupy.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Repairs before selling - Part 1

This week I wanted to write to prepare you better for your future move.  We never know when the desire to move into a slightly larger home or to a different location strikes us.  The move may be motivated by the need for more space, the need to grow wealth through real estate, the need of wanting to be closer to friends and community, and so on.  Most of the time, it is a combination of the above factors that triggers the phone call to me to evaluate market conditions and explore feasibility.

Quick fixes before selling a home always pay off, but which repairs bring the biggest return? Specific answers to this often-asked question largely depend on a variety of factors such as:

• Time of year 
• Location of the home 
• Market temperature 
• Competing inventory 

There is no hard and fast rule. But there are general guidelines that apply to most homes.  This is part one of a two part series that will give you some pointers of what you ought to be looking into doing.

Hardwood Floors 
If your home has hardwood floors, that's what buyers want, and it would pay to have the carpeting removed and the floors refinished.

Carpeting 
If your sub-floor is plywood, then replace the carpeting with light tan. Neutral carpeting is your best bet for resale.

Ceramic 
Replace chipped or cracked tiles. Clean or replace the grout. But don't install ceramic (it's too expensive) unless it's for aesthetic reasons in an entry way.

Paint Ceilings & Walls 
Buyers spend more time than you would think staring at ceilings. They are looking for signs of a leaky roof, but what you don't want them to see are stains from grease or smoke and ceiling cracks. Ditto for walls. Nothing says freshness like new paint, and it's the most cost effective improvement. Use fiberglass tape on large cracks, cover with joint compound and sand. Paint a neutral color such as light tan - think of coffee with cream.

Wallpaper 
It's not that all buyers hate wallpaper. They hate your wallpaper - because it's your personal choice, not theirs. And they hate all dated wallpaper. Get rid of it. The easiest way is to steam it off by using an inexpensive wallpaper remover steamer.

Wood paneling
Even if your wood paneling is not real wood but composite, you can paint it. Dated paneling must go. Older wood paneling such as walnut, mahogany, cedar and pine, it's all gone out of style. Paint it a neutral and soft color after priming it.

Textured ceilings
Older popcorn ceilings with the "sparkles" often contain asbestos and if disturbed are health hazards. Say goodbye to it. But even recently sprayed ceilings turn off buyers. It's not expensive but it is time consuming to remove. Lay down drop cloths and scrape it off. You will need to repaint.

Email me at rashid@rashidrealty.com for a complete detailed list. I would love to hear your comments on what you think about which repairs bring the biggest return.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Why We Fall in Love—With Houses

By SANETTE TANAKA

Falling in love can be wonderful—and finding the perfect house can make a house-hunter weak in the knees.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, a survey by Realtor.com shows that falling head-over-heels for a house is fairly common—69% of respondents reported that they have had a home crush. House-hunters with a “home crush,” as defined in the survey, are drawn to the same house again and again. Realtor.com surveyed 1,082 individuals from Jan. 9 to Jan. 20 who reported having had a home crush.

Many people approach house hunting the same way they approach dating, by checking compatibility and fit, but the intangible factors are what tips a house from crush to true love, says Leslie Piper, Realtor.com’s consumer-housing specialist and an agent with Pacific Union in Lafayette, Calif.

“You have to make sure you know what’s really out there. You evaluate what is a turn-on and turn-off, and perhaps you’ll fall in love,” Ms. Piper says.

Also like dating, men and women approach a home crush very differently.

Some key findings from the survey:

Women are more likely to crush on home that is out of their price range: 41% of women said their home crush is out of their price range, compared with 30% of men.

Men tend to move from one home crush to another: 36% of men said they find a new home crush weekly, compared with 29% of women.

Outdoor living spaces are the most attractive home attributes to both men and women: 54% of women and 46% of men said outdoor living spaces like backyards, decks and patios make them fall in real-estate love. In addition, 42% of women preferred open-floor plans, and 40% of men indicated garages.

Nearly 80% of homebuyers first find their home crush on their computer. After that, about one-third then decide to go see the house in person.

About 16 years ago, Brenda Van Fossen of Lynchburg, Va., stumbled on a 2,600-square-foot, contemporary-style house with 10-foot ceilings and an open-floor plan. She called up the agent and was disappointed to hear that the house was already under contract.

But Ms. Van Fossen couldn’t get the house off of her mind. A year later, she found out that the house was back on the market and purchased it for roughly $170,000.

Ms. Van Fossen, who became a real-estate agent in 2006, says she has never felt this way about a house before: “That first night there, it sounds silly, but it was like I was in love.”

But love can have a downside—heartbreak.

“You have to be realistic. When you’re looking at homes outside of your price range, the last thing you want to be is disappointed. It would be like falling in love with someone on the other side of the country,” Ms. Piper says. To move on, she suggests keeping an open mind and perhaps considering several houses at the same time in case the first choice doesn’t work out.

Fortunately, unlike with relationships, picky homebuyers do not need to limit themselves to what’s on the market, she says. Rebuilding, redecorating or building from scratch are an option, too.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Trulia: Buying Beats Renting Despite Rising Home Prices

By Robbie Whelan

To buy, or not to buy, and instead to rent? That, as ever, is the real-estate question.

Consumers often look to buy-vs.-rent comparisons and indices to make big decisions about housing. So as home prices rise and the recovery progresses, which side is up these days?

Trulia, the real-estate listings and data firm, has come out with a new analysis of this question. The answer? Buying is still resoundingly cheaper than renting, in basically every corner of the country, and you’d be better off buying, unless you: can’t qualify for a low mortgage rate; you don’t itemize your tax deductions; or if you plan to move within two to three years.

That said, buying has become slightly less attractive, when compared with renting, than it was a year ago. In early 2012, buying was 46% cheaper than renting. Today, it’s 44% cheaper. That’s because of rising prices. But falling mortgage rates (Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.54%) have reduced the cost of buying, tempering the effect of rising home values. A year ago, for example, the average 30-year fixed-rate loan came with an interest rate of 4.08%.

“Home prices rose faster than rents, but with low mortgage rates, it’s better to buy than to rent everywhere,” says Jed Kolko, Trulia’s chief economist. “What’s surprising is that it’s still 44% cheaper to buy than to rent, despite the fact that home prices are rising.”

Of course, the results of Trulia’s study vary from place to place. In Detroit, where the housing market has been decimated by years of job losses and a painful crash of the subprime lending market, it’s 70% cheaper to buy than to rent. Most of the steepest buy-to-rent discounts are in Midwestern cities, including Dayton, Ohio (64%); Gary, Ind. (63%); Cleveland (64%); Warren/Troy/Farmington Hills, Mich. (63%); Toledo, Ohio (62%); Memphis, Tenn. (62%); and Kansas City (60%).

Buying is least attractive compared with renting in coastal markets, where supply is constrained, home prices are recovering quickly and home values are traditionally quite high. San Francisco leads the pack in “unaffordability” of for-sale property versus rental property—the discount to buying vs. renting is just 19%. It’s followed by Honolulu (23%), San Jose (24%) and New York City (26%).

San Francisco is a more nuanced case, however. A year ago, buying was 35% cheaper than renting. The reason for the dramatic drop, according to Mr. Kolko, is the surge in new construction. As the Journal reported, housing starts continued to rise in February. Although most of the monthly gains were in single-family housing construction, markets like San Francisco have mostly seen construction of multifamily rental buildings, rather than one-family homes.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Housing Recovery Hovers at 50% Mark

Each month, Trulia’s Housing Barometer charts how quickly the housing market is moving back to “normal.”  We summarize three key housing market indicators: construction starts (Census), existing home sales (NAR), and the delinquency-plus-foreclosure rate (LPS First Look). For each indicator, we compare this month’s data to (1) how bad the numbers got at their worst and (2) their pre-bubble “normal” levels.

In January 2013, construction starts slid, while home sales and the delinquency + foreclosure rate both improved slightly relative to December:

Construction starts fell monthly, but were still up sharply year-over-year. Starts were at an 890,000 annualized rate, down 8.5% month-over-month but up 24% year-over-year. The month-over-month decline was relative to a December spike in multifamily housing starts, which tend to be volatile. January starts were at their second-highest level since July 2008, and single-family housing starts were at their highest level since that same month. Furthermore, residential construction employment was up 2.6% year-over-year in January – outpacing employment overall, which rose 1.5%. Construction starts are now 40% of the way back to normal.

Existing home sales edged up. Sales rose slightly to 4.92 million in January from 4.90 million in December. Year-over-year, sales were up 9%. But the mix of sales is shifting from “distressed” sales — foreclosures and short sales — to “conventional” home sales. Excluding distressed sales, conventional home sales were up 29% year-over-year in January. Overall, existing home sales are 66% back to normal.

The delinquency + foreclosure rate improved. After holding nearly steady for three months, the share of mortgages in delinquency or foreclosure fell in January to 10.44%, from 10.61% in December. The January rate is the lowest level since December 2008. The combined delinquency + foreclosure rate is 43% back to normal.

Averaging these three back-to-normal percentages together, the housing market is now 50% of the way back to normal, down from 52% in December. That’s the first setback since June. Cause for alarm? No: the Housing Barometer reached 52% in December thanks to what looks like a temporary spike in multifamily housing starts. Even with this backward step in January, 50% back to normal represents steady progress. But January’s figures are a reminder that housing indicators often have monthly swings, and the longer-term trend is a better guide to the shape of the housing recovery.



WRITTEN BY
Jed Kolko, Chief Economist

Three Reasons Why Housing Inventory is So Low

by Mike Simonsen

There’s no question about it, the operative theme of the 2013 housing market is restricted supply. Ever since the bubble burst in 2006, we’ve been hearing about the dangers of over supply, of the massive “shadow inventory” out there. Yet we’re living in a vastly different reality. There are 40% fewer homes on the market now than there have been during February in the last few years.

Inventory of actively for sale homes. Single Family Homes. Altos 20-city (national) composite. Data as of February 22, 2013. Source: Altos Research

Mid-January typically marks the seasonal low of available housing inventory. The fewest homes are on the market after the holidays. But pretty quickly they start coming on the market to prepare for spring. Inventory gets added until the first week of July, when people start looking forward to the Autumn.

Last week we commented about the rising prices that have resulted from this restricted supply. Imagine what would happen to the price of oil if Saudi Arabia, Russia, The US, China, Iran, and Canada were all offline.  It’s a, ahem, crude analogy, because housing is less a commodity than oil. But the fact is, we’re facing unprecedented few homes available for sale.

Why is that? What happened to all this “Shadow Inventory” that was going to dump on to the market?

You can boil the low-inventory reality down to three primary factors:

Under-Construction

Since 2007, new housing starts have been anemic. The long-term average construction rates are about 1.5MM homes per year. In the last six years, we’ve averaged well under 1MM. And since 2009, the average is closer to 500,000. Meanwhile population and household formation keeps on trucking. The over-construction that happened in the bubble is a distant memory. See the chart to the right. Construction volume under the orange line are “undersupplied” conditions. The homebuilders imploded so profoundly after the bubble, that we haven’t had this few new homes being built since 1959.

Expect this trend to continue for several more years. It’s difficult to ramp up housing production quickly. And we’re a long way below normal.

Inventory of actively for sale homes. Single Family Homes. Altos 20-city (national) composite. Data as of January, 2013. Source Census Bureau via themortgagereports.com

The Reverse Shadow Inventory Dynamic

Rising home prices have led to fewer, not more, existing  homes coming on the market. You might call this, ironically, the “Reverse Shadow Inventory” dynamic.

When the Shadow Inventory meme emerged during the bubble, the bearish argument followed: As soon as home price tick back up, there are going to be millions of people (and banks) who want to unload. Therefore supply will rise and prices will fall again.

In actuality, it seems the psychology has been reversed: As prices have climbed, those who (still) own their underwater homes finally see light at the end of the tunnel. The longer they hold, the closer they are to recovery. Why sell now if you don’t have to? Maybe you’ll make it out alive!

Banks are acting similarly. The owners of underwater mortgages have no incentive to unload quickly. Their assets are appreciating. Furthermore, as home prices increase, fewer and fewer people are at risk of default. The Shadow is shrinking in the noon-day sunshine of rapidly re-inflating home values.

Government Policy

Finally, it is no coincidence that essentially all housing policy, all programs, laws, and incentives have been focused on stimulating demand and restricting supply. The Fed is aggressively keeping interest rates low. HARP, HAMP and related mortgage crisis programs are designed to keep people in their homes. They have been successful. Politically, it’s near impossible to institute a program that might help home buyers. For whatever reason, the bureaucrats are much more fond of home owners. That’s unlikely to change.

We’re in a hangover of short supply after the burst bubble. Low new construction, low incentive for existing homes to sell, and a government that wants people to stay put. Like a good hangover, these are long, slow, painful conditions.  We’ll ease slowly out of the fog in the next few seasonal cycles.

Short Sale Tax Relief Expires December 31, 2012

The tax relief law that allows certain qualifying homeowners to exclude from income certain debts that have been forgiven by their lender is set to expire December 31, 2012.  Why is this important now?  Because it can take up to 6 months to receive formal short sale approval and close a short sale escrow.  

According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, when this provision expires Sellers who participate in short sales  WILL have to report the debt relief they receive from the short sale lender as income on their federal tax returns.  As of today, the tax break is not extended, so time is of the essence …

The following are the main items that escrow looks at/needs when processing a short sale:
1.  Short Sale Addendum to the Purchase Contract
2.  Real Estate Commissions
      a.  Escrow will use the Short Sale Approval letter to determine permissible broker commissions (regardless of what the listing agreement states)
      b.  MLS should provide clear provisions  for short sale lender commission changes
3.  Written Short Sale Approval Letter
      a.  Escrow will verify that the Sales Price and Proceeds amounts match what is stated on the Short Sale Approval letter
      b.  In the case of proceeds to the Lender, escrow will confirm that they receive, at a minimum, the amount stated on the Short Sale Approval letter
      c.  Escrow must close within the stated timeframe or an extension and an updated Short Sale Approval letter will be required

In order to prevent closing delays, Sellers should be made aware of the fees that Short Sale Lenders may not approve and/or require additional information (see a limited, non-inclusive list below).
•      Short Sale Negotiator Fees
•      Home Warranty
•      Retrofit Work *
•      Termite Work *
•      Delinquent Property Taxes**
•      HOA fees***

*   Short Sale lenders typically approve the inspection fee but not the actual retrofit or termite work
**  Resubmission to the short sale lender for a revised short sale approval letter may be needed (and may cause closing delays)
*** Short Sale lenders may approve payment of HOA dues but not always approve delinquencies or certain other HOA fees such as Transfer fee or Document Fee

Typically when the Short Sale Lender does not approve the Seller’s payment of certain escrow/closing fees, the costs may be paid for by the buyer provided its permitted in the Short Sale Approval letter.

This post highlights only some of the provisions of the bill , please revert to the actual bill for specific information
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hr3648/text

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

California Homeowner Bill of Rights signed into law

California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Homeowner Bill of Rights to help struggling Californians keep their homes. This law aims to avoid foreclosure where possible to help stabilize California's housing market and prevent the other negative effects of foreclosures on families, communities, and the economy. The new law will generally prohibit lenders from engaging in dual tracking, require a single point of contact for borrowers seeking foreclosure prevention alternatives, provide borrowers with certain safeguards during the foreclosure process, and provide borrowers with the right to sue lenders for material violations of this law.

Making sense of the story:

• The Bill of Rights prohibits “dual track” foreclosures that occur when a mortgage servicer continues foreclosure while also reviewing a homeowner’s application for a loan modification.
• Under the new law, homeowners must be provided with a single point of contact when negotiating a loan modification.
• It expands notice requirements that must be provided to a borrower before taking action on a loan modification application or pursuing foreclosure.
• Additionally, the bill allows injunctions against foreclosure until violations are corrected and permits civil penalties against servicers that file multiple, inaccurate mortgage documents or commit reckless or willful violations of law.
• These new laws make California the first state in the nation to take provisions in the National Mortgage Settlement, which covered the nation’s five largest mortgage loan servicers, and apply those rules to all mortgage servicers.
• The law will go into effect January 1, 2013.

Read the full story: http://on.car.org/N3TUdT

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Tips for the Moving Day!

Moving can be a stressful time, however, there are several things that you can do to make your move a smooth one. If you know that you're moving ahead of time, it's a good idea to start packing as early as possible. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day and, unless you have to be out in a hurry, it's better to take your time and remember every little detail now than to find yourself with the moving blues later.

A Little Goes A Long Way

If at all possible, pace yourself when packing. It's better to pack a little at a time and make sure that nothing is forgotten than to hurry and try to get everything done within a day or two. It's easy to forget to have your address changed, turn off your phone, internet, water and/or cable service, so take the time to make sure every little detail is ironed out now so that you can enjoy your new home later.

Have A Moving Sale

Get rid of everything that you don't need by having a moving sale. If you haven't used it within a year, sell it. Otherwise, you will just end up with the same clutter in your new house as you've had in the one you're leaving behind. Plus, the more you sell, the less you will have to pack and move. Not to mention, moving is expensive and there's nothing wrong with earning a few extra bucks whenever possible.

Create A Packing List

It will help you to remember things much easier by writing them down on paper as they come to mind. A packing list can act as a shopping list, which will remind you of the things that you need to remember.

Pack Lightly

Moving day is hard enough, so don't make it any worse by loading down your arms with too much weight. If you pack lightly, it may cost you a little more footwork, but your body will thank you at the end of the day.

Pack Smart

Because of their design, boxes are easier to carry and provide an effective way to keep everything stored safely in its place. Rather than just piling everything into the car or U-Haul and hoping for the best, take the time to pack everything carefully (especially breakables) inside of a box. What will not fit, such as furniture and other household essentials, should be tied down and placed in a moving truck. Furniture pads are also a good idea to prevent damage during the move. Make sure you label each box with the contents of each box along with the room it will go in at the new home. This will make unpacking more efficient and save you time.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

8 reasons FSBOs should list with a Realtor

Ask yourself: What would Colby Sambrotto do?
By Bernice Ross


Here are some of the key factors that deter most homeowners from selling without an agent.

1. The decline of print advertising as a major lead generator
In the past, newspaper ads would produce a fair number of calls on FSBOs. Today, a three-line ad in the local newspaper has little chance of competing with the wide array of information online, including video, color photos, 360-degree virtual tours, and a wealth of community and lifestyle data.

2. Buyers seek rich content
IDX and VOW solutions, Realtor.com, Trulia and Zillow provide access to virtually all the listings in most market areas. Most buyers comb these major sites simply because it's more efficient than searching for single properties.

3. Instant gratification
A third problem for FSBOs is that people who surf the Web usually are seeking instant gratification. In fact, most visitors will only visit a website once and stay for 15-30 seconds. If the FSBO has no strategy for capturing the lead's contact information or for immediately following up, the lead moves on to the next website. Even if the Web lead does contact the FSBO, unless the buyer gets back to the FSBO quickly, that lead is gone.

4. Buyers want the savings
Even for those who do search for FSBOs, most buyers automatically deduct 6 percent from the sales price because they want the savings in their pockets, not the seller's. The result is that many FSBOs end up selling for up to 20 percent less on average as compared with sellers who hire a Realtor.

5. The needle-in-the-haystack effect
A major challenge for FSBOs is the needle-in-the-haystack nature of the Web. There are millions of websites including the hundreds of thousands of company and agent sites. Without search engine optimization, meta tags and a host of other branding strategies to achieve high Web placement, the probability of the Web buyer finding the FSBO's single listing online is small.

Of course, the buyer could post on sites such as ForSalebyOwner.com, ByOwnerMLS, or utilize the "Make Me Move" feature on Zillow. The challenge is that unless the buyer specifically wants to purchase a FSBO, it's much more efficient to search on the brokerage or MLS sites.

The FSBO could also put his home on Craigslist. There are two challenges, however. First, the FSBO has to repost the ad regularly for it to appear near the top where it can be found. Second, there have been so many rental scams and unsavory people using that site to identify targets for possible criminal activity that listing there could be a major safety issue.

6. Web leads are reluctant to share contact information
Another issue FSBOs must face is that most Web buyers are reluctant to provide contact information to a stranger, especially during the search process. Instead, buyers identify homes they want to see and then normally contact a single agent who can show them everything they want to see, not just a single home.

7. Availability for showings
Because FSBOs don't have lockboxes, that means the FSBO will need to be present for every showing. There are numerous challenges with this situation, the most important of which is safety. Is the person who wants to see your house legitimate or not? Even if you accept an offer from a potential buyer, how do you know whether the person meets the income and credit requirements to close the deal?

8. The proof is in the pudding
Here's a great closing question for sellers who believe that becoming a FSBO is a smart move. Did you know that Colby Sambrotto, founder of ForSalebyOwner.com, which is one of the most popular and robust FSBO sites on the Web, ended up listing his home with an agent AND paying a full commission?

If he couldn't get the job done for himself using his website, how effective do you think this approach will be in getting your home sold for the highest possible price in the shortest amount of time?

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

5 signs that it's a good time to sell

Why desperate homeowners could find relief this year
By Dian Hymer
Inman News®

Traditionally, most homes have sold during the spring months. In the current volatile housing market, the time of year is not the most reliable predictor of the best time to sell.

Homes certainly show better in spring than they do on a dark and dreary winter day. Lately, however, weather patterns are hard to predict.

The weather has some effect on home sales. It can slow things down if incessant rain keeps sellers from being able to prepare their homes for sale. However, a bigger influence on the housing market is the overall economic situation and its impact on buyers' psyche.

Normally, the home-sale market ramps up in March or April and stays busy until the beginning of July when the market tends to slow down for the summer. The 2011 home sales went counter to this. The market was active at the beginning of the year, but stalled in April. If you waited until spring to sell last year, you would have missed the best selling opportunity of the first half of 2011.

The early slowdown was partially due to the expiration of the homebuyer stimulus package. The homebuyer tax credit program accelerated home purchases creating a mini bubble in 2010 that was followed by a significant slowdown in home sales.

Negative economic news played a big part in the sluggish home sales during most of last year. The stock market was unpredictable, and the earthquake in Japan had repercussions for many industries. Plus, Greece was on the brink of bankruptcy, and the future of the European Union was in doubt.

Bad economic news and massive uncertainty lowers consumer confidence. Buyers need to have jobs, but they also need to feel confident in their future to take on a major purchase like a house.

HOUSE HUNTING TIP: The best time to sell is when consumer confidence is on the upswing; interest rates are low; unemployment is decreasing; the economic news is mild; and there are more buyers in your local market niche than there are sellers. A high-demand, low-inventory market gives sellers an edge.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell in March 2012 to 70.2 (1985=100), down from 71.6 in February, when it was up sharply.

Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, attributed the improvement in consumer confidence in February to less pessimism about current business and employment conditions and more optimism about the short-term outlook for the economy and job prospects despite a rise in gas prices. Franco said the moderate decline seen in March was "due solely to a less favorable short-term outlook."

Interest rates are currently at historic lows and are expected to stay low for the rest of the year. Even with low rates, buyers have had difficulty qualifying due to rigid mortgage approval underwriting.

Capital Economics, an analytics firm, expects the housing crisis to end this year partially due to lenders loosening credit. According to Capital Economics, one indicator of loosening is that banks are now lending 82 percent of loan-to-value (LTV), compared with a low of 74 percent LTV reached in mid-2010. This means qualified buyers need less cash to buy, which should lead to more sales this year, although higher home prices are not expected.

These positive indicators combined with a drop in homes for sale at the end of 2011 and a decrease in unemployment may provide an opportunity for sellers in spring 2012, provided their homes are priced right for the market. A major surprise on the economic front could change the picture.

THE CLOSING: Regardless of the economic indicators, the best time to sell is when the time is right for you.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Apartment Vacancies Decline in U.S. to Lowest Rate Since 2001

By Hui-yong Yu

Apartment vacancies in the U.S. fell to their lowest level since 2001 as home seizures and a growing pool of young adults forming households boosted rental demand, according to Reis Inc. (REIS)

The vacancy rate fell to 4.9 percent in the first quarter from 6.2 percent a year earlier, the New York-based property- research company said in a report today. It was only the third time since Reis began gathering the data 31 years ago that the rate was less than 5 percent.

While low vacancies are helping to boost the performance of apartment properties nationwide, “risks may manifest later in the year” as multifamily developers pick up the pace of construction to take advantage of rising rents, Victor Calanog, head of research and economics at Reis, said in the report. Photographer: Chip Chipman/Bloomberg
.Renters are competing for a tightening supply of units as more homeowners are displaced by foreclosures, stricter mortgage-lending standards block purchases and young people move out on their own. In the three months ended March 31, 7,342 apartments became available, the fewest number of completions since Reis began publishing such data in 1999.

When vacancies drop below 5 percent, “effective rents tend to spike as landlords perceive that tight market conditions allow for greater pricing power,” Reis said in the report.

Effective rents, which take into account such landlord concessions as a free month, climbed almost 1 percent from the previous quarter to an average $1,018, the largest increase since the last recession began, according to Reis.

While low vacancies are helping to boost the performance of apartment properties nationwide, “risks may manifest later in the year” as multifamily developers pick up the pace of construction to take advantage of rising rents, Victor Calanog, head of research and economics at Reis, said in the report.

Reis expects about 70,000 units to open for leasing this year, about double the supply growth in 2011. Next year, the firm forecasts 150,000 to 200,000 new units in the 79 primary markets it tracks.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Down the Drain: Garbage Disposal Dos & Don'ts

If your kitchen has a garbage disposal, you know how easy it makes mealtime clean up. But what you may not realize is that your disposal comes with some pretty important rules. Here are some of the most vital:

Do:
- Insert food slowly. Stuffing it all into your disposal at once can cause clogs and shorten the life of your system.
- Grind hard materials. Many people think food like chicken bones or small fruit pits are a no-no, but they can actually help clean the walls of the disposal.
- Use cold water for at least 20 seconds. This will solidify grease so that it can be ground up. Also, make sure that all food particles are washed completely down the drain.
- Keep it clean. One good way to eliminate drain smells is by grinding citrus fruit peels. You can also add a few drops of dish soap and let the disposal run for a few minutes.

Don't:
- Use hot water. This will make grease liquefy and build up, which can clog the drain.
- Grind fibrous or expandable foods. The former, like celery stalks and onionskins, can tangle up the disposal. The latter, like pasta and rice, can clog it.
- Turn off the motor too quickly. You'll want to make sure all food particles are completely ground. Once done, continue to run the water for at least 15 seconds to flush out particles.
- Wash coffee grounds down the drain. While they won't harm the disposal itself, they can clog pipes and drains.
- Forget to use it. Lack of use can cause rusting and corrosion, which can lead to premature system replacement.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Warren Buffett: I'd Buy Up 'A Couple Hundred Thousand' Single-Family Homes

Appearing live on CNBC's Squawk Box, Warren Buffett tells Becky Quick he'd buy up "a couple hundred thousand" single family homes if it were practical to do so. If held for a long period of time and purchased at low rates, Buffett says houses are even better than stocks. He advises homebuyers to take out a 30-year mortgage and refinance if rates go down.
-- “Warren Buffett on CNBC,” by Alex Crippin, CNBC, Feb. 27, 2012.

Warren Buffett is recognized as one of the most successful investors in the world. His recent comments on CNBC reflect how he feels about the opportunity available for all of us in the housing market.

This type of commentary is starting to show up in more and more places as people recognize the real value in today’s housing market. Buffett indicated that if you know where you want to live for the next five or ten years then there is no question you should buy and you should buy now.

One of the most important factors in buying a home is the mortgage. With interest rates at the lowest level in more than fifty years, mortgage payments are actually less in many cases than the rent you would pay for a comparable property. Investing in yourself instead of your landlord is another reason for getting into the game before these low rates are history.

A recent article on MSN Real Estate echoed Buffett’s comments. The article entitle “Should buyers take the plunge this spring?” by Melinda Fulmer cited increases in home sales, decline in inventory, home prices being 10% below rents and banks willingness to lend as reasons why it might be time to become a home owner.

Buffett hit the key in his interview saying that he would be a buyer because of the value that is available.

Maybe it’s time to take Warren’s advice.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

10 Easy Upgrades to Add Style & Value to Your Home

Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference in the value and appeal of your home. Whether you’re trying to sell your home of just spruce up the place, here are 10 easy ways to get started.

- Update hardware on cabinets and drawers
- Replace towels and rugs in the bathroom(s)
- Add overhead lighting or wall sconces to brighten rooms
- Declutter small spaces and closets with DIY storage kits
- Wash or power wash the exterior of your home (especially windows)
- Add area rugs to throw in a hint of color
- Hang a mirror in small rooms to give the illusion of more space
- A fresh coat of paint on walls and trim brighten any room
- Try a fresh new color on your front door for character
- Mow and mulch your lawn even in the cooler months

Make a plan. Set a budget. Get started!

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

Pending home sales near a two-year high, boosting views on housing market

By Derek Kravitz

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January to the highest level in nearly two years, supporting the view that the housing market is gradually coming back.

The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its index of sales agreements rose 2 percent last month to a reading of 97. That's the highest reading since April 2010, the last month that buyers could qualify for a federal home-buying tax credit and the last time the reading was above 100.

A reading of 100 is considered healthy.

The Realtors' group also released revised data for 2011. That lowered November's initial 19-month high of 100.1 to 96.9. But contracts have been markedly up since the summer when some feared a second recession loomed.

Contract signings typically indicate where the housing market is headed. There's a one- to two-month lag between a signed contract and a completed deal.

A sale isn't final until a mortgage is closed. One-third of Realtors complain that they've had at least one contract scuttled in January, December, November and October, according to the Realtors' group. That's up from 18 percent of Realtors in September.

Nonetheless, the gain in signed contracts supports other evidence of improvement in the housing market.

Pierre Ellis, an economist at Decision Economics, said home sales and building is in the midst of "ongoing general, but gentle, progress."

Builders are growing more optimistic after seeing more people express interest in buying this year. Sales of previously occupied homes are at their highest level since May 2010. More first-time buyers are making purchases. And the supply of homes fell last month to its lowest point in nearly seven years, which could push home prices higher.
Homes are the most affordable they've been in decades. And mortgage rates have never been cheaper.

Much of the optimism has come because hiring has picked up. More jobs are critical to a housing rebound.

"Easier mortgage lending criteria, very low rates and the improving labor market are all contributing to the beginnings of a real upturn in home sales, if not yet prices," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.

Sales may also be rising because of an April deadline for higher mortgage application fees for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-backed home loans. The government-controlled mortgage buyers own or guarantee about half of all U.S. mortgages and 90 percent of new loans, and have been telling customers to submit their applications now.

Analysts caution that the damage from the housing bust is deep and the industry is years away from fully recovering.
Potential buyers are holding off for a number of reasons. High unemployment and weak job growth have deterred many potential buyers. Loans are harder to come by. Lenders are requiring bigger down payments and strong credit scores to qualify.

Even those with good credit and stable finances are hesitant to buy out of concern home prices will keep falling.

For Buying or Selling, it helps to have a guide that gives you straight answers. For more information on buying, selling, or renting out an income property in San Diego, please call Frank Rashid's cell phone at (858) 676-5250 or email him at rashid@rashidrealty.com. More to follow within the next couple of weeks.

California January Home Sales

February 16, 2012

An estimated 28,111 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide last month. That was down 25.5 percent from 37,734 in December, and up 1.5 percent from 27,706 for January 2011. A decline from December to January is normal for the season. On a year-over-year basis sales have increased the past six months. California sales for the month of January have varied from a low of 19,145 in 2008 to a high of 47,138 in 2004, while the average is 31,717. DataQuick's statistics go back to 1988.

The median price paid for a home last month was $236,000, down 4.1 percent from $246,000 in December, and down 1.3 percent from $239,000 for January a year ago. The median has decreased on a year-over-year basis for the last 16 months. The bottom of the current cycle was $221,000 in April 2009, while the peak was $484,000 in early 2007.

Distressed property sales – the combination of foreclosure resales and “short sales” – continued to make up more than half of California’s resale market.

Of the existing homes sold last month, 34.5 percent were properties that had been foreclosed on during the past year. That was up from a revised 33.9 percent in December and down from 40.4 percent in January a year ago. The all-time high was in February 2009 at 58.5 percent.

Short sales – transactions where the sale price fell short of what was owed on the property – made up an estimated 21.4 percent of resales last month. That was up from 19.6 percent in December and up from 18.7 percent in January 2011. Two years ago short sales made up an estimated 18.1 percent of the resale market.

The typical mortgage payment that home buyers committed themselves to paying last month was $893. That was the lowest since $882 in February 1999. Adjusted for inflation it was the lowest since at least 1988 .

Indicators of market distress continue to move in different directions. Foreclosure activity is high, but well below peak levels. Financing with multiple mortgages is low, down payment sizes are stable, and cash and non-owner occupied buying remain at or near record levels, DataQuick reported.

Source: DataQuick; DQNews.com