Public Policy "NEWS"

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  'Tis the season to cozy up to a gloriously-scented candle— Whether you prefer the smell of fresh pine, wafting mulling spices, or the essence of a roaring fire, there's a gorgeously fragranced flame here for every winter mood. Make the holidays extra scent-sational with any Holiday collection. Notes of pomegranate, mandarin, pine, cloves and cinnamon with a hint of vanilla and amber evocative of holidays spent fondly with family and friends.

Are you new to real estate investing? Learning how to invest in real estate doesn't need to be complicated, difficult, or expensive. Learn how to get started investing in real estate from beginning to end - with no hype, false promises, or pitches. There are many different places you can stick your money other than under your pillow, including stocks, bonds, savings, mutual funds, CD, currencies, commodities, and of course, real estate. There are positive and negative aspects of each investment option, but since we're here to learn about real estate, we'll focus on that and that alone. One of the most commonly stated reasons that people give for investing in real estate is that they are seeking out financial freedom, but there are others as well -- of course, each person will have their own personal reasons why. They are typically seeking one or several of the following: Learn more!

The right answer will depend on your circumstances, but some factors play a role in deciding which way to go. Today's record-low mortgage rates are giving consumers the choice of two great options -- 30-year mortgages that charge just over 4% interest or 15-year loans with rates nearly down to 3%. The first thing to look at is the difference in monthly payments between a 15-year mortgage and a 30-year loan of the same size. You want to look at what that 15-year payment will be and decide if you can handle it. If you can't, that will decide it. Fifteen-year mortgages do charge lower interest rates than 30-year loans -- but carry higher monthly payments because you have to pay all principal back in half the time.  For example, borrowing $300,000 for 15 years at 3.25% average rate means you'll have a $2,108 monthly mortgage payment (excluding the effect of any origination fees). That's nearly 50% higher than the $1,441 you'd pay if you take out the s

Think you know everything there is to know about the Property Brothers ? Read on to find out if you're as much of an expert on Drew and Jonathan Scott as you thought. The brothers bought their first house when they were only 17 years old! In college, they didn’t waste any time before flipping a house for a $50,000 profit. They own Scott Brothers Entertainment with their older brother, JD. When he’s not impressing home buyers with his amazing finds, Drew’s passionate about directing and producing. Because of their Scottish heritage, Drew and Jonathan were competitive bagpipers as children. Jonathan claims to have taken home all the medals. We knew they were a hilarious duo on the  Property Brothers , but did you know that Drew and Jonathan Scott have their own sketch comedy group? If you’re lucky, you might even see them doing stand-up. They grew up on a ranch in Vancouver, Canada, and started riding horses by the time they were 3 years old. Drew is in a r

L.A. housing is expensive, sure. But are you paying too much for your rental?  It would be reasonable to expect that the increases we’ve seen in rents and purchase prices in recent years would be roughly proportional throughout Los Angeles, but this is not the case. In actuality, purchase prices can soar while rents remain stable, and vice versa—even within the same neighborhood. We used standard 28 percent "front-end" debt ratios and a 20 percent down payment subtracted from the NAR’s median-home-price data to arrive at our figures. We've incorporated available information on property taxes and homeowner’s insurance costs to more accurately reflect the income needed in a given market. Without a significant ramp-up in new home construction and more homeowners listing their homes for sale, buyers are likely to see little relief in the form of slowing price growth in the months ahead.  The housing market is overheating and you can sense it when you

Ask The Agent: What Is Your Best Advice For Folks Looking For A New Home? Pick Your  New Home: here The real estate market can be difficult to navigate. How can you know if it’s a good time to buy? What should you be looking for in a home? Well, if you’re thinking about buying a home, send me an email .  “If you find a place that feels like home, buy it without delay. Good homes in good condition are selling quickly, so you want to get your home before someone else does.”