Public Policy "NEWS"

  Real estate agents may do some or all of the following: advertise and market properties. arrange and host open homes. build relationships with sellers and buyers. complete sales and negotiate contracts. research the housing market and property values. organize building inspections and reports.

For the record “are agents worth 6%?” is not what I want to talk about. There are clearly many many people who think the answer is no and working on solutions to change that. Many years and lots of money has been spent by some incredibly smart people trying to change the economics of real estate. Why? Because those people are just recounting their experiences, all of which included an agent. Point being, there is an incredibly strong social pressure to use an agent, since everyone else has — and you don’t want to be the sucker who tried to do it on your own, and got screwed out of $50,000 or $100,000 (or some other high $$ amount). Buying a house is the biggest financial transaction most of us will ever make, and people can experience both positive and negative outcomes for decades afterward. The most important factor that determines whether the purchase was a success is the value of the home. After all, whether the price was $100,000, or $1,000,000, paying too much for a property is

Why the Pandemic May Be Hurting Your Credit Score Common causes of a  bad credit rating  include failing  to  stick  to  your  credit  agreement, paying the bare minimum on your  credit  card each month, and falling victim  to  identity theft.

On February 17th, a panel of experts will weigh in on the latest developments and how the LA market will be impacted this year. Register below Webinar Registration - Zoom

The coronavirus pandemic sent shock waves throughout the real-estate industry. But does that make now a good time to put in an offer on a property? The answer to that question will largely depend on what you plan to do with the home — particularly if you’re an investor. But finding homes at a good price could be something of a challenge. When the coronavirus pandemic began to trigger stay-at-home orders across the country, it upended the home-buying process. Deals Are Still Available, But Beware the Bidding War There was a pandemic sweet spot when the market stalled, but right now, many houses are going to the best and highest offers  ---houses offering wide open spaces are going for $50,000 or more above the asking price—and are typically bought in cash. Proceed with caution if you find yourself in the midst of a bidding war. The supply of homes for sale in the U.S. has fallen to the lowest level since 2012. These conditions are associated with a ‘seller’s market’ and tend to drive h

If you hope to sell your home this year, the late summer or early fall might be a good time to try, according to realtor.com’s latest housing market forecast. Even with the expected rebound, experts believe home sales will be down 15 percent for the year. Other expected trends include a migration out of large urban markets and into smaller cities, where density is lower and housing is more affordable. The pandemic has distorted the spring housing market but, oddly, has not greatly affected its balance. While there are dramatically fewer buyers, there are also fewer homes for sale, as homeowners who want to sell are waiting if at all possible. In the last month, mortgage underwriters have dramatically tightened requirements for getting approved for a loan. The reason? Loaning money suddenly looks a lot riskier due to surging unemployment and the CARES Act allowing homeowners to delay paying their mortgages. Although qualifying for a loan will be harder to do, the realtor.com forecast p

Celebrities from across the spectrum are heating up the 2020 real estate market. This last week, we saw a pair of movie stars sell their stylish home and a couple of athletes make moves of their own.  see