Can't we all just get along? - 04/29/07 10:31 PM
It seems that there has been a lot of talk about discount brokers around the Active Rain.  I am not a supporter of discounting my commission, because I work hard for it.  I also am not a supported of the talk that has been going on about discount brokers. 
 
Instead of acting like it’s us against them, just focus on what you can do to offer your client the best service.  Educate a client about what you can do for a client, stop pointing out what a discount broker won’t do. 
 
I am sure I am going … (5 comments)

The catts are at it again!! - 04/28/07 10:27 PM
. Today in Long Beach California and fellow ActiveRain member and I participate in the Avon Breast Cancer Mock Walk.  We walked 8 miles to raise awareness about the Avon Breast Walk, and to get people out there walking.  Long Beach is one of the most beautiful cities you could walk in. 
 
Inga, the fellow activerain member, is the founders of the CATTS.  We care about TaTa’s, and I know you do too!  So next time you see a group of people walking to raise awareness of there charity, be sure to honk and show your  support.
 
… (4 comments)

A question for the stagers. - 04/26/07 11:52 PM
I have never met or spoken to a stager.  I do see the value in staging and am thinking about working it into my presentation.  When I interview a stager what are good questions to ask?  How or can a stager fit into short sales.  If you have any guidance I would be grateful.  Thanks in advance.
… (1 comments)

Regan Library - 04/24/07 10:33 PM
In Simi Valley California we are truly blessed to have the Ronald Reagan Library.  The Reagan Library will take you back to life as we knew it when Reagan was our president.  From the pictures on the walls, to the replica of the oval office, you will even get to see a piece of the wall. 
 
Ronald Reagan was known and loved for his speeches; as you walk through out the Library will constantly hear the Gipper himself, talking about life as president and some of his most memorable speeches.    As you walk through the Library you will be … (2 comments)

Simi Valley Town Hall Meeting - 04/24/07 07:55 PM
Simi Valley is having a Town Hall Meeting, on April 27,2007 at 6:30 P.M.  The meeting will be an open forum discussion regarding the Arroyo Simi.  We will learn about the long term plans on the Arroyo, and learn more about our city.  This meeting will be at City Hall, so please come by.
 
This information is from http://www.rsrpd.org/ 
… (0 comments)

Simi Valley Street Fair - 04/24/07 07:44 PM
Simi Valley Street Fair is coming!!
 
This May 12 and every year the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce puts on a Street Fair, with over 250 booths and activities for all age levels, this is an event you do not want to miss. It is also a great time to get out and meet our firefighters, police and search and rescue. So grab your kids and get out to the Simi Valley Street Fair!
 
For more information please click here.
… (1 comments)

Real Estate is a lifesytle not a job - 04/23/07 04:04 AM
 
So today I found myself at the market with two of my children ages 5 &12, I must admit that I was not looking my best.  Fleece pullover, sneakers jogging pants….you know that look.  Then it happened I saw another agent, looking nice, who was talking a person and handing him his card. 
 
It dawned on me, how would I feel if I ran into a client looking as bad as I did?  What does this mean?  Do I have to look my best to buy groceries?  Well that might be overkill, but how far should an agent … (38 comments)

comments on titles - 04/22/07 10:59 PM
So I have heard more than once, watch what you say, hold your tongue, you do not need to say everything that comes to mind.  My favorite, I really never know what is going to come out of your mouth. 
 
So here’s the deal, the blog titles are a never ending source of amusement for me.  Thank goodness I read the blogs before I comment, however here are a few comments I have for the titles:
 
 
Don’t Look-by Benjamin Jenks----  Do I click on this blog?  Is this a test?
Do I have a screw loose? … (11 comments)

You came a long way baby! - 04/21/07 12:38 AM
30 years ago my mother went to buy a home.  She was a single mother, she qualified to buy the home, when the lender called her and told her she needed a male to co-sign for her.  At that time she had an unemployed brother (he was in college) or retired father, the lender told her either of them would be fine.  My mother one of the original feminist, called a local newspaper (the LA Times) and a women’s right activist.  The bank called her back the next week and told her she could have a home loan.
 
33 years … (5 comments)

Corriganville Ranch Simi Valley - 04/20/07 11:02 PM
Located at the far end of Simi Valley there is a great is a wonderful area called Corriganville Ranch.  Today it is known for excellent hiking and running trails.  It is located two minuets from the City, but you feel like you are out in nature, when you are hiking in on the beautiful trails. 
 
However Corriganville has a somewhat sorted past, once it was filled with thieves, cowboys, Indians, and Kings.  Yes you read right, thieves and Kings…what am I talking about?  Corriganville was the back drop for many western movies, The Adventures of Robin Hood (with Errol … (1 comments)

"ActiveRain, blogging and you" - 04/19/07 08:09 PM
            As the broker owner of a Real Estate and Mortgage company I am responsible for training my loan officers, and agents.  I now have a new class called “ActiveRain, Blogging and you”.  I am teaching my agents why blogging is so important, how to blog, and how to use Active Rain.  I am always looking for new things to teach our sales staff, and I believe that this is a great tool.
 
 
… (8 comments)

One board too many. - 04/19/07 01:51 AM
My office and my listings are in Ventura County.  I am ten minuets from the San Fernando Valley.  The problem is Ventura County is one board and MLS ( Rapattoni) and San Fernando Valley is  another board and MLS ( tempo).  This also means I have to have a lock box for each board on my homes. 
 
Two sets of MLS’s, boards and rules.  However, if I don’t upload to both MLS’S I feel like I am not giving my home the exposure that it deserves.  A lot of the agents in my area feel that you should only … (4 comments)

What would you put on your website? - 04/19/07 12:57 AM
Wow I am a kid in a candy store, so here’s my problem.
 
My husband can design any website I want.  Oh my, I have so many ideas, and none at the same time.  I want a place to put my blogs, a place for my IDX, and things about me. 
 
The truth is he as designed other people’s websites, but this is the first time he has done work for me.  We kind of keep work and family separate, hey it works for us! 
 
So if you where able to have a designer make anything … (10 comments)

I fired my client today- kind of - 04/18/07 11:18 PM
I received this client from a newsletter I send out.  She wanted to refinance one of her properties, no problem I can handle that.  Of course is started out fine, I gave her a small list of items I needed for the refinance.  I would get one item every few weeks, and then I would get phone calls at all hours for status on her refinance.  I would remind her that I still needed information from her, and she would promise that she would get it to me.  Six weeks later, still missing information, then I got a phone call questioning … (8 comments)

I want more pictures!! - 04/18/07 06:19 PM
    The last few homes I have sold have been to men or people from out of town, in both cases the main item that will get my client to see your listing is pictures.  Men don’t like to shop, this is a well know fact.  So with my male clients, I will email them the listings that fit there criteria and they will say what house we will be seeing.  If a listing has the standard issue front picture of the house, no matter what I say, they tend to not want to see that home. 
 
    If … (11 comments)

New loan officers read this. - 04/15/07 08:11 PM
    This blog is for all the new loan officers who often have questions about building their pipeline.  I am a broker/owner of a mortgage company and a real estate company.  I have in my employment loan officers and Realtors, so I have some knowledge in this area.  I myself have been a loan officer for longer than I am willing to admit. 
 
    The first question I am asked by loan officers is getting loans from Realtors.  Here is the truth about that, if you have a friend, outside of Real Estate, that happens to be a Realtor … (16 comments)

How to form a real estate partnership! - 04/14/07 11:50 PM
A lot of the well know real estate books, talk about forming a team, or partnering up with another agent to make the most of your time.  So how do you go about finding this other person, to trust your real estate career to?
 
I am in a very successful partnership.  My partner Dan is the direct opposite of me. He loves public speaking; I won’t announce my own listings at caravan.  He can sell anything; I am not much of a sells man.  I have been accused of saying what I feel, or speaking what is on my mind, … (9 comments)

Greenspan and the Subprime Mess - 04/14/07 09:59 PM
I thought I would post a response regarding the blog Subprime Bailout Rant by Amy Bergquist.  For the most part I do understand where people would like to blame, the lenders, underwriter (who where just doing their job), agents and borrowers.  However being a mortgage broker back in 2004 I feel I must explain what was happening on our side of the desk.  Back then I normally sold fixed rate loans, about 8 out of 10 loans to be exact, where fix rate loans.  Then it happened, Greenspan spoke:
 
In a speech to a credit union group, Fed Chairman Alan … (4 comments)

Waging war on Real Estate Discounters - 04/13/07 04:43 PM
Waging war on Real Estate’s Discounters, How to unlock the door to a full commission: by Bernice L. Ross
 
            First don’t let the name fool you, the book is more about how to get full commission than discount brokers.  This book is full of good ways to get your full commission and how to impress sellers.  Bernice offers some different marketing ideas, and gives step by step action plans for you to utilize.  This book has some great “stats” about the industry, with tid-bits that an agent at any time in their career can use.
 
            This is … (4 comments)

Technology is your friend! - 04/12/07 11:48 PM
Yes they are still out there, agents who do not use technology.  A while back my title rep came in and told me about a local agent who refuses to use fax machines, and does not have a cell phone. 
            Not long after that, my partner was trying to get a hold of an agent and their contact phone number was a beeper.  I thought only doctors had beepers.
            Then I came across an escrow company that had one email address for the whole team, and it was a yahoo account.  Now all of this happened in the … (5 comments)

The art of Blogging?! - 04/12/07 10:39 PM
I love to read blogs, Real Estate is my passion, and I love to see what other agents and mortgage professionals have to say about our profession.  I must admit I don’t love writing blogs.  Now and again I will have an idea for a blog, but I just can’t get it on “paper”. 
 
So I went looking to take a blogging class.  I started with the local Jr. Colleges, they do offer great English business classed regarding how to write a memo and an email, nothing on blogging.  What I really want is to find an online class, … (3 comments)

The Hybrid Agent - 04/09/07 09:58 PM
            So what do you get when you put together and experienced loan officer, and an experienced Realtor?  One person who can find you the perfect home, and find you the perfect loan?  One person who you can call at all times of the day with any real estate question. Does this kind of person really exist, and if so how do you become one?  This person is called a Hybrid Agent.
 
    Well in my case, I worked in the mortgage industry for about eight years; I did all aspects in the mortgage world from underwriting to being … (3 comments)

Thousand Oaks Tri-level beauty!! - 04/07/07 11:41 AM
I am proud to present this 2261 square foot, four bed room two and half bath tri-level home.  This home offers a formal living room,  family room, built in pool and a large master bedroom.You can walk toa nearby park, or a golf course.  This home has everything to offer a growing family.  

This charmer is listed at $679,000.   If you have any questions about this house, or any home in Thousand Oaks, please drop me a line.
… (0 comments)

Baseball and my clients - 04/05/07 01:18 AM
            The one thing that draws my family together is baseball, not just baseball, but Angels Baseball.  I went to my first Angels game when I was about 6 weeks old.  Each of my children went to games in there first year of life.  Baseball is such a way of life in my family my father tried to get us to name each out our children after baseball items.  So I have a niece named Wrigley and a son names Briggs (tiger field), I am passionate about sports, and most of all baseball.
 
            I have found by being a … (2 comments)

What a brokerage looks for in an agent. - 04/04/07 12:00 AM
I was reading Mary Pope-Handy's post How did you choose your brokerage?  
I thought I would through my 2-cents in. 
As the co-owner of Exit Family Realty, I thought I would chime in on what we look for in an agent.  At Exit we do not hire everybody who wants to sign up, we invest a lot of time and money in each new recruit so we try to make sure we have a right fit.
 
When I talk to a perspective new agent, I try to see if the agent has an understanding that real estate is a profession, not a … (2 comments)

The 40 year fix - 04/03/07 12:30 PM
The 40 year fix
 
I am sure you have heard the media talk about the 40 year fix.  The 40 year fix is a new mortgage option, so I thought I would give you some information in this loan.
 
The 40 year fix has a .25 higher rate than your traditional 30 year fixes.  Even with the higher rate you can save as much as $125.00 a month by adding 10 years to your mortgage. 
 
The 40 year fix, is a good alternative to an interest only loan.  Your monthly payment is about $100 a month more … (0 comments)

Short Sale Transaction Procedures - 04/03/07 12:23 PM
"SHORT SALE" TRANSACTION PROCEDURES
 
In the current Real Estate Market we are seeing more and more listings subject to a "Short Sale".  This is a property sale wherein the amount owed the Lender(s) exceeds the current market value plus the costs of sale (Escrow, Title, Commissions and etc).  In almost every case involving a "Short Sale", the Lenders are asked to accept less than what is owed them and must approve such a request.  Our industry commonly uses the term "Short Sale", though Lenders may call it something else.  By any name, it is a contingency of sale that must be disclosed and both Buyer and … (27 comments)

30 year fix - 04/03/07 12:20 PM
The 30 year fixes the forgotten loan:
 
If you have an adjustable and found you payment going up, it might be time for you to refinance into a traditional 30 year fix.  This product is like old faithful, it will always be the same rate and the same payment, and there is comfort in knowing what your payment will be. 
 
Right now a conventional 30 year with a loan amount under $417,000, fix rates are around 6.00%.  Some days it is a bit less, some days a bit more.  If your loan size is over $417,000 then the … (0 comments)

Marketing - 04/02/07 06:50 PM
            Like every Realtor or loan officer out there marketing is a dreaded word.  To me it’s like “exercising” we all need to do it, but nobody really wants to.  As a broker we are often asked how our agents/loan officer should go about marketing.  I can not give each agent the same idea, so I always have to come up with something new. 
 
            Then money comes into it, most agents starting out have no or little money to work with.  They just paid all this money to join the board, and get there license, now we want … (1 comments)

 

Beth Bastian Simi Valley Real Estate

Simi Valley, CA

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Rosemont Financial Inc

Cell Phone: (805) 857-0484

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A place where I talk about all that is real estate, from selling homes to refinancing them.


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