Collette's Blog

UCR's Science Lecture Series

Tower Realty — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:13:55 -0500

Please join the UCR College on Natural and Agricultural Sciences

on April 2nd at the Univesity Theater, 7pm-8pm

for the first lecture in a series of lectures celebrating the 200th year of Darwin's birth

The Dance of the Genes: How Biological Evolution Works

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

16th Annual Riverside Festival of Lights

Tower Realty — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:16:40 -0600

Come join us for the 16th Annual

Riverside Festival of Lights, on November 28th at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa.

Every evening from November 28 to January 4, festivalgoers can enjoy holiday decorations with more than three million twinkling lights along Mission Inn Avenue, ice skating under the stars, horse-drawn carriage rides, live entertainment and of course, Santa Claus.

The Festival takes place in Downtown Riverside on the Main Street Pedestrian Mall where visitors can find a variety of options for dining and unique shopping.

It also features holiday-themed vendors every night, offering specialty food and gift items. Come experience the Festival. Have dinner, shop and enjoy the holiday fun.

Remember to Shop Riverside to support our Police and Fire departments.

Tower Realty and "Light the Night"

Tower Realty — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:40:03 -0600

Team Tower Realty's campaign for te Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was a great success we raised $5,900.00 for this great organization!

Tower Realty would like to thank all of the voulnteers who came out to show thier support at the garage sale and the walk. We couldn't have done ir without you!

Tower Realty and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Tower Realty — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:03:23 -0500

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is holding their annual Light The Night^® Walk on October 4^th at California Baptist University in Riverside.d Lymphoma Society raises awareness

The Leukemia anabout the various forms of blood cancers and their Light The Night^® Walk enables community members to get involved, raise money and enjoy an evening of walking with friends and family to commemorate the lives of people touched by cancer. Tower Realty is proud to be involved with such a worthy organization, so much in fact that of Tower Realty is heading up their own team. Tower Realty has made a concerted effort to reach out to her community and ask them to donate their time to this worthwhile cause. Tower Realty has organized a massive garage sale to be held at the Tower Realty parking lot on September 13^th with all proceeds directly benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Tower Realty encourages all community members to donate unwanted items, so this years Light The Night^® Walk can be successful. Visit www.lightthenight.org for more information and to sign-up with "Team Tower Realty" and join us at California Baptist University on October 4^th.

Please donate unwanted items (or call our office for large item pick-up) to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light The Night^® Walk Garage Sale, hosted by Tower Realty on September 13^th at our office, located at: 7197 Brockton Avenue, Suite 6. Please contact us with any questions at (951) 369-8002.

Donations Wanted!

We Will Pick Up!

Lead Referrals

Tower Realty — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:57:55 -0500

I had some questions about lead referrals on AR. I am not sure exactly what they all are. I know you send referrals to other agents, but I have been on AR for almost 2 years now and have not recieved one referral. Am I doing something wrong or is there something you need to do? Any advice would help.

A secret of Success

Tower Realty — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:57:33 -0500

There needs to be more engaged activity in philanthropic work and more giving back to the community. I believe it is a very important key to success for realtors to be outstanding and involved members in their area.

Tower Realty encourages its agents to give of their time to charitable and community service organizations. Our agents serve in a variety of organizations such as: The Arthritis Foundation, The Riverside Community Hospital Foundation, The Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center, and the California Baptist University Board of Visitors.

My son Brent Lee who is also a broker at Tower Realty serves as a commissioner on the City of Riverside Parking, Traffic, and Streets Commission and is a member of the City's International Relations Council.

Are there more people like me who share this philosophy? Tell me a little about what you're involved in and how you give back to your community. All comments are greatly appreciated.

Vacant Homes for Sale

Tower Realty — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:55:23 -0500

The percentage of vacant homes for sale in the United States set a new record high in the first quarter of this year, the government said Monday. The Census Bureau report shows that shows that 2.9% of U.S. homes -- excluding rental properties -- were vacant and up for sale, compared with 2.8% in the fourth quarter of 2007. It was the highest quarterly number in records going back to 1956. That works out to 2.28 million properties, up from 2.18 million in the same quarter last year, according to the report.

The West had the biggest gain in vacancy rates among homeowners, rising to 7% in the January-March period from 6.5% in the fourth quarter of 2007. Vacancy rates fell in the Midwest and South, but rose in the Northeast. The national vacancy rate, including new and existing homes, has been steadily rising since mid-2005. The Census Bureau's report also said that the U.S. homeownership rate remained at 67.8% in the first quarter, down from a peak of 69.2% at the end of 2004.

The housing market's five-year boom is quickly becoming a faint memory, as sales and home prices have fallen dramatically over the past two years in once hot sales areas such as California and Nevada. Last week, a Commerce Department report said sales of new homes plunged in March to the slowest pace in 16 1/2 years. Builders have slashed prices, but the discounts have done little to lure buyers who are holding out, uncertain about when the price-drop will stop.

The biggest increase is being seen in the rental market. Renter are increasing fast and the demand for rental properties is getting bigger and bigger each day.

Tower Realty takes Happiness to a New Level

Tower Realty — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:52:34 -0500

Tower Realty's " Happy Campaign" started in January of 2008. It has been a tremendous success so far says broker, Collete Lee. Our company wanted to focus on the positive not the negative. For instance, if you look at the windows of our office on the corner of Brocton and Indiana there are bright yellow "We are a Happy Real Estate Office " signs. On our real-estate sign posts we have added "Happy Faces". We send daily happy thoughts to our agents. We believe attitude is altitude at Tower Realty.

Research shows that practicing certain happiness activities can change people's lives. Happy people live longer, more likely to live longer, make more money, are liked by others and are more productive at their jobs. Since our agents have one of the most rewarding jobs in the world; helping people find their dream homes. And we are excited about this market.

Our goal is to change the attitude of our agents and clients and look for the Happy, all the positive aspects of real estate. We even have a money jar in the front office that an agent will add a dollar to if they are caught having negative thoughts. Tower realty will then donate that collection to charity at the end of the year. "This campaign is fun and we constantly try to be positive even though the market is more challenging but there are more opportunities to serve our clients," says agent, Miles Turner.

There are many opportunities for first time homebuyers, investors or move up buyers. We can put a smile on our client faces by finding a perfect home at a great price. We have encountered some exceptional values, where an investor can purchase and break- even from the onset that ws unheard of 2 years ago, says Brent Lee, broker.

We would like to bring the happiness quotient to your life call 951 369-8002 for more information.

A great time to purchase the home you have always wanted

Tower Realty — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:51:24 -0500

A forecast conducted by Chapman's Anderson Center for Economic Research predicts that Inland Southern California will continue pushing down home prices until late 2009, although the region's overall economy will improve next year. It seems there are more factors at play here with the retail market also declining and the rise of gasoline, food and other consumables is putting the economy into a down whirl spiral it would seem, but according to the study there will be job growth next year and with job growth comes retail buying and an upswing in the real estate market.

Now is a good time to buy, with beautiful homes at low prices and the economy going into an upswing you can get the dream home you have always wanted. This is truly a buyers market offering you the best deals and is a great time to invest as in the end your home values will start to increase and you will see a profit in your investment. So don't hesistate, get out there together and find your dream home today.

How do you get up your ranking and points?

Tower Realty — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:22:53 -0500

I was hoping that someone could explain to me a little bit more on how AR works. I post the blogs and respond to the maximum amount of comments I can each day, but I am curious as to how AR determines your ranking in your city, etc. If someone could break this down for me I would greatly appreicate it, I have been a member of AR for a while now, but just need some things explained..Thank you everyone.

What is the best way to submit an offer.....

Tower Realty — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:18:31 -0500

In this market of REO's and short sales it is good to remember what is the magic number for your clients.

You want your offer to be good enough to attract the seller's attention, but not too high that you overpay for the property. So what to do? Hopefully some of these tips can help you.

Different markets require different strategies. In a buyers market you can often have the luxury of offering below the list price. You and the seller can then negotiate until you have reached a mutually acceptable price.

A seller's market, if your in a multiple offer competition with other buyers, you may not have the a chance to negotiate with the sellers. In this situation, your first price could the best offer.

Despite of the market conditions, it needs to be understood that the local market value needs to feel comfortable with your offer price. The best way to learn market value is to look at a lot of listings of the kind of home you hope to buy. These might be homes you see at Sunday open houses, or listings that you see with your real estate agent.

Let your agent know the addresses of any listing you see that might work for you. Ask the agent to let you know the sale prices when the transactions close. Keep a record of these listing and sale prices. You can always refer back to this data when you decide to make an offer.

House hunting tip: It's useful to look at the relationship between the list price and the selling price of listings you've seen. Let's just say if homes are selling, on average, for 97 percent of the list price, you might use this percentage as a gauge. If you think a property is well priced, you could offer 4-5 percent below the asking price and plan to negotiate a price that's approximately 3 percent below the list price. Your agent can provide you with additional comparable sales information for sold listings that you didn't see.

Some buyers and sellers don't like relative bids. A disadvantage to the seller is that it requires a counteroffer. A seller might not want to risk countering a lower offer when he already has a bona fide offer from another buyer for a higher price. A disadvantage for the buyer is that you reveal that you'll be willing to pay a higher price.

The closing: There's an element of guesswork involved in multiple offer bidding. It helps to work with a trustworthy agent who knows local market value and who can advise you how much to offer.

Lets keep them in our thoughts and prayers

Tower Realty — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:03:44 -0500

I am sure you have all been watching the news and have seen the great devastation of the flooding that is occuring in the midwest regions. I was looking at pictures on the internet of Cedar Rapids, IA, the whole city is basically underwater. I feel so fortunate for the things that I have and ask that all of you remember these people that are losing their homes, their possessions and even their loved ones and ask for you to all keep them in their your thoughts and prayers...Thank you to all the people here on Active Rain

HMMMM...Strange Thursday

Tower Realty — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:01:15 -0500

I have seem to notice today that the majority of people I talk to just seem to be down. I am not sure if it is because we are all waiting for the weekend or just we are all frustrated with the way things are going these days. I just wanted to share with all of you that no matter what, if you stay positive and think positive than great things will follow. I have read alot of blogs on this site and have noticed that everyone is trying to keep up a positive attitude. It is so nice to log on everyday and read these wonderful posts of upbeat and full of energy individuals. I just wanted to tell you all thank you and lets keep supporting one another.

Riverside YWCA Fundraiser

Tower Realty — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:56:23 -0500

The Riverside YWCA will be holding it's 16^th annual Check Signing Party on June 19^th at a beautiful home in Riverside with gourmet catering by DELICIOUS DISH. You are invited! Your admission is a $200 donation that is leveraged to receive a 1,278% return!! This is the signature event of the Professional Women's Council.

Did a program at the YWCA touch your life? "Mine was!" states broker Brent Lee. In my youth, I attended classes at the YWCA for years. My mother volunteered in conjunction with CPS and was chairperson for the "Parent Warm Line", that is why I serve on the board of this organization that supports women's and children's issues.

" The Riverside YWCA Check Signing Party raises money to support a fundraising and grant writing positions at the YWCA and raises additional money for various other programs through this great organization. I am proud to have served as a board member for the YWCA for many years and look forward to working on many more fundraisers and events in the years to come" stated Brent Lee, Broker at Tower Realty.

"Tower Realty encourages the public to support this worthy cause" Owner/Broker, Collette Lee states. "We are a community based, independent company with deep roots and a strong feeling of commitment to our community. Out entire office is committed to making Riverside a better place, as evidenced by our active involvement in charities ranging from our schools to our hospitals".

For information on events or where to send donations, please contact Brent Lee at (951) 369-8002 at Ext. 210 or the Riverside YWCA (951) 687-9922.

Some questions about REO's

Tower Realty — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:24:15 -0500

I know alot of you out there are trying to get into the same thing, selling foreclosed properties. I have been submitting my applications to the banks, to Hud and various other organizations to tap into this market to no avail have heard anything back. I have been in Real Estate for over 20 years and have the experience and drive. Is there anyone that can give me some tips on what I need to do to streamline getting approved with some of these lenders? Any tips you have would be greatly appreciated and helpful. Thanks to you all and have a great day...

We are proud to be a part of the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Fundraiser

Tower Realty — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:15:40 -0500

The Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center held their 27^th Annual Fundraising Auction and Dinner on May 3, 2008 at the Victoria Country Club in Riverside.

The fundraiser netted over $82,000 which will be used to assist victims of sexual assault and to help maintain the outreach programs they have available. One of our agents Margo McDonald has been a part of this foundation for over fourteen years, helping to keep the donations coming in as well as organizing fundraisers. We believe in giving back to the community and look foward to supporting the Rape Crisis Center in Riverside for many more years to come.

For information on future events or where to send donations, please contact Margo McDonald at (951) 369-8002 at Ext. 208 or the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center at (951) 686-7273.

Property Taxes

Tower Realty — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:41:24 -0500

Dear Friends,

Due to the declining market, I have helped many clients lower their tax rate by providing information to them. I have included a link in this newsletter to connect you to the Riverside County Assessors Office to obtain an application and to explain the process for lowering your property taxes. As always through good times and bad, I am here for you. Call with any needs or questions.

Collette

P.S. The market has picked up, we have been busy!

The link to the Riverside County Assessors office is:

http://www.treasurer- tax.co.riverside.ca.us/

Great Business Location

Tower Realty — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:17:19 -0500

Collette Lee | Tower Realty | cleeentz@aol.com | (951)369-8002 ext. 201

3853 Jurupa Avenue, Riverside, CA

Prime Location near Riverside Plaza

Retail/Commercial

offered at $499,900

Year Built	Unspecified
Sq Footage	2,400
Floors	1
Parking	Uncovered spaces
Lot Size	10,890 sqft
Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Gift/Florist/Card Shops
Prime location near Riverside Plaza. Florist shop currently with lease until 11-2010. There are 8 parking spaces, buyer to verify with city all issues of interest to them. Great future potential. Call office at 951-369-8002 for more information. Do not disturb tenants.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Large Parking Lot

Florist Shop with lease until 11/2010

LOCATION FEATURES

Near Riverside Plaza

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Buyer to verify with city all issues of interest

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Collette Lee

Tower Realty

cleeentz@aol.com

(951)369-8002 ext. 201

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 12, 2008, 8:24am PDT

Charming 1960s Style Home

Tower Realty — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:00:12 -0500

Collette Lee | Tower Realty | cleeentz@aol.com | (951)369-8002 ext. 201

206 Harvey Ave., Riverside, CA

Beautiful Home on Quiet Street

3 Bdrm Single Family House

offered at $274,900

Year Built	1962
Sq Footage	1,405
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	9,583 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Quiet street bordering Grand Terrace. Single story on dead end with large lot. Very cute, but needs a little fixing. New roof, quality construction, and newer garage door. Fresh paint interior as of 3-24-08. Worth the effort to see--Great Price!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Fireplace	Living room
Dining room	Laundry area - garage

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Collette Lee

Tower Realty

cleeentz@aol.com

(951)369-8002 ext. 201

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 24, 2008, 8:46am PDT

Prop's You Need To Know In Riverside County

Tower Realty — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:48:25 -0500

Prop 13:

Under proposition 13, real property is reappraised only when a change-in-ownership occurs, or when new construction takes place. Generally, a change in ownership is a sale or transfer property, while new construction is any improvement to property that is not considered normal maintenance. Except for these two instances, property assessments cannot be increased by more than 2% annually.

Prop 8:

Due to the dire market conditions within the County of Riverside, the Assessor's office has begun to review the value of properties purchased within the last year in an effort to determine if value reductions are warranted under Proposition 8.

If you believe the assessed value of your home is greater than its current market value, you may request a review by filling out and returning a Decline-in-Value-Reassessment Application (Prop.8) form. A title company will then review your request and provide written notification regarding their findings.

Highly Reduced Historic Home

Tower Realty — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:45:35 -0500

Collette Lee | Tower Realty | cleeentz@aol.com | (951) 369-8002 ext. 201

1151 Monte Vista Drive, Riverside, CA

Arts & Crafts Bungalow on the National Registry!

5 Bdrm Single Family House

offered at $1,270,000

Year Built	1910
Sq Footage	4,032
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	4 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	43,995 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This exceptional Arts & Crafts bungalow on the National Historic Registry was designed by Puget Miller and is the lasting remnant of 200 acre Monte Vista Nursery. It is distinguished for its architectural integrity and its embodiment of the Arts & Crafts movement. Completely remodeled over the last two years. Over 4,000 SF of original hardwood maple and oak wood floors, 2 master bedrooms (one upstairs and one down), completely remodeled kitchen. Master suite upstairs has an amazing view. Home has been completely rewired and updated electrical. This is one of the finest historical estates in Riverside! Qualified buyer only. Call Collette or Brent for showing appointment only.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Fireplace	Hardwood floor	Dining room
Laundry area - inside	Swimming pool

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Collette Lee

Tower Realty

cleeentz@aol.com

(951) 369-8002 ext. 201

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 12, 2008, 7:41am PDT

Tax Information You Need to Know

Tower Realty — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:03:59 -0500

Riverside County Tax Information

Important Tax Dates:

January 1: Lien date - the time when taxes for the following fiscal year (July 1- June 30) become a lien on property.

February 15: Deadline for filing Veterans, Homeowners, Church, Religious, Welfare Exemptions, Historical Aircraft and other institutional exemptions.

March 15: Deadline for filing Owner's Request for Review of Property Value.

April 1: Deadline for filing Business Personal Property Statements.

April 10: Deadline for payment of second installment of secured property taxes.

July 1: Assessment Roll delivered by the Assessor to the Auditor-Controller.

July 2 - November 30: Period during which the Clerk of the Board accepts petitions for Assessment Appeals Board hearings on the regular roll. (Other filing periods may apply for supplemental assessments and escape assessments.)

August 31: Deadline for payments of unsecured property taxes.

December 10: Deadline for late filing of Homeowners, Veterans and Disabled Veterans Exemptions. Deadline for payment of first installment of secured property taxes.

Home Ownership One Topic In the State of the Union…

Tower Realty — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:17:58 -0500

Listening to President Bush's last State of the Union address, he was prepared for the topic of foreclosures and home ownership because every day in the media those remain very "HOT" topics. He did address that topic because so many people are affected. If you do some research you will find out that the House approved two measures this past Tuesday, which are designed to boost the ailing housing market as part of the economic stimulus package.

This is one of those times where there does not appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel. The House approved this measure but it seems they were under pressure from the Bush administration and the lawmakers limited the duration of one of the measurers. Apparently the plan raises the maximum size of mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy from $417,000 to as high as $729,750 in expensive parts of the country. The proposed increase would expire at the end of the year. The House also passed a stimulus bill that increases the size of Federal Housing Administration backed loans from $352,790 to as high as $729,750 in expensive areas until year-end allowing more borrowers with weak credit to refinance into federally insured loans.

All the different solutions that are out there will eliminate a lot of the people that were really in trouble and needed the help. For example, one of the solutions talked about they could not have been late on a payment in order to apply for assistance. Well, given the current state of the housing market if they had not been late on a payment why are they receiving additional options for their mortgage. They are not the ones that need it.

Keep watching to see how these changes take effect and can help you if needed.

TOWER REALTY AWARD LUNCHEON HONORS AGENTS

Tower Realty — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:06:17 -0500

Tower Realty held its Annual Awards Luncheon at Farafalla's Italian Cucina. "Tower Realty had a great year. We have had tremendous support from our community and we extend our heartfelt thanks," says Broker, Collette Lee. "Our professional agents, and great staff have contributed to our success and the great reputation we have achieved in the community. There are many agents deserving of awards but there is only one outstanding agent of the year. We honor Agent of the Year Brent Lee for most commissions earned as well as units sold. Brent's commitment to excellence is evident in every transaction, every step of the way, whether in his artful negotiations, attention to detail, or his knowledge of Real Estate. His dedication to his clients, attention and sensitivity to their needs make him a true professional, says Margo McDonald, associate Broker.

Brent has been working for Tower Realty for 9 years and selling for 5 years.

Brent holds a degree in Economics and International Relations, which he achieved at the University of San Diego. He currently serves as a commissioner for the City of Riverside, on the Parking, Traffic, and Streets Commission, and is also a member of the International Relations Council. Lee has been a recipient of numerous awards, including the 2004 Tower Realty Spirit award.

Agent Miles Turner received the Tower Realty Spirit Award for 2007. "The Spirit Award that Miles received signifies his overall commitment to the company and recognizes him as being an outstanding team player. Turner has been selling real estate for 4 years. Miles attended Poly High School and is an alumnus of Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Communications. Miles feels it is important to understand the progression of our city so that he can guides his clients accordingly. His enormous amount of dedication and hard work has contributed to his most recent accomplishment.

"Our office is very fortunate to have many excellent Agents, who take pride in their work and provide quality services to their clients, I'd like to honor all of them," Broker Collette Lee stated.

You can reach Brent or Miles by calling 951-369-8002.

Good Ink!

Tower Realty — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:58:06 -0500

Tower Realty honors Collette Lee

as top agent of the month for January 2008

Tower Realty has announced Collette Lee as Agent of the Month for January. Collette Lee, Broker/Owner of Tower Realty has been selling real estate for more than 20 years. "With her enormous amount of dedication and hard work, she has built Tower Realty into a company that is known for its professionalism and integrity," said fellow agent Patti Triplett. These attributes earned Lee's company, Tower Realty, the Small Business of the Year Award from the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce in 2005.

Lee has been the recipient of numerous sales-achievement awards over the years and is an alumnus of UCR and California Baptist University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. She holds her GRI and Certified Relocation Specialist designation. Collette lives in Riverside with her husband, Gary.

You can reach Collette by calling (951) 369-8002 ext. 201, or stop by Tower Realty at 7197 Brockton Avenue, Suite 6 in Riverside.