A peek inside John's head

Santa Clarita Rental Market Update - March 20, 2008

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:21:35 -0500

So, I know it has been a long time since I have done an update. I sincerely apologize. The last few months have been very exciting. I will try to do a "catch-up" update. Several significant one-time and ongoing occurences have taken place recently that are significantly impacting the rental market here in Santa Clarita. Let's take a look at a few:

Positive and Negative Propaganda Regarding the Resale and Rental Markets
Extreme Volatility in Interest Rates, Terms, and Qualifications for Home Loans
Difficulty in Obtaining Investor Loans for Residential Property
Sharp Drop in Quality of Rental Applications
Extreme Number of Foreclosures

Ok, that should keep us busy for a bit. Remember, I state some "facts" and some opinions. I put facts in quotes, because statistics are extremely susceptible to manipulation and are often cited as fact. I will try to deliver to you only relevant statistics and ones that I believe hold true. Remember, we are talking about Santa Clarita, CA in particular. It may be vastly different just a few miles away. (It is totally different in Lancaster/Palmdale, CA.) Let's break the above bullet points down even further:

"Positive and Negative Propaganda Regarding the Resale and Rental markets". This is referring to your garden variety newspaper, Yahoo!, Google, etc... "news". I love that they call it news. We all know what it is, so let's call it what it is. Sales. Take a moment to read some of these and then ask yourself, "What expertise does this writer have in the field they are writing about?". Probably little to none. They were probably hired because they know how to write, not because they know the rental market. This propaganda has driven a popular perception that the rental markets everywhere are going up at an alarming rate. Not true. We have seen a trend in Santa Clarita that rent prices are actually going sideways and sometimes even down a bit year over year from January 2007 to January 2008. THE RENTAL MARKET REMAINS STRONG IN SANTA CLARITA, BUT NOT AS STRONG AS THE POPULAR PERCEPTION.

"Extreme Volatility in Interest Rates, Terms, and Qualifications for Home Loans" AND "Difficulty in Obtaining Investor Loans for Residential Property". I am grouping these together because they are having a similar effect. Both types of home buyers - investors and those who intend to occupy the home - are having difficulty obtaining loans. Of course, this isn't new, but it is still sharply affecting the resale and rental markets. "BUT JOHN, SHOULDN'T THAT DRIVE THE RENTS UP?" Not necessarily. You have to take into account the number of sellers who are placing there homes for rent as an alternative to selling. The current rental inventory seems to be enough supply for the demand. But the flip-side is also true. Although there is a larger inventory overall, there are more renters overall. Right now, it seems to be in balance. Rents are not moving very much.

"Sharp Drop in Quality of Rental Applications". This one is something that it seems not a lot of people are thinking about. We are seeing a significant percentage of our applicants (We will see over 300 applications this year) with poor credit (sub 600) and mortgage defaults. We are telling more applicants that they are not approved than we have in the past. Where do they go to rent? They go to one of two likely places. 1) Homeowners who are trying the renting game on their own and don't know how to screen tenants properly or 2) apartments. This may be why the news media is reporting that rents are going up. Apartments can "spread the risk" and take lower quality applicants. This allows them to charge a higher rent. Typically the media will call apartment complexes to compile rental data. Just speculation, I haven't done the research.

"Extreme Number of Foreclosures". This is a big one. There are a lot of people moving these days. The supply is there, but the turnover is fast. The foreclosures are hitting from two sides. One is the owner/occupant who is losing their home. The other is the owner/investor who is losing the investment property. Both result in someone moving.

So, here is what we are seeing. The number of rentals is going up. The number of renters is going up. They currently seem balanced. The quality of applications is going down. Buyers are still struggling to buy. Investors are still struggling to buy. Foreclosure are up. Infalation is probably on the rise which means rates will probably go up. Resale prices are dropping. We are in a recession (debatedly).

I hope you enjoyed this. I really do not intend to sound negative. I think this market presents an unbelievable opportunity for those who are willing to swim upstream, against the flow. But this is not the place to discuss that. Perhaps I will do another post about that very issue. For now, I gotta get to work. There are lot of houses to be rented, applications to be processed, properties to be listed, and people to help. Let's get to it!

Santa Clarita Resale and Rental Market Update

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:50:14 -0600

BELOW IS A COPY OF A MARKET UPDATE I RECENTLY SENT TO OUR CLIENTS:

Dear Client,

In response to a recent survey of 75 clients, I am going to give quarterly updates on the state of the residential resale and residential rental markets in Santa Clarita and the surrounding areas. These updates are simply my opinion of the current market based on my studies of the current and past market reports for this area. I promise to never "sugar coat" anything I say. I will shoot straight, the way I see it.

As you may well know, the current resale market in Santa Clarita is in shambles. There are still a few optimistic reports trickling out, mostly from associations whose memberships stand to gain from a positive consumer attitude. Most reports are painting a "doom and gloom" picture, which, in my opinion, is not far from the truth. We have seen well over 10% depreciation, nearly across the board in the Santa Clarita market, since the beginning of 2007. The total depreciation since the beginning of 2006 is over 20% in some areas of Santa Clarita. (For instance, a Lower North Oaks home recently sold for $335,000.00. This same model sold for over $450,000.00 at the peak of the market. They were comparable in condition, location, etc...The home that sold for $335,000.00 was originally listed at $460,000.00. After being in escrow for $399,000.00, and $379,000.00, the owner took an offer of $335,000.00. This is not uncommon in many areas of Santa Clarita.)

Why is this happening? You may have read reports that the mortgage market imploded, exploded, or any other "ploded" that may apply, or you may have read about the weakening of the dollar, the rise or fall of interest rates, overbuilding, or any other number of factors. My question is this: If any of those were the reason, than why are there areas in the U.S. where double-digit appreciation is still occurring? I believe that the reason the market is adjusting so drastically is that the gap between the monthly cost of owning a home and the monthly cost of renting a home was so large. That gap occurred for some of the reasons listed above. That gap is closing. In areas where that gap is very small or nonexistent, home values are climbing.

When will the gap close? When will the market turn? No one knows for sure, we are all just guessing. There are many factors that can affect the market - rates, terms, loan restrictions, strength (or weakness) of the dollar, and a U.S. presidential election are just a few. My personal opinion is that in Santa Clarita we are going to level off quickly and then slowly adjust downward for another year or so before we see a real leveling of the market. I feel that it will be 3-5 years before we see appreciation, and then we will probably spike up for several years.

The rental market has been strong in 2007. We are seeing a slowdown right now, which is probably caused by: 1) The holiday season and 2) The influx of rental homes. While there are many people looking to rent (because they can't - or don't want to - buy), there are a great many people who have been trying to sell their home and have not had success and are turning to leasing out their home as an alternative.

I believe that the rental market will remain strong, but not quite what we have seen in 2007. 2007 saw very low vacancy rates and sharp rent increases in many areas. 2008 should bring slightly higher vacancy rates and slightly lower rent increases. Overall, however, it should be a very good rental market.

Remember, this is my opinion for the Santa Clarita area only. The Antelope Valley is a much different picture with rent decreases, much higher foreclosure rates, and less immigration. Other parts of the country are seeing different things as well. Miami, for example, is seeing sharp depreciation in home values, and sharp decreases in rents, in many communities.

What does it all mean? I believe that this market is preparing to transfer huge amounts of wealth from one group of people to another. Many people who are watching the market are going to start buying property and either "flipping" or renting them. Many people will lose their homes while many people will "gain" more homes. Which side are you on? If you are interested in buying, please contact me (unless you were referred by a realtor, then contact the realtor who referred you!).

I hope you enjoyed my snapshot of the current state of residential real estate in Santa Clarita. Feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree, and why. The easiest way is to e-mail me at john@rentwithclassic.com.

Best Regards,

John Evarts, CEO

Microfinance meets Prosper.com = A fun way to give! Kiva.org

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:41:02 -0500

KIVA.ORG is a great way to give. They have combined the elements of prosper.com with microfinance.

I am so excited about finding this website. After I decided to write a post about it, I did a quick search in AR to see if anyone else was posting about it. There was one guy. ART BLANCHET. He has written multiple posts about Kiva.org. Check it out. Thank you, Art, for writing your posts.

Here is how it works, in a nutshell: You pick a business you want to make an interest free loan to and, using any credit card via paypal, loan as little as $25 to that business. That business is "mentored" by one of many microfinance organizations who helps them manage their business and repay the loan. According to Yahoo!News, they have a 99% repayment rate. (Just so you know, that is UNBELIEVABLE!) They pay you back usually in around 6 months to a year. At that point, you can re-lend the money, or withdraw it.

When I first saw that you had to use paypal, I thought Wow! That has to get expensive. Turns out, paypal likes what the folks at Kiva.org are doing and PAYPAL DOESN'T CHARGE KIVA.ORG ANYTHING TO USE THEIR SERVICE! I was blown away. So, I dug a little to see who was partnering with Kiva.org. Here is what I found.

Something else, isn't it? I thought so, too. I first read about microfinance organizations several months ago in Fast Company. They were honoring companies who had found a way to profit and help the community. One of them was a microfinance organization. Then, shortly after, while at a Dodger game with JT, he mentioned wanting to get involved in microfinance. I didn't really dig too much after that night, until I read an article on Kiva.org and decided to explore a bit.

This kind of thinking, using the internet for good, connecting people in this way,

IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

Kudos to Kiva.

Santa Clarita Rental Market Update - August, 2007

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:28:53 -0500

The current collapse of the residential home loan industry is having a HUGE effect on the residential rental market in Santa Clarita, California.

I imagine that it is having the same effect in many parts of the country, but I am going to focus on the Santa Clarita Valley. The current state of the mortgage industry is this: THERE IS VERY LITTLE MONEY TO LOAN. I am going to give you my take on what is happening in the mortgage industry, and then what I think it is doing to the rental industry.

It is nearly universally accepted that the number of foreclosures taking place in the country today can be linked to irresponsible practices by mortgage brokers and underwriters across the country. The number of defaults on residential loans has made the resale (or secondary) market of loans a general fiasco. Most loan warehousers cannot sell there loans. When they cannot sell their loans, they have no new money to lend. That is how Countrywide ended up tapping their entire 11 billion dollar line of credit. I am not going to go into details. Suffice it to say that there is very little money to lend because the current loans cannot be sold because of the increasing number of defaults.

When there isn't enough money to lend, the banks become very selective in choosing borrowers for their money.

This means that people who one year ago would have qualified for a home can no longer qualify. The people who were waiting for the crash of the home prices are now seeing it, however, now that prices are down, they are finding that they cannot buy. These people create a very high-quality pool of renters. When you combine these people with the people who are losing their homes to short pays and foreclosures, and then combine that number with the normal pool of renters, you have a very good rental market - for the property owners.

The bottom line is this: RENTS CONTINUE TO RISE AND THE INVENTORY CONTINUES TO REMAIN LOW.

Although more and more sellers are turning to renting their homes as an alternative, the continually growing pool of renters keeps the inventory slim and homes that are priced correctly, show well, and have good location consistently rent in less that 30 days.

This is the strongest rental market I have seen in well over 3 years.

Gimme them Magic Beans! Now!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 14:06:31 -0500

I DON'T REMEMBER HOW OLD I WAS WHEN I WAS INTRODUCED TO THESE MAGIC BEANS. But, I do know that I cannot survive one day without them. These little beans have some mysterious quality that enables me. I feel more powerful after I have them. My relationship with them is like a sick kind of co-dependent love affair. If I have them, I am happier, more pleasant to be around, more productive (it seems), and more likely to show kindness and graciousness to those I encounter.

If I don't have them, I am some kind of monster. I experience pain in my head, lethargy, frustration, hot flashes, and anger. Do you know these magical beans that I speak of? You can find them at nearly every street corner in metropolitan areas. They do exist in rural communities, but you may have to travel 3 or 4 blocks to find them. The pharmacists who handle them work in small shops that smell so strongly of the beans that if you have not had them for a time, you may feel faint from just the aroma. You are likely to encounter long lines at the magical bean shop. The people in line are generally not happy, talkative, or respectful. The people who have already ordered their beans and are waiting for their delivery grow anxious with each passing minute. If the beans are delivered in a different order than which the order was placed, you may hear angry words hurled at the pharmacists.

I become angry on Thanksgiving or Christmas when the bean store is closed. I have even found myself buying extra beans the day before these holidays and placing them in the refrigerator so that I can have them the next day. I become frustrated when I am on a road-trip and I can't find any beans in unfamiliar territory.

These beans are dangerous, in my opinion. If you are addicted to them, you will feel a pull everytime you pass that green circle with a lady in the middle. If you are addicted, you know what the green circle with the lady in the middle means. You can picture it your mind, you can taste your poisonous bean of choice, and your mouth is probably beginning to water. My beans come on ice with a bit of half-and-half added to mellow out the flavor just a touch. My wife's beans of choice come hot with steamed milk and dash of caramel added. It doesn't matter, the effect is the same.

I have met many people who also share my addiction to the magic beans. Many of you reading this may also be addicted. In fact, every morning on my way to the office, I see some of the same haggard-looking people with grumpy faces walking toward that shop like zombies drawn to flesh. I see some of the same people leaving the shop with a smile on their face and a spring in their step.

I have tried to rid myself of this addiction. Many times. The same thing always happens. The people who love me and have encouraged me to try and succeed at overcoming this vice end up begging me to start taking my beans again. I have become so miserable to be around, that they would rather have me addicted to these god-fosaken magic beans than try and live with me when I haven't had them. I have considered being admitted to some place that can help, but it doesn't matter where I go, the beans are there. I go to the hospital, they are in the lobby. I go to grocery store, they are at the entrance, waiting for me. I go to a hotel, they are in the lobby. I go to the airport, and there are multiple bean shops!

I have given up. I have resigned myself to a life of bean addiction.

Prosper.com - A great idea or a ticking bomb?

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:56:37 -0500

I JOINED PROSPER.COM SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. I first read about it in Fast Company Magazine. After I read the article, I went to the website and poked around. I was very intrigued. It is a "peer-to-peer" lending website. One magazine described it as "banking meets e-bay". You can join as a "lender" or "borrower". Or both. If you are a lender, you bid on loans that are "listed" by borrowers. You can bid in any amount with the minimum being $50.00.

Ok, here is an example: Someone wants $13,000.00 to pay off high-rate credit cards. The lenders get to review the loan, check the credit report stats (you don't get to see the actual report, just a summary), income, debt, etc... The site calculates the DTI (debt-to-income) and red flags the higher DTIs. The lenders can review the "listing", which is the borrower's reason for wanting the loan, justification for the loan, etc... The lenders can then ask questions of the borrower. After reviewing the loan, you can then bid. If the credit score is too low, you will be given a warning that you have to acknowledge before you bid.

The borrowers offer an interest rate. Let's say 19.99%. (All loans are 3 year loans which makes a 20% interest rate for 3 years very attractive to someone paying 20% on a 99 year payment plan.) The lenders can bid $50 and any interest rate up to 19.99%. Once the loan is fully funded, it can be "bid down". Example, on the above laon, I bid $50 at 15%. My bid will automatically start at 19.99%. If it gets "bid down", my bid will automatically bid down until the rate goes below 15%. At that point, I have been "outbid" and I get an e-mail letting me know.

Anyway, I bounced the idea off a few friends and got pretty much the same response: "Sounds risky". Of course it sounds risky. But, as a wise man once told me, "knowledge reduces risk". I knew that I had some of the knowledge. I look at credit reports, income, employment history, rental history, etc... all day long and make decisions on whether to rent homes to people. I could just apply that knowledge to this website and reduce the risk.

I thought about it for awhile, and then joined as a lender. I have 10 loans made for a total of $550.00. I have been at it for about 3 months, all of my borrowers are current (actually none have even paid late, yet), my average interest rate is 18.24%, and I have a net return of just over $18.00 on $500 invested. Not bad. (I have $550 in loans because as soon as I had received $50 in payments, which were principal and interest, I lent it back out.)

Sound interesting? I thought so, too. There is a small time investment required. You need to research the site a bit, learn about groups, learn about the risk scoring model, etc...Feel free to e-mail me questions, or better yet, ask them in the comments so everyone can benefit.

Also, my story is one with no tears shed (yet). If you have shed a tear over a prosper deal gone bad, share it here. I have nothing but good things to say. In my opinion, based on my personal experience with the site, you can earn great interest rates fairly easily, and it's a lot of fun!

I am placing two buttons below. One is to borrow and one is to lend. Please use these buttons to join. (Yes, there are referral bonuses.)

A funny little thing called "DOLLAR COST AVERAGING" and another funnly little thing called the "RULE OF 72"

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:40:17 -0500

THIS POST IS AN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE AGE OLD QUESTION: "SHOULD I BUY?" Of course, we are talking about real estate. I was first introduced to a concept called Dollar Cost Averaging when I was just a wee lad learning whether to buy stocks. It was taught to me by a financial planner who also taught me the Rule of 72.

Let's first look at Dollar Cost Averaging. Dollar cost averaging refers to a financial principle that shows how to spread your earnings over time in an attempt to look at true earnings. It was taught to me using an analogy of a cow farmer, so that is how I will present it to you.

Let's say that you are a cow farmer. MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm, steak. Wait, different post. Ok, back to cow farming. You get into the cow market when cows cost $100 each. You commit to spending $100 a month on cows. The first month, you buy 1 cow. WooooHoooo!

The second month, the cow market tanks. I mean people-jumping-out-of-hay-silos tanks. The price of cows is now at $50. You get a bit nervous, feeling that you lost $50 on your first cow. But, you are a person of integrity. Your word, even to yourself, is your word. You spend $100 and buy 2 cows. You now own a total of 3 cows. You have paid a grand total of $200 and your cows are worth $150. Your parents tell you to sell. (Photo courtesy of Geerts-Walaszek Family's photos)

The third month, all hell breaks loose. Cows are shooting each other. Foreigners are buying horse bonds and its keeping the cow market down. Cows are now worth only $25 each. The chicken farmers were bought by Google and everyone is eating chicken. After some serious soul-searching, you decide to go one more month. You spend $100 and buy 4 nearly worthless cows. You bought cows that you couldn't sell if you wanted to. Your friends all sold their cows, your family sold their cows, and they are all laughing at you. Ha ha.

The fourth month, something happens. The Chinese got scared and quit buying horse bonds. They started opening McDonalds in India where the religions all decided that beef was ok. The market is on its way up! $50 a cow! You buy 2 for $100.

The fifth month, you are finally back where you started. The government decided that Google shouldn't own chicken farms. That would make them a monopoly. (Bill Gates has been lobbying). You stuck it out in a market that saw you buy at the top of the market, saw your cows go down in value, and over time rebounded to even. You spend your $100 and buy 1 cow, because that is what they are now worth. But, how did you do over all? Let's see.

Month	Price per cow	Number purchased/Total number owned	Amount spent thus far	Value of portfolio
1	$100	1	$100	$100
2	$50	2/3	$200	$150
3	$25	4/7	$300	$175
4	$50	2/9	$400	$450
5	$100	1/10	$500	$1000

So, you spent a total of $500 and your cows are now worth $1000.00!!! Was it ever a bad time to buy? You decide. Keep in mind, no one knew what the cow market was going to do.

Ok, now that you are ready to run out and buy cows, let's shift gears. The rule of 72. It's just a nifty trick to help you figure your Rate of Return. Here is the formula:

72 divided by interest rate equals the number of years to double your money (if you let it ride).

Or, 72/%=years to double.

You can work it backwards:

72 divided by years to double equals interest rate.

Or, 72/years to double = %

Nifty, eh? I heard that Einstein thought this one up. So here is what you can now do. Buy some houses, track the appreciation, and in the tax savings and rents, compare from every angle using the rule of 72 and then.......you will want to buy more houses.

You Think YOUR Job is Tough? Gimme a break!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:32:26 -0500

OK, I HAVE REFRAINED FROM WRITING THIS POST, BUT I CAN'T HOLD OUT ANY LONGER. I am a huge Deadliest Catch fan. I have seen every episode, every After the Catch episode, and the Special: Behind the Scenes. I have visited the F/V Northwestern website, the Rollo website, and the Cornelia Marie website. I have emailed the guys of the F/V Northwestern. I even purchased a poster of the Northwestern and am contemplating decorating our entire office in crab fishing décor.

DOES THAT MAKE ME A NERD? A DORK? OBSESSED? Maybe, but who cares? Not me. I LOVE these guys. Somehow, I became totally infatuated with their way of life, their dedication to the task at hand, their sheer toughness and sense of adventure. And I cheer at the end of every fishing season when they show how much the deckhands made. In fact, I have even cried when guys died, or when Matt Bradley read a letter sent to him by a fan encouraging him in his battle against addiction.

YOU SEE, WHEN I NEED A BOOST OF CONFIDENCE, A "PICK YOURSELF UP, BUM!", OR A GENERAL KICK IN THE A$$, I can just look at a picture of what these guys do, and tell myself - "You Think YOUR Job is Tough? Gimme a break!" My job is a cakewalk compared to what these guys do every day (and night).

I mean, what do I do? I list properties for sale and rent, find renters and buyers and negotiate contracts. I manage 4 people who list, sell, rent and manage residential property. From time to time, I have to field an exceptionally angry owner or renter. I do some paperwork and accounting. What's so hard about that?

Granted, it's a very specialized line of work. There are good reasons why people pay us to manage their investment property. Sometimes we deal with people who won't pay their rent and we have to get the authorities involved and evict them. Sometimes we have to deal with people suing us or the owners or the tenants. Sometimes houses burn or flood or get damaged in windstorms. Sometimes people die in the house.

BUT COMPARED TO 40 FOOT WAVES, 100 MILE AN HOUR WINDS, 38 DEGREE WATER THAT CAN KILL YOU 4 MINUTES? My job is easy. Here are some cool links with descriptions. And, of course, some killer pics. Enjoy.

The official Discovery Channel Website - Great place to find out about all of the vessels, play the game, purchase DVDs.

The great F/V Northwestern - My all-time favorite crew. Meet the guys, see some pics, buy some stuff. You can even become an official "Hansenette".

The best Deadliest Catch pics I've seen - Really, really, good pics. Taken by crewmember Corey of the F/V Rollo. The only problem is that the site doesn't work with IE7. Bummer. I included some pics from this site below for your viewing pleasure. Corey's work has been on display at some major galleries.

The F/V Cornelia Marie - A great family boat. The dad is Cap'n and his two boys are deckhands. The site is new, but is going to get better.

Cool Pics:

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD YOUR OWN LINKS, AND PICS!

Sound Market Advice in an UnSound Market

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:41:14 -0500

Several times a day, my phone rings and the caller on the other end is a seller with their home currently on the market. Why do these people choose to call me? Well, I have a unique view on the real estate market. You see, my primary occupation is residential real estate management, but I still practice listings and sales. I have a sister company that strictly practices residential listings and sales.

My primary occupation as a real estate manager is what provides me with a unique view. Yes, many real estate agents talk about renting a home versus selling it, but many of them also find themselves in a quandary. "Do I sabotage my listing and encourage my seller to rent? Do I try to manage it for them so I can get the listing down the road? Do I simply push for another price reduction?" Do you see how this can cause a conflict of interests? There is no ill will, just a limited understanding of the options.

When I get the chance to talk to sellers who have found themselves "stuck" in this market, what we do is discuss all of the options that I am familiar with. If there is an option that I am not familiar with, I will recommend bringing in another professional who is familiar, e.g. tax attorney or certified financial planner. Here are the options that we normally discuss:

Lowering the price aggressively and selling
Renting for a short-term and then selling
Renting for long-term
Re-financing
Owner carry-back financing or Lease-Options
Not selling at all

Now, what we are trying to accomplish in our discussion is "what is the best decision for the client?". You see, when you find yourself "stuck" in a situation, sometimes the best thing you can do is get some fresh advice from someone who is not intimately involved. Have you ever found yourself in a disagreement with someone close to you, and you went outside the normal circle for advice? Sometimes, it just makes sense. Here are the steps I typically use to help someone decide the right solution:

What is the goal(s) you are trying to accomplish by selling?
Can this goal(s) be accomplished by doing something other than selling? (If the answer is no, then the solution is probably "lower the price aggressively")
If the goal(s) cannot be accomplished by any of the options presented, then can we adjust the goal(s)? (Even temporarily)
Do we need to bring in another professional for consultation?

Usually, by the time we have answered the above questions, we can start narrowing down the list of possible solutions and the discussion is progressing nicely. We keep the dialogue open and continue. Sometimes, time off from the discussion is required in order to "mull it over", or inform a spouse, or bring in another professional. However, the wheels are turning and a solution is much closer to being discovered.

Remember, the market is fluid, changing, dropping, and rising. In order to succeed in the market, you have to be willing to be flexible. Think outside the box. Get a fresh perspective. Bring in the appropriate professionals. List all the possible options, and then systematically eliminate the options until you are left the best options. Then, aggressively pursue them.

(photo of phones courtesy of typester at flickr and photo of jeep courtesy of tooms at flickr)

Property Management Agreement – Do you know what you signed?

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:37:24 -0500

WHAT IS A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT? A Management Agreement is the term used fairly widely referring to the contract used between a Management Company and an Owner of a property. What is included in these agreements varies widely. Not just geographically. You can see quite a disparity in contracts used by companies in the same town. Some companies will charge a monthly fee for vacant properties, others may not. Some companies will make a profit on repairs, others may not. Some companies will hold the security deposit, others may not. Some companies may negotiate fees, others may not.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SIGNED? Sounds like a pretty simple question, but most people will sign 1000s of papers in their lifetime without reading them. Now, don't get me wrong, I am guilty of this, too. However, sitting on the other side of the desk on this document, I know how important it is. The management agreement is a very important document that assigns duties, obligations, liabilities, fees, and limitations on both parties. And most of the time it is dealing with a fairly large asset. Not to mention that depending on how your assets are structured (trusts, LLCs, corporations, etc...), you may be exposed to even more liability than just the value of the property being managed under the agreement.

YOU SEE, I GET CALLS ON A DAILY BASIS ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION, things like: "John, what is this charge for?" or "John, I didn't give you permission to do that!"

Oh, yes you did.

PLEASE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND, I AM NOT SAYING THAT FACETIOUSLY. You see, my job is to take care of the property for the owner who has charged me with this. For instance, here is a line from our management agreement that causes a lot of questions:

•To contract for repairs or alterations at a cost to Owner not to exceed $250.00.

That line means that if a repair needs to be done, and the price is not over $250.00, I am going to get it done. However, I get more than a few calls asking why I did a repair. The answer is usually the same, "because it was broken".

I AM NOT GOING TO GET INTO WHETHER A REPAIR NEEDS TO BE DONE, that is a different post. I am simply trying to express the importance of understanding what you are signing. The MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT is a very important document. It allows the Management Company to do a number of things in your name that you are responsible for! For instance, if the tenant calls and tells the management company about mold, and the management company does not respond correctly, you could be held responsible for the management company's actions. It is very similar to power of attorney. Would you have a suit against the management company? Probably, but it would still be a long, arduous process. Better to understand the agreement and avoid entering into a contract that you don't want to be in.

OK, JOHN, HOW DO I DECIDE IF I SHOULD SIGN? Let me start by saying this: A good company is not going to want you to sign an agreement that you are not comfortable with. That is a recipe for complications down the road. That said, my personal opinion is that you should either 1) understand and feel comfortable with everything in the agreement or 2) have an attorney look it over. However, I must offer a "heads-up". If you pay an attorney to look over a document, they are going to find something. Please be aware that just because they found something doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be changed. It may just need to be completely understood.

I WOULD LOVE TO BE YOUR RESOURCE FOR ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me. And remember, real estate is a very good investment. Oh, and by the way,

ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING!!!!!!!!

Calling all basketball fans!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:41:45 -0500

OK, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT ALREADY, BUT IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW YOU WANNA WATCH IT AGAIN!

This guy is my new hero. Enjoy!

Santa Clarita Real Estate - Rental Market Update - June, 2007

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:03:58 -0500

OK, HERE IS ANOTHER UPDATE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HAVING A HARD TIME SELLING. The number of calls we are getting asking about the rental market, made by people whose homes are on the market, is skyrocketing. In fact, we are having trouble keeping up! The funny thing is, THEY ARE RENTING AS FAST AS WE CAN LIST THEM!

Remember the resale market of yesteryear? The one where you put your home on the market at midnight and had multiple offers by 6:00 a.m. the next day? Well, the rental market isn't quite that good here in Santa Clarita, but its pretty dang close. Even the Antelope Valley is picking up!

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES:

1) 2900 square feet in Alta Vista, 5+3, listed at $3100.00/mo. RENTED IN 6 DAYS for full price!

2) 3+2.5 in Fair Oaks, $2500.00/mo., RENTED IN 4 DAYS for full price!

Yes, those are both in June of 2007. It has been one of the best Junes to date. In fact, May wasn't bad either. Classic Property Management rented 13 homes in May and as of June 28, we had rented 8 homes in June for a total of 21 HOMES RENTED IN UNDER 60 DAYS!

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? Here is my opinion:

1) Rising interest rates (this is limiting the ability to purchase, increasing the number of renters)

2) Sellers becoming renters (those few who can sell are then renting)

3) 100% financing is very difficult to get (again, limiting the ability to purchase, increasing the number of renters)

4) Consumer fear (buyers are scared of buying in a down market)

5) Foreclosures are on the rise (those living in the house being foreclosed on, whether tenants or owners, need a place to live)

I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHER FACTORS, BUT I BELIEVE THESE ARE THE MAIN ONES. Do I have a crystal ball? No. Do I KNOW what the market is going to do? No. Can I take an educated guess? Yes.

JOHN'S RESALE MARKET PREDICTION (next 12 months): down

JOHN'S RENTAL MARKET PREDICTION (next 12 months): up

There you have it, my Santa Clarita Residential Real Estate Sales and Management Market Predictions. Go ahead, bookmark this and come back in 12 months to see how I did. I dare you. If you can't wait that long, and want to rent out that 2nd mortgage payment NOW, then click on the link below my slightly scary photo and call me!

Marion County Police Officer Dies - We lost one of the good guys.

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 13:54:16 -0500

SATURDAY NIGHT, THE NIGHT BEFORE FATHER'S DAY, I GOT A TEXT FROM MY BROTHER......"brother, I just got a huge bust, my biggest prior was 4 grams, just got 47 grams, i am totally jazzed, talk to ya later".

MY BROTHER WANTED TO BE A COP SINCE I CAN REMEMBER HIM TALKING. It's in his blood. Our uncle is retired LASD, my cousin is active LASD. I remember when he finally got his badge. He had his dream job. Now, he had a huge bust. I was happy for him.

THE NEXT TEXT FROM HIM WASN'T SO GREAT........"A friend of mine was just killed on duty in a car crash. Don't call me. I'll call you. He trained me. He was working in Marion County near Salem. I didn't want you to worry if you saw something in the news."

KELLY FREDINBURG WAS KILLED WHILE ON DUTY SATURDAY NIGHT. We lost one of the good guys. Kelly was another guy who wanted to be a cop they day he exited the womb. He was born for it. His mother jokingly said, "He is a mother's nightmare!" remembering a night she talked to her son after an altercation with a perpetrator who was high on meth.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE STORY OF HOW HE DIED, NOT TO MAKE YOU FEEL SICK, BUT TO HOPEFULLY CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT POLICE OFFICERS.

Saturday night, a police officer responded to a domestic violence call. When he got there, he got into a fight with a perp and called for back-up. THAT IS A CALL THAT NO OFFICER IGNORES. Kelly immediately responded to that call for help from a fellow officer. He was driving fast, and had his lights and sirens going. He was driving on a two-lane highway. When he approached oncoming traffic, they did what they were supposed to and pulled over to the side until he passed.

As he approached more oncoming traffic, the first two cars pulled over. The third did not. The third car, for reasons still unknown, WENT AROUND THE FIRST TWO CARS INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE. Kelly tried to get out of the way by going off the side of the road. The oncoming car continued to drift over. They collided, head-on, at the fog line of Kelly's lane. Kelly's car flipped over and rolled several times before sliding to a halt and catching fire.

A young man who was near the scene rushed to Kelly's car. Kelly was trying to get out of the car, but couldn't because it was crushed tightly around him. The young man tried to free him. Two officers who were responding the same call Kelly was, stopped at the scene and also tried to help free Kelly from the car. The fire became too hot, and they had to back away. Kelly burned to death inside the car.

YOU CAN CATCH YOUR BREATH BEFORE READING ON. I KNOW YOU WILL NEED TO, BECAUSE I NEEDED TO WHEN MY BROTHER RELAYED THE STORY TO ME.

In fact, after telling me the story, there was a moment of silence and then my brother said, "I know its a kick in the balls to hear that. It was a kick in the balls for me and everyone who heard it. I can finally tell you without crying."

MY BROTHER DOESN'T CRY. EVER. BUT THIS MADE HIM CRY.

KELLY WAS A MAN WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE. HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO PROTECTING THE INNOCENT. That is what good police officers do. Kelly was one of the good guys. No, he was one of the GREAT guys.

AFTER THE MEMORIAL SERVICE AND PROCESSION, MY BROTHER CALLED ME. "I'm emotionally exhausted, brother. I'm just exhausted. I just wanted to call you and vent." I thought he was going to tell me how angry he was. How they thought the guy driving the other car was an unlicensed, illegal alien. How he wished the driver of the car had died. How he wished he could have been the one to respond to the scene. How he wished there had been a fire extinguisher handy. HE DIDN'T SAY ANY OF THOSE THINGS. Here is what he said:

"Brother, Kelly was a good guy. He reminded me a lot of you and Brian (a mutual friend). He had a lot of friends. He was the kind of guy who didn't listen to the radio when he drove around because there was always a friend or aquaintance to text or call.

When he changed from Polk County to Marion County, he tried to get all of us to go with him. He always stayed in touch. He joined the Elks lodge and then tried his best to get all of us to join with him. He was always there to help when a friend or neighbor needed it.

Brother, he gave my son a teddy bear the day he was born.

There were over 1000 people at the memorial service. There were over 100 patrol cars in the procession.

Brother, I am just emotionally drained. I'm gonna let you go, but I justed wanted to share that. I love you."

And I love my brother.

THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE A COP, WHETHER HE IS JUST DRIVING BEHIND YOU MAKING YOU NERVOUS, PULLING YOU OVER FOR DRIVING TOO FAST AND YOU WISH HE WOULD GO FIND THE "REAL" BAD GUYS, OR SPEEDING PAST YOU TO SOME UNKNOWN DESTINATION, NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY DO.

My mom later talked to my brother about what had happened. She relayed this to me:

"John, I am really impressed with how he is handling it. I thought he was going to be struggling with anger, but he is doing well. He is just sad. He said that the thing that really bothers him, though, is that there were people standing on the side of the road who didn't try to help. And there were people who DROVE BY AND DIDN'T STOP TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP. Maybe if everyone who was there had tried to help, they could have gotten him out."

HERE IS MY PLEA TO YOU: DON'T FORGET WHAT THEY DO FOR US. DON'T FORGET. EVER.

KELLY FREDINBURG - "GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN"

A LENDER ASKED ME TO LIE!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:06:09 -0500

Yup, it happened. I had a lender, whose rental properties we manage, call and ask me to tell a little, white lie to make a deal go through. I have always prided myself on being very BLACK AND WHITE when it comes to telling lies. I never thought there would even be a question.

SO, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED.

This owner owns 8 rental properties. We manage 4 of them. Those 4 pay us the rent, we take our fees and then write him a check. It creates a very good paper trail.

He is trying to get a renter in one of the OTHER properties a loan to buy a house. The lender, obviously, wants a VOR (verification of rent). They want it in one of two ways: 1) canceled checks or 2) a letter from a property manager. Turns out he doesn't have canceled checks.

So, he asks me to write a letter saying that she pays on time and pays $2400/mo. in rent and has rented for the last 24 months. So, I do. I write a letter that says, "We manage four properties for Mr. Owner. This is not one of them. However, Mr. Owner has assured me that the tenant has been there for 24 months and paid $2400/mo. on-time." Needless to say, that is not what they wanted.

So, they sent me their VOR form to fill out and fax back. It was very generic. I filled it out, the things I did know, and sent it back. Of course, it still wasn't enough info for them. So, they called. They wanted to verify over the phone the particulars. When they got to whether or not she had ever paid more than 30 days late, I told them that "I did not manage that property but only served as an advisor for him on that property."

The underwriter calls back, again, and wants to verify that we manage all 8 properties and that all 8 renters pay us and then we write one big check to Mr. Owner. "Sorry, can't verify that.", I say. "Well," she says, "that is what he said." (I really wanted to say, "No, that's what SHE said!" She probably doesn't watch THE OFFICE.)

LATER, I GET A CALL FROM MR. Owner: "John, do what you can, bro."

I did.

There's truth in them words!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:31:01 -0500

DID YOU EVER LOOK BACK ON SOMETHING SOMEONE YOU RESPECT SAID AT SOME POINT IN YOUR PAST AND THINK, 'MAN, THEY WERE RIGHT....WHAT A GOOD LESSON"?

That recently happened to me. I remember one time when I was about 24 years old, my dad, my brother-in-law and I were trying to spread topsoil in a big area of the church lawn. Man, that pile of soil was HUGE. It seemed like the more we worked, the bigger the pile got. And, it was HOT. We were sweating, getting blisters, getting sunburned, and in the case of my brother-in-law and I, CRYING LIKE BABIES.

"It's sooooooooooo hot!" "I'm tired!" "My hands hurt." Blah, blah, blah. My dad? He said nothing. AFTER ABOUT 8 HOURS, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND I QUIT. "We'll finish tomorrow", we said. My dad kept working.

So, we left. Went and had some beer.

The next day, we went back to continue working, and to our surprise, THE PILE WAS GONE! It was all moved! Every last speck. We couldn't believe it. "Dad!" I asked, "how did you do it? Did some people show up to help? How did you ever move that whole pile?"

My dad, in his infinite wisdom, looked me right in the eyes and said in a regular voice:

"One shovelful at a time."

Photos courtesy of Phil Bracey and Drew Tedlock.

Don't work so hard in DECEMBER!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:57:07 -0500

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE 80/20 RULE? THIS RULE IS ALSO CALLED THE PARETO PRINCIPLE. I do. At least, in many parts of my life. I just gave a short presentation on it at one of my networking groups. I think when people don't understand it, it can really bite them. Here is the example I used at the group:

In my business, we know which months are the busiest, and which are the slowest. Most people probably know this about their own business, but you may surprised what is "assumed". ANYWAY, IN OUR BUSINESS, October is usually the biggest month, and December is usually the slowest.

HERE IS HOW WE APPLY THE PARETO PRINCIPLE TO THE PRODUCTION PART OF OUR BUSINESS.

	Usual # of listings	Usual # of leases
October	8	10
December	2	3

NOW, MANY PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE TO FOCUS TIME, EFFORT, MONEY, AND ENERGY INTO "BEEFING UP" DECEMEBER. Why? Because that number of listings and leases is not enough to pay the bills. However, this is where I really feel most people will make the mistake. Let's say that if you double your efforts in either of the months, prodcution will double. See where I am going? Here is what it would look like:

	Pareto # of listings	Pareto # of leases
October	16	20
December	4	6

YOU SEE, BOTH MONTHS HAVE A 100% INCREASE IN PRODUCTION, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. We increase our listings by 8 in October vs. 2 in December. That is a net gain of 6 listings. We increase our leases by 10 in October vs. 3 in December, that is a net gain of 7 leases. What we choose to do is focus our efforts on October (who wants to take a vacation or spend time with family in October anyway? How about December? For us, it is a no brainer.). The problem is, we still have a losing month in December.

YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR THE LOSING MONTH. Take the profits from October, and subsidize December. You will come out WAY AHEAD at the end of the year. And, for us, our employees will be happier.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES OF THE PARETO PRINCIPLE AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE OR BUSINESS!!

My new MEEZ chatbox!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:37:53 -0500

SO I WAS MESSING AROUND WITH MY PROFILE, UPDATING MY MEEZ.......YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANT STUFF. Anyway, I happened upon this MEEZ chat box! If you have a meez, goto the "My Page" and scroll down. It's kinda cool. Seems to be in the flavor the gizmoz JT so graciously shared with with us so we can all be more productive.

Anyway, the thing I like about the MEEZ chat box (on the right sidebar) is that there are codes you can type in have it make noise. Here is the link to the different codes: chat codes. It's pretty nifty, and loads of fun.

On the chatbox, if you click the speaker icon, it will play the sound you entered. Try it!

OH, AND PLEEZ, LEAVE ME A MEEZAGE!

SO, AFTER HAVING MY MEEZCHAT UP FOR A FEW DAYS, I WAS MEEZ SPAMMED AND MEEZJACKED! HAD TO TAKE IT DOWN. BUMMER.

And at the bottom of that pile of rocks.........lies a big, BIG man.......

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:32:45 -0500

BIG JON. BIG JON. BIG, BAD JON.

Some people call him "Jon".

Some call him "Little Jon".

Some call him "Sexy Jon".

I call him THE GUY IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY WHO GETS IT DONE.

Jon Mitchell joined the Classic Team several months ago. Brand new, with a real estate license, he took on a tough market, and he is winning!

This guy set out to take out on the Antelope Valley, and the Antelope Valley audibly shuddered.

He is unafraid of change, the speed of change, the challenge set before him, or the obstacles between him and the finish line.

He is focused, calm, motivated, and inspired. Any business leader hopes for guys like him on the team. Here is what I have to say to those business owners. Kiss my behind, we got him first. Go find your own franchise player.

Jon, thanks for being a part of our team. When it is all said and done, we will look back and smile. I anxiously await that day. Until then, I say to LANCASTER, PALMDALE, AND ROSAMOND, "Lookout. You are about to be conquered by the fastest-renting property manager in the west."

Need to get a hold of the guy who can change your real estate destiny! CLICK ON HIS PIC.

OK, Thesa, This one's for you!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:00:45 -0500

Well, I always have to sit around and read Thesa's beautiful descriptions of a place close to my heart. Oregon. But not just Oregon; Bend, OR. Maybe the best part of Oregon (I am sure she would tell you that). I am not going tell how great it is. If you want to read that, go read her stuff.

I AM HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOMETHING EQUALLY IMPORTANT! It is something you have probably never heard of. Which is a crying shame. Let me introduce to a taste so refined, so delicious, so absolutely perfect, that I can GUARANTEE you have never tasted anything this good.

NOW, I KNOW ITS NOT THE BEST PIC. But, please forgive me, I took that pic before I met Jeff Turner.

OK, LETS REALLY GET INTO THIS PICTURE. The name of the beer is obvious. The important thing is not to forget it. Let's all say it aloud together:

BLACK BUTTE PORTER.

Did you say it? It's not Black Butt Porter. Please don't say that. It's Butte, like beauty without the eeee. You can drag it out if it helps: buuuuuuuuutte.

Anyway, a little place just outside of Bend, OR brews it. A little place I call heaven, most people call it Deschutes Brewery.

OK, BACK TO THE LABEL. See the mountain in the middle? That is, yup, you guessed it: Black Butte. If you are driving to Bend from the Willamette Valley, and you take highway 20, you can't miss it.

Now, see that river coming out of mountain? That is the Metolius River. You won't find a finer trout fishing stream on the planet. But, don't bring your powerbait. If you do, you may regret it.

The Metolius River is something else. If you have a few minutes, read about it. Very cool place to visit.

BUT NONE OF THAT, NOT THE BLACK BUTTE, NOT THE METOLIUS, NOT BEND, NOT SISTERS, NONE OF IT compares to the sensation one encounters when you take a deeeeep draft of a slightly colder than room temperature BLACK BUTTE PORTER. AAAHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh......................

Never had one? Do yourself a favor.

I didn't know California had places like this!

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 14:28:49 -0500

I AM A RELATIVE "NEWBIE" TO CALIFORNIA. I was actually born in Simi Valley, but we relocated to Oregon when I was 2. That was many years ago. 3 years ago, I packed up and moved, with my wife, to Santa Clarita, CA. Now, Santa Clarita is great, don't get me wrong. But, its desert. I came from green, rivers, lakes, fish, camping, hunting, hiking, and yes, rain.

LAST WEEKEND, I WENT TO JUNE LAKE FOR A FAMILY AFFAIR. June Lake Loop has 4 lakes, and a creek connecting them. The picture to the right is the creek we fished at sunset. Absolutely stunning.

I KEPT READING THESA'S POSTS ABOUT HER BEAUTIFUL NECK OF THE WOODS, and found myself jealous and missing my home in Oregon. Little did I know that paradise lie just a short drive away. Ok, about 4 hours, but down here, that is a short drive.

ON THE WAY THERE, WE PASSED LITTLE GEMS DRIVING THROUGH THE DESERT. One of them is Red Rock Canyon Park. Now this park was beautiful, in a very different way than June Lake, or Oregon. But, it was beautiful none-the-less. We stopped for a few moments, let the dogs out, stretched our legs, and then headed out on the road again. The weird thing was, Red Rock Canyon Park had a campground. A tent campground. I don't know that I could camp in 115 degrees, but somebody could. We saw 4 occupied sites as we drove through. Crazy. Anyway, enough rambling.

As pretty as that little desert location was, it really didn't compare to June Lake. AND THE FISHING WAS GREAT, BUT THE CATCHING SUCKED. Oh well, it was one of the nicest times I have had since I moved here.

Something about being on the water in a little boat, or casting a spoon across that little creek and letting it drift downstream, watching the trout dart out of the shadows to investigate, but just as quickly dart away.

Something about the way the air TASTES when you breathe in crisp, thin, mountain air at daybreak.

Something about the color of the sky, its a little bluer.

Something about the color of the trees, they are a little greener.

Something about the people, they seem a little nicer.

Something about the beer, it seems a little colder, smoother, tastier.

WE FISHED. SOMETIMES WE TALKED AND SOMETIMES WE DIDN'T.

When we came home, I was a little sad to be back, but happy to have gone. I dare say, it won't be my last trip. Enjoy the pictures.

When death finds me, I hope they do something like this.

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:58:11 -0500

BACK IN DECEMBER, MY WIFE'S UNCLE DIED. Uncle Don. Uncle Don was quite a man. At his memorial service, one person after another went to the mic and talked about how "Don was always willing to help a friend or a neighbor."

Story after story of how the Don helped the neighbor fix something, or helped the family member build that treehouse, or how Don impacted their life 20 years ago when they were in Royal Rangers. How Don said this or did that and made a difference in someones life.

LAST WEEKEND, WE TOOK HIS ASHES TO JUNE LAKE, CA. What a beautiful place. Why did they choose June Lake? Well, Don and his buddies used to goto June Lake every year for the "opener". Opening day of trout season. I asked one of Don's buddies, "Is the fishing that good that you would come here every year?"

"NO, THE FISHING AIN'T THAT GOOD. THE RELATIONSHIPS WERE."

If there was on thing that was evident to me on this trip, it was that Don valued relationships with other people. There was just no denying it. This was the smallest of the 3 main gatherings honoring Don's life, but it was also the most intimate. This is where the people closest to him really got to let it out and share how this man's life had affected them.

EVEN IN DEATH, DON WAS CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO BE MORE SELFLESS, MORE WILLING TO LEND A HAND, MORE FOCUSED ON OTHER PEOPLE. I hope when I die, I leave such a legacy. I hope my death is a call to integrity, righteousness, honesty, and love. As I fight the battle that every man fights, learning to really be intimate with those close to him, I will remember the way Don treated other people. I will remember the way his friends and family thought of him after he left. I will remember June Lake.

Santa Clarita Real Estate Rental Market Update: May 29, 2007

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Tue, 29 May 2007 16:31:15 -0500

Just wanted to give you quick update on what the rental market is doing here in Santa Clarita, CA.

The rental market in the Santa Clarita Valley continues to remain strong. This is in direct response to the continuing struggles in the resale sector. With resale still remaining difficult to buy, and home prices on a steady decline, the rental market is flourishing.

One of the "unexpected consquences" is the new pool of applicants we are seeing for our rentals. Here is a quick breakdown of who is currently applying to rent, ranked by application quality:

Homesellers. These are the people who just sold, most of the time are in escrow on their home. They come in with 1) High credit scores 2) Good Income 3) Strong assets. Downside? Most have pets. I don't personally consider this a downside, here is why.
Relocations. The market still remains to high for most relocation families to purchase, and the downturn in the market is making them nervous. They continue to rent. They have 1) High credit scores 2)Good Income 3) Good assets. Downside? Most relos are short-term tenants.
Distressed Homesellers. These are the people who got caught in an adjustable loan, and it got out of control. They ended up upside-down on equity with quickly rising payments and no clean way out. They have 1) Good income 2) Homeownership experience 3) May have assets. Downside? Probably have a foreclosure and maybe an eviction on the record. Check the rest of the application. If everything else is a go, take a higher deposit and move forward.

This "new" pool is making the rental market very fast-moving and strong. If you price the home correctly and make sure it sparkles, it should rent with no problem.

Santa Clarita Rental Home - Erik Ct - SOLD

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:04:04 -0500

Charmer in the heart of Princessa Estates! 2 bedrooms plus a loft. 2 minutes from the Via Princessa entrance to the 14 freeway. Don't miss this one! The owners will also consider selling. Call for details. THIS HOME SOLD BEFORE WE COULD RENT IT, NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

Bedrooms: 2 + loft

Bathrooms: 2

Square feet: 1085

Price per month: $1750

Availability: Immediate

Pets: Considered

Parking: 2-car garage

CLICK THE PIC FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LISTINGS!

Santa Clarita Rental Home - Del Monte Dr. - OFF MARKET

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Sat, 26 May 2007 12:55:52 -0500

THIS HOME IS NO LONGER ON THE MARKET.

Beautiful Sienna Villa Townhome in the Heart of Valencia! Easy I-5 access at Valencia Blvd or McBean Pkwy for commuters. Walking distance to the Town Centre.

Bedrooms: 2+loft

Bathrooms: 2

Square feet: 1112

Price per month: $1825

Availability: July 1

Pets: consider small pet

Parking: 2-car underground parking

CLICK THE PIC FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LISTINGS!

Santa Clarita Rental Home – Calhaven St. - RENTED

John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) — Fri, 25 May 2007 18:38:08 -0500

This is a nice Saugus home near the intersection of Bouquet Cyn and David Way. One of the best priced homes in its class. Check the price vs. square footage and bedrooms!

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

Square feet: 2061

Price per month: $2195

Availability: Immediate

Pets: Considered

Parking: 2-car attached garage

CLICK THE PIC FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LISTINGS!