first time home buyer: Boy I'm Glad I didn't Wear A Skirt Today! - 01/24/09 10:52 AM
I spent all day showing properties in the city I love, live, and work in....Fullerton CA!  You never know what will happen when you show a bunch of properties, especially the bank owned ones!
My clients and I have had to duck and cover because we thought spiders were falling in our hair, plug our noses because of the stench and even run out of a house because we swore someone was hiding in one of the closet. Basically, it's always an adventure!
Well, today took the cake.  My client and I walked into a bank owned condo and looked around. It … (47 comments)

first time home buyer: Should Real Estate Be More Like Ebay? - 01/08/09 02:23 AM
I am lucky. I REALLY love what I do. There is nothing like helping a first time home buyer through the process of becoming a homeowner or helping a seller get a home sold so that they can move on to the next.
One thing I am continually surprised by, I am sorry to say, is the lack of professionalism and customer service by some people.  Don't get me wrong, I work with lots of great agents, lenders, etc... but there are so many that I can't believe are still in business.
Having worked in everything from marketing to various kinds of sales … (21 comments)

first time home buyer: Regular Sale - Short Sale - REO - Corporate Owned - What does it all mean to a Buyer? - 12/06/08 02:26 AM
Let's face it; buying a home is the single largest investment that most people will make in their lifetime.  It is scary and overwhelming at times!  There are so many terms and types of listings!  Do you know what they all mean?  Make sure you have a good buyer's agent that does!
According to my handy-dandy Eighth Edition Real Estate Dictionary, here are a few terms, their meaning and what they potentially mean to you; the buyer!
Regular or Equity Sale- (Ok, this one is not in my dictionary) but this is a traditional sale in that there is a seller … (3 comments)

first time home buyer: Are You Sitting On The Fence? Buyers, Sit No Longer! - 12/04/08 04:47 PM
Interest rates are down!  What does this mean to you?  It means that you can buy more house or it could be that you are finally able to get off the fence and become a homeowner!
Home prices are down too!  Many first time home buyers that that thought they "missed the boat" a few years back are finding that they are back in the game!  Some thought the dream of home ownership would not become a reality.  It is becoming real now.
Not sure where to start?  Start at the beginning....and here you are!  If you are reading this article then … (12 comments)

first time home buyer: I am Thankful For....My First Active Rain Closing...Among Many Other Things - 11/27/08 01:12 AM
I woke up this morning thankful for so many things: 
The nasty cold that kept me down yesterday seems to be just about gone! A soft, warm bed to crawl into every night Clean water to drink Plenty of food to eat A roof over my head Many friends A great husband and son A job I love Good Health To Live in America Freedom Love This time last year, I had no idea what a blog was.  This week, I closed my first sale from Active Rain to a nice couple looking to buy their first home.  They had read … (29 comments)

first time home buyer: My Buyer Became my Friend. I Just Love it When That Happens! - 11/24/08 02:53 PM
About nine months ago, I received a referral for a nice girl that was looking to buy her first home.  We started off just like so many of my buyers and I do; talking about what sort of house she was hoping for, her price range, location, etc...
Almost every home we looked at was bank owned and in terrible disrepair.  We would get frustrated and happy all in one day.  We looked at so many homes and had so many "little adventures".  We always looked forward to getting together. We would be laughing one minute and crying the next.  House … (23 comments)