A post by Simi Valley real estate agent, Ken Grech.  Here are some of the upcoming events at the Ronald Regan Library, located here in Simi Valley.

November 11, 2010           Veteran’s Day Event

This annual event will honor the men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces. At 10:30am a C-17 Flyover| 10:45 am Musical performances by the Conejo Valley Youth  Orchestra| 11:05 am Program in the Presidential Learning Center| All day: Civil War re-enactments by the Washington Artillery of New Orleans| World War II trucks| Current Military vehicles on display.

All Veterans Day activities are FREE for the public to attend; regular museum admission rates apply to visit the exhibits. As always, all veterans and military members with valid ID will receive free admission to the Museum and Air Force One Pavilion all day.

November 18, 2010           Annual American Christmas

Starting November 18, 2010 the annual American Christmas display will be available to see until January 2, 1011. This is a display of 24 Christmas Trees decorated to celebrate the defining moments of America’s road to greatness. If you’ve never seen the display, it is truly worth your time to see, words cannot describe this display!

November 18, 2010:          Special Lecture/Dinner with President George W. Bush

On November 18, 2010, President George W. Bush will be speaking and addressing the Perspectives on Leadership Forum. Tickets for this lecture are $95.00 per person which includes dinner. Signed copies of President Bush’s memoir will be available in the Library’s Museum Store before and after the event.

November 29, 2010:          Book Signing Mike Huckabee

On November 29, 2010, former Governor of Arkansas and best selling author Mike Huckabee will be at the Library to sign copies of his two books, A Simple Chirstmas:Twelve Stories that Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit and Can’t Wait Till Christmas!  Signing will take place from 12:00pm to 1:00pm This event is FREE.

Post by Ken Grech, a top Simi Valley real estate agent.  Search Simi Valley real estate listings. Here's some highlights from an interesting article that was in today's Sunday Ventura County Star paper written by Elizabeth Alvarez.

The California Housing Finance Agency recently announced updated programs to help first-time home-buyers. While this agency cannot offer a cure-all for the real estate market, this is a welcome bit of good news for consumers who are considering buying a home. First, to clear up a common confusion regarding mortgage lingo: First-time home-buyer is a technical term for ANY person who has not owned a primary residence in the last three years. Many people of all ages, including veterans, qualify for this loan-it is not reserved solely for young people buying their first home property.

The new CALHFA mortgage is offered in partnership with the Federal Housing Administration. The loan provides low and moderate income, first-time homebuyers with below market interest rates and affordable down payment option for thier home mortgage, among other benefits. Veterans also are eligible for CALHFA financing under the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act.  This loan brings CALHFA back as significant provider of financing for first-time home-buyers, which, historically, is the reason why the agency was created. Through CALHFA's down payment program, called California Homebuyer's Downpayment Assistance Program, borrowers may qualify for up to 3 percent of the purchase price of the home for down payment or closing cost assistance.

To qualify, borrowers must qualify according to the following guidelines: Income limits-these vary by county and family size. For example, in Ventura County, a family of four may earn up to $122,500 annually; in Los Angeles County, a family of four may have a yearly income of up to $110,020. Loan limits and sales price limits-FHA mortgage loans limits are generally $417,000; sales price limits vary by county. Minimum credit score requirement of 620, and all borrowers must complete a home-buyer education program through a HUD-approved agency. For more information on this loan go to: http://www.calhfa.ca.gov or call, toll free 1-877-922-5432.

For any up to date listings or sales within the Simi Valley and/or Ventura County market please free to contact me at: 805-217-1368 or visit my website: www.simiishome.com

Post by Ken Grech, a top Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Tip #24: Don't give yourself a deadline. Forcing yourself to sell by a certain date adds unnecessary pressure and puts you at a serious disadvantage in negotiations.

Tip #25: Don’t take a low offer personally. Make sure it spells out the offering price, adequate earnest money, amount of down payment, mortgage amount, a closing date and any special requests.

Tip #26: A really low offer may mean the buyer is not qualified. Ask how they arrived at their figure, then suggest their agent use comparables to establish what homes are going for in your neighborhood.

Tip #27: Don’t take a low ball offer seriously. This lets a buyer know that their first offer isn’t seen as a very serious one.

Tip #28: Make sure the contract is complete. The best way to avoid problems is to make sure that all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale.

Tip #29: Don’t deviate from the contract: Resist the temptation to diverge from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368

Post by Ken Grech, a top Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Tip #16: Disclose everything. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond the laws to disclose all known defects to their buyers-in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem, he cant some back with a lawsuit later on.

Tip #17: The more prospects, the better. By maximizing your home's marketability, you'll increase your chances of attracting more than one prospective buyer.

Tip #18: Don't get emotional during negotiations. If you can just let go of the emotion you've invested in your home and approach negotiations in a detached, businesslike manner, you'll find the process to be a lot less painful.

Tip #19: Know your buyer. In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration. And the better you know your buyer, the more easily you can maintain control.

Tip #20: Find out what the buyer can pay. As soon as possible, try to find out the mortgage amount the buyer is qualified to carry and the size of his down payment. If he makes a low offer, question his Realtor about his client's ability to really pay what your home is worth.

Tip #21: Find out when the buyer would like to close. When a buyer would "like" to close is often when they need to close. Knowing this gives you his deadline for completing negotiations-again, an advantage in negotiations.

Tip #22: Don't sign a deal on your next home until you close the deal on this one. If circumstances conspire to force you into closing on your new home while you're still making mortgage payments on the old one, you might end up turning yourself into a seller who is eager (or desperate) for the first deal that comes along.

Tip #23: Don't move out before you sell. If you move, you're also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably motivated to sell.

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368

Post by Ken Grech, a top Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Tip #7: Find a good realtor. Nearly two-thirds of the people who sell their own home say they wouldn't do it themselves again, according to research by the National Association of Realtors.

Tip #8: Give yourself room to negotiate. In setting your asking price, review your priorities. Do you want to maximize your profit or sell quickly? You'll price high for the former and closer to market value if the latter is the case.

Tip #9: Maximize your home's sales potential. Each year. corporate North America spend billions of dollars on product and packaging design. The lesson here is that appearance is critical-and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home.

Tip #10: Rely on other people's judgments as well as your own. The biggest mistake you can make at this point is to rely solely on your own judgment.

Tip #11: Clean like you've never cleaned before. Remember, you're not just competing with other people's homes-you're going up against brand-new homes as well.

Tip #12: Fix everything no matter how insignificant it may appear. The problem is that you never know what will turn off a buyer.

Tip #13: Remove all traces of you from your home. Avoid any feeling of discomfort by making everything in your home neutral. When touring other people's homes you may have felt you were intruding in someone’s life and experienced this feeling.

Tip #14: The little touches can make a difference. A well-placed vase of flowers, accent pieces of sculpture, potpourri in the bathroom- all can enhance the attractiveness of your home in a subtle, soft-spoken way.

Tip #15: Don't let a smell be your downfall. Odd smells kill deals quickly. All traces of food, pet and smoking odors must be eliminated.

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368

Post by Ken Grech, a top Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Selling your home is one of the most important steps in your life. Here are 29 essential tips you must know...

Tip #1: Know why you're selling. The reason you look closely at why you want to sell is that your motivations play an important role in the process. They affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money you'll invest to getting your home ready for selling.

Tip #2: Once you know, keep it to yourself. Your reasons will affect how you negotiate the sale of your home, but they shouldn’t be given as ammunition to the person who wants to by it.

Tip #3: Do your homework before setting a price. Once you've set your price, you've told buyers the absolute minimum they have to pay for your home. A good realtor is attuned to nuances in the market that may not be apparent from comparable sales and listings.

Tip #4: Go home shopping yourself. Plan on spending a few weekends touring other homes on the market to learn what other sellers are asking. Be sure to make note of the floor plan, condition, appearance, size of lot, location and other features.

Tip #5: Know when to get an appraisal. Sometimes you can use a good appraisal to your benefit in marketing your home. And if you get a VA or FHA appraisal, you can use it to let prospective buyers know that your home can be finances.

Tip #6: Your tax assessment means almost nothing. Some people look to tax assessments to assign value. The problem here is that assessments are based on a number of criteria unrelated to property values, so they often don’t necessarily reflect the true value of your home.

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368

Post by Ken Grech, a top Simi Valley Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Tip #19: Check your emotions at the door during negotiations. One of the costliest mistakes you can make is letting the seller's know how much you love their home.

Tip #20: Don't be pressure into a quick deal if it doesn't feel right. It may be a sign that there's something you should know but don't.

Tip #21: Don't be afraid to negotiate. Negotiation is the key to getting a good deal.

Tip #22: Stay out of bidding wars. If there is another buyer, then the seller's agent will try to get a bidding war going. In these situations, whoever wins also loses because the buyer ends up overpaying.

Tip #23: Make sure you get a written disclosure of all known defects. Carefully consider how these defects might affect what you're willing to pay.

Tip #24: Know your hidden costs. Don't forget to factor in mortgage insurance, appraisal fees, inspection fees, transfer taxes, title insurance and ever other dollar you'll have to spend to know what you're really paying for your new home.

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368

Post by Ken Grech, a top Simi Valley Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Tip #8: Shop with your head, not your heart. Don't forget the purpose of your "needs" and "desires" lists. Your heart will cost you money; using your hearts will save it.

Tip #9: Don't ignore red flags when evaluating a home's pluses and minuses. When evaluating the advantages and drawbacks of a particular property, be sure you know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable problems.

Tip #10: Hire a professional home inspector. Spending a few hundred dollars on a professional home inspection is the best investment you'll ever make.

Tip #11: Not all fixer-uppers are good buys.

Tip #12: Choose a home with an eye towards future needs. Buying a home is a big investment. If you can stretch a little today to buy a home that you can grow in-do it.

Tip #13: Once you're ready to buy, move quickly. Good properties move fast. Be prepared to make decisions quickly. If you find the right home today but arent ready to buy until tomorrow, you may already be too late.

Tip #14: Clarify who your agent is. Make sure you know who the agent you're talking to represents.

Tip #15: Ask for a written comparative analysis. One way to make sure you don't offer too much for a home is to ask for a CMA. A CMA will show you the sale prices of comparable home in the neighborhood.

Tip #16: Learn as much as you can about the seller's situation. It's true what they say: Knowledge is power. The reasons behind a sale can often be used to your competitive advantage during negotiations.

Tip #17: Keep your own situation to yourself. Information can be used against you as well.

Tip #18: Use time to your advantage. If you can learn the seller's deadline, it's another piece of information that can be used to negotiate a better deal.

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368

Post by Ken Grech, a top Simi Valley Real Estate Agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings.

Finding the right home to meet your family's needs is hard enough.But knowing how to avoid paying too much for that home once you've found it is another job entirely. The tips included here will go a long way into helping you become a savvy buyer.

Tip #1: Know what you're shopping for before you start. Before you begin shopping, understand that there are two homes out there vying for your interest-the one that meets your needs vs. the one that fulfills your desires.

Tip #2: Shop for a mortgage before you shop for a home. Getting a loan pre approval is the smart way to shop for a home. It tells sellers that you're a serious prospect, and you know in advance the maximum mortgage you can afford.

Tip #3: Pick a winning team to help you. From picking a mortgage to finding the right home to inspections to negotiating the best deal, it can be exhausting for even the hardiest souls. That's why most people have a Realtor in their corner.

Tip #4: Make sure your Realtor knows what you are looking for. Once you have a clear, detailed picture of the home you want, make sure your agent has the same picture. This communication is critical.

Tip #5: It's a cliche, but... location, location, location. The desirability and resale value of your home-to-be depend on locations more than any other single factor.

Tip #6: Use your agent to narrow the prospect list. A good agent brings to the table an in-depth knowledge of the current housing inventory in his or her area, and continually updates that knowledge by touring homes as they are placed on the market.

Tip #7: Show a little interest in everything you see. Never let anyone know how badly you want a home--it will cost you money! 

For more detailed information contact Ken Grech 805-217-1368.

Post by Ken Grech, a top Simi Valley Real Estate agent. Search Simi Valley Real Estate listings. 

Here are my recommendations: Spend time before you spend a dime: Unless your home is in mint condition or you're selling it as a "fixer-upper", there's probably a long list of repair or remodeling projects to consider. These can range from relatively simple jobs, such as painting a bathroom, to more complex room-addition or remodeling projects. Some investments-like painting and yard work-involve relatively little cash outlay and yet return many times your cost.

Planning is everything: If there's one peice of advice I would give any homeowner regardless of the circumstances, it's this: Plan first, then do. Careful planning on your part is a prerequisite to undertaking any home improvement project, major or minor. In fact, the quickest way a "minor" project balloons into a mahor one is when you havent thought things through in advance.  I've seen more people get in over their heads because they didnt think things through before starting work.

Catch 'em at the curb: "Curb appeal" isn't just catchy real estate jargon. It recognizes the fact that many buyers from their first, and often strongest, opinions before they step out of the car. Remember, buying a home is first and foremost an emotional commitment, especially for first-time home buyers. You many have a long list of logical reasons your home is a good catch, but a buyer is reacting emotionally to what he or she is seeing.

Paint: It should come as no surprise that surveys show that painting the exterior of your home results in the greatest return on time and money invested when compared to other improvements done for selling purposes. An investment of $1,000-$2,000 can mean adding $3,000-$4,000 to your asking price. And if you can do a good job yourself, your profit is even greater. As is the case outside, a coat of paint can literally make the difference between a sale and no sale.

Landscaping: Another key first impression is made by the grounds of your home. If you can improve the attractiveness of your landscape without spending a lot of money, you can add a good 5 to 10 percent to the value of your home.

The driveway: Because it's big, dark, and usually takes up a significant portion of the property in front of your home, a driveway can affect a buyer's first impressions. If yours is in good condition, make sure you keep it swept and neatly edged where it meets the lawn. If yours is cracked, buckled or oil-stained, fix it, Patching concrete can be a problem because matching color is difficult; tar and asphalt are relatively easy to match. Whatever you do, be careful you don't create a bigger problem through quick-fix solutions. Use high quality patching materials and sealers.

Decks and patios: These can be popular additions that add alue, especially with smaller homes, because they add living space. But make sure that whatever you do is consistent with your home's architectural style and integrates well with your outdoor areas.

The garage: If your garage has that rough, unfinished look, consider drywall and matching switch and outlet plates. At a minimum, make sure all switches and outlets work. And give everything a good cleaning.

Don't neglect the minor details: It's often the little things that stand out. If your mailbox is in poor shapr, replace it. Varnish or repaint your door if it needs it. A door knocker and brass kick plate can also be a nice addition. Spruce up the entryway with new light fixtures, potted plants and other decorative touches. Ironically, some of the big-budget items you might consider spending your money on will do little to enhance the marketability to your home. One major expense you may have to consider is a new roof. A roof in poor condition can kill a deal.

The kitchen: If you can get away with a remodel rather than a new kitchen, do it. Because the kitchen is so important, sellers sometimes over-improve them to the point where there is no chance of recouping their investment when they move. Don't fall into this trap. When you do make changes to your kitchen, think sunny, spacious and clean.

The bathroom: New fixtures, wall tile and flooring can make a big difference. If the bathtub is in poor shape, you can replace it, but a less expensive option may be to re-enamel it. If you keep the old tub, at least regrout it and recaulk it. A good bathroom remodel or expansion can easily return 100 percent of its cost when you sell.

Bedrooms: For most people, the master bedroom is the third most important room in the house. If you have a large home with four or five small bedrooms and the floor plan allows for it, you might consider combining two rooms into a master bedroom. If you have a two or three bedroom home and a decent-sized lot, you might consider adding another bedroom.

Trends to watch: A more recent hot remodeling trend is the "great room" -combining the kitchen, dining, and family room into one larger living area. While lagging behind kitchen and bath remodels, it is definitely a trend on the rise. Living rooms, family rooms, and formal dining rooms, on the other hand, are diminishing in popularity. A home office is another room that is rising in demand and interest.

Home improvement "don'ts": There are several things you can do that can actually lower the value of your home or make it more difficult to sell. Here are a few rules to keep in mind: *Do it well, or don't do it at all. You may be tempted to do a lot of work yourself to save money. That's fine if you know you can do a good job. But if doing it yourself means a sloppy paint job or bubbles in the vinyl flooring, then i suggest hiring a professional. Hiring an expert can often be cheaper and faster in the long run. *Don't over-improve. Any project that raises your home's value bye more than 20 percent above similar homes in your neighborhood should be reconsidered. The reason is simple. Say your home is typical in a neighborhood of $100,000 homes, and you make $50,000 in improvements. Buyers looking for a $150,000 home are looking in neighborhoods where that is the norm, not the exception. *Don't plan on moving soon if you're spending a lot. You probably wont recoup your investment if you plan to move in less than two years. If you plan to move sooner, spend less money and focus your efforts on the most egregious problems. For example, turn a bad kitchen into a decent one rather than a chef's kitchen.

For more detailed information, please contact: Ken Grech 805-217-1368