Come out to the Lake Arrowhead Art and Wine festival this weekend at the Tavern Bay beach club! Enjoy wine,beer and art from our community, along with some great food. The weather has been nice and sunny, and I think that summertime is actually here to stay now! This is a great kickoff to summer, and a great time will be had by all.
Festivities begin Saturday June 20 from 10am until 7pm, and Sunday(Father's Day) June 21 from 11 am until 4pm.
For those of you who would like some special treatment, purchase your VIP tickets and relax in style on the special VIP patio built especially for this event! Those tickets can be purchased here http://lakearrowheadrotary.net/html/art_wine_tickets.htm . VIP for Saturday is $50 now, $60 at the door, and $40 for Sunday at the above link or $50 at the door. VIPs get admission to both days (June 21 & 22) Admission to VIP Patio on either Saturday or Sunday Limited Edition VIP Patio Art & Wine Festival Wine Glass 6 Wine Tastings (additional tastings may be purchased) Appetizers One Entry into our Opportunity Drawing Shuttle between Tavern Bay and Lake Arrowhead Village Free Parking
Copyright 2009 by Amy Steele. Picture can be reused with permission for non-commercial usage only. email me at steeleofalifetime@gmail.com for permission.
This picture is one that I took the other day in the Lake Arrowhead Village, and then photoshopped it when I was bored one day. I was meeting a friend for breakfast at the OH SO FABULOUS Belgian Waffle Bakery. The day was foggy and misty, but the sun was trying to peek through. The sun eventually came out and cleared up directly over the lake, and you could watch the fog coming up over the ridge of trees. Very cool looking and very Twilight-esqe as my husband and I now call that kind of weather! That boat is the Arrowhead Queen, available for tours of the beautfiul lake!
If you ever make it to Lake Arrowhead, definitely go eat at the Belgian Waffle Bakery. They have other food besides waffles, but man, what they can do with a waffle is awesome! I had the Peach-Melba belgian, which has sliced peaches and is covered with raspberry sauce and whip cream. Drizzle regular syrup over it and order aside of sausage. Breakfast of Champions fo Realtor Amy Steele!!!
I have been seeing for a while that banks are allowed to force buyers to use the title and escrow companies that the banks have special financial deals with. It's just something that has become commonplace now with this market. They are making buyer's pay for it too, by not allowing closing costs help, or paying for it since they're demanding it, or by choosing a buyer who will pony up and pay.
I also had a listing agent tell me that a buyer that put an offer on a particular house has to use a direct lender, they couldn't use a mortgage broker. So even though the buyer's are super qualified and more than able to afford the home(after cross-qualifying, as required by the bank) the bank can still demand that the buyer use their own lender of choice or force the buyer to use a direct lender despite the cross-qualification? Agan, isn't that coercion? Isn't that illegal?
However, if this was a normal seller, the buyer could file a RESPA complaint that the seller is coercing them to use a title and escrow company that they have not negotiated. Why is it that banks are exempt from RESPA? Is this actually protecting the consumer?
I have a lender that has taken this the the California Attorney General's office. He said that they basically laughed at him. How is it that our own attorney general's office doesn't care about the consumer?
Seriously though, what is one mortgage broker or one buyer going to do? They can't hire a lawyer. Banks have lawyers on standby that make hundreds of thousands a year(if not more) and a buyer is going to hire an attorney that makes $300 an hour? There would be no resolution.
So what are your thoughts out there? Why is it that banks are allowed to get away wiith so much in this mess?
From California Association of Realtors Legislative liasion Amy Steele.
ATTN: ALL CALIFORNIA REALTORS
THERE IS A BILL BEING VOTED ON IN OUR LEGISLATURE TO ABOLISH THE DRE. Below is the text of the legislative alert. You all need to immediately email or contact all representatives at the House and Senate levels here in California to voice your extreme opposition to doing away with our livelihood. It seems that this is a way of trying to get banks back into real estate. I would also recommend emailing and flooding the office of the congressman who drafted this bill. The congressman is Pedro Nava, and his website with contact information is http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a35/Legislation/default.aspx
"Bill to Abolish the DRE Voted on in Assembly Committee
AB 33 (Nava), which C.A.R. opposes, was approved yesterday in the Assembly Banking Committee. This bill would abolish the Department of Real Estate, the Department of Corporations, the Department of Financial Institutions, and the Office of Real Estate Appraisers. AB 33 proposes to transfer the powers, duties, purposes, jurisdiction and responsibilities those departments to the Department of Financial Services, which would be a newly created overarching department. C.A.R. opposes AB 33 because the function of a real estate licensee is not to provide financial services, but to list and show houses for sale, sell or manage investment properties and raw land, and manage and oversee residential rental properties. Real estate licensees, regulated by the DRE, should not be blended in with the banks, credit unions, consumer finance lenders, residential mortgage lenders and pawnbrokers because, unlike these other licensees, real estate licensees are individually licensed agents that have a fiduciary agency relationship with their clients."
I urge you to call, fax, email, etc your representatives, as well as this congressman's office to voice your opposition.
Adopt a duck and send it on a wild race across Lake Gregory here in Crestline! Fun for the entire family!
It's been so beautiful here in Crestline that a day at the lake would be a wonderful way to spend an Easter weekend!
Sat April 11th, right after the FREE Easter Egg hunt for kids 12 and under. The Easter egg hunt starts at 11am sharp at the South Shore of Lake Gregory.
Adopt your own ducky for $3 a duck, or $10 for a whole family of four ducks. The first ducky across the lake wins up to $500! There are other prizes and cash prizes for winning ducks.
Come on out and meet the Easter Bunny and Gregory the Duck!
You don't have to be present to win, but you'd miss out on the fun!
This event is sponsored by the Boys and Girls club of the mountain communities, and various private donors from the community. Hope you can make it up here for the beautiful weekend!
If it will happen in Ct, it can happen in Cali. We need to all step up(any professional and citizen) and stop this from happening. We need to contact our elected officials and demand they do the job of protecting US as a citizenry instead of only the people at the top (why millionnaires who ran their companies into the ground are getting bailed out by me doesn't make sense when the small businesses I see everyday go out of business aren't). These millionnaires will never have to worry about money for the rest of their lives, yet the people that work for them will since they're getting laid off. THis bleeding of middle American needs to stop.
I spent Wednesday morning in Hartford for Realtor Day At the Capitol, where we were given details on issues that we should consider supporting, and issues that we need to come out enforce against. I plan on covering a couple of the issues that we need to strongly oppose, and one that should be supported. I will start with the one that probably ticked me off the most House Bill HB 6349, and cover the other two in their own posts.
It was no surprise to learn that Connecticut like a lot of other States is hurting for money right now. It was also no surprise that our State Legislators are trying to come up with creative of ways of coming up with the money to meet their budget, instead of making tough decisions to cut back on spending. As a result the minds of of our State Legislators have been working over time on how to dig deeper into our pockets to make up their budget shortfall.
This year they might even be out doing themselves in their creativity. It seems that taxing our income at both the Federal and State level is not enough, so they have figured out a third way to tax our income directly through a so called tax on "Professional Services". In the Real Estate Industry this would include Realtors Commissions, Appraisals, Insurance, and Home Inspections, and it would work sort of like the State Sales Tax.
Connecticut currently has a 6% sales tax on almost all goods purchased. Sales taxes as most of us know are paid at the point of sale, and are a result of us making a conscious voluntary decision to purchase an item that we desire, if we choose not to purchase we do not pay. Now some genius at the State Capitol may make the argument that this new proposed tax is also a result of us making a voluntary conscious decision, but there would be one major problem with that. This decision would be made out of a need to work, so that we can buy food, and pay our financial obligations. This decision would result in a 6% tax on top of the income taxes that we are already paying. Also this tax unlike the sales tax which is paid by the person receiving the product, would be paid by the person providing the services.
If this tax is enacted, upon the sale of a house Realtors will be taxed a 6% sales tax on their commission on top of the Federal and State Income Taxes that they are already paying. The same would hold true for the Appraiser, Home Inspector, and so on down the line. I don't know about you, but this is triple taxation to me, and highly questionable.
Now this tax is not just restricted to the Real Estate Industry, but to all who will fall under the definition (which is not really known yet) of "Professional Services". Anyone who feels that all those Realtors out there that make a boat load of money anyway should be taxed as much as possible, need to stop and think for a minute, what if the State decides to include what you do in their definition of "Professional Services"? Remember they have not fully define what "Professional Services" is.
This is a BAD tax for a whole host of reasons, and everyone in Connecticut needs to get on the phone with their State Legislators, and tell them what a bad idea this is. House Bill HB 6349 needs to be voted down, but it will not be voted down unless we make those at the State Capitol know that we know what they are doing, and don't like it.
Good afternoon. It is such a lovely spring day here in Crestline, Ca, with temperatures at about 65 degrees, with a cool mountain breeze. I am finally able to wear short capri pants, which I am pleased to say are fitting much better this spring than last summer. Kudos to me for my commitment to working out every morning before work at 6AM. I am just thankful that I CAN workout again, since I separated my shoulder last summer, I couldn't for months. Watching all of my hard work turning against me.
This post is about hard work too, I suppose. Most listing agents get their clients to fill out the proper mandated disclosures at the time of taking a listing, or at least within the first week of taking the listing, so that the seller's can make sure they've taken the time to remember everything they need to disclose. A listing agent also should read through these disclosures in order to make sure they are properly filled out, all Xs crossed and items explained fully in order to protect themselves as well as their clients during an escrow.
These pages and pages of disclosures are then placed in a file, and forgotten until escrow is opened and a buyer is allowed to read and must sign that they have. These disclosures may be the thing that causes a buyer to want to continue with the purchase, or to cancel the escrow.
When a seller loses their home to foreclosure,these papers are still in existence. They are archived away in each broker's files for saving as required by law for X amount of years until they can be destroyed. I think that after doing this work, and knowing all about the property, that these forms should either be submitted to the bank that is foreclosing, or maybe even given to the new listing agent so that any future buyers will know what, if anything, is wrong with the home. I think that this would be a great way to keep banks accountable, if they have the disclosures from the previous owner, and the buyer would then have more information about the home. Sellers are required to disclose all things previously known to them. The disclosures they had signed when they bought the home from someone else.
Would this be feasible? Is this even an idea that would work? It would take that one thing though: cooperation-and-hard-work. OK, TWO things...
I am sure that there are going to be numerous opinions on all sides of this issue, as it has been in and out of the fore since 2003. Per the National Association of Realtors daily news email, it's again coming into the light since CA senator Barbara Boxer and NC senator Richard Burr have introduced legislation to keep banks out of real estate PERMANENTLY.
I am in full agreement with keeping banks out of real estate, and not just from a non-competition aspect. Obviously a huge bank would be a one-stop shop for a consumer, which many might see as a good thing, but I believe it would make it so that Realtors can not compete with them. Can you imagine having an agent that is a bank employee, probably making an hourly wage or a salary? How is that agent going to truly work for their client when they get paid on that kind of basis? They forget about their client when the day is done and the clock stops, much the same as they do now when they leave for the day with millions of people trying to get help from them to avoid losing their homes.
I know there are many many many of you who have been on hold with a bank for over an hour trying to workout a short sale or a loan workout for a client who is in tears and severe emotional distress because they are trying not to lose everything they have. How frustrating is it to deal with these banks NOW in this severe time of crisis? Can you imagine if they became huge conglomerate real estate franchises? <<<<SHIVER OF HORROR>>>>
It's horrible. You very rarely get someone who cares, and since they are an employee of the bank they are going to do what's best for the bank and not the client. I've heard where asset managers have threatened to stop a short sale or any sale because of tiny little glitches in escrows, such as a problem with a stove or missing microwave. Things that are easily fixed in the grand scheme of things, but they don't give a moment's thought to being patient since they don't care about the client, only the bank.
I've had asset managers refuse to accept a strong offer that is TRULY IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST because the manager (from Texas)thinks that if they refuse the offer and foreclose they can get more money,
despite the fact that there were no offers on the property in the 3 months leading up to the trustee's sale
and that the numerous comparables and MY LOCAL AREA EXPERTISE show them that they would not lose as much money( a paltry $40,000) instead of the $80-100K that is costs a bank to foreclose on top of the amount they would lose because once a house goes to foreclosure, they are guaranteed to lose even market value since the stigma of REO is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!
So this one example: listed at $179,000. Offer for $171,000 with one week before the trustees sale. Asset manager refused to accept the offer, house went to auction block, of course it didn't sell, and then bank took it back. Came back on the market for $195,000(I laughed). 7 months later, it is STILL on the market and the bank has it listed for $120,792.
SO TELL ME HOW IS THIS KIND OF BUSINESS/BEHAVOIR GOING TO BE GOOD FOR NOT ONLY OUR ECONOMY BUT THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL?
The bank refused to listen to a local REALTOR that knows the area, that provided comps to back up the offer, and that was trying to save everyone money and heartache. Do you think that the bank cares though, especially now that they are getting bailouts from the government? Oh yeah, money that is of course shifted back to the American taxpayer so we have to pay for this mess twice? So how are they going to care about the consumer if they succeeded in a bid to get into real estate?
MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES TO VOTE YES ON KEEPING BANKS OUT OF REAL ESTATE PERMANENTLY. Charle McMillian, president of NAR has this to say about the legislation:
"Imagine how much worse the crisis in the financial sector and our overall economy would be if banks had been permitted to enter into commercial activities such as real estate," McMillan said. "We hope that Congress will work quickly to close any loopholes and pass laws that maintain the separation of banking and real estate and protect our nation's economy from unnecessary and avoidable risks."
Crestline is an awesome community for full time living, vacation homes, or for investment buying. We are a small community here in the San Bernardino mountains with our own historical Lake Gregory in downtown Crestline village.
Right now we have many homes for sale in Crestline, as well as the surrounding communities, that range from small fixers to nice homes. This particular list today is of the top 7 listings right now that are under $100,000 here in Crestline.
$59,900 1BR/1BA built in 1935, cozy(small), walking distance to Lake Gregory, nice deck for morning coffee.
$75,900 2BR/1BA built in 1925, close to the highway and easy drive down the hill. Nice lot.
$79,900 1BR/1BA built in 1945, walking distance to town and Lake Gregory. Very nice cabin and lot.
$84,900 2BR/2BA built in 1964, walking distance to town and Lake Gregory, good home for full time living,level parking.
$89,000 1BR/1BA built in 1930, walking distance to town, nice fixer that has been partially remodeled but maintains that original cabin charm.
$96,900 2BR/.75BA built in 1924, large lot with seasonal stream, tons of off street parking.
$99,900 2BR/1BA built in 1963, level parking and fenced yard, close to town and walking distance to Lake Gregory.
If you have any questions regarding these homes, or other homes for sale in Crestline, Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding communities, please let me know! These homes will sell quickly!
When I first read this post a few seconds ago, I was feeling really down and out. It brought tears to my eyes, and I still am fighting to keep them back, since I am still in the office. No matter what life throws at us, we do truly need to remember that we are not of this world, and need to fight daily to maintain that. At the beginning of this new year, I have realized how blessed I am in love and life, but I am human and can only take so much.
I have recently been backstabbed by clients that I worked hard for, and co-listing agents that I drove back and forth for, up and down, taken pictures at all hours of the day and night, because they were from out of the area and said they'd co-list their REOs with me for doing the legwork. I have a work ethic where I work hard when I'm at work, but I know how to take care of my husband and our family when I'm at home and play. I have set limits for myself because if I don't then I will be at work more than I am at home/play, and to neglect my family in these times would be unconscionable.
I have to realize that there's only so much that I can do, that I can't please all of the people all of the time, and that there are those out there who profess sister/brotherhood of the faith and then are the first to lie to your face and turn their back on you.
Tom's blog popped up on the main Active Rain page not 10 minutes after I began feeling really resentful of my chosen profession and those who I have given of myself to help and associate with.
THE WORLD WILL ASK IF YOU WON, BUT GOD WILL ASK YOU IF YOU FOUGHT.
How true, and what a boost that I needed just now. Thank you Tom for your insight and your blog about your life and experience. May this help the many others that are out there in this dark time of our lives and world. I try to remember this is not the best place; this place is temporary; we are NOT of this world and we will rise above it, those that choose to believe and live their lives according to God.
Today I had the luxury and privelage of reading Blogging in the rain, a Real Estate Marketing Blog which is written by Rebecca Levinson. Rebecca is a very talented writer, and everytime you read her post you take away material and ideas that are readily applicable in business and life.
One of topics she mentioned really hit home. That was what she referred to as an individual being "absolutely you"
Hats off to Rebecca, and how well said. Success, Integrity, and and a given desire to force ourselves to do the "right thing"
"You win some, you lose some, but you get dressed for every game."If I am not mistaken I believe the author of this quote was Lou Gehrig. Not totally sure but it was a baseball figure.I would probably figure it out by calling the baseball aficionado and wonderful blogger Fran Gaspari Fran's Blog . It really does hold true to what Realtors do everyday. They get up, they look themselves in the mirror, and they greet the day with enthusiasm as if it were their first day. There is a feeling and satisfaction that comes with helping others, and being a Realtor. It is as rewarding as it comes; whether the deal was simple, or a monstrous one full of fires.
I watched my son last week Wednesday as he was a pall bearer. At thirteen I could see how he was just trying to walk with his other relatives. As the morning light from the window fell behind his head at a given point, and it made a silhouette, and I could not help to see how hard he was holding his emotions back. There is a feeling that comes with being yourself. A few minutes later my son leaned in to me, and said "I'm sorry this happened to you Dad." That moment of pride that came with my son Spencer saying that can never be duplicated, and was brutally honest. I reminded him it was his loss just as well. 13 going on 50; the infinite innocent love of a child. I was trying so hard to hold back my tears at that moment.Spencer; my rock, my pillar, my greatest achievement if life.
The fact is we always fight the good fight. It is not so much the concept of always winning, but knowing we always fight for our sellers and buyers, we work hard to make sure everything and all parties ar ethical, and that everyone received a fair shake, and was happy. "The World will ask you if you won, but God will only ask you if you fought"
I heard that or read that a long time ago; it hits home, and is true today.
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I have been seeing for a while that banks are allowed to force buyers to use the title and escrow companies that the banks have special financial deals with. It's just something that has become commonplace now with this market. They are making buyer's pay for it too, by not allowing closing costs help, or paying for it since they're demanding it, or by choosing a buyer who will pony up and pay.
Posted by 
It's the Crestline Rubber Ducky Derby!!!! 
I spent Wednesday morning in Hartford for Realtor Day At the Capitol, where we were given details on issues that we should consider supporting, and issues that we need to come out enforce against. I plan on covering a couple of the issues that we need to strongly oppose, and one that should be supported. I will start with the one that probably ticked me off the most House Bill HB 6349, and cover the other two in their own posts.
Would this be feasible? Is this even an idea that would work? It would take that one thing though: cooperation-and-hard-work. OK, TWO things...
I am in full agreement with keeping banks out of real estate, and not just from a non-competition aspect. Obviously a huge bank would be a one-stop shop for a consumer, which many might see as a good thing, but I believe it would make it so that Realtors can not compete with them. Can you imagine having an agent that is a bank employee, probably making an hourly wage or a salary? How is that agent going to truly work for their client when they get paid on that kind of basis? They forget about their client when the day is done and the clock stops, much the same as they do now when they leave for the day with millions of people trying to get help from them to avoid losing their homes.
It's horrible. You very rarely get someone who cares, and since they are an employee of the bank they are going to do what's best for the bank and not the client. I've heard where asset managers have threatened to stop a short sale or any sale because of tiny little glitches in escrows, such as a problem with a stove or missing microwave. Things that are easily fixed in the grand scheme of things, but they don't give a moment's thought to being patient since they don't care about the client, only the bank. 
ECONOMY BUT THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL?
;)
;)
