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Where's the UPSIDE in Being Upside Down in Santa Monica?

By
Real Estate Agent with The Bitton Group

Where's the UPSIDE in Being Upside Down in Santa Monica?

Hey, how 'bout those Bears?! Yes, I am changing the subject because it's not so nice to be underwater on your home and right now the options are slim.  

upside down

#1 - If you can still make the payments on your house, bite the bullet and continue to do so. 

#2 - If you really need to get out and can cover your expenses with rental income? Great! Go for it.

#3 - Short sale (call me to discuss)*

#4 - Renegotiate your mortgage (good luck!)

For all those who chose #1, I've got some suggestions for making being upside down a little easier on your pocket book and may help you sleep at night.

HIRE A REALLY GOOD REALTOR (like me!) - Knowing is half the battle. Do you know how much your home is worth? What are the comps in your area? What's the market like? 

RENT OUT A ROOM...if you're an empty-nester with a spare bedroom, have a mother-in-law unit or a large space for a teepee (i'm not kidding), try leasing out the room on AirBnB. This is a great website to advertise your awesome space and make some extra cash hosting folks who'd rather not be in a hotel. 

REPAIR, REPLACE BUT DON'T REMODEL - Now is NOT 

broken window

the time to put in the hot tub or new kitchen. However, if the toilet breaks, fix it. ***If you're in the middle of a remodel and you live in Santa Monica, this region has consistently returned a higher percentage of remodeling costs upon resale.Roof

*I specialize in short sales so if you are thinking about this option and live in the Santa Monica area, please give me a call.  I'll walk you through your options and give you all the information you need to make the best decision.

Jack

Show All Comments Sort:
Lori Bowers
La Quinta, CA
The Lori Bowers Group

Really good advice. Well-written.

Dec 20, 2010 09:16 AM
Chadi Bazzi
Irvine, CA

Very well written Jack and very informative.

 

 

Dec 20, 2010 12:50 PM