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Woodland Hills, CA Real Estate News

By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
I joined Active Rain 7 months ago and for me it was the beginning of understanding the Internet and what being a member of a community can do for you, I started blogging without knowing where it would take me, after having a website for 7 years I was first picked up by Google because of my blog on Active Rain, thanks every one for answering all my emails no matter how trivial they were.   I guess blogging hit the big time The Los Angels Times in its Real Estate Section this Sunday had this big article about: "Is your agent blogging? Sellers might want to consider the Internet savvy, who credit their sites with moving properties in a though market."                              The Blogger Brigade It goes on to say that back in 2006, which in the real estate blogshphere is pretty much ak...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
Woodland Hills Real Estate -Topanga Canyon Community:Driving south of Ventura blvd on Topanga Canyon Blvd past Mulholland Dr. on your way to Malibu Beach there is the community of Topanga Canyon. Hippies, Naturalists, Artists, and Bohemians of all sorts are drown to this rustic canyon  . Nestled picturesquely between San Fernando Valley and Santa Monica, Topanga offers countless delights:Shops:The Hidden Treasures: Want to find those keepsakes pieces with real history behind them? Antiques, quilts and vintage clothing they are all here for your browsing and shopping pleasure.Topanga Homegrown: Gifts, clothing,candles, an eclectic mixture of all kind of stuff.There are many more stores and restaurants to see.Arts:Brimming with artists, Topanga is also the home of a pair of theater compan...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
 It's important to understand that in a short sale, it's the lender that accepts the offers, counters, or declines the offers from the buyer, not the homeowner, although legally the owner still owns the property. Most of the time the lenders agree in principle that there is going to be a short sale, but they would not elude to the amount they would agree to unless there is an offer on the table. I have  seen this step in the process take up to 90,days or more, especially if there are more then 2 lenders involves and a mortgage insurance company, all this takes time.     This makes the process even more difficult given buyer's attitudes and choices in the market today. As these sales become more prevalent, lenders  are using companies that are assetts management companies that are doing ...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
  In woodland Hills Ca. like in other parts of the country there are short sales, this is the first blog in a series of blogs which will explain what you can expect when you make an offer on a property that is selling in a short sale.The short sale process can be very confusing because it is not as common as a regular real estate transaction. Typically the short sale process takes longer because you have to deal directly with the bank and gain their approval to sell the home. When a client makes an offer to purchase a real estate short sale they do not have the benefit of getting a quick response like they would from a regular seller.The short sale process begins with the client having to show that they are eligible for a short sale. All lenders typically require 2 years of tax returns,...
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By Sean McGlynn
(Whitehouse)
The Woodland Hills Real Estate market has been very challenging for sellers but is providing tremendous opportunities for buyers and for sellers that want to buy that bigger home or do a lateral move.  Prices are and have been declining for over two years now.  Sellers who want to sell in the next few years may want to consider selling now before prices go lower.  We are in a down cycle which is normal after nine years of steady appreciation.  This could not go on forever.  We have only rolled back to 2003 prices.  This is at prices that were after seven years of appreciation.Interest rates are getting lower and loan programs are getting more attractive which make it a good time to buy.  There are many great deals out there.  Banks are selling foreclosures at very low prices to get rid ...
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Welcome to my website, I can help you find your dream home or sell your current home. My website has all the Real Estate resources that you may need. I serve all of L.A County, specializing in Woodland Hills Real Estate and Woodland Hills Homes.
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
Are You Buying a House or a Home?As you prepare yourself  to buy a house by reading and asking questions, studying about buying real estate, you will often find the words "house" and "home" used interchangeably. There is a huge difference between a house and a home.A house can be a place to eat, sleep, park your car, and put all your "stuff" (including other family members). It is a material possession and an investment. A home is where you feel comfortable, warm, safe, and protected.A home is where you live.A house is something you buy logically. A home is an emotional purchase. When buying real estate you have to balance your emotional wants and your logical needs because there will almost certainly be a time when the two conflict.For example, you may want a house with a view, but the...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
The market in its current state provides us with some out of the box iinvesting ideas - Leas OptionThe world of Woodland Hills Ca real estate investing is filled with mechanisms investors use to get into properties and turn a profit. As a new real estate investor, that abundance of information can often seem insurmountable. Financing options alone on a real estate investment could take days to fully understand. Nestled somewhere in that great array of information is the lease option, a mechanism used by some investors to get into a property quickly and with no down payment to speak of. It is a flexible solution to some investing issues and can provide a win-win situation for buyer and seller. The basic form of a lease option dictates that a buyer and seller agree on a payment plan for a...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
 The Federal Reserve Gave us A gift this week Woodland Hills Ca.- The Federal Reserve this week took swift and decisive action to send a clear message to the stock market while also giving a gift to Home Buyers because it slashed interest rates by 75 basis points from 4.25% to 3.5%. This is the biggest cut in over 24 years and should help our Woodland Hills Ca housing  market along with the Los Angeles ca. mortgage industry. It's a Great time to buy Real Estate in Woodland HillsThe good news is that  the market  reacted positively to the news. So for all those Woodland Hills home buyers trying to decide if now is a good time to buy, I would say, "YES" since we have low rates and there are still a large number of motivated sellers which makes it a great time to get of the fence and lock...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
If you're like most first-time home buyers, you've probably listened to friends', family's and coworkers' advice, many of whom are encouraging you to buy a home. However, you may still wonder if buying a home is the right thing to do. Relax. Having reservations is normal. The more you know about why you should buy a home, the less scary the entire process will appear to you. Here are eight good reasons why you should buy a home.Pride of OwnershipPride of ownership is the number one reason why people yearn to own their home. It means you can paint the walls any color you desire, turn up the volume on your CD player, attach permanent fixtures and decorate your home according to your own taste. Home ownership gives you and your family a sense of stability and security. It's making an inves...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
The best possible scenario for a Woodland Hills Ca real estate investor is to find a home that is undervalued to be able to then turn around and sell it for a profit. Obviously, this can be a difficult prospect as real estate markets becoming increasingly clogged with willing investors, but what happens we you do find a possible target? How do you evaluate its viability? The real answer: keep your cool.Finding a target may seem like the most difficult part of the investing process, but gathering a variety of potential real estate possibilities will help you develop a more discerning Woodland Hills Ca real estate investing eye. Turning up undervalued prospect is an exercise in targeting sellers that have a motivation to sell quickly. That motivation could come from a recent divorce, a fr...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
 As with all financial markets, the housing market in Woodland Hills Ca is going through a natural cycle that will level out the steady climb that has been going on for years and years.  Were it has been a sellers market for a number of years, it is now swaying back towards a buyers market.  Thanks to media momentum the housing market has taken a pretty good blow nation wide.  In a buyers' market there is a surplus in housing inventory. With a greater number of homes on the market and bargaining power in your hands, you are faced with numerous choices and the temptation to negotiate on just about everything. .  For you as a buyer, knowing that market change is inevitable as well as which market your area is currently experiencing will give you an informed advantage as you make decisions...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
Part of selling your house is finding ways to show the house to people who aren't even there. This may include listing your house in the paper or a magazine and creating a flyer that potential buyers can take with them or that your realtor can distribute. This week I will give you several tips in showing your house through media. These are small things, but they are small things that can help get your house the attention it needs so you can sell.It is important to take pictures of your house. You may not be a professional photographer but here are a few tips that will help you in photographing your house to sell.Photograph the front of your house. Crop out sidewalks and streets. Remove vehicles from driveway / front of home. Shoot up-close & angled photos. Avoid shade on the house. Clea...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
While reading some articles in Topix.net, I ran across a piece about a new shopping center that is coming to the San Fernando Valley area. Click to read this article entitled, “Woodland Hills Gets Ready for Some Shopping”. Within the next two years, the Australian-based Westfield group will begin work on what is to be, one of the largest shopping center in California. This $750 million outdoor retail complex will connect the Topanga and Promenade malls in the San Fernando Valley. It will be called the Village in Warner Center and is expected to feature 150 condominiums and apartments, a 300-room hotel and 550,000 square feet of retail space. After its completion, the total area of this “three-mall behemoth” will be some 3.8 million square feet including the hotel and residential housin...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
fancygens.com
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
I have just read a somewhat daunting article in DQNews.com entitled, “Southland Home Sales Slowest Since 1995”. According to this article, southern California sales this July were lower than any other July since 1995. When compared to July of 2006, sales were 27.4 percent lower in July of this year. This article goes on to mention that median home values in Southland last month were around $505,000, 3.7% higher than in July 2006. Makes you wonder when prices will level off and attract the multitude of buyers who are waiting for home values to drop. When will sellers quit holding out and price their homes more realistically? Why is this slowdown in home sales not related to a slowdown in the economy in general as was the case the last time home sales slowed similarly in southern Californ...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
Starting July 1, I will be contributing articles for the Real Estate Today section of Single Parent Magazine (SPM). SPM is a new online magazine dedicated to single parents and issues related to single parenting. Started in February 2007, this monthly periodical aims to provide information about topics such as home ownership, business and finances, self-development, health, entertainment and spiritual matters among others. Click to read SPM’s Vibe and Vision. If you are a single parent, I recommend that you check out SPM, or if you know someone who is raising a child alone, I encourage you to send him or her a link to this excellent online publication. I hope to be able to add value to single parents by touching on topics of interest with relation to the world of real estate. I underto...
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By Rachel Zeppinick, Woodland Hills Real Estate
(Sharma Estate Realty)
You have probably heard many people talking about pricing a home correctly so that it will sell. Especially in buyer’s markets, right? So what does determine what a home is worth? I recently ran across an article while perusing the Los Angeles Times online that does a good job comparing the different factors that go into determining how much a home is worth. I would recommend this article written by Michelle Hoffman, entitled “No magic formula”, to anyone who is currently thinking about selling his or her home. Mostly because it does a good job of highlighting that pricing a home is not an exact science and that there are numerous variables that can affect the real world value of a home. The rule used to be location, and largely it still is, however, there are many other factors many fo...
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By Eddy Martinez
(Nationwide Funding Group)
Tax Liens and Special Assessments If for any reason government taxes, such as income or property taxes are not paid, they become a tax lien against the property. Special assessments are levied against property owners to pay for local improvements, such as underground utilities, street repair, or water projects. Payment for the project is secured by a special assessment which becomes a lien against real property. Property taxes and special assessments are specific liens whereas other government taxes are general liens. I had a situation with a client who thought he could avoid paying the IRS a huge amount in back taxes. He was confident that he would be able to refinance his property take cash out and avoid this liability. He was even more confident because the IRS did not report anythin...
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