Old Paint and Real Estate - That's Not Still a Problem, is It?

You might not think something as archaic as lead-based paint would still be a problem. Wasn't that over at about the same time doctors stopped recommending cigarettes? You might be surprised.

Although lead-based paint is long obsolete, it still remains a genuine issue for homeowners and Realtors. In the early 1990s, a new law referred to as the Housing and Community Development Act made it so that the seller of a home was obligated to disclose any possible use of lead paint to the purchaser. Lead had been used as a paint additive for over 120 years before it was proven to be associated with health problems in approximately 1978. That year, the use of lead in paint was effectively banned. It was not until 1992 that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented a law establishing the requirement that if any lead-based paint was used in a home that fact had to be formally disclosed in writing to the buyer. There is no requirement to do any testing for lead paint, so following the letter of the law seems ridiculously easy follow. There are specified mandatory warnings for signature when lead paint may have been used, and an informational brochure is required to be provided to the buyer. The law applies to all homes built before 1978. Homes built after that year are not affected by the certification requirement. Penalties for noncompliance with are severe, with substantial fines and imprisonment. Over and above the Federal government requirements, some states require abatement -- covering or elimination -- of lead paint.

The presence of lead paint in the home can expose the family to lead poisoning. Children under six have the highest risk of getting poisoned from lead paint because growing bodies absorb many of the minerals to which they are exposed, whether it is calcium which is vital for growth, or something as toxic as lead. Chronically high levels of lead can lead to brain damage, behavioral problems, hearing loss, and damage to the nervous system. These problems can occur in adults and children, and additionally in the case of children, growth can be impaired.

Any home built before 1978 that has cracked, flaking, or chipped paint should be treated as a hazard. The paint should be repaired as a high priority. If lead paint was used around window or door frames, opening and closing these things may be making a surprisingly large amount of dust containing lead. Lead dust is potentially hazardous and can be very difficult to get rid of. Normal vacuuming and dusting can cause the lead dust to get back into the air and dust will be kicked up whenever you move around.

In order to find out whether your home has a lead paint problem, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that every home built before 1978 receive a paint inspection done by a professional. That will let the homeowner determine the lead content of every painted surface in the home and will uncover any areas of serious lead contamination.

Although there are kits available that let homeowners test themselves, a professional inspection is recommended to discover problems that may be missed by the untrained eye. A professional inspector will be able to provide the right information to guide your decision on how to protect your family and those around you, beyond the basic requirements of disclosure when the home goes up for sale.

Resume Help for Construction and Real Estate Industries - The Market Will Rise Again

Like the phoenix, whatever falls will rise again - the same can be said about the real estate and construction markets. Sure, its been a difficult 2-3 years in these flailing markets, but the it is slowly beginning to turn around. Even with states like Arizona, Florida, and Las Vegas experiencing significant issues with foreclosures and incomplete construction projects, even these markets are starting to gain some steam.

Let's take Las Vegas for example: the number of foreclosures has reached an all-time high, BUT, if you've ever been to one of these Foreclosure Auctions, you would find that there are just as many people, mainly investors, ready to purchase as many of these foreclosures as they can. Some of the investors are planning to hold the note and simply ride out the market until it improves, and then sell it for a profit, but this is NOT the norm. Most of the investors are actually looking to purchase the homes, renovate them, improve them, use them now as a rental property to generate some income and then sell it in the future for gain.

This is where YOU come in: If you are on the construction side of the fence, then this would be a great time to start papering the Owners, Owner Representatives, Agents, and GC's with your resume. Let them you're out there. Let them know that you can perform the work that needs to be done at a fair price. While your profit margin may not be as great as it once was, this is the perfect time to build your reputation and penetrate the market once again. As your reputation grows, so will your client base - you will be in demand and have a chance to charge more money for service, and increase your profit.

On the flip side, many of these investors are not astute, and do not have a business sense for real estate. Many of these investors are simply buying because the news media tells them it's a good idea. They know nothing about property management, dealing with GCs and SCs', what a Project Manager is, where they would obtain a building permit, or what a city ordinance. This is where YOU come in. This is the time to start researching the owners of REOs and Foreclosures in your area, sending your resume to the owners of these companies, letting them know what you can do, and picking yourself back up.

What Next: Make sure you have a GREAT RESUME! As a Certified Professional Resume Writer with extensive experience in the Real Estate and Construction field, I know how important it is to make sure that your resume, (e.g., your FIRST IMPRESSION) is effective. Do not trust the resume to an amateur - make sure you hire someone who knows the Construction and Real Estate Fields, and can help you get back on your feet!

Good Luck!

First Time Home Buyer? How Mortgage and Real Estate Professionals Guide You Through the Process

Purchasing a home can and will have its challenges. Everything ranging from inadequate loan financing to inaccurate surveys to that funny smell in the basement. Anything can come up when you least expect it and put a dent in your home buying dreams. This is where choosing a team to work with becomes so important.

Most seasoned Real Estate professional have experienced about every major setback that can be thrown at a buyer and that gives them the ammunition they need to avoid set backs in there next transaction. The same goes for the Mortgage Originator that is going to provide your home financing. They are the single most important people you will work with when buying a home.

What is important is that you develop a relationship with your Loan Officer and Realtor and ask for referrals of trusted affiliates like Attorneys, Surveyors, Title Companies, Pest Inspectors, Home Inspectors etc. A trusted advisor like a Mortgage Originator should be able to provide you with at least 3 names of Attorneys or Real Estate Agents that can represent you in buying a home. Interview them and ask what they will be doing for you and how it differs from their competition. Educate yourself on what every ones role is, the more knowlegde you have, the more options you have.

Also know, in uncertain times, consumers interact with brands they trust, and they align themselves with the strongest in the industry. The last thing you need to have take place is for the mortgage broker you are working with to go out of business a week before your closing date. Choose solid partners, industry professionals with a track record of stability. The mom and pop shops out there are nice as far as relationships go but when it comes to support, resources and servicing (after closing), the larger brand names will usually perform at a higher level.

An experienced Loan Originator should be able to set expectations for you of what your total costs are associated with your home purchase. They should speak in specifics when it comes to your down payment, closing costs, interest rate and loan product type. Be sure to ask not only what you can afford as the bank sees it but what your affordability range is based on your lifestyle and other monthly obligations. Just because someone qualifies for a million dollar home may not mean they want the monthly payment that goes along with it. Remember, most mortgages are for 30 years so plan for a mortgage payment that you can afford now and down the road, accommodating for life events like child birth or retirement.

Your Real Estate agent should and will assist you in locating a home in your affordability range, negotiating a sales price and terms that benefit you. They are your advocate in every aspect of the transaction. Expect them to communicate with the Loan Officer and Attorney (where applicable in "Attorney" states) to validate your loan status throughout the process and coordinate a closing. A Real Estate Agent will be your liaison to the sellers when it comes to following up with your requests on any property specifics like, water testing, septic certifications, surveys, roof validations etc.

A good Real Estate Agent and Mortgage Loan Officer should both be proactive in making suggestions in all aspects of cost savings as it relates to your home purchase. Most importantly, choose to work with winners who are committed and engaged in what they do. With the availability of information via the internet and the millions of dollars spent to advertise Real Estate agencies and Banks, word of mouth still is the best way to find hard working people.

Home Based Real Estate Investing

So you want to work from your home, invest in real estate, and make a fortune...
Well, there are not too many more excuses that can be made in this day and age concerning working from home...
With so many multiple listing services constantly uploading fresh data to the web and the the niche sites for foreclosure data, the tools are quite readily available to begin a career in real estate right from your own home.
Now, the big million dollar question, are you motivated and focused to do so? This is really where the truth seems to hurt most.
I have personally been involved with an Online Foreclosure Multiple Listing Service [http://www.foreclosurestore.com/index.php?p=zine] for the past 6 years, and let me tell you, I have heard every excuse there pretty much is as to why people fail with the tools provided to them.
The biggest problem I find with people investing in real estate for the first time is a lack of patience. Things do not always happen instantly. The more anyone progresses in any business, they quicken their success by understanding their own mistakes, and hopefully from the mistakes of others. Whether you are a first time investor or seasoned pro, taking the time to understand each potential real estate deal is key. This is an example, I received a call from a lady who was unhappy with the listings that she was looking at. She starts the call off with me very upset and quite frantic. I punch up the zipcode that she was searching in and quite a few properties come up from the query. I then ask the woman why would she be upset when there are so many properties to possibly get involved with, she replies "I don't have the time to pursue so many listings", so now I think to myself, at one moment in the not so distant past this lady has come up with the bright idea of owning a home for whatever reason, she purchases a membership to a service that allows her the luxury of reviewing homes from the comfort of her own home, yet she has no time? Well, now I have to ask why she has no time, meanwhile in my head I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt with rationals like, she's probably working fulltime, is a single mom, etc. etc...This is not the case...her husband works fulltime, she stays at home, no kids, and is trying to undertake a career in real estate...WOW!, no time, eh? I decided to basically dismiss this person after that comment and realized that her membership to our listing service would soon collect dust just like any exercise equipment she may have invested in.
This brings me to the real meat of what I have to say here. Whatever it takes for you as an individual to become self motivated and organized is truly up to you! It really starts and ends with YOU! Of course understanding and learning are quite key to any endeavor, but the motivation and focus needs to start with you. Think about it, you can review and inquire on properties right from your home, you can find free credit reports pretty much anywhere online, you can apply for loans online to fund your ventures, and you can even buy how-to materials or even get a personal real estate coach these days...no excuse in the tool department...also a bit of advice, if you find after reading this article that you have had a few moments in your life with past attempts at anything like exercise equipment, courses on anything, dieting, saving money, or whatever, go and dig them out of your closet and make the most out of them as possible...how could you repeatedly make the largest purchase any American will make(buying a home) if you are carrying the weight of failing yourself or letting yourself down...you owe it to your self to do what you say you are going to do for yourself. This is how a network of real estate contacts starts, this is how a portfolio of real estate investments gets built, this is how balance and happiness is brought to your life.
Always take notes!
Best wishes on your endeavors...and remember to do what you say you are going to do for yourself!

Iranian Community and Real Estate

Owning a home has long been considered an "American" dream. However, what is an American? Someone who was born here? Naturalized here? Lives here? Pays taxes here? What qualifies you or anyone as an American is not a standard answer. That's why it's important to take your culture into consideration. Your real estate agent is no exception! You need an agent that will understand you and speak your language!

Speaking farsi isn't enough! There is more to being an Iranian Community's real estate services firm than speaking the language. Not only do you need someone to speak your language, but you need someone who really understand your needs. Look for companies founded by an Iranian-American to help serve Iranian community in the Southern California area. An Iranian agent will be the difference between a pleasant, satisfying, and stress-free home buying or selling experience and an unhappy, stressful, dissatisfying one. Many agents hold themselves out to be specialists in the Iranian community, but they are not. 

Your agent should spend time understanding and discovering your needs. Many Iranian families are larger and more expanded than the typical "American Nuclear" family. A good agent will understand that you may have special needs when searching for a home. he or She will also understand the particularities of your culture. An experienced agent will know Iranians are warm hospitable and generous, which makes for wanting homes that are designed with entertaining lifestyles in mind. Your agent should cut straight to the point to get you what you need.

Pick an agent that has helped numerous Iranians achieve the American dream of home ownership. They can get the job done and do it smoothly with no hassles and stress. It is important that your agent will understand Iranian tradition and culture, ways of life and working, financial management strategies, faith, concerns, goals, needs, and dreams.

Expired Listings and Real Estate Agent Selection and How They Relate

Did your homes listing sit on the market for too long and eventually expire?

Are you exhausted from the experience and are hesitant to re-list?

As a result of your experience do you feel that your home "just wont sell" because "it holds no appeal to buyers"?

That's very unfortunate if this was your listing experience. Sometimes real estate professionals take on too many listings and just don't have the time necessary to dedicate to each individual listing that they deserve. Sometimes mistake are made or the right steps are just not taken to get your home sold.

Steps like:

* Home staging to prep your home and present it at it's fullest appeal displaying the full functionality or range of, within each and every room...( Home staging can increase the value of your home by up to 10%! Home staging can cost as low as 1% of the value of your home to do! )

* Doing a fair Comparative Market Analysis to ensure that when your home is presented and put on the market, it's price point- is on point. Incorrect price point can and will result in a prolonged listing with it ultimately selling, or not, and becoming the dreaded expired listing.

* Extensive advertising of your home locally, nationally, online and offline. Statistical studies show that 80% of home buyers searched for their home online and 20% in magazines. Was this research used when advertising of your home was done?

Contact me now or keep reading

Did your agent discuss the absorption rate with you?

For every new listing that comes on the market per month, depending on how many of those that are sold we can determine how many months it would take to sell all of them. For example is there are 26 new listings per month and 4 sell per month then it would take 6 months to sell them all...given there are no new listings. But we know that won't happen so ensuring all the right steps are taken is detrimental to the sale of your home.

So listen, the good news is it isn't too late to sell your property. You CAN re-list your home and have success. You just have to make the right decisions because this is the beginning of a new chapter in your life. Yes, I know, you have heard this before, "choosing the right agent etc etc etc". Here's the thing though, the truth is it's not just a sales gimmick, it's reality. You need to select a real estate agent:

1. Who has "Clout". One with strong influence who also has great negotiating skills and is not afraid to be forthright in order to get you your top dollar. In one word? A fighter.

2. Who is incredibly creative and innovative and even web savvy, to put the cherry on top.

3. Who is available. Available when you need to speak to them. In anything in life when you hire someone you should be able to reach them when you need!

4. Who is in depth, thorough, analytical and makes moves with precision.

These are just a few great qualities that your agent should have and you will find all of those qualities in myself. Having been a personal beauty stylist working in the fashion and beauty industry for several years as a makeup and hair artist along with being a graphic designer and web developer, I am creative and innovative. My 5 strongest life skills or "themes" (as described by Gallups research) are

1. Deliberative

2. Focus

3. Competition

4. Futuristic

5. Analytical

So in closing my message to you is to Utilize my skills and let me give you what you want, in the time you want.

Let's re-list your home and you can continue your plan to start a new chapter in your life. Your first unsuccessful experience doesn't have to alter your goals for your future!

I hope you can see the benefits of working with me, your Whitby real estate agent, and encourage you to touch base with me asap so we can set up an appointment to go over how your new listing experience will be successfully accomplished! I look forward to hearing from you soon! Thank you for reading!

Your Ajax Whitby Real Estate Sales Representative
Molena Gould

How to Avoid Foreclosure Scams and Real Estate Fraud

If you're facing the prospect of foreclosure, you're probably feeling overwhelmed and desperate. Fortunately, there are companies out there that can help you, but there are also those that feed on people when they're most vulnerable. It's important that you only accept help from a reputable company, and not from a dishonest mortgage modification firm whose goal is to make a buck at your expense.

First of all, where can a person find a company that is actually legitimate and accredited? Visit Hud.gov for starters, and click on the link that takes you to their list of Foreclosure Avoidance Counselors. You can search for agencies by state, and then narrow down your search by city or zip code. All the companies listed on HUD's website have been approved by the Department for Housing and Urban Development, and offer services that are free of charge. As the site says, "There is no need to pay a private company for these services."

One caveat is that some of the companies listed might not have staff manning the phones at all times. If you can't get through to anyone at the first office you call, try phoning another agency that's close to where you live. Be patient and determined, or you'll be tempted to sign up with a company that you see on a billboard or television commercial. They're so appealing because they promise to have operators standing by who can save your home-fast! Sadly, most of these companies' assurances are nothing more than hot air.

If you decide that you want to try a private company anyway, there are a few critical things that you need to be aware of to keep yourself from getting taken for a very expensive ride. First of all, if a company demands an up-front fee, walk away. Chances are good that as soon as you hand over the money, the company will vanish from your life. There are some legitimate companies that charge fees for helping homeowners get out of their foreclosure mess, but make sure that you receive some services before handing over a check.

In terms of paid services, don't allow them to charge you hundreds of dollars for making a few phone calls and shuffling papers. There are many companies out there that will charge unreasonable amounts for doing minimal work. This is known as "phantom help," and really does nothing of value for homeowners in trouble. If you're going to pay someone to help you with your foreclosure, opt for a real estate lawyer instead of a mortgage modification company.

Don't ever listen to someone who tells you to make your mortgage payments to them instead of to the bank; they're trying to scam you. Con artists will also encourage you to sever communications with the bank, and to trust that they'll do all the talking for you. Lenders' loss mitigation departments are there to help. They may be difficult to get a hold of at times, but they are your best bet for turning your financial situation around. These sharks are banking on your desperation, your fear, and your ignorance. Ask questions, get them to put each one of their promises in writing, and obtain copies of every piece of paper you sign. Verbal commitments don't hold much weight, so make sure you have a comprehensive paper trail. If a company asks you to sign a contract that has empty lines, don't. They may fill in those blanks with very nasty clauses that result in you signing over the deed to your home.

Read everything the company gives you, and consult with an attorney before signing anything. These companies want you to feel pressured to sign quickly so they can take your money-don't let them push you around. You have every right to review legal documents with a lawyer before signing. If English is not your first language, this step is vitally important. Legalese is difficult to understand for the average English-speaker, so having a language barrier only makes you more vulnerable to these types of scam artists.

Finally, never agree to transfer your deed to a mortgage modification company. They may say that they'll buy the home and then sell it back to you on a rent-to-own basis, but in the majority of cases, homeowners who agree to this scheme get evicted and never see their homes again-yet are still held responsible for paying back the mortgage. Don't let these people kick you while you're down. If you're facing foreclosure, talk to your lender, find a real estate lawyer, and if necessary, locate a HUD-approved counseling agency in your area.