My Newsletter for February 2017
Greetings Friends!
Spring is just around the corner
and that is traditionally the time of year when the housing market starts to
heat up.
If you have any plans to move, or
are even just curious about what’s available on the market, now is a great
time to inquire.
I’d be happy to help you with any
information you want. Please give me a call anytime.
Ask Bruce:
RE King writes, "I'm looking to
invest in rental property in San Diego. What areas are best in terms of
cash flow? I want to avoid bad neighborhoods. I'm new in rental
so don't have a lot of experience dealing with problematic renters"
Well RE, as an investor myself, I've found San Diego to
be an expensive market that can be difficult to enter as a new investor.
You will experience better capital appreciation in the city proper, but
If you're planning to finance your purchase and positive cash flow is your
number one priority, the outlying communities may offer lower risk and
a better cash-on-cash return. Cities as far north as Temecula or Murrieta
feed into the San Diego market, and the neighborhoods are newer. If you're
averse to the headaches that come with being a landlord, or if the travel
time to your home is an issue, consider using a professional property manager
for your rental. Many realtors manage property as a sideline, or even
as a primary business. I'd stay away from the large management companies, as
you're only as important to them as the size of your portfolio. Play your
cards right, and you'll love being an investor- welcome to the club!
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Making the Home Selling and Moving Process Easier
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There’s no doubt
that things change in a home when it’s put on the market. Those changes can
cause stress for the entire family.
Fortunately, there are ways to
reduce that stress considerably. With a little bit of planning, you can
even make the home selling process a relatively pleasant experience for
everyone.
The first step is to talk
candidly with your family, especially kids, about their feelings and
concerns regarding selling your home and moving. Their worries may include:
- Losing connections with friends.
- Finding a new job.
- Starting a new school.
- Disruptions in the home during viewings.
- Work involved in preparing the home for sale.
- Keeping the home clean and tidy for viewings.
The more you’re aware of how
your family feels about the process, the better you can deal with those
issues.
Keeping the home clean for
viewings and open houses is usually one of the major stressors. It may feel
like you’re tidying up for a special guest several times a week! A solution
worth considering is hiring a maid service on a short-term basis. That help
can save you a lot of time and stress, especially if you’re also searching
for a new home.
During viewings, it’s best for
you and your family to be out of the home. So, consider planning little
adventures. You can visit a museum, eat at a restaurant you’ve been wanting
to try for months, or take the gang to a recreation center. These ideas
will go a long way toward alleviating the sense of being “kicked out” of
your own home!
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While shopping for a new home, you will likely view a lot of properties and
may even attend a few open houses. That’s part of the process of finding
your next dream home.
But there is another type of
open house you should also attend. It’s one for which you need no
invitation – the “neighborhood open house.”
Of course, this isn’t an actual
advertised open house. The term simply means that you’re able to view any
neighborhood you’d like to live in and try it on for size.
So when viewing a home or
attending an open house, take some time to explore the neighborhood. Get a
sense of what it’s going to be like to live there. You can:
- Take a walk around the block.
- Visit the local park and playground.
- Have a coffee at a local cafe.
- Visit the local school.
- Test access to commuting routes to work.
- Check out daycare facilities.
- Drive to the local shopping center.
- Investigate local features, such as theaters,
restaurants and golf courses.
The neighborhood you live in is
just as important as the home itself. Before you buy, make sure you get to
see your neighborhood too.
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Diffusing Disputes with Neighbors
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Even if you live in a beautiful home in a great neighborhood, a dispute
with a neighbor can make living there a miserable experience. That’s why it
makes sense to settle such disputes quickly and amicably.
How do you do that? Here are
some tips:
- Deal with the issue quickly. It’s tempting to avoid
facing an unpleasant dispute with a neighbor and hope the problem just
goes away. That rarely happens. To settle a dispute, you need to act
quickly.
- Avoid displays of anger. Acting angrily typically
only gets the other party on the defensive. It can escalate the
situation and rarely, if ever, leads to a resolution.
- Isolate the problem. Never generalize a dispute
with a neighbor. Be specific.
- Don’t complain; propose. Rather than complaining
about loud music at night, propose a solution. For example, “When our
front lights have been turned off, that means we’ve gone to bed. Would
it be possible to turn down the music at that time? Thanks!”
- Say thanks when there’s a resolution. You may never
be close friends, but being cordial will go a long way toward easing
the tension.
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notable, quotable... quotes!
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“Congratulations. Today is the day. You’re off to great
places. You're on your way!”
Dr. Seuss
“Don't mistake activity with achievement.”
John Wooden
“Doing the best in the moment puts you in the best place for
the next moment.”
Oprah Winfrey
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Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers
currently under contract. The opinions
expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the views of Tarbell Realtors
©IXACT Contact Solutions Inc.
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