The real deal about Los Angeles real estate.....really!

Association of Energy and Environment Real Estate Professionals - You should consider joining

AEEREP is a great organization which through it's EcoBroker designation helps empower those real estate professionals to become advocates of energy conservation and environmental awareness to inform your clients of home safety and energy efficiency in their homes.

I've been an EcoBroker for many years now and it certainly comes in handy.  I'm able to pass on vital information to my clients and all of them are very appreciative.  Especially when it comes to the subject of indoor air quality.

Click on the logo below to learn more:

We even have an EcoBroker group that you can subscribe to right here on ActiveRain:  http://activerain.com/groups/ecobrokers

Do not only yourself, but your clients a huge favor by becoming an advocate of sustainability and environmental awareness.

Every journey begins with the first step......

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I just made a donation to a great organization that assists the homeless - ePath.org - Pay It Forward

I learned about EPath.org from an acquaintence I met recently.  It's a great organization that helps those homeless to get back on a good path.

When I learned about this organization I immediately knew that I wanted to make a donation, and I'm also looking into how I can volunteer some time to help those of us that need a break and a helping hand.

To learn more about EPath.org, click on the logo below:

Here's the really nice email receipt I received:

On behalf of the entire PATH Board of Directors, staff and the individuals and families we serve, thank you for your generous donation. Your support helps us provide essential and life-saving assistance to thousands of people struggling with homelessness each year.

Nearly 600,000 people in Los Angeles County are unemployed, and many are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage for the first time in their lives. More and more hardworking individuals and their families are ending up homeless with nowhere to turn for help.

PATH is responding to this crisis by providing constant resources and assistance to families and individuals in need. Please get involved by joining us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pathLA or by reading Poverty Insights, a new online journal dedicated to poverty, housing and homelessness, at www.povertyinsights.org.  Also, if you have not already done so, we invite you to visit the PATHMall at our Regional Homeless Center to see first-hand the impact of your generosity. For more information or to arrange a tour, please contact Katie Hill at (323) 644-2229.

In this time of unprecedented economic instability and state and local budget cuts, we must depend more than ever on the support of compassionate, caring people like you. With your help, PATH can continue providing housing, employment assistance and supportive services for the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our community.

Your generous contribution makes the difference between someone finding a permanent home or staying on the streets. We truly value your partnership to end homelessness in our community.

Sincerely,

Joel John Roberts
Chief Executive Officer

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Multiple Offers Increasing in So California - The Tide has Officially Turned..........

We are seeing mutliple offers all over the place here in Southern California.  And not only in certain price ranges, but across the board.

Our listing in Stevenson Ranch has 10 offers on it after only a week and a half!

Our North Hollywood condo listing that has been on the market for quite a while just recently ended up with multiple offers.

Not only that, but on the buying side we are ending up in multiple offers with the offers we're writing for our buyers.

Our Encino, CA buyers - 4 offers on the property

Our Stevenson Ranch buyers - 3 offers on the property

Our Calabasas buyers - 3 offers on the property

There was even one agent in our office that reported a Tarzana / Woodland Hills home that has 44 offers on it!

We've seen it before.  This is the beginning of the tide beginning to turn from a buyer's "shooting fish out of a barrel" market more towards a seller's market.

Get your buyers in now while the price points are still low.  Based on my experience, I don't think they're going to stay that way for very long.

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Great 2-Bedroom North Hollywood Co-op Condo - Only $119,000!!

VERY NICE 2 BED / 1 BATH CO-OP CONDO WITH A 60'S CLEAN LINED FEEL. VERY LARGE LIVING ROOM, AND LARGE BALCONY WITH PRIVACY. PEACEFUL COURTYARD AREA WITH WELL-KEPT POOL/DECK AREA.  CENTRAL HEAT AND AIR.

Nothing else like this in this price range in the Central San Fernado Valley.  Short sale.  Only one lender.  Bank may pay closing costs on this depending on purchase price.

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25205 Favoloso Ct., Stevenson Ranch, CA - Newer Construction Home with Breathtaking Views! - $395,000!!

STEVENSON RANCH NEWER CONSTRUCTION HOME, AT THE END OF THE SOUTHERN-MOST CUL-DE-SAC. HILLSIDE VILLAGE HOME WITH BREATHTAKING 180 DEGREE PANORAMIC VIEWS OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY. SALT-WATER POOL, SPA, OUTDOOR KITCHEN, OUTDOOR FIREPIT, WATER SOFTENING SYSTEM, DOUBLE ATTACHED GARAGE, PLANTATION SHUTTERS, FIREPLACE, LAUNDRY ROOM, PANTRY, EVEN A SMALL 3-HOLE PUTTING GREEN IN THE BACK YARD! PLENTY OF LIGHT, SUN-FILLED ROOMS AND AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN. HOA INCLUDES FRONT YARD MAINTENANCE AND PERIODIC WINDOW WASHING! DEDICATED GUEST PARKING THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS. SMALL CHARMING PARK JUST 20 YARDS BELOW THE PROPERTY.

MLS # 12-575807

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I just made another micro loan on Kiva.org to a man in Kenya - Pay It Forward

Fadhili is a married man with nine school going children. He owns a house with electricity but no piped water. His greatest monthly expense is school fees for his children.

Fadhili has operated a retail shop for the past year. In addition he owns a rental house. His potential clients are the local area residents. He faces a major challenge of seasonality. He dreams of owning another rental house.

With the Kshs 100,000 he wants to purchase more stocks of rice, sugar and maize flour for his shop and also renovate his rental house. He decided to join Yehu to get capital to improve his businesses.

For those of you unfamiliar with Kiva.org, definitely check it out.  You are able to make small $25, micro loans to people around the globe who are not as fortunate as most of us in America are.  Your $25 loan, along with many in your group, help to finance these small business people, and there are fantastic regulatory agencies on each continent that handle the repayment to your Kiva account so that you can keep re-lending out the funds.

Here is a link for you to check it out:  http://kiva.org/invitedby/ralph6433

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New Law Regarding HOA Documents (AB 771) may have saved us $1,500.00 and maybe my short sale transaction!

My law school studies are certainly keeping me on my toes.  Having to do legal research is something that I can almost do in my sleep!

I have a short sale that I've been hired to facilitate, and things have gone well.  I was able to get the short sale written approval in 34 days after the purchase agreement was signed between buyer and seller.

Things are/were going great.

Then the attempted hijacking happened.

This is for a very nice condominium that is selling for just under $500,000.  The cost of the HOA docs from the HOA is $495.00.

Oh, but wait, the HOA sent my escrow officer a statement showing that there are approximatley $1,500 in "fees" that go along with that in addition to the $495.00.

What?!!  There is NO way the bank is going to pay for that and we can't work that into the HUD, NO WAY!

Well, in my opinion, this is nothing but extortion, so I did some research and found that there was a new law just passed on January 1st of this year that makes this practice illegal.  It is Assembly Bill 771.

-- AB 771, a C.A.R.-sponsored bill, which requires a homeowner association (HOA), upon written request, to give an estimate of the fee for providing a prospective buyer with the governing documents of the common interest development and other required HOA disclosures.  The bill also specifies that only fees for the required documents may be charged when such documents are provided, effectively prohibiting any “bundling” of fees for other documents with these fees.  In compliance with the bill, C.A.R. has released a revised C.A.R. standard form (Homeowner Association Information Request) detailing which documents are required, and requiring the provider to disclose the fees that will be charged for the documents before they are provided. The seller of a CID must complete this form and transmit it to the prospective purchaser along with the required documents.  This will eliminate any uncertainty for the prospective purchaser as to exactly which documents are being provided and the precise fees being charged for those documents.

We will be presenting the HOA with this new law and hopefully they will comply and adjust their demand for an additional $1,500 in fees (that is just outrageous!)

If you'd like to read the bill in it's entirety, you can do so by clicking here:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_771_bill_20110523_amended_asm_v95.html

By the way, I have a great new group here on ActiveRain that examines both actual and hypothetical legal issues each week in a fun "What-If" scenario.  If you'd like to join the group and participate, you can click on the group below.  Some GREAT discussions going on here and a really good way to keep your real estate legal chops up!

http://activerain.com/groups/legalscenarios

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The Healthy Realtor:  Fast and Easy Changes for a Healthy 2012

Want to try and eat a little healthier this year, but looking for some quick and easy tips that you can implement into your life without too much drama?

Then here ya go!

2012 is the year of health:  both physically and mentally.  In our whirlwinding economy and your efforts to churn and burn to stay ahead, sometimes you need to stop for a moment and take care of the body so that you can stay on track toward your goals.

I'll be posting a series of blogs from "Ralph The Healthy Realtor", and we can go on this journey together.  I care very much about my family, my friends and business associates and want to see you all healthy, happy, and living the most fulfilling, productive lives you possibly can.

And since time is not a plentiful commodity for most, here are some small, quick thing you can do to live "Hot Spot" Healthy:

• use extra onions and garlic when recipes call for them as a base
• use extra virgin olive oil instead of cheap cooking oil
• steam vegetables for a short time, instead of a longer time
• put extra herbs on your salads
• eat fresh raw nuts instead of chips or salted peanuts
• put smaller portions on your plate
• grind the salt cellar only once instead of several times
• drink a smaller glass of wine instead of two or more large ones
• use raw honey instead of sugar as a sweetener
• fill your plate with more vegetables and less carbs and protein
• sit and rest for five to ten minutes after eating, instead of getting up immediately
• eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly
• have small amounts of quality dark chocolate, instead of large amounts of cheap chocolate or candy
• allow yourself your chosen “poison” (e.g., donuts, cappuccino, ice cream) from time to time so you don't feel deprived, but eat healthily most of the time

THIS IS YOUR LIFE........................Make It Beautiful

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Ralph's Weekly Legal What-If Scenarios: Encroachment - "Don't Fence Me In!"

Each Monday, I'm going to post a "What If" Scenario that presents a legal issue in a real estate hypothetical situation.

Each Sunday, either the correct legal answer (or most likely legal resolution) to the situation will be posted.

These are great opportunities to keep your real estate legal chops honed and tuned as a real estate professional.  And I'm sure there will be some interesting discussions going on related to these hypothetical situations.  Some of you may also have had identical situations in the past that will bring some interesting light to the answers.

Here is this week's scenario:

A buyer, Bob, purchases a property in 2008.  Later that same year he decides to put up a fence.  Unknown to Bob at the time, the fence actually sits about one foot onto the neighbors property, thus creating an encroachment.  The neighbor at the time, Ann, never says anything because she never realized that there was an encroachment, she feels that the fence really doesn't affect her, and she actually thinks it looks nice.

In 2012,  Ann's property changes hands and gets sold to another buyer, John.

John performs an inspection on the property during escrow, and it is then that he notices that Bob's fence sits about a foot over his property that he is in escrow on.

John closes escrow and immediately states to Bob that his fence is encroaching upon his property, and requests that Bob re-work the fence so that it does not encroach on his property.

Bob states that the fence has been there for three and a half years and that the previous resident never said anything about an encroachment.  Bob states that he will not rework or remove the fence.

Who is right?  Who is wrong?  What will most likely be the outcome should John pursue the issue through litigation?

Post your definition of what the answer is, and the correct answer along with the relative laws that apply will be posted on Sunday.

Good luck!

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Here is your Official To-Do List for 2012

I came across this amazing To-Do list, and I had to pass it on to my ActiveRain Peeps:

1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways.  They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them.  Problems will not disappear unless you take action.  Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done.  It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch.  These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed.  Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become.  Be honest with every aspect of your life, always.  Because you are the one person you can forever count on.  Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are.  Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter.  If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself.  Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you.  And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.
5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are.  Be yourself.  Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else.  Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms.  Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle.  Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you.  Right now is life.  So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future.  Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past.  Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening.  Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress.  If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning.  Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again.  Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving.  Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures.  One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?  The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.  You must love who you are or no one else will.
9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc.  Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind.  You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now.  So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.
10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out.  Smile because you can.  Choose happiness.  Be the change you want to see in the world.  Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow.  Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it.  If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it.  But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance.  You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.  Most of the time you just have to go for it!  And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  Win-Win.
12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready!  Think about it.  You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward.  So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be.  Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment.  And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made.  People and priorities change.  As some relationships fade others will grow.  Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work.  Trust your judgment.  Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory.  Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time.  You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself.  You are competing to be the best you can be.  Aim to break your own personal records.
16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them.  Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places.  So be happy for those who are making progress.  Cheer for their victories.  Be thankful for their blessings, openly.  What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope.  Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times.  And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right.  Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others.  And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long.  We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go.  Forgiveness is the remedy.  It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened.  It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.
19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people.  Guide them if you know a better way.  The more you help others, the more they will want to help you.  Love and kindness begets love and kindness.  And so on and so forth.
20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition.  Be true to yourself.  Say what you need to say.  Do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down.  Breathe.  Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose.  When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity.  These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.
22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day.  Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner.  Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’  One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are.  Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal.  No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen.  Get out there and DO something!  The harder you work the luckier you will become.  While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it.  By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result.  Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it.  Talk to those closest to you.  Tell them the truth about how you feel.  Let them listen.  The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them.  Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will.  And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own.  You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life.  And no, it won’t always be easy.  Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them.  But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles.  Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.
27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis.  You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people.  Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty.  Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something.  Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation.  Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it.  The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.  Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.  Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward.  No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things.  Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on.  Read The How of Happiness.
30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.”  Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective.  You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.  You didn’t go to sleep outside.  You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning.  You hardly broke a sweat today.  You didn’t spend a minute in fear.  You have access to clean drinking water.  You have access to medical care.  You have access to the Internet.  You can read.  Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.

The list was compiled by Marc and Angel.  They have a great blog that I've started to follow called "Marc and Angel Hack Life"  -  www.marcandangel.com

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