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The local Santa Clarita real estate market is all the buzz lately.  In fact, we have found that there are so many people that have questions that are not being answered that are all real estate related.  We have done our best to outfit our Santa Clarita macbox with all of the terms by which most people are searching for real estate by topics.

Investors – Market Update – Foreclosure Update – Highest and Best – Price Reductions

Try any of the terms below in our MacBoX to get the latest intel on the local Santa Clarita Market.

Local News

West Side Calendar – Find out what is happening in the Santa Clarita Valley in the coming week.
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/65515/

Ivy League school janitor graduates with honors – Don’t they like Custodial worker better?
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/65519/

UPDATED: Search on for missing woman – I hope they find her soon, I am sure her family misses her…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/65465/

UPDATED: At least one person injured in multi-vehicle crash on southbound I-5 just south of Hwy 14 – There were probably a lot of “lookie loo’s” on this one, as usual…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/65499/

Facebook CEO turns 28, IPO could be $100B gift – 28 years old??  Don’t they say that Youth is wasted on the Young?  I hope he starts traveling
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/65477/

Prep Sports

Canyon’s Courtney Ziese: The stage is met – I like sports, but not too much.. Everything in moderation…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/65505/

CIF track and field: League’s top on display – Best runners, jumpers, vaulters, and more…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/65461/

CIF volleyball: Just like old times – I used to be able to “set a spike” very well….
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/65455/

CIF track and field: Foothill is on track – I knew a guy in college, Mike Sinclair, he would run a 4.9 40 yard dash and weighed 307 pounds.  Very Fast…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/65463/

CIF volleyball: ’Cats keep clawing – Sharpen those nails…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/65459/

If you are a buyer in the current Santa Clarita real estate market, you are going to want to know the answer to this question.  In fact, if you are a seller, it may be the time to start making “other” real estate related decisions.

What if I were to tell you that everything is not as it seems within the Real Estate search sites? Let’s say you are cruising on-line viewing real estate for sale.  Some of the websites you are viewing properties on are deliberately being set up with listings and homes that are not for sale any longer.  Some are under contract, but showing as if they are fully available for sale.  Others have been sold, but are being kept on those websites showing active because of their “click history”.

Remember, those Real Estate websites are covering all of the United States.  Some are not fed data directly from the Multiple Listing Service by each individual Board of Realtors.  Therefore, a lot of the information you are seeing on line about home numbers for sale is not accurate.  Be Safe and please use local sources when searching for real estate that is currently active on the market for sale.

We have seen a dynamic shift from having a lot of homes, condo’s and town-homes in the Santa Clarita Valley Cities for sale, to not having much inventory at all.  This has transpired within the past 4 months, since the end of January 2012.  If you want to see how dramatic this shift has been for the SCV real estate market, go to the MacBox resource on Paris911.com or on this Santa Clarita Community Blog and type into it the word ”    inventory    ”.

You will be taken to a page that has all of the Santa Clarita Cities posted with their current inventory.  Be Sure to check out the “supply and demand issue” with regard to housing prices.  They are increasing, if only temporarily…

We know you love to search on-line. Even after we set our clients up on a real estate search, they still search for homes on-line.  We talk about the syndication websites and about how they are built with lead generation in mind and how they are going to sell our clients personal and private information.  But….  Our clients still search for real estate on-line…   We inform…   (you get the gist..)

However, I totally get it.  I would want to do a bit of research myself.  If I were buying a home and were not in the business, I would have some questions looking on line versus what real estate my agent is showing me.

• Why is it that I am seeing 100′s of listings for sale and my agent’s website is only showing less than 20?
• Why is my agent’s website saying that this home has sold, when I see it for sale?
• Why am I getting told, from the agent the syndication site had call me, that the home is available, when my own agent is saying it’s not?

Interesting yes?  While we have learned a lot from our Real estate search systems.  Which ones work the best and which ones fall short of the mark.  I love to interview the developers of the Newest in Real estate Technology and see what is best for me to buy so my clients can use it.

Unfortunately – some of the “others” in the real estate game don’t feel the same way when it comes to “Search”. They could care less if what their clients were searching for was accurate.  They have too much of a “commission” based focus and not a “relational” one.

The information below is typical of what a lender needs for a pre approval for your home, condo or town-home loan.  All items are necessary at the time of your “Face to Face” meeting.  If you are unable to provide them at that time, please get them to the lender as soon as possible afterwards.

We are HUGE advocates of “Face to Face” meetings with your chosen real estate professionals.  In fact, we want you to be able to size up your real estate agent and lender of preference in person.

o       2010/2011 Federal Tax returns “1040′s”, all pages.  (corporate taxes if you file a separate return)
o       2010/2011 W-2 forms
o       Most recent pay stubs for 30 days
o       2 months complete bank statements for all bank accounts, please include all pages.
o       Copy of your current mortgage statements (1st and 2nd if you have one), Property tax bill, home owners insurance statements and HOA statement.  (we need to determine all debts on the current property)
o       Driver’s license or California ID
o       Social Security card

Lenders will also need you to answer the following questions so they can complete the loan application:

•       Employer for the last 2 years.  What is the work address?
•       How long you have been on your job?
•       How long have you been in that line of work?
•       What is your position?
•       What is your current address?
•       How long have you lived at your current residence?  How much is the payment?
•       Do you own or rent?
•       Do you have any dependents and if so what are their ages?
•       Please also let us know what all your contact numbers are Home, work, and cell.

Please let your lender know if you have any questions on the above information or anything about the loan process.  If you are missing something, then please send what you can so they can determine how much you will qualify for as soon as possible.

Thanks for everything and we will look forward to getting the green light. Remember, there is a difference between what you can qualify for and what you can afford.  Be true to your amounts.  Ask for a good faith estimate (GFE), and a copy of your credit report, no matter what lender you use.

This tip will keep you safe.

As a buyer you don’t pay your realtor’s commission.  Your closing costs consist of three things – click to review.  My BEST

Outside of the games that are being played to hook leads and increase the Business Reach of Real Estate agents.  This Foreclosure Radar Resource that we offer our clients is a total Game Changer.

We have worked with specific clients that have specific neighborhoods in mind, have used the Foreclosure Radar System, approached the property owner of the distressed, (not on market), property, listed it as a one Party show and got our clients what they wanted.

There is no secret to doing Good Real Estate, it all falls back on Hard Work and being able to work outside of the “box”.  Most every real estate agent in the world has a “set it and forget it” website.  We have taken that ideal and expanded it so that our clients have all of the “cutting edge” tools they will need to find out the following real estate Intel:

• what properties are for sale,
• how much their home is worth,
•  how much they should offer when buying real estate,
• and How the local real estate market is fairing.

Get in the game and make sure your real estate agent of choice is providing you the same tools our clients have come to trust as part of the Paris911 way!

When we write content about Real Estate, there nothing quite like a Video to drive the point home.  That way the “reader-viewer” can see the expressions on our face and add to their determinations and opinions.

So hence the reason we always tell our clients to meet with their chosen Real Estate professional “In Person”.  You can learn a lot from a person’s non verbal clues and signals.  In fact, during my 17 year stint with the LAPD, those “non-verbal” signals saved my life on more than one occasion.

Now, buying real estate or selling the same, is not a “life or death” proposition.  But it should not be viewed as a walk in the park either.  Looking your Lender and Realtor in the eye will give you a sense if what they are telling you is the truth, conjecture or opinion.  Plus, when you interview any professional, you bring your life experience to the table.

We have been YouTubing video’s about real estate, the market, local community events, and how we are changing the “world view” of real estate and those that work in the industry.  YouTube, Daily motion and the other internet video uploading sites are great, but your content becomes theirs.  Then you have ads, popups and other advertisements that are not your own, but your entrance fee to upload your video’s to these monetized platforms.

There are many dimensions to producing good video.  Many websites talk about the “how and why”.  I am speaking of a service where you can “self-host” your own video’s, edit them and embed those things, directly into the video, that your clients/customers will find most useful.

Have a look at the Easy Web Video platform, it is a true Game-Changer.  While we do have an affiliate link, I don’t want you to use it.  Go directly to their site and see what all of the BUZZ is about!

Showed some GREAT clients yesterday. While driving around on Sunday, I was explaining that during some of the open houses being hosted, those homes are not actually for sale.  I went into the explanation that some are “testers”, others are being used for “lead generation” only, some are just in escrow, already sold for all intensive purposes, those “open houses” are being used to gain leads.

They were a bit taken back from the “truth” with advertising and marketing in real estate, but they understood.

We were finished, close to writing an offer, but they needed time to think about it.  I understood totally, as Paris is fond of saying, “You are not buying a pair of shoes…”  They left my office.  In about 15 minutes the phone calls started, excitement, they found a GREAT home in Stevenson Ranch.  They went in and the agent was all over them.  They called me, I then called the agent, the agent said his broker wanted him to do some premarketing by staging this open house in order to build a “interest list”.  ”If my clients liked the home”, I asked…  ”If they wrote a full priced cash offer at this very moment”, I continued… “Would they get the home you are hosting open as if it is for sale?”…  The line was quiet, he then said, “No, because the home is not on the market yet…” -Game 1

The next phone call I received a came a few minutes later.  From another open house.  I ran the address and found that this one was in Escrow.  I called the agent, Pending Status, they said they had given permission to another Realtor to host it open.  I asked, “Are you pretty confident with the buyers that are in place?” – She responded, “They are Solid Gold…”  -Game 2

The final “Double Tap”, came at the final open house.  My Clients entered, and encountered the agent.  The agents sternly advised my clients they needed to sign in.  My Clients said that they just wanted to look at the home and they were already working with “Connor MacIvor”.  The agent explained that they still needed to sign in and said, “You wouldn’t tell a business owner how to operate his business would you?”  My Clients explained they did not want to give up any of their personal information.  The agent then responded that they would not be able to look at the home.  My clients left and called me.  I have a better idea, why don’t you get “official” Identification from each visitor and copy them….  (sarcasm) – it saddens me to think that A Seller is going to “cut out” buyers because then want to track who was visiting?  Dear Mr. and Mrs. Seller – today is not the market for that type of “hard” stance. -Game 3

We have quite a weekend coming up in the Santa Clarita Valley.  I have also posted the latest headlines from the Santa Clarita Signal Newspaper below

this post.

I think that most buyers are frustrated with the current real estate market because they are not getting the full story from their chosen agent(s).

The typical Santa Clarita home buyer scenario is:

• Meet with their real estate agent, (usually only over the phone until they start looking at properties…)
• get pre qualified with a lender the agent knows
• start looking at the homes that fit their criteria

They are not being told about “controlling rumors” as they are listening to all of the “noise” on the news and other sources.  ”Understanding motives in reference to the specific source of the news can be enlightening…”

Today’s Buyers are not being educated from a standpoint of this specific market.  Their agents need to use recent and actual real estate experiences to explain what may be expected within each potential real estate transaction.

That way, those real estate clients are not left in the dark and are less-likely to go to work with another Real Estate Agent that will take that time to explain!

Local News for Santa Clarita California

Today in the SCV: Saturday, May 5, 2012  If you have been wondering what is happening in the Santa Clarita Valley this weekend – have a read.
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64877/

Solar plan brings megawatts. Liquor is nicer – but Solar is better???  Hard to rhyme with this one.
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64893/

DUI checkpoint scheduled tonight.  I remember being part of the Valley Traffic Division DUI Team, we had DUI checkpoints as often as funding allowed.  It was  a great way to meet people, and then arrest them if they were driving while intoxicated
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64881/

Bike crash kills 1 in Saugus.  Not much to say about that – except their Families are in our thoughts.
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64869/

Caltrans begins roadwork on Highway 14.  Awesome news – hopefully, it won’t affect the commute!
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64861/

Prep Sports

Foothill League baseball: Two big arms put Wildcats at the top.  “Hey batter, batter…  Swing!”
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64887/

Foothill League baseball: A gem and a big inning.  Diamonds are a girls best friend.  Why are a guys best friend his dog?
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64885/

Foothill League track and field: Finale flurry.  It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64895/

Foothill League baseball: Not going without a fight.  Not like the Fighting Irish…
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64883/

West Ranch High grad signs on to play college ball.   Pick and choose your college friends wisely!
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64863/

How many times has this happened to you?  If you are a real estate consumer, I hope never.  In fact, I hope you would be working with agents that value you enough to make the time to show you properties.  

Using Local Agents aside, your chosen real estate professional should be available to serve you where ever they have said they are the “Expert go to real estate servicer…”

Amongst the real estate agents, we want buyer to get what they want when they want it.  But, real estate sales agents are representing a seller, it is generally understood that the Buyer’s Agent shows them the home, not the Listing Agent to other agent’s buyers.

Exceptions are made from time to time.  If the Sales Agent, the agent representing the buyer, calls us the listing agent and explains that they have some “extra-ordinary circumstances” and are unable to show the property, the listing agent may help out.

Here are some of the common things a “typical real estate listing agent” may say when they are confronted with this request:

• No, tell your client to work with a local agent that is not so busy as yourself.
• Are you serious?  You should be more available for your clients.
• Sure, I’d be happy too – for a 25% referral fee.
• What, how long have you had your license?
• You are from Conejo Valley – Refer your client to me!
• You are in a seminar that day and you are worried that the home will sell?  That’s not my problem…

Yes, if you have not figured it out, real estate is a cut throat industry.  It is interesting that these games are played in today’s time.  However, when you are working with a real estate professional, they should be available to show you homes, even when they are on vacation.  We do!

I remember back in the day, running through the hills of Elysian Park in Los Angeles.  After my certification with the LAPD, the next step was the ominous ”Black Line” day at the Police Academy.  All of us new recruits were wearing our Sunday BEST and were all exceedingly nervous.  

The “traditional” screaming(motivation), started upon our arrival at the Police Academy.  We were all instructed to run upstairs to the Gymnasium and line up on the “Black Line”.

You’d be surprised how easily it was to screw up lining up on a black line that was painted on the gym floor…

I had a 17 year run with the PD, I remained a LAPD Reserve to date, and am totally glad that I did.  There is a lot of history with me and the men and women with whom I served.

For our clients, if you are around the Elysian Park, Dodgers Stadium and the Police Academy, give us a shout so we can show you around.

Give us a call if you want to come up to visit the Lounge, The Cafe, The LAPRAAC store, or just to tour the grounds.  Of course, after you absorb the sights and get some LAPD memorabilia for the kids, we can have a sit down amongst the ambiance of the police academy and talk.

If you are a past client – this offer is extended to you too.  It’s always nice to re-connect to those from our past.

The real estate industry as a whole is undergoing a lot of changes.  With all of the new entries in the “real estate syndication market”, it is a wonder any local agent can populate the first page of anyone of the search engines. 

Click to view the new inventory

That is why we, us real estate agents, should be touching people, personally, more often.  When they know “Paris911″ for example, and if they like “Paris911″, they will always get intel and ask questions from “Paris911″ versus going to the Syndication websites.

Another thing that some agents may want to consider, is if you are “writing content”, aka blogging, on a Real Estate syndication website, you are improving their SEO.

If you start writing content, such as this, on your own website or blog, you are improving your own personal SEO.

Below are the latest headlines from the Signal, Santa Clarita’s Local Newspaper.  Enjoy and be Safe.

Later today, we should have our Santa Clarita Market Updates completed.  As always, you can go to Paris911 dot com and type into the MacBoX the words – Market Update  - to view each of the posts we have compiled on the subject.

We have placed the PDF’s from the Santa Clarita City Specific Executive summary reports, at the link above.

Local Santa Clarita Valley News:

Drizzle to linger awhile
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64681/

Meet-and-greet with senator on Thursday
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64665/

Vasquez Canyon Road reopens
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64663/

One taken to hospital after crash
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64661/

Deputies arrest car theft suspect
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64659/

Prep Sports

Prep swimming: Rivals closing in
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64693/

Prep track and field: Stage set for big finish
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64695/

Foothill League boys volleyball: West Ranch’s spoiler alert
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64689/

Prep softball: Canyon now in the mix
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64691/

West Ranch’s Jagger Rusconi: First contact
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64639/

A recent question from a reader of this Santa Clarita real estate blog.  I tell you Thomas, never let anyone influence any decision, that you make, which will take you 30 years to pay off.

Homeowner ship is a GREAT thing.  In fact, when you are ready to purchase a home, it will be one of the most advantageous things you can do for your personal finances.

But, when you cannot afford or qualify for a mortgage, it would be the wrong thing to do.

Cross the T’s and dot your i’s.  Get good advice when it comes to anything that is real estate.  Ask your real estate agent of choice, to have you speak with a lender that will examine your credit report and find the issues associated with you not being able to finance a mortgage.

The “Fixes” may be simple.  However, you will not know what the fixes will entail, until you get advice from one of the experts that understand to whom the bank will lend.

We hear on the street that the banks will loan to people with a 580 fico score.  Which, by their ad’s, is the minimum fico score necessary to finance a home, condo or a town-home.  But that number is totally unrealistic.  We are not seeing any of the “lenders or money suppliers” loaning money to those that are in that FICO category.

Check with your real estate agent, meet with them to develop a crash course on Real Estate and to get together a game plan.

Give us a call if you are not working with anyone and we will be glad to advise you.  Be Safe and thanks for reading.

Remembering working the LA Riots

Those were interesting times, I only had 2 years on the PD, had just wheeled to my “off probation” division – Northeast (NOE), and was a PII dog.  PII dog, is police vernacular for being a full fledged police officer and not a “boot”, which is police vernacular for an offer that is “brand new”.

I’ll never forget, we worked four deep to a car and we always responded to events in the South End of Los Angeles in groups of 4 cars.  That was a couple of years before I made motors.

I wonder what that “Denny” fella is up to today?  If you remember, he was that truck driver that was ripped out of his truck and beaten within an inch of his life.  I think I recall, Reginald at some point, apologizing to those criminals that beat him, which angered me (if memory serves)…

Now for some Real Estate news

It has been three weeks since I have taken a full day off(as I am typing this on my day off ).  I did clear my calendar to spend time with those more important to me, my family.

I have a feeling that we are going to spend some time absorbing the local Santa Clarita Culture.  Maybe go to the Valencia Town-Center mall, have a walk around and go to Wokcano and have Sushi.

On second thought, I may try to take my family to the “Kings” in Calabasas.

Either way, with the exception of the my “daily” internet routine and updates, I am going to do my best to take the entire day off…  We’ll see…

The following are the latest headlines from the SCV Signal Newspaper, there are some doosies:

Today in the SCV: Sunday, April 29, 2012
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64489/

Cleaning up after cuts
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64513/

The ’92 riot: Revisiting a dark day in LA history <— This writer, Connor MacIvor(me), was working North East Division LAPD, I had a couple of years on the job when the riots started.  In fact, I was on a day off and called in by our Watch Commander.  We went to 12 hour A/B shifts and worked 4 to a police car.  I’ll never forget it
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64479/

Chaperones among new Secret Service conduct rules
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64473/

Discretion program a mixed bag for immigrants
http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/64471/

Prep Sports

TMC notebook: Season winds down for two
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64525/

Prep soccer: Weiner verbals to Fresno St.
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64529/

Hart’s Riley Stauffer: Beyond the glory
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64523/

Prep baseball: Cents find their ways
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64449/

Prep baseball: Not so easy for ’Cats
http://www.the-signal.com/section/19/article/64447/

For the record, we who call the Santa Clarita Valley cities our home, are not “uncultured”.

Photo and Charity Event

Coming to the Westfield mall in the beautiful city of Valencia CA, is a four month Photographic display by Local Santa Clarita Photographer Ted Dayton.  The start date of this will be May 16th, 2012.

Besides some of the most beautiful black and white photos being expertly presented and for sale, Ted will donate part of the proceeds to the Single Mothers Outreach (SMO).

Single Mothers Outreach

SMO was founded in 1995 as a resource and to provide support for single mothers struggling through the process of Divorce or Death of a spouse.  Single Mothers Outreach provides empowerment for single parents and their children by providing home, support and resources, so that families can gain their footing once again.

This Event and Presentation is titled “Beauty Is a Bridge”.

So hence the connection between the Single Mothers Outreach and this Photographic presentation.

Bridges, an art form?

During a typical Santa Clarita bike ride, Ted Dayton was traveling under one of our local bridges – one that crosses the Santa Clarita River, it was at that time he was “inspired”.  Returning later with his camera loaded with black and white film.

During the next four months, Ted was able to capture a multitude of photos with “bridges” as the primary subject matter.

“I had no idea we had anywhere near 27 traffic bridges in the Santa Clarita Valley”, I’m thinking this as I’m typing

But that is what Ted had photographed in his artistic style.

Not Ted’s First Rodeo

This is not Ted Dayton’s First Rodeo either.  He has done projects in the past to benefit other “help and non-profit groups”.  We are proud to write about this event and I will make it a point to visit the “Beauty is a Bridge” presentation while it is at the Valencia Westfield Town Center Mall in Valencia CA.

When and Where

“Beauty Is a Bridge” opens May 16 at the east end of the mall, upstairs from the carousel, with an opening reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

If you want to go to Ted Dayton’s Website we have placed that link here – Ted Dayton Photography.com.  If the Telephone is more your style Ted can be reached at 661-255-2828.

It runs through September 15 and is open during regular mall business hours. Admission is free.

As Ted Says, “Make it beautiful. Make it useful.” 

Comment Below and thanks for reading…