60http://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.comThu, 02 Sep 2010 15:11:44 GMTThu, 02 Sep 2010 15:11:44 GMTen Phyllis@RealtorHarb.comnohttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/09/02/more-real-estate-news.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis Harb*Two new refinance programs for underwater homeowners *More than a quarter (26%) of those who refinanced between January and June chose a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, according to CoreLogic data, digested by Marketwatch. Read the remainder here *The 10 banks that received the most bailout aid during the financial crisis spent over $16 million on lobbying efforts in the first half of 2010, as the debate over financial regulatory reform reached its height. Disclosure reports show that the banks that got the most government help in late 2008 and ...Real Estate Newshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/09/02/more-real-estate-news.aspx#Comments21a67104-1350-40e6-a834-2564b6f43a7dThu, 02 Sep 2010 11:27:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/09/01/september-homeowners-newsletter.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis Harb8 Home Maintenance Tips found at my Homeowner’s Newsletter ...Real Estate Newshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/09/01/september-homeowners-newsletter.aspx#Commentsc604e0df-02be-48f5-996a-043b7d2010afWed, 01 Sep 2010 11:20:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/31/how-much-is-a-home-worth.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbRemember the listing I had on Saticoy with the street to street lot? The first time it sold, I came across the cranky appraiser, the one who would not even look at comparables I wanted to provide. As much of this home’s value was derived from the large street to street lot (possible subdivision) I suspected that the appraisal would come in low. We didn’t want the buyer to be out of pocket for the appraisal fee so the buyer attempted to switch lenders in order to have a different appraiser. ...Appraisalhttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/31/how-much-is-a-home-worth.aspx#Commentse22b70f5-e175-45f9-a867-6bf5ec9721beTue, 31 Aug 2010 10:17:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/30/is-home-staging-really-important.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbThe way we live in a home and the way we present it for sale are completely different. Home staging is simply a professional assessment as to which repairs are going to pay off in time and money spent. An integral part of the Harb & Co Team is a professional home stager, who is an interior designer by trade. Our stager, Charis walks through our client’s home and advises them on minimal changes, often just rearranging furniture and decluttering. Staging does not need to involve spending ...ResaleHome Staginghttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/30/is-home-staging-really-important.aspx#Commentse65070a5-8be0-450a-aa08-9431cf3d8456Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:01:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/28/what-happens-when-a-home-doesnt-sell.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbMy listing located at 3609 Encinal in La Crescenta has not sold. We had back to back open houses and after a month on the market no sale. This home offers a granite kitchen and an enormous family room. In addition there are solar panels and the owner’s electrical bill is typically just the cost of the taxes – around $20.00. So why hasn’t this home sold after a month on the market? The back yard is not large and the owner had two sheds and a sauna in ...expired listingGreen LivingA Seller's Perspectivehttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/28/what-happens-when-a-home-doesnt-sell.aspx#Comments0f9f31fc-edda-4d62-bf65-dc2c461b29baSat, 28 Aug 2010 08:55:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/27/foreclosure-alternatives-for-distressed-los-angeles-homeowners-2.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbIf you have been reading my Los Angeles Real Estate blog you know that short sales and foreclosures have had a major impact on values in Los Angeles County. For some homeowners, difficult choices need to be made. Consulting with a tax professional and an attorney are advised. If you can no longer afford your home, what are your foreclosure alternatives? 1) Loan modification: If you have previously attempted a loan modification without success, servicers are now more motivated and it’s worth another attempt. ...Foreclosureshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/27/foreclosure-alternatives-for-distressed-los-angeles-homeowners-2.aspx#Comments9e0630d4-ca60-430f-9eb2-f797ee36e7b1Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:51:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/26/august-is-typically-a-slow-month-for-real-estate.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbAs summer winds down, families head out of town for their last getaways. Others are busy with back to school preparations. Once the kids are back in school, and Labor Day weekend has passed, the market usually gets back in swing and I expect this year to be no different. Lisa, Natalie and I still have well qualified buyers seeking their perfect home. Interest rates are low, and will likely remain so, at least in the near future. Many Europeans take the entire month of August off and my girlfriend from Rome ...In a Realtor's Weekhttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/26/august-is-typically-a-slow-month-for-real-estate.aspx#Commentsa8472335-4026-4d5a-87e4-536f5a5667f7Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:17:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/25/how-much-value-does-a-pool-add-to-your-home.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbOne should always have an eye on future resale when they make improvements to their home. But resale has different meanings for different homeowners. Are you going to be selling in a few years or in decades? George and I bought our home fifteen years ago. We wanted a pool and knew that we would not get dollar for dollar when we decided to sell. Thirteen years ago we put in our pool and have derived thirteen years of pleasure. It likely would have been more cost effective ...ResaleHomeowner's Benefits and Woeshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/25/how-much-value-does-a-pool-add-to-your-home.aspx#Comments86f8cfed-ac68-4f90-a3e7-c61cd7eb5b6aWed, 25 Aug 2010 08:29:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/24/condition-of-the-property-and-the-home-inspection-process.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbMost sellers are required by law to complete for the buyer’s approval, a Transfer Disclosure Statement. In this form, the seller notifies the buyer of any known items in the home which are not functioning properly, any known neighborhood nuisances, and a variety of other items that may be of concern to the buyer. Phyllis Harb recommends that you have a home inspector conduct a thorough investigation of your property. It is suggested that you attend the inspection with me, so that you can understand the findings and to ...A Buyer's Perspectivehttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/24/condition-of-the-property-and-the-home-inspection-process.aspx#Comments3f1be17e-9995-4659-b1db-c4864171de0fTue, 24 Aug 2010 08:28:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/21/what-is-broker-feedback.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbEach morning I log onto the GESecurity website and obtain the readings for my lockboxes. I then email the showing agents requesting feedback. The comments (feedback) are forwarded to the seller, and printed for the file. Comments are evaluated as a whole. If the home has an outdated kitchen, of course there will be comments that the potential home buyers did not like the kitchen. But sometimes there will be other remarks, maybe the home is difficult to show, perhaps the owner has a dog locked outside and the yard can’t be viewed. ...expired listingA Seller's Perspectivehttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/21/what-is-broker-feedback.aspx#Comments8a283a13-1d7d-4d8b-9a8c-60f388655b46Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:32:21 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/21/open-house-safety-tips.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbSeveral years ago, one of my friends from high school was searching the Internet to find a real estate agent to sell her mother’s Glendale home. My maiden name was Serra but when she clicked on my web site, she recognized my photo. I sold her mother’s Glendale home and she and I have stayed in touch. She is in the law enforcement field and recently sent me information regarding a string of open house thefts in Torrance. Interesting for real estate agents to note is that they arrive in ...A Seller's Perspectivehttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/21/open-house-safety-tips.aspx#Commentsa9faaa6a-e6f1-4251-9d4e-fedef9fa1c5dSat, 21 Aug 2010 08:58:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/19/how-long-is-it-taking-lenders-to-foreclose.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbStill slicing and dicing those La Canada distress sales numbers: The graph illustrates how long it’s taking lenders to get out from under their non- performing loans. Note the length of time from the date of the first Notice of Default (NOD) until the date the lender/investor sold the home and was able to recoup something. As far as the instance with more than one Notice of Default, it is likely that the homeowner and the bank were trying to work together, perhaps a failed loan modification. Also ...ForeclosuresLa CanadaReal Estate Market Statshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/19/how-long-is-it-taking-lenders-to-foreclose.aspx#Comments8a05bd44-9fb9-489c-b90a-f2b9ad17680aFri, 20 Aug 2010 08:47:16 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/19/what-is-a-tandem-bedroom.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbAccording to Wikipedia, "Tandem (or in tandem) is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction." A tandem bedroom is accessible by walking through another bedroom, not from a hallway. As one bedroom is used as a walkway into the tandem bedroom, it is more walkway and offers less privacy. It is an uncomfortable arrangement and typically found when a home has had an addition. There are also tandem garages, my Glendale listing on Justin has garage parking for eight ...Architecturehttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/19/what-is-a-tandem-bedroom.aspx#Commentsc5db3a27-941f-4680-81b3-2cfda129214fThu, 19 Aug 2010 11:07:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/18/lenders-lost-money-on-28-of-la-crescenta-home-sales-in-july.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis Harb28% of July’s La Crescenta home sales were foreclosures (REO’s) and short sales. Short Sales are when the bank agrees to accept a payoff less than the amount owed. There is no way for me to count the number of homes sold where the homeowner lost money or was forced to sell because they were no longer able to afford their home. The good: *25 homes sold in July, highest number for the year *Average Selling Price is up from May and June *Days on Market is shortest for the ...Real Estate Market StatsLa Crescentahttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/18/lenders-lost-money-on-28-of-la-crescenta-home-sales-in-july.aspx#Comments33ce721d-49e2-4eaf-baa4-5e38ee4b6489Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:05:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/17/my-real-estate-web-site-was-hijacked-by-the-chinese.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbSix years ago, Natalie Cerpa came to work for Phyllis Harb & Co. She had a background in search engine optimization. As most homebuyer’s begin their home search on the Internet Natalie’s priority was to get my web sites to rank, i.e., when a consumer types in certain key words such as: La Canada real estate Glendale homes for sale La Crescenta Realtor Buying a home in Pasadena Burbank listings ...In a Realtor's Weekhttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/17/my-real-estate-web-site-was-hijacked-by-the-chinese.aspx#Comments24fdc138-de9f-499c-9188-2722beed820bTue, 17 Aug 2010 08:30:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/16/real-estate-news.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbCalifornia Housing Market “While the rest of the nation saw buyer traffic plunge after the federal tax credit expired April 30, the state credit has softened California’s blow. But now, it’s time for a reality check....And it isn’t going to be pretty. Foreclosures continue dragging down the price of existing homes, while new home builders complain of abysmal sales.” What is a strategic default? “About 12 percent of all mortgage defaults in February were “strategic,” up from 4 percent in mid-2007..... Borrowers are more likely to ...Real Estate NewsForeclosureshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/16/real-estate-news.aspx#Comments38de527d-e46b-4df2-9a26-2d1c28fa4fcfMon, 16 Aug 2010 08:50:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/14/what-is-a-jack-and-jill-bathroom.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbIt wasn’t that long ago, that many homes offered only one bathroom. Growing up my family had a three bedroom, one bath home until my parents added a second bath. A Jack and Jill bathroom is one shared by two bedrooms. Each bedroom has a door leading into the bathroom. A Jack and Jill bathroom was a creative and affordable option for two bedrooms to comfortably share a bathroom. ...ResaleArchitecturehttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/14/what-is-a-jack-and-jill-bathroom.aspx#Commentse90aafa5-db90-4abb-9a3b-f33cc7b652acSat, 14 Aug 2010 08:18:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/13/who-is-phyllis-harb.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbPhyllis Harb is a Realtor/Marketing Specialist with Dickson Podley Realtors. With over 1,000 homes sold, Harb is one of the premier Realtors® in the Foothills, and was recently recognized as a Billion Dollar Agent in the book, Billion Dollar Agent – Lessons Learned. In addition to assisting Los Angeles vicinity home sellers and buyers since 1989, Phyllis offers the unique advantage of ten+ years experience in the mortgage banking field. If a problem arises in escrow, Phyllis offers the unique expertise to solve it. Home Sellers: Phyllis entered ...http://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/13/who-is-phyllis-harb.aspx#Commentsd51e40e3-d201-4214-b65e-7ece4890cdefFri, 13 Aug 2010 08:04:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/12/how-much-are-the-bankers-really-losing-slicing-and-dicing-the-julys-la-canada-sales-numbers.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis Harb20% of July’s La Canada home sales resulted in a loss to the lender. In July over $1,000,000 was lost by lender/investors in the small upscale community of La Canada: Indiana Ave. (Sold 2002 $435,000) REO (real estate owned/aka foreclosure) Purchased in 2005 for $815,000 $841,000 in unpaid debt at time of foreclosure, Sold $625,500, Assume 6% closing costs of $37,530 Lender’s est. loss $177,970 23% drop in value from time of purchase Belita Lane REO Purchased in 2003 $729,000 $708,523 in unpaid ...All about MoneyForeclosuresShort SaleLendershttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/12/how-much-are-the-bankers-really-losing-slicing-and-dicing-the-julys-la-canada-sales-numbers.aspx#Comments62bd70e8-148e-4e1c-9b37-8b4eb2d66674Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:47:00 GMThttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/11/20-of-la-canada-home-sales-in-july-were-distress-sales.aspx?ref=rssPhyllis HarbThe distress sale statistics are from foreclosures (REO’s) and short sales. Short Sales are when the bank agrees to accept a payoff less than the amount owed. These statistics are only considering sales where the lender lost money. Distress sales are again up are up in La Canada, June’s stats were just 4%, but May’s were 22%. The market is moving, but high end sales remain sluggish. *The average selling price has continued its monthly decline since May’s high for the year. * Average selling price to list price of ...La CanadaReal Estate Market Statshttp://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com/2010/08/11/20-of-la-canada-home-sales-in-july-were-distress-sales.aspx#Comments8a24c6a1-b43f-4e1d-a55b-bddaaea11519Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:41:00 GMT