Real Estate Information Archive

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Displaying blog entries 11-20 of 34

Who to call in the City of Brea CA

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain
Title Name Phone Email
General Info Receptionist 714-990-7600  
Assistant City Manager Terry Matz 714-990-7770 Email
City Council Meets 1st & 3rd Tuesday 7 PM  
City Attonrey James L Markman 714-990-0901  
City Manager Tim O'Donnell 714-990-7710 Email
Community Service Director Scott Malkemus 714-990-7738 Email
Development Services Director Charles View 714-990-7689 Email
Economic Development Director Eric Nicoll 714-671-4421 Email
Financial Services Director Bill Gallardo 714-990-7676 Email
Fire Chief Al Nero 714-990-7644 Email
Fire Department Business Office 714-990-7655  
Maintenance Services Director Bill Higgins 714-990-7650 Email
Mayor Don Schweitzer 714-990-7700 Email
Personal Director Gordon Youngs 714-671-4446 Email
Police Department Business Office 714-990-7625  
Chief of Police Bill Hutchinson 714-990-7634 Email

Form Library "Click Here"

Utilities and Services  
Animal Control 714-935-7419
Building Permits 714-990-7669
Business License 714-990-7686
Cable Television 888-683-1000
Disposal (Breal Disposal) 714-238-3300
Disposal (Olinda Landfill) 714-834-6752
Electricity (SCE) 714-747-8908
Gas (The Gas Co) 800-747-8908
Gas (Holidays & Weekends) 800-427-2200
Social Security Administration 800-772-1213
Telegraph (Western Union) 800-325-6600
Telephone 800-491-2355
Water (City of Brea) 714-990-7687    

For information on other cities in Orange County Click Here

Sellers, their agents suggest one-two punch

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain

Invest in face-lift, they say, and keep your asking price moderate

Before putting their Outer Richmond condo on the market, Megan Christoph and her husband, Scott Davis, repainted the entire apartment. They replaced the faucets and showerhead, replanted the yard and had the hardwood floors refinished.

The couple borrowed plants and artwork from friends and bought a new dining room table and chairs on Craigslist. Then Christoph and the couple's two children moved out for several weeks to keep their home pristine for the open houses and tours.

"We were very nervous to be selling in this market," said Christoph, who worked in real estate from 2002 to 2004 before returning to social work. "Out by Ocean Beach is a great place to live, but it's not necessarily where the 20-somethings and 30-somethings want to go. We felt like we had to make it look really good."

While real estate agents say that in any market sellers should put their best face forward by repainting, investing in landscaping and cleaning up the home, they say it's especially true in a down market. The other key to selling a home quickly that becomes even more critical in a slow cycle is pricing, according to agents including Cynthia Cummins, who helped Christoph sell her home.

Evaluating similar homes that sold in the neighborhood, Cummins said Christoph and Davis could have priced the house as high as $625,000.

"They opted to list it for $589,000 to make the price as attractive as possible," said Cummins, an agent with McGuire Real Estate and Christoph's boss during her two-year stint in real estate. "That may have been the single most important thing."

After a little more than two weeks on the market - what Christoph said felt like an eternity - the couple received two offers. They agreed to sell their home for $577,000, less than the listing price, and settled on a 30-day close.

"I didn't feel like I could say no to that," said Christoph. The sale closed May 23 - well before the end of the school year for her children. "I didn't feel like I could ask for those extra 14 days and still close the deal. All I wanted was to close the deal."

The family's experience underscores that it's anything but business as usual for sellers in San Francisco, where home prices zoomed up during the first half of the decade, and year after year of double-digit growth fueled a housing market where it took little more than placing a "for sale" sign out front to start a bidding war.

But San Francisco sellers say those days are long gone.

The median price of an existing single-family home in San Francisco was $850,000 in April, unchanged from the same period a year earlier, according to DataQuick Information Systems. The median price of an existing condo was also essentially unchanged at $783,000 for the same period. The number of single-family homes sold in April 2008 dropped 12 percent, while the number of condos fell 6.3 percent compared with April 2007.

To read the complete article in the San Francisico Chronicle "Click Here"

Lose homes, pay more tax

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain

Investors in second or multiple homes stand to be among the biggest losers from the housing downturn.   That’s because proposed mortgage bailout programs don’t address second homes and investment properties.  Many owners of multiple properties don’t realize that investments they thought would help them build long-term wealth may in fact leave them in bankruptcy and facing a sizeable tax debt.

MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS

Homeowners who borrowed against the value of their second home, or who financed the purchase of their second home and subsequent homes by pledging their primary home or other properties as security, may be liable for taxes on the difference in value should they sell any of their properties for a price less than the value owed on the mortgage.

Under the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act, a homeowner doesn’t have to pay taxes on forgiven debt if the collateral behind the mortgage is owner-occupied.  That provision doesn’t apply to a growing number of homeowners renting out their second home or investment property.  Of some 7.5 million vacation homes, only about 10 percent are considered owner-occupied, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® (NAR).  Many of these homeowners borrowed against the ever-increasing (or so it seemed) value of these properties to finance improvements or to buy other properties.

There may be a way out for some, one bankruptcy lawyer counsels:  Get a lender to agree that foreclosure “fully satisfies all obligations under the loan.”  That might protect the seller from having to pay taxes on the forgiven debt – although one attorney said, “I sure don’t want to be the one litigating it” in court.

To read the full story in the New York Times, please "click here"

The Latest Pending Home Sales Index and Forecast Release

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain

A modest gain in the level of home sales is possible over the next couple of months, and an improvement is forecast for the second half of this year as more buyers are able to access affordable mortgages, according to the latest forecast.The Pending Home Sales Index rose 6.3 percent to 88.2 from a reading of 83.0 in March. It's the highest index figure since last October. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said pending sales contracts have picked up notably in areas undergoing significant price drops. "Bargain hunters have entered the market en masse, especially in areas that have experienced double-digit price declines, but it's unclear if they are investors or owner-occupants," he said. "Sharp price reductions are leading to a quicker discovery of price equilibrium points. The West is already seeing year-over-year gains in pending contracts."

To read the complete forcast and pending home sales index at NAR "click here"

What Not to Overlook on a Final Walk-through

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain
Be sure that: Repairs you’ve requested have been made. Obtain copies of paid bills and any related warranties. All items that were included in the sale price—draperies, lighting fixtures—are still there. Screens and storm windows are in place or stored. All appliances are operating. Intercom, doorbell, and alarm are operational. Hot water heater is working. HVAC is working. No plants or shrubs have been removed from the yard. Garage door opener and other remotes are available. Instruction books and warranties on appliances and fixtures are there. All personal items of the sellers and all debris have been removed.

What to Keep From Your Closing

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain

The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) statement. This form, sometimes called a HUD 1 statement, itemizes all the costs associated with the closing. You’ll need this for income tax purposes and when you sell the home.

 

The Truth in Lending Statement summarizes the terms of your mortgage loan.

 

The mortgage and the note (two pieces of paper) spell out the legal terms of your mortgage obligation and the agreed-upon repayment terms.

 

The deed transfers ownership of the property to you.

 

Riders are amendments to the sales contract that affect your rights. For example, if you buy a condominium, you may have a rider outline the condo association’s rules and restrictions.

 

Insurance policies provide a record and proof of your coverage.

Affidavits swearing to various statements by either party. For example, the sellers will often sign an affidavit stating that they have not incurred any liens on the property.

Understanding Capital Gains in Real Estate

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain
When you sell a stock, you owe taxes on your gain—the difference between what you paid for the stock and what you sold it for. The same is true with selling a home (or a second home), but there are some special considerations.
 
How to Calculate Gain
In real estate, capital gains are based not on what you paid for the home, but on its adjusted cost basis. To calculate this:
 
1. Take the purchase price of the home: This is the sale price, not the amount of money you actually contributed at closing.
 
2. Add adjustments:
 Cost of the purchase—including transfer fees, attorney fees, inspections, but not points you paid on your mortgage.
 Cost of sale—including inspections, attorney’s fee, real estate commission, and money you spent to fix up your home just prior to sale.
 Cost of improvements—including room additions, deck, etc. Note here that improvements do not include repairing or replacing something already there, such as putting on a new roof or buying a new furnace.
 
 
3. The total of this is the adjusted cost basis of your home.
 
4. Subtract this adjusted cost basis from the amount you sell your home for. This is your capital gain.
 
A Special Real Estate Exemption for Capital Gains
Since 1997, up to $250,000 in capital gains ($500,000 for a married couple) on the sale of a home is exempt from taxation if you meet the following criteria:
 
 You have lived in the home as your principal residence for two out of the last five years.
 You have not sold or exchanged another home during the two years preceding the sale.
 
 
Also note that as of 2003, you also may qualify for this exemption if you meet what the IRS calls “unforeseen circumstances,” such as job loss, divorce, or family medical emergency.

Answer these questions to help you decide whether moving up makes sense.

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain
 
Answer these questions to help you decide whether moving up makes sense.
 
1.How much equity do you have in your home? Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don’t build up much equity in the first few years of paying a mortgage, but if you’ve owned your home for a number of years, you may have significant unrealized gains.
 
2.Has your income increased enough to cover the extra mortgage costs and the costs of moving?
 
3.Does your neighborhood still meet your needs? For example, if you’ve had children, the quality of the schools may be more of a concern now than when you first purchased.
 
4.Can you add on or remodel? If you have a large yard, there might be room to expand your home. If not, your options may be limited. Also, do you want to undertake the headaches of remodeling?
 
5.How is the home market? If it’s good, you may get top dollar for your home.
 
6.How are interest rates? A low rate not only helps you buy more home, but also makes it easier to find a buyer.

California Wants Hurt More HomeBuyers & HomeSellers!

by Carol or Jim Chamberlain

I received this in an email from the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.)

C.A.R. is OPPOSING AB 2678 (Núñez) which among other things, requires that ALL homes and commercial property in California have an energy audit at point-of-sale and that mandatory energy efficiency investments be made. While C.A.R. appreciates the goal of AB 2678 C.A.R. strongly opposes the point-of-sale requirements in AB 2678 because they fail to achieve the bill?s objectives and, such mandates will further weaken the housing market. If enacted, AB 2678 could add thousands of dollars to the cost of purchasing a home, including up to $400 just to have a home audited. AB 2678 was passed by the Assembly Utilities committee. It will have a vote in the Assembly Appropriations committee before heading to a vote by the entire Assembly.

Don't kid yourself this will effect all home owners and home buyers. Call Your Lawmaker Today to Ask that  the Point-of-Sale Provision be Removed from AB 2678!

To read more AB2678 click here

 

  Service Phone Website
Anaheim
City Hall 714-765-4311 Anaheim.net
Convention Center 714-765-8950 Anaheimconventioncenter.com
Fire 714-765-4000 Anaheim.net
Libraries Anaheim.net/library
Police 714-765-1900 Anaheim.net
Public Schools Anaheim.net
Brea
City Hall 714-990-7600 CityofBrea.net
Chamber of Commerce 714-629-4938 BreaChamber.com
Community Center 714-990-7100 CityofBrea.net
Fire 714-990-7644 CityofBrea.net
Library 714-671-1722 Ocpi.org/63branch.asp
Police 714-990-7623 CityofBrea.net
Post Office 714-529-2163
Public Schools 714-990-7800 Bousd.k12.ca.us
Senior Centery 714-990-7750 CityofBrea.net
Fullerton
City Hall 714-738-5338 Ci.fullerton.ca.us
Fire 714-738-6500 Ci.fullerton.ca.us/depts/fire
Libraries FullertonLibrary.org
Police 714-738-6800 Ci.fullerton.ca.us/depts/police
Post Office Usps.com
Public Schools 714-447-7400 Fsd.k12.ca.us
La Habra
City Hall 562-905-9700 LaHabraCity.com
Chamber of Commerce 562-697-1704 LaHabraCity.com
Community Center 562-905-9708 LaHabraCity.com
Fire 562-905-9794 Fire.lacounty.gov
Library 562-694-0078 Ocpi.org/61branch.asp
Police 562-905-9750 LaHabraCity.com
Post Office 714-992-0580
Public Schools LaHabraCity.com
Placentia
City Hall 714-993-8231 Placentia.org
Chamber of Commerce 714-528-1873 PlacentiaChamber.com
Fire 714-573-6280 Ocfa.org
Library 714-528-1906 PlacentiaLibrary.net
Police 714-993-8164 PlacentiaPD.org
Post Office 714-993-1163
Public Schools 714-996-2550 Pylusd.org
Yorba Linda
City Hall 714-961-7100 Yorba-Linda.org
Chamber of Commerce 714-993-9537 YorbaLindaChamber.org
Community Center 714-961-7181 Yorba-Linda.org
Fire 714-573-6280 Ocfa.org
Library 714-777-2873 YLPL.Lib.ca.us
Police 714-990-7625 Ci.Brea.ca.us
Post Office 714-528-7052
Public Schools 714-996-2550 Pylusd.org

Displaying blog entries 11-20 of 34

Contact Information

Photo of Carol and Jim   Real Estate
Carol and Jim
Preferred Home Brokers
3230 E Imperial Hwy, Ste 125
Brea CA 92821
714-726-3144
714-726-3144

Carol & Jim Chamberlain 714-726-3166 or 714-726-3144                  "Yes, We Can Be In Two Places At Once!"                                              BRE Lic Numbers: 00912962, 01015143