Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

In a recent article, The Wall Street Journal reported that investors have rarely been this flush with cash.    The economic uncertainty due to the pandemic and the volatility of the stock market has caused assets in money-market funds to increase to approximately $4.6 trillion, the highest level on record according to Refinitv Lipper. The question becomes should an investor be "out of the market" until things settle down or should they seek to find alternative investments to produce satisfactory results.    Even in the middle of this uncertainty, residential rental property has been a stable performer. Rents are continuing to increase along with values.    Investor mortgages are available at 80% loan-to-value at fixed interest rates for 30-year terms.    Most other investments must be purchased for cash or at best, are limited to low loan-to-value loans, at floating interest rates for relatively short time frames. The use of borrowed funds, especi...

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Spot Foundation Problems The foundation provides support for your entire house, so keeping it level and in good condition is critical to the protection of the entire structure and the safety of your family. A foundation can become damaged by a variety of problems and natural occurrences. If you notice any of these warning signs, you should have your foundation inspected as soon as possible. Cracks The most glaring sign of a foundation problem is cracking in the foundation, walls or floors. This can be a result of movement in the soil that causes the house to sink. Even if a crack appears small, it can indicate that there is a serious problem. This should be addressed as soon as possible. Settling or Heaving You may notice that the house is settling or sinking on one side. This indicates a significant foundation problem that can result in safety issues. Ignoring even a small ...

 

 

 

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Maintaining Your Kitchen Appliances Being a homeowner can be costly, but some expenses can be trimmed with regular maintenance. Since so many appliances run in the kitchen, it’s one of the best places to start. Here are some of the best ways to keep your kitchen appliances running well so that they last through their normal lifetime, and hopefully beyond: Refrigerator Refrigerators have a life expectancy of 13 years, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Mold should be the main thing to try to prevent the spread of in a refrigerator. This requires regularly removing all food from it and cleaning every corner. Check each week if expiration dates on food have passed, and toss out anything that’s old. On the exterior, clean dust and any debris from the condenser coils on the back, and check and maintain the seals on the fridge. Stove or Oven Gas ranges should ...

 

In a recent article, The Wall Street Journal reported that investors have rarely been this flush with cash.   The economic uncertainty due to the pandemic and the volatility of the stock market has caused assets in money-market funds to increase to approximately $4.6 trillion, the highest level on record according to Refinitv Lipper. The question becomes should an investor be "out of the market" until things settle down or should they seek to find alternative investments to produce satisfactory results.   Even in the middle of this uncertainty, residential rental property has been a stable performer. Rents are continuing to increase along with values.   Investor mortgages are available at 80% loan-to-value at fixed interest rates for 30-year terms.   Most other investments must be purchased for cash or at best, are limited to low loan-to-value loans, at floating interest rates for relatively short time frames. The use of borrowed funds, especially at today's lo...

It seems like most homes have sprinkler systems and if they do, they have some form of controller to automatically turn the water on and off for the time and days you feel necessary.  It seems like basic functionality and if it isn't broken, you may not feel the need to replace it.   Today, there are so many smart home devices that are not only convenient, but they'll end up saving you enough money to pay for the upgrade.  There are different manufacturers, but you should at least consider the Rachio if for no other reason than the easy installation procedure .   The process is simple.  Unplug the old controller and disconnect the wires being sure to label which wires went to which stations.  Using the Rachio template, mark three spots on the wall, drill holes in the drywall, insert the anchors into the holes and screw the new controller to the wall.   This model has convenient wire connectors that do not require crimping a ...

  The August 2020 Market Summary for San Diego County is here. Contact me and see how I can help you.           

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Make the Most of a Small Bathroom Unless you’re living in a custom designed home, you probably wish your bathroom—or your guest bath—was bigger. Short of pushing out the walls or totally remodeling, home editors at TheSpruce.com offer eight good tips for making the most of your bathroom space: Pick the right colors.  Save the bright hues for accessories if you like, but paint the walls and choose the flooring to create an illusion of space and serenity. Pale, soft pastel shades are best. Up the lighting.  Adding recessed lighting in the ceiling or opera lights above the vanity are good ways to increase the brightness and create a more spacious feeling. Try a pedestal sink.  A vanity cabinet provides storage under the sink, but it takes up lots of floor space. If you can find storage space in a nearby linen closet, trade the vanity for a low-profile pedestal sink. (No...

 

 

Real estate continues to be called the ‘ bright spot ’ in the current economy, but there’s one thing that may hold the housing market back from achieving its full potential this year:  the lack of homes for sale . Buyers are actively searching for and purchasing homes, looking to capitalize on today’s historically low interest rates, but there just aren’t enough houses for sale to meet that growing need. Sam Khater,  Chief Economist  at  Freddie Mac,   explains : “ Mortgage rates have hit another record low  due to a late summer slowdown in the economic recovery…These low rates have ignited robust purchase demand activity…However, heading into the fall it will be difficult to sustain the growth momentum in purchases because the  lack of supply is already exhibiting a constraint on sales activity .” According to the  National Association of Realtors  (NAR), right now, unsold inventory sits at a 3.1-month  supply  at the current sales...

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Bring Peace to Your Bedroom While world peace is a great idea, if you want to add a touch of calm to your life, begin with your bedroom. Your room isn’t merely the place to rest your head, it’s where you wake, and the vibe of your room can set the tone for the rest of your day. Below are five tips for bringing a peaceful vibe to your bedroom. Choose calming colors.  While red or orange may be your favorite fiery hue, when picking shades for your room, choose soothing, calm colors like light blue or a gentle gray. Pick minimal patterns.  Keep the fun, funky patterns for the living room throw pillows. Busy patterns can make us feel crowded and overwhelmed, so minimize zany patterns in your sleep space. Clear the room of clutter.  Create a sanctuary in your bedroom by keeping it clear of clutter, from laundry to oversized furniture. Spend a few minutes before bed each d...

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Ask for a Higher Credit Card Limit A higher credit limit can help in an emergency, allow you to make any necessary large purchases and even, in some instances, improve you credit score. Asking for a higher credit limit, however, can seem awkward. Higher credit limits are typically offered to people with the highest credit scores for a simple reason—they’re considered the most likely to pay their bill on time and not default. Someone with a low credit score will have a harder time convincing their credit card company to give them a higher limit, though it’s not impossible. The average credit limit as of December 2016 was $8,071, according to data from Experian, a credit bureau. Improving Your Credit Score With a Higher Limit Looking to finance a large purchase such as a home renovation? Or maybe you just need to cover some monthly expenses. These are a few reasons why you mig...

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 5 Easy Organizational Tips Do you feel like you’re constantly battling clutter around the house? You’re not alone, and nothing can feel more frustrating than not being able to locate something when you need it, or wading through piles of items to get there. Below are five, easy organizational tips that can offer major upgrades: Tension Rod for Pot Lids If you store your pots and pans in a drawer, install a tension rod along the inside and slip your pot lids behind it. No more rattling pots or hard-to-find tops! Gallon Bags for Drawers Organize your underwear or t-shirt drawer by separating your items and storing them in gallon-sized plastic bags. You’ll never lose 10 minutes hunting for that pair of socks again. CD Holders for Tupperware Remember those old CD racks? Repurpose them in your Tupperware cabinet by using them to keep your lids separate, sorted and easy to grab. Repurpos...

  Today I'm preparing for a Probate listing.  I'm going to see what condition the property is in.  Oh, by the way... I was informed the deceased was a hoarder.  Wish me luck.

  The housing market is on fire as we move into fall. Let's connect to make sure you have the most current information that can make buying a home or selling a house a confident decision for your family.

  Two New Surveys Indicate Urban to Suburban Lean There has been much talk around the possibility that Americans are feeling less enamored with the benefits of living in a large city and now may be longing for the open spaces that suburban and rural areas provide. In a recent  Realtor Magazine   article , they discussed the issue and addressed comments made by Lawrence Yun,  Chief Economist  for the  National Association of Realtors  (NAR): “While migration trends were toward urban centers before the pandemic, real estate thought leaders have predicted a suburban resurgence as home buyers seek more space for social distancing. Now the data is supporting that theory. Coronavirus and work-from-home flexibility is sparking the trend reversal, Yun said. More first-time home buyers and minorities have also been looking to the suburbs for affordability, he added.” NAR surveyed agents across the country asking them to best describe the locations where their c...

People are always looking for a "down and dirty" way to determine the value of a home and square footage seems to be one of the most common things used by people whether they are buyers, sellers or real estate agents.   While it seems straight forward, there are several variances that can lead to inaccurate determinations. The market data approach to value uses similar properties in size, location, condition and amenities to compare with the subject to arrive at a price.   Differences in any of these things can affect the price per square foot.   Appraisers are trained and licensed to make these adjustments but the differences are not necessarily objective and that is where opinions start to influence the value. Even if a person were to make accurate adjustments, they would be based on the assumption that the square footage of the comparable properties is correct.   That leads to the next area of concern: how was the subject property measured. It is commonly ac...