February 23rd, 2016 at 10:00 am
A real estate purchase, especially for first-time buyers, is a significant moment in the owner’s life and the occasion deserves a celebration. It shows friends and family that hard work has paid off and the buyer is now pursuing their own American dream. It’s an achievement many work toward during their adult life. The idea of a housewarming party is not a new one, but it has become a social norm.
If you’ve never attended a housewarming party, you might find yourself at a bit of a loss when the invitation arrives in the mail. After all, housewarming parties follow a slightly different format than other gatherings. For example, when attending a baby shower, it is considered bad etiquette if an attendee shows up without a gift. The host for these types of parties also varies. With a baby shower, the host or party planner is typically an immediate family member, but with a housewarming party, the new homeowners are the ones doing the planning and hosting.
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February 10th, 2016 at 10:00 am
Our agents are committed to finding a home for their buyers that makes their heart skip a beat, a home that they immediately can picture themselves spending the rest of their lives in. We asked Marco Rufo, an agent with our Pacific Palisades office, for his input on what he thinks it takes for a home to make a buyer fall in love. (more…)
February 1st, 2016 at 10:00 am
The good news: Adjustables are low and it’s a seller’s market
The Federal Reserve Bank’s decision to raise its benchmark interest rate by .25 percent has been the talk of the financial and real estate world since it was announced last Dec. 16.
To gain some insight, we asked David M. Cabot, our President and CEO, for his take on the situation.
Q: Why did the Federal Reserve Bank raise the rate?
A: The Fed was waiting for the economy to be stronger, and they believe it is now. The rate determines what the banks pay to borrow money from the Fed. But the banks can set their own rates for consumers, and they do. This is the first rate increase in seven years.
It’s interesting that they made a decision to do it now because they’ve been wanting to for over a year. I’m not an economist, but 2 percent economic growth is very, very modest. If we were growing at 3 or 4 percent, an interest rate hike would be a welcome thing in the business world. But at 2 percent, we’re not really certain. If we don’t start at a point where we have some growth, we’re never going to get above zero. It’s probably a wise thing from a macroeconomic point of view.
January 27th, 2016 at 10:00 am
Resolved to make 2016 the year you finally realize the American dream of owning your own home? It could happen.
Even with low housing inventory in many regions, and the Federal Reserve Bank’s recent ¼ percent hike on its benchmark interest rate, buying a home is within reach for many Americans. Of course, much depends on your financial history and ability to make the monthly mortgage payments. So if homeownership is at the top of your new year’s resolution list, here are 16 more resolutions that could help you achieve your goal:
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January 5th, 2016 at 11:00 am
When President Barack Obama signed the $1.1 trillion spending measure Congress passed on Dec. 18, he wiped out a 35-year-old tax imposed on foreign investors in the U.S. The measure, which helped avoid a government shutdown, now treats foreign pension funds the same as their U.S. counterparts so far as real estate investments are concerned. While it’s hard to predict specifics, there could be broad consequences on residential as well as commercial property prices around the country. (more…)
