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Relocation A to Z

Relocation A to Z
This is an informational blog for anyone who is relocating, or thinking about it, and needs to sell or buy a new home. Lots of useful information from a REALTOR with extensive personal and professional relocation experience, including across the coun

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Articles

Buyers - You Need to Verify the Information
2007-09-04 15:55:00
I have talked a lot about the home buying process, and in particular about due diligence. The reason is that "buyers beware" is really something to keep in mind when making your most important and most expensive purchase. Just as with buying a car, a computer, or other products, you want to make sure that you are buying what is being represented, and not something else. The problem is that a home is a much more complicated acquisition, and consumers vary so much in terms of what they want and are willing to accept. Doing your due diligence - checking on all the issues that matter to you, verifying information and reviewing disclosures - is critical and something you MUST NOT take lightly. Certainly this can also involve having your BUYER AGENT check on things for you with the listing agent/seller. But don't skimp on this. You might find that what you thought you are getting is not that at all. And after you have completed the transaction it is to...
More About: Information , Buyers , Due Diligence

How to Avoid the Home Appraisal Woes
2007-09-04 15:36:00
Do you know how to avoid the home appraisal woes? Well, it's pretty simple in principle. Unfortunately, in this market we are seeing more homes that do not appraise. As I'm sure you know, as a seller your home must be priced appropriately in order to sell in this competitive market. I have seen many Carlsbad homes priced too high, and they are just sitting there. So that's one major downfall of overpricing. The other, however, is the appraisal. If you are lucky enough to get a buyer that will pay what you want, or nearly so, you can still run into a problem if the home does not appraise based on area comparable sales. Overpricing will cause this. The other possibility is when the values are declining in your area. The price you set several months ago may now be relatively high as compared to the homes that are selling. If the home does not appraise you have a couple of choices. First, renegotiate the price. You may have to accept l...
More About: Home , Avoid

Noise, Noise, Noise
2007-08-28 02:08:00
Here's another item to add to your list of things to consider when searching for a new home. Noise seems to be an important consideration for many buyers, and I am often asked about it. People want to know if the neighborhood is quiet, if you can hear the freeway, and so on. Because this is such a personal issue, but one that can really impact your homebuying (especially here in coastal California, like Carlsbad, where the freeway and the train run through the middle of most communities), I wrote an article that you might want to read. Read more on Noise...

Carlsbad Sellers - Get Pre-Approved NOW
2007-08-24 17:47:00
If you are selling your home in Carlsbad (or anywhere) and planning to buy another one as part of your relocation, it is important that you get pre-approved. Why me, you might ask? I am going to have equity from my home. Why do I need to worry about this? Just like any other buyer, unless you have all the cash needed to purchase in your new location, you should be pre-approved. This is even more critical now, since there have been so many changes in the lending practices, a tightening of the lending programs with stricter requirements, and changes in the interest rates. Even if you got pre-approved a month ago, or perhaps even a week or so, I would strongly suggest you double-check to make sure you are still qualified with the planned sale of your home. Plus you need to factor in that you might NOT get as much from your home as you hoped for, or perhaps decide to take a lesser amount in order to get on with your life. I know of a recent seller who had a ...
More About: Sellers , Prove

Mold Information Series (Guest Blogger - Part 3)
2007-08-21 00:53:00
In my last post, I wrote in detail about the ins and outs of performing a mold inspection (Part 2). Within that post, I briefly mentioned sampling as a means to identify conditions that may further warrant evaluation and ultimately the determination of whether or not to perform mold remediation. (Part 1 - What is Mold) Upon completion of the visual survey / inspection, a mold inspector will sit down with his/her client and discuss the findings of the visual inspection. Suspect areas that have been documented are then recommended for sampling. The purpose of collecting samples is to determine whether a suspected stain, blemish, discoloration or other water damaged area is identified, by laboratory analysis, as mold growth. There are two primary methods of sampling used by an inspector; surface and air sampling. Samples are recommended based on observations made during the visual inspection. When the inspector observes visible mold, he/she will recommend surfa...
More About: Information , Blogger , Series , Part 3

Job Hunting in Your New Location
2007-08-20 15:47:00
Chances are that you are relocating for business reasons. Not everyone does, of course, but a large percentage do. There is also a good chance that someone else in the household (spouse, partner) may need to job hunt in the new location. It may or may not be important for both of you to have jobs in order to proceed with buying a house. If it is, you will have to do your job hunt from a distance, and start early. So how do you do this (I have a Human Resources background, remember?)? On-line Job Boards - probably the most efficient, and the majority of jobs these days are advertised on one of the job boards as well as on company websites. Monster, Career Builder, and Hot Jobs are just a few (but maybe the best known of these sites out of thousands). You can post your resume and look for jobs. Newspapers - a bit archaic and cumbersome, perhaps, but depending n the area you are moving to may be a good option. You can often arrange for home delivery of the major paper fr...
More About: Job Hunting , Location , Hunting , Hunt , Loca

Things to Know about Fires and Earthquakes in California
2007-08-16 00:37:00
For those of you who are planning to buy a home in the Southern California area (including those you live locally already), there are some things to know about FIRES and EARTHQUAKES. As you probably know, YES, we have them. Certain areas are more prone, especially to forest fires, and buyers should do their due diligence and investigation beforehand. You can read more about fire risk in the Carlsbad Area and nearbby communities here. Learn more about earthquakes, disclousres about earthquakes, and earthquake safety here.
More About: Earthquakes , Fires , Things , Due Diligence

Text Message Me, Anytime
2007-08-10 00:47:00
Lots of people use text messaging these days, many of them for personal reasons, to connect with friends and family members. You can text message pretty much anywhere in the world, and with anyone, provided you can both get phone service (this is great when Internet access and a computer are not available). I have been texting more on a personal basis but now and using it more and more with clients and prospects for quick questions and answers when email is not as feasible or the recipient may not be able to check email. I always check to make sure that texting is OK. The same works for me. If you prefer to text me with questions or to simply get in touch, rather than sending me an email or calling, please go ahead. Technology allows us to be more efficient, save time, and connect 24/7. So go ahead - I welcome your messages. Text me at (760) 840-1360 SEARCH FOR HOMES in sunny San Diego
More About: Message , Anytime , Mess

Moving to California?
2007-08-08 23:00:00
Living in Calif ornia is rather different than many other parts of the country (well, duh!). I make this point, however, for those of you who are planning to relocate here, say from the Midwest, New England or other similar areas. As a buyer myself, who moved here from New England (Boston) a little over two years ago, I found that life here is NOT the same as in New England in a lot of ways. I still feel that at times. While I had traveled here quite a bit before moving, living here is another matter. I really enjoy it, for a variety of reasons, but recently decided to share some of my thoughts. Yep, the weather is REAL different but that was not my focus - everyone knows that about California. As a buyer coming from another area, you might find some of my musings helpful. Perhaps not. But I enjoyed writing about them anyway, and people seem to enjoy reading about them. Here's the article if you're interested > > > > > > > > > > By the...
More About: Moving , Ving

Disclosure of Natural Hazards in California
2007-08-06 17:25:00
If you are planning to move here to California , or are currently here, there are some disclosures you need to know about as a buyer (these vary from state to state - we had nothing this detailed in Massachusetts). Rather than reprint the article here that I recently wrote, follow this link to read more about what sorts of disclosures you can expect during the due diligence period.
More About: Natural , Hazard , Disclosure , Natur

Who am I?
2007-08-04 17:25:00
Recently I have had a number of people ask me more about my background, in real estate as well as otherwise. I think most prospects, and clients, have some interest in knowing more about who they might work with (or are working with). [photo is of me, of course, at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage last week in the 100 degree heat] Perhaps you are wondering about these things as well. If so, you might want to check out my profile by clicking on the MEET ME link on the left side of the page. You might also be wondering about my personal relocation experience (4 major moves) and now that ties in with the information I am sharing throughout this blog. If so, take a look at one of my first posts to learn more about some of my own relocation experiences. I've had both good and bad and am happy to share more if that is useful. Thanks for reading. Jeff
More About: Who Am I

Why Are You Here?
2007-08-04 01:34:00
I’m curious about something. You are reading this blog, and I am wondering…why are you here? Is this your first visit? Have you been reading for a while? Are you subscribed through the RSS feed? Did you just stumble on this blog or find it through a search engine and are curious? Are you a buyer or a seller, or both? These are all valid reasons for being here, of course, and I hope the reason you ARE here is because you find the information helpful. That certainly is my intent – to provide useful articles for buyers and sellers engaged in a relocation (although certainly many of the posts will still apply even if you are selling and moving nearby) to make their transaction smoother and more effective. From my perspective as an agent (and a consumer), I think blogs like this are great for both buyers and sellers. Blogs provide a wealth of free information that can assist you whether you are buying, ...

The Tragedy in Minneapolis
2007-08-03 02:50:00
This has nothing to do with relocation or real estate, but I felt compelled to comment...I'm sure you understand. First let me say that I hope none of you reading this knows anyone who was involved in this horrible event in Minneapolis . But if you do my thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones. Having lived in Minneapolis and crossing that bridge many times, this really hit me. I found out about it late last night after leading in Orange County airport from my 1 day trip to San Francisco for a conference on blogging - more on that later. My wife is in Michigan and left me a message, wanting me to know. We have friends there (thankfully they are fine) and the company she works for is there as well (everyone there is OK too). These sorts of tragedies always remind us of how precious life, friends, and family are,and that our lives can be changed in an instant, and without warning. Always remember this - they cannot be replaced. Jeff
More About: Tragedy , Poli

What is a Mortgage Buydown?
2007-07-28 15:56:00
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Buyers AND sellers - Pay Attention! Another concession, if you will, that we are seeing in our market (and I imagine in other buyer-friendly markets around the US) is the mortgage buydown. So what is this? A mortgage buydown is where the sellers pay an agreed-up dollar amount to the buyer's mortgage lender (as part of the closing fees) as a way of reducing the mortgage interest rates - essentially paying points on the buyer's loan that reduces their rate and thus the monthly payments. This can be done for a temporary period or permanently. The advantage,for the buyers, is that the reduction in loan payments by paying points upfront allows the buyers to afford more of a home (or afford the home they want) The advantage for the sellers is that they get a higher asking price since the prepayment is less than the reduction in asking price required to result in the same monthly payment. For example, the sellers might make a payment of $18K on b...
More About: Mortgage , Mort

Search the 'Net for an Agent First
2007-07-27 16:19:00
The majority of buyers are using the Internet to search for homes, learn about the buying process, obtain neighborhood information, and much more. Unless you have been hiding under a rock you probably know this. The Internet is an essential part of your arsenal as a seller, too. Any decent agent will have a strong Internet presence, and will use the Internet to market properties (makes sense, since that's where buyers are looking). If you do a Google search for that person you SHOULD find them all over the place - articles they have written, on blogs, homes they are marketing, directories they are part of, and much more. An agent website is a small piece of web marketing. (hey, just for fun, GOOGLE ME!!). If you do a search and find nothing, what does that tell you? How are they going to successfully market your home to today's Internet-savvy buyers when you can't find them on the 'Net either. Either they aren't using the Internet or they don't know how, nor recognize the esse...
More About: Agent , Search , Gent

Where Should I Live?
2007-07-26 16:06:00
If you could live anywhere you wanted in the US, where would that be. Do you have a favorite spot because of weather? Style of life? Family? Type of housing? Perhaps you have no idea, or no particular thoughts and need some help. CNN and Money Magazine have come out with their new set of lists on Best Places to Live . Check 'em out. Best Places to Live Where Homes Are Affordable Top Earning Towns (e.g., Hillsborough, CA near San Francisco) Where the Singles Are Where the Jobs Are

Is Your Kitchen the Center of the House
2007-07-24 00:32:00
For many folks the kitchen IS the center of the house, the focus of all activity, the place where everyone tends to congregate, even at parties. Is that true for you? Is this the most important room to you? If so, as a buyer you should keep this in mind as you are looking at properties. Knowing that the kitchen really is important in your lifestyle, you will want to focus on homes for sale that seem to provide a place where that lifestyle can continue. This does not mean that the kitchen has to be perfect, but that is does have the size you need and is easily accessible to other nearby rooms (perhaps open to the family room, which is a popular configuration for today's lifestyle, whereas older homes may have a separate room that is less conducive to entertaining). You can always update, add appliances, paint, etc. but if the room is really small or oddly laid out it might not work for your lifestyle. As a seller, you should keep these things in mind too. For many buyers the k...
More About: House , Kitchen , Center , Ouse , The House

Another Relocation Resource
2007-07-18 03:24:00
For those buyers and sellers who are relocating and planning to come to California (and why wouldn't you, we have terrific weather - most of the time), I came across another great resource on-line for gathering information about the area that I wanted to share with you - I think it is a pretty good source of information that buyers typically want. The guide will give you a broad brush overview of San Diego, the good and the bad, the schools, population, crime, and much more. Check out McCormack's Guides.
More About: Research , Resource , Loca , Relocation

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