Real Estate Information

When people meet you for the first time, their first impression is usually a lasting one. You also never get a second chance to make that first impression when you’re selling your Rancho Cucamonga real estate. You need to present your home at its very best all the time.

Here are 3 things you can do to make a great first impression:

1. Clean up the yard: A messy yard is a distraction.  It can be time consuming to keep up with general yard work, but it’s worth the effort.  Overgrown shrubs, limp lawns, and general disarray can turn off a potential buyer. If you have to hire someone to come in and give your yard a quick pick me up, it’s worth the money.
   
2. Get Rid of Items You Don't Need: Be very strict about this and get rid of all but the bare necessities. You don't have to throw or give everything away. Find a storage unit and put the things in there you will be taking with you to your new home but do not need immediate access to for now.
   
3. Fix Up the Little Things: Little things count. If you have a leaky faucet, a broken tile in the floor or a crack on the wall, now is the time to fix it.  Little flaws like this make potential buyers worry that there are bigger problems waiting to be found. 

Selling Rancho Cucamonga real estate is a lot of work.  You can get it sold faster, easier and for the most money when you take the time to make a great first impression.

If you have any questions about what you can do to make your home sell faster, I can help. Call me today at 909-938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty

If the Rancho Cucamonga real estate you are looking to buy is going to be your primary residence, you probably know the features that are important to you.  However, in today's economic environment, the resale, or investment value, of Rancho Cucamonga real estate is as important as the practical value of the number of bedrooms or bathrooms and the size of the kitchen.

In the past, a home buyer rarely worried about the resale value of a property because homes were always considered good financial investments. With today’s fluctuating home prices, property values are as important for home buyers to understand as they are for real estate investors to understand.

Location and Property Values

Before the housing and mortgage crisis, even if the home that suited you was not in a prime location, it would likely increase in value over time.  Now, you want to be sure you research a potential home before purchasing it to be sure:

1. The home is in a great neighborhood.
2. It’s at the lower end of the market value for that neighborhood.

If you buy a home in a neighborhood that is already considered a lower value area, it’s possible that those prices will not recover as quickly as better areas.  Or worse, home values could decline more leaving you with a home worth less than what you paid for it.

Now more than ever, it’s important to work with a real estate agent who specializes in the neighborhood where you’d like to live.  As a specialist in Rancho Cucamonga real estate, I can give you the insider’s scoop on that neighborhood.  Contact me today at 909-938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com.

Brought To You By Randy Charlton Of Keller Williams Realty

As a buyer in this buyers’ market, there are plenty of opportunities to get great Rancho Cucamonga real estate at rock bottom prices. Because of the large amount of housing inventory throughout the nation, home sellers (those who recognize the level of competition, anyway) are much more willing to negotiate.

If you’re looking for the perfect piece of Rancho Cucamonga real estate, here are a few tips to help you get a great price:

Stay Updated

Looking online is a great place to start. However, be aware that you have a large possibility of getting outdated information. You can find a beautiful dream home and contact the agent only to find that the listing has expired or the house has sold. Stay updated. Ask your Rancho Cucamonga real estate agent to register your email address for daily MLS (multiple listing service) updates so you can get information as soon as it comes out.

Visit Homes with Reduced Pricing

Sometimes you may see a home that has more than one price reduction. For many, this is a sign that something is wrong with the house. Today, there’s a great possibility that there’s nothing wrong and the homeowner is simply trying to get the home sold in a competitive market. Tour the homes with recent price reductions as well as those on the market for more than 30 days. These home sellers may be more interested in selling for lower prices.

Look for Possible Negotiation Points

Even homes with higher prices may be worth looking at, due to the many ways you and your real estate agent might find to negotiate. For instance, it’s always wise to get a home inspection before signing the contract. Depending on what the home inspector finds, you may be able to negotiate for lower closing costs or a lower price.

Right now, it’s important to remember that just because a house is listed at a specific price doesn’t mean that price can’t change. If you’re a buyer interested in Rancho Cucamonga real estate, whether as your personal residence or an investment, take a chance. Find out how low buyers will go!

If you’re looking for a great price on a great home, I can help. Call me at 909-938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com for more information.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty

You've gotten your financing, your offer has been accepted and you just have to wait the few weeks until your closing date and your new Rancho Cucamonga real estate is all yours. Nothing can go wrong, right? Wrong!

Technically nothing is likely to go wrong in that period of time, when it comes to the actual process of the property transfer. However, people often make critical mistakes that cripple their deals in that tense time right before closing.

Things You Shouldn't Do Before Closing

Buy a new car: Don't buy a new car or any big ticket item that might flag your loan company. Your credit will be continuously under review and your Rancho Cucamonga real estate loan can be turned down at any time up until closing, even after it was accepted. Keep that in mind when doing anything that will impact your debt-to-income ratio.

Quit or change jobs: This will also look suddenly troubling to your finance company. Don't give them any reason to change their minds. If you really need to switch jobs, hopefully it can wait a few weeks.

Move money around: Keep things as stable as possible during the weeks before closing. There are few things that can't wait. Even if you had planned to move to a new bank, or buy into stocks or IRAs, but were delaying it in order to get your loan in the first place, don't jump the gun now. Wait a few more weeks.

Take new credit card offers: No matter how attractive they are, don’t accept any new credit offers. In fact, you’ll probably get a glut of junk mail or email offers for new credit cards now that you have been approved for a big loan. Don't do it. Wait until after closing, if you have any desire to take them. Your loan company will get nervous if you suddenly have the opportunity to build a lot of debt.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling Rancho Cucamonga real estate, give me a call today at 909-938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com.  I’ll guide you step-by-step through the entire process including your successful closing.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty

Share You know you’re going to pay a mortgage for however many years once you sign the paper on an Inland Empire home.  You know your agent is going to get paid for the absolutely wonderful, fantabulous (put extra descriptive here) job he or she did to help you find the home of your dreams.  What you may not be expecting, however, are the closing costs.

The saying goes “nothing’s guaranteed except death and taxes,” but you can add “closing costs” in there.  Now, I’m sure the mortgage was expected, and you don’t mind your agent earning a bit, but what the heck is this “closing cost” business?  While the government forms explain them, they might as well have been written in chicken scratches; government lingo has never been exactly easy to understand.

Be Prepared to Pay

“Closing costs” is a catch all term for all the expenses that wouldn’t fit under a convenient title like “mortgage.”  Be prepared, because they can range anywhere from 3% to 8% of your total loan.  For example, if you have a $150,000 loan, your closing costs could be anywhere from an additional $4,500 to $12,000.

What are you paying for?

Aren’t you already paying for the Inland Empire home?  What’s with these closing costs?  It probably feels like hidden fees, but they aren’t.  Here are just a few of the fees you might end up paying, depending on the lender and the circumstances: 

• Prorations – The allocation of property taxes, interest, Home Owner Association dues, insurance premiums or rental income between buyer and seller proportionate to time of use.  For example, if the property tax is paid up to a period after you close on the house, the seller might be entitled to reimbursement.
   
• Appraisal Fee - The fee charged for a written appraisal by a qualified person setting forth an opinion of a property's fair market value.
   
• Fire Insurance – Just in case you burn the house down after you buy it, lenders might require you to have a fire insurance policy.
   
• Purchase Points – These are known as “discount points,” or just "points," but it’s more like “pay the lender now or pay the lender more later.” Each point costs 1% of your loan amount and reduces your interest rate for the life of your loan (ususally by fractions of percentages).  Since it can take a few years for the lower payment difference to offset the initial closing cost, paying for points is probably only a good idea if you plan to live in the house for five years or longer.  With interest rates as low as they are now,i t may not be a good use of your hard earned income.   

The good news is you won’t have to guess what the closing costs are for your new Inland Empire home. The lender is required to give you a list of the closing costs and the potential cost of each, so you won’t be completely surprised. 

If you have questions about closing costs or any other real estate related questions, I’m happy to help.  Call me today at (909) 938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com.  

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty. 

Share It’s open season on Homes for sale in the Inland Empire, and no hunting license is needed.  You might want to wear bright orange jackets if you’re a seller, though.  It’s a buyer’s market and, in this case, you want the house hunters to see you.

Now, you can only take the hunting analogy so far; I don’t think you’d appreciate being hung on a wall as a trophy.  You will appreciate hunters setting their sights on homes for sale in the Inland Empire, however.  Here are a few tips to ensure that your home is the one they target:

Stand out in the open

To put it simply, buyers are using more and more technology nowadays. Obviously, you, as the seller, want to be where the buyers are, right?  Embrace the Internet.  Twitter, facebook, blogging and other forms of social media are some of the ways successful sellers have managed to garner attention.  So, start networking online, or hire an internet savvy real estate agent to do it for you. 

Use an agent

This may sound self-serving; I am, after all, a real estate agent.  However, while you may be trying to figure out whether you really want to pay commission fees, also consider this: Agents have access to many places that 'do-it-yourself' sellers don’t, such as MSN Real Estate, Yahoo Real Estate, their MLS listings and Realtor.com.  Buyers do have access, and they’re looking.  As the seller, you want as much exposure as possible, and agents can get it for you.

Make affordable repairs

If you can afford to replace a worn out faucet, do so.  If you can replace bad flooring, do it.  Whether it’s plumbing issues or light switches, big or small, make the repairs you can afford to make.  Then, (and here’s the secret) advertise:  “All new fixtures!” or “Brand new flooring!” Sharing what you’ve done to make the house more attractive is like waving a red flag and, when you’re talking about house hunting, this is a good thing.

Add field dressing

Okay, perhaps that goes a little far with the hunting analogy.  Basically, in a tough buyer’s market, presentation is everything.  Have strong curb appeal outside.  Get rid of personal clutter inside.  Stage the rooms and clean, clean, clean.  It’s a beauty contest.  Dress your home accordingly. 

Putting these tips into action will greatly raise the chances of taking another home off the list of homes for sale in the Inland Empire. 

If you’re trying to sell your home and need an internet savvy agent, I can help. Call me at (909) 938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com for more information.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty.

Share With all the talk of the great deals you can get on foreclosures in the Inland Empire, you may be tempted to step into the investment market.  Or, you may get the idea that buying a Foreclosure is your best bet for a great deal on a home.

Well, it’s possible, but remember that the foreclosure market is full of perilous pathways and competitive investment pros who know what they’re doing.

Whether you’re considering purchasing foreclosures in the Inland Empire as investments or as your personal residence, here are a few tips that will help you get a great investment and avoid a bad disaster.  

• Gather a Team of Professionals:  Your team of professionals should include a home inspector, a real estate agent and an appraiser.  You may also want to include a professional repairman, if you’re not handy. With foreclosures, you often have to be ready to move on the home immediately, so establish relationships with these professionals ahead of time.
   
• Buy a Pre-foreclosure:  According to the experts, pre-foreclosure is one of the best times to buy.  The seller will probably be more willing to accommodate you because they want to avoid ruining their credit.  Which means you’ll have a much better chance of getting a good deal – something more than the seller owes the bank, but less than market value.
   
• Skip the Auction:  While going to foreclosure auctions is another possibility, it isn’t for the beginning investor.  You may find that you’ve done a whole bunch of research for nothing, because the auction was cancelled.  You may end up with a trashed property because the previous owners didn’t want to move, or because the house has been empty for a long while.
   
• Be Careful Buying Bank-Owned Properties:  This option is seldom as great as it sounds.  Not all banks price homes at fair market value.  Many of them are trying to get their money back, which, with current depreciation, could be much more than the home is currently worth. 

If you’re considering buying foreclosures in the Inland Empire as an investor or a homebuyer, I can help.  Call me today at (909) 938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com for more information.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty. 

Share In bygone days, the key to closing many of the deals on Inland Empire Homes for sale often relied on an agent’s networking skills.  Those of us with a successful real estate history knew where to go to bring Inland Empire homes for sale, financers and buyers together.

In fact, the real estate community became so used to “the way things were done,” the standards for home purchasing and financing became a little lax. Today, regulators have taken aim at any less-than-transparent practices by, quite simply, changing the rules.

Were the “good ole’ days” competitive?  Most definitely.  Were they as competitive as they are today? Not even close.

Now, in order to complete contracts on Inland Empire homes for sale, you have more transparency and a stricter set of industry standards, particularly when it comes to working with lenders.  The good news is the changes in transparency and industry standards are designed to protect you as the seller and your buyer.

With Change Comes Education

With all the changes to the real estate industry, we, as real estate agents, have to stay informed in order to serve your best interests.  After all, would you really want an agent following outdated rules from 10 years ago?  Probably not, especially if you knew that outdated rules might make your sales contract useless.

How do we stay informed?  One way is through the NAR.  The National Association of Realtors®, the nation’s largest trade organization, has started several programs to keep agents updated on exciting developments and market trends.  Some of the most beneficial programs include: 

• Accredited Buyer Representation (ABR)
• Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS)
• Green Principles
• Graduate Realtor® Institute
• Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
• short sale and Foreclosure Certification (SFR) 

Without continuing educational courses like these, staying updated on the real estate industry would be a lot harder.  Most of us already have the experience, but ongoing training is also important.  Why?  So we know all the ways to attract buyers to your home, no matter what they’re looking for.  In other words, learning what they’re looking for helps us to better understand what selling points your home has, and how best to market them.

Now, real estate deals are upfront and hidden agendas are (mostly) a thing of the past.  Your goal, as owner/seller of one of the Inland Empire homes for sale, is to make sure the agent you hire is up-to-date on any changes that may affect the sale.

Don’t be afraid to ask about their education and training.  The best agent is the one who doesn’t hesitate to answer with a list of certifications and current courses.

If you’d like to sell your home and want an informed real estate agent,  look no further.  Give me a call today at (909) 938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com  for a complete list of all my certifications and education.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty. 

There are a few things you can do to make the process of buying a new Inland Empire home easier and faster.  Getting pre-approved for financing is one of them.  Here are four advantages of loan pre-approval:

REALTORS® Take You Seriously

When you walk into an agent’s office with pre-approved financing, the agent knows he is not wasting his time showing you homes.  If you do not have pre-approved financing be prepared for agents to ask a lot of questions and even possibly request that you get financing in hand.  They are not trying to be invasive.  They are avoiding "tire kickers" while helping you streamline the process.

Home Sellers Feel More Comfortable Dealing with You

When you have pre-approved financing, sellers are more apt to work with you on price, or other needs, in order to close the deal.  They know that there are not going to be contingencies on a loan, or waiting and wondering if you qualify for the loan.  They know they don't have to worry about turning other prospects away and then finding out you haven't been able to get a loan.

Fast Closings

Getting pre-approved for a loan means no waiting on the biggest of all hurdles before closing.  Other items needed to close on an Inland Empire home purchase usually move quickly, but loan applications can drag out and require setting a closing date far into the future to allow for the time needed.

Less Stress

Above all else, having your financing in hand before you even begin to look for the perfect Inland Empire home makes the entire process less stressful for you. Knowing you have the money to back you up when you find the home of your dreams is much better than finding paradise and having to worry about getting financed and possibly losing it.

If you would like to find out more about pre-approved home loans, I can help. Contact me at (909) 938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com .

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty.

Share Buying Inland Empire homes can be scary, especially for first-time buyers.  One of the things that makes it scary is that the home buyers have to make a lot of decisions.

Both first-time home buyers and veteran buyers have to make decisions about whether to buy new or pre-owned Inland Empire homes.  Which is right for you?  Well, that depends on your particular situation, but knowing some of the differences between the two will help you make the best decision.

Home Warranties:  New Homes vs. Pre-Owned Homes

Home warranties vary, but essentially cover mechanical breakdowns, such as furnace failures and clogged pipes, not usually covered by home insurance.

• New Homes:  For new homes, the warranty begins from the moment you close the deal.  Normally, appliances have a years’ warranty, which can be extended.  As well, the builder’s warranty covers things such as structural or roofing systems.  However, new home warranties are precise about what they cover.  For instance, if you have a bunch of kids and a couple of animals, you’ll have a hard time saying the carpet should be covered if it starts pulling up.
  
• Pre-Owned Homes:  With pre-owned homes, you have the option to negotiate on the warranty and what it covers.  It could cover appliances, the air conditioning system, dishwasher or any home component.  However, if you end up with a shady seller who cosmetically covered up mold (for instance) and you don’t know there’s a mold problem, the warranty may not cover it.  Note: this is one of the reasons I always say, “Get a home inspection before buying.”

Out of Pocket Costs:  New Homes vs. Pre-Owned Homes

• New Homes:  Developers often offer home buying incentives to close the deal.  In slow markets, they may add bonus cash incentives, upgrades or other things to entice you.  However, if the market picks up, developers may reduce those incentives. Rather than offering you a dishwasher and other appliances for free, developers may charge you a premium for them.  Another big out of pocket expense to keep in mind is landscaping.  It’s an expensive proposition today for the cost-conscious home builder.

• Pre-Owned Homes:  Landscaping is a big plus to buying a previously owned home.  Mature trees, hearty shrubs, rose bushes and lush well-watered lawns are some of the rewards of a pre-owned home.  Additionally, very seldom do the sellers take their dishwasher and other appliances with them when they move.  You also have the ability to negotiate with the sellers about furniture and other amenities.  However, you don’t always know the condition of these amenities.  They may end up costing you more on upkeep than if you had just bought new appliances.

Whether you’re looking at new or pre-owned Inland Empire homes, I can help. Call me at (909) 938-9568 or email me at Randy@TeamCharlton.com for more information.

Brought to you by Randy Charlton of Keller Williams Realty.