By Tim Spencer January 16, 2012
I am very shocked to read such a bad review from Michelle regarding Melissa with Abacus Premier. Melissa is nothing like what Michelle has described. Melissa was very prompt in returning my phone calls. She is the only property management company that would even concern helping me rent a home for my family. I have not had the best credit or rental history but she is giving my family and I a chance. We have been renting from Abacus for the past 1 year. Just having someone like Melissa give us a chance has turned our lives around. Great person and company!! ...read more
By Jennifer Salazar January 16, 2012
I have rented 3 different units from Abacus Premier. I have had the best service. The property manager, Melissa is always so polite and professional. She is very prompt on taking care of any issues I may be having. ...read more
By Guest G. at Judy'sBook July 09, 2011
I wouldn't rent from these guys if they had the last place for rent on earth. VERY rude and unprofessional. I was more than ready to leave when my lease was up. I think they make it so unpleasent to stay at one of their properties so when t... ...read more
In the last few years, selling your home on the Central Coast has been a great challenge. The market tumbled and most homes lost a significant portion of their equity. Although the market slowed, over the last year I have continued to sell homes and I am happy to tell you that buyers are once again out looking in greater numbers. Prices are coming up to real value and the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is much brighter. However, there are things you as home sellers must do to make YOUR home stand out above the rest. 1. Price. No matter what you owe on the home or what you paid for it, setting the price above market value or what you feel your home is worth will drive customers away. You need to do your homework and educate yourself on the current market. Watch the paper, look online, talk to a Real Estate professional who knows your area and who can provide reasonable comparables. Pricing your home correctly will maximize your exposure and get clients to your door. 2. Cleaning. Clean, Clean, Clean! I cannot stress enough how much faster a home sells when it is clean and without offensive odors (dog, cat, food, smoking, etc.) There are two places that are always looked at first, the kitchen and the bathrooms. If you have old faucets I would tell you to change them. If you have old toilet seats, change them. People want to see clean and shiny bathrooms and kitchens. If you have dirty carpets clean them. The next area people look at is the windows. Clean them inside and out. Take some time and make sure that the home is light and bright. Dark, dusty, cluttered homes don’t sell well. 3. Staging a home. This is not the same thing as cleaning a home. One of the first continuing education courses I took was Home Staging. When you live in a home a long time, it is difficult to see beyond your good taste. A fresh set of eyes can produce another view and perspective. I have enough years doing this to assist you in organizing and staging your home. Removing years of clutter and personal items is usually the first things on my list. Remove personal photos and souvenirs. Pare the room down to the barest essentials. 4. Paint. Colors are important. The new interior colors are soft beiges with white trim. Avoid very bright colors. You may love them but they make it hard to sell a home. Take a look at your front door. Is it clean and inviting, not dirty with a tarnished lockset, peeling paint or varnish? Exterior colors remain neutral. According to statistics, blue houses take the longest to sell. 5. Updating. In this marketplace home flipping is becoming commonplace. Many of those home flippers are doing the work I have already suggested. Clean or new carpet, fresh paint everywhere, cleaning up the bathrooms (including new vanities and new counter tops) and even painting the outside of the home. Appliances need to be in working order and are often replaced. These professional flippers are making YOUR money… had you done the work yourself. 6. If it is broken, fix it. I know this sounds trivial but broken items around the house suggests differed maintenance. Once your home is in escrow there will be a home inspection whose sole purpose is to find those broken items….and you know your buyers will ask for those items to be fixed. If you are not sure you have broken or damaged items around the house hire the home inspector before you list the home. I also suggest having the termite inspection done so you know if there is damage lurking. Often sellers are unaware how much termites have infested the home. When you list you need to know if tenting the home for termites will be required. This cost is often close to $2000. 7. Landscaping. I do not need to tell you that overgrown yards, lawns with dead spots, torn up driveways do not make for curb appeal. With just a little work you can make the yard stand out. Add color and bark to the flower beds and watch the smiles as they come to the front door. This may all sound overwhelming but take one step at a time and complete these tasks before you even call your Realtor. It can mean tens of thousands of dollars of value added your home. I obviously do not want you to over-improve your home for the neighborhood, but these are tried and tested ways to ensure you make every dollar possible. Youcansell your home in this marketplace with these steps and customers will always eagerly seek out homes that have the best curb and interior appeal. Anderson Home Pros will be happy to consult with you and design a marketing plan that meets YOUR needs and desires. Call me today and see how I can maximize your return on investment. Michael Anderson 805-698-3770 or email Mike@AndersonHomePros.com ...read more
By Anderson Home Pros Real Estate Inc. February 24, 2013
Orcutt CA 2010 2011 Homes Sold 419 452 Average List Price $322,018 $289,805 Average Sales Price $315,069 $282,307 Days on Market 80 103 $ per Square Foot $171 $154 Foreclosures 127 138 Short Sales 96 123 Looking at the sales figures for 2011, the number of homes sold increased by about 8% in Orcutt. However, the average sales price went down 10% which is a considerable decline. Days on market increased to 103, so it took longer to sell a home in 2011. However, that figure is probably affected by the increase in short sale listings which stay on market while bank approval is obtained. Short sales increased by 28% in the Orcutt area. Foreclosures also increased but not as drastically — they increased about 7%.Overall, the appetite for homes in the Orcutt is strong, but distress sales comprise 57% of the homes sold and that continues to put downward pressure on pricing. If you are considering selling your Orcutt CA home and you would like a comparative market analysis, feel free to contact my office at (805) 938-9950 and set up an appointment. I specialize in short sales and distress sales. If you are interested in buying a home in Orcutt CA, I will be happy to assist you and provide a list of available homes in Orcutt CA and the surrounding area. Tni LeBlanc is an independent Real Estate Broker, Attorney, Short Sale Agent, Certified HAFA Specialist (CHS), and Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) and Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Agent (SFR) serving Santa Maria, Orcutt, Lompoc, Nipomo, and Arroyo Grande on the Central Coast of California. Copyright © 2012 Tni LeBlanc *2011 Real Estate Market Update –Orcutt Home Sales* * Stick built SFRs&PUDs.; Zip codes 93455. Based on the information from the Central Coast Regional MLS. The Association, the Multiple Listing Service, nor Mint Properties guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Association or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the real estate market. School district boundaries are subject to change and must be verified with the appropriate authority. Nothing in this article is intended to solicit listings currently under contract with another broker. This article offers no legal or tax advice and is for information purposes only. Those considering a short sale are advised to consult with their own attorney for legal advice, and their tax professional for tax advice prior to entering into a short sale listing agreement. ...read more
By Mint Properties February 12, 2012
Over the last few years home ownership has looked like a bad idea. Home values came to a screeching halt and began the downward spiral. Many homeowners who bought in the belief that traditional market forces could never affect Real Estate were shocked that home values could evaporate. Hind sight is always 20/20 but viewing into the crystal ball to see where we are headed is cloudy at best. As a Real Estate professional, I can only use the tools, data, economic trends and pundits expectations to foresee the future. I want to share what my crystal ball sees as we head into the new year. I will share some opinions from of my best sources and try to illuminate the cloudy future I see. For 2012 I see: An increase in the housing market including new construction starts (which as of November is at its highest level in 19 months 9.3% gain), higher re-sales, slight increase in housing prices (1-2%) based on location. The Department of Real Estate considers a 6 month supply of homes to sell as an optimum number (average in a normal market), we are currently at a 7 month supply. This is down from the worst of the economic crisis when housing prices were at their lowest and there was a huge number of houses on the market. The fewer homes to sell, the greater demand, the higher prices will rise. Keep in mind, all Real Estate is local, not regional or national. Your specific market could be different and your local Realtor® should be consulted. I see a stable interest rate making homeownership beneficial. The Fed does not see inflation as an enemy for 2012 and interest rates should continue at historic lows. Easing of lending standards by the banks driven by Fannie Mae&Freddie; Mac. Banks are sitting on huge cash reserves and will need to lend. A push by the industry to keep homeowners in their homes with help from all sectors, private and governmental. The cost of foreclosures is driving significant changes in the lenders willingness to adopt policies that help keep homeowners stable and in their homes. Although the release of bank owned properties onto the market will continue to affect home values, it will not devastate the market as it has the past 5 years. Banks are seeing the market change and they also wish to increase profitability and increase their bottom line by having their investments increase in value. We have seen the banks willing to rent REOs (bank owned properties) to allow the market to correct itself and release the inventory at a more lucrative time or at a slower pace. Banks are now willing to work with Short Sales due to costs of foreclosures. Renting costs are going up 3-5% because of demand. A 50% increase in Multifamily construction is in full swing because people are renting vs. buying. Although, home ownership does not fit into every portfolio, the numbers suggest otherwise. Here is the 2009 Rent Vs. Buy chart from the California Association Of Realtors: Even with a reasonable expectation 1-2% of increased values, it is hard to make any argument for renting vs. buying. As the construction industry tries to ramp up again, it will increase job production which will spur more demand on housing. Rising population will also play a key role in housing demand. In a normal market 1.2 million new households are formed every year. This has been constrained and will again have a significant impact on market forces. There will be continued stress on housing bubble markets that were over built at the peak times…Las Vegas…Phoenix etc. As I have said, my crystal ball is based on specific criteria both nation-wide and local. The gloom and doom from the media seems to be abating. The news media in all its forms is starting to get the point, they have been part of the problem and should be part of the solution. I never wish to bury my head in the sand but at the same time I don’t believe everything I hear or read. The media’s habit of pouncing on and enhancing the negative has, in part, fueled this economic downturn. There will always be the doom sayers prophesying the end to home ownership but I foresee a bright future for 2012 and beyond. From George Friedmans book:The Next Decade: Where We’ve Been… And Where We’re Going “Forecasting a century is the art of recognizing the impossible, then eliminating from consideration all the events that, at least logically, aren’t going to happen. The reason is, as Sherlock Holmes put it, “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Michael E. Anderson, Broker Associate, ABR, RSPS Anderson Home Pros Real Estate Beautiful California Central Coast ...read more
By Anderson Home Pros Real Estate Inc. January 10, 2012
Are you looking to buy a house? When you go to look at houses, you will quickly see that realtors do not use street addresses as a method of identifying houses. They use an MLS number which allows them to quickly access information about a property for sale. Using a street address gives you some infor... ...read more
Finding the perfect place for your business can take a great deal of time and research. You may want to lease a building rather than rent it. Leasing a building helps you build equity in the building. Depending on your location, commercial property may be listed for lease differently than traditional ... ...read more
