As a listing agent, you receive an offer on your listing. You should reject the offer when:

1. The offer doesn't make sense or seem reasonable
2. It looks illegal
3. You don't like the buyer's agent
4. Your commission is too low
5. NEVER

Yes, this is a trick question! The correct answer is #5, NEVER. Why? You should never, ever reject an offer. Because YOU are not the Seller. Your fiduciary duty is to present every offer to your Seller.

So what should you do when you receive an offer?

1. Take a notepad and pen and sit down with the offer. Read the entire offer. As you read, write down questions. Write down pros & cons of items that concern your Seller.

2. Call the buyer's agent and acknowledge receipt of the offer, thank her for the offer. Get all your questions answered. If the buyer's agent cannot answer all your questions, or if you have legal questions, consult your broker and/or your in-house attorney.

3. Call your Seller and make an appointment to meet them in person. (If you cannot meet the Sellers in person, make a phone appointment and email the offer to them before your phone appointment with them.) Remember, you should point out the pro's & con's of each offer, you can make recommendations, you can advise sellers to consult their attorney and tax preparer. But the FINAL decision to accept or reject the offer is theirs!!!

4. Have your Sellers sign to accept the offer or sign to reject the offer. Be sure to have them reject in writing so you can prove that you presented the offer and the Sellers chose to reject it, NOT you!

5. Send the signed offer back (either accepted or rejected) to the buyer's agent within the time specified in the offer. Be courteous and if the offer was rejected, write a short explanation. For example: "Sellers received 5 offers and they selected another offer."

CONCLUSION: Always remember who the seller is and your fiduciary duty. And be courteous enough to develop professional working relationships with other agents along the way!

Regina P. Brown

As a buyer or seller in the Cardiff real estate market, having information about the current market conditions will enable you to make an informed decision regarding what to do with regard to buying a home in Cardiff, or selling your Cardiff home.

The Cardiff real estate market is small and very localized, and knowing what is going on with regard to inventory and sales is important for making a buying or selling decision. Finding comparables for determining price for either a listing or a purchase can sometimes be tricky because of the limited inventory.

READ MORE: Cardiff by the Sea

Here is a summary of the Cardiff real estate market for January 2010 based on information provided by the MLS (private sales are not included). These data are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed.

The number of homes sold in Cardiff in January dropped significantly from December, and the small number of sales makes it unwise to draw any firm conclusions of the pricing trends (which dropped significantly) or other trends. 2 of the 5 sales were short sales.

At the end of January 2010 there were 8 homes in the Cardiff real estate market with a Contingent status (i.e., short sale and REO homes that had offers being reviewed by the lenders). Until approved these homes are considered active and, thus, are included in the Active statistics below.

As of January 2010 there were 56 Cardiff homes for sale, the same as last month and the month prior. This represents an inventory of 5.1 months for attached homes (down from 6.8 months in December) and 7.4 months for detached homes (slightly up from 7.3 months in December).

23 Cardiff homes came on the market in January, almost twice the number in December, which is good news for buyers, with 13 homes going pending during the same period, more than twice the number of homes going pending in December.

READ MORE: How Important is Inventory when Buying or Selling? Very!!

Data are based on information provided by the MLS for homes that went under contract in the last couple of months. If you would like more details about the Cardiff real estate market with regard to current activity as well as the specific areas such as the Walking District and the Composer District, please let me know.

READ MORE:

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for December 2009

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for November 2009

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for October 2009

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for September 2009

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for August 2009

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for July 2009

Cardiff Real Estate Market Report for June 2009

Cardiff Real Estate May 2009 Market Report

Cardiff Real Estate April 2009 Market Report

Cardiff Real Estate March 2009 Market Report

Cardiff Real Estate February 2009 Market Report

Cardiff Real Estate January 2009 Market Report

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If I can provide more information about Cardiff real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler "The California Relocation Dude" Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

Of the Encinitas health clubs, EZIA Human Performance in Cardiff CA is a standout. That, in fact, is likely true in all of Southern California!

Co-Founders Isaiah Truyman and Jason Waiton have a real gem, and a truly unique concept, at EZIA Human Performancein Cardiff (Encinitas) California just blocks from the ocean.

EZIA

Easy ~ Intelligent ~ Athletic

Just spending a few minutes on their new website will give you a perspective on this one-stop shop "best in class" fitness facility offering private coaching (with on-line scheduling), small and large group training (you can schedule classes on-line), physical therapy and sport massage, nutritional services and so much more.

Yes, EZIA Human Performance has top-notch equipment,but don't expect walls of weight machines as you find in all the other Encinitas health clubs.

It all starts with a comprehensive, advanced videotaped fitness assessment so before and after results are clearly visible, obvious and measurable.

This detailed physical assessment is key to helping members maximize the benefits of working with a personal coach to accelerate individual goals (EACH person has one) and achieve sustainable lifestyle changes.

Yes, athletes and elite athletes (cyclists, runners, tri-athletes, golfers, surfers) benefit from the "no obstacles, no excuses" philosophy embodied by the team of world-class instructors, but this is NOT just for them.

Anyone, including children, with the commitment to optimize their fitness can achieve maximum results with a well-developed and unique plan plus private coaching in the EZIA Human Performance environment (both inside and outside the facility, say at the beach) combining teamwork, creativity, service, discipline and fun!

EZIA Human Performance also partners with chiropractors, local physicians and other health professionals in the local community.

EZIA Human Performance is located at 230 Birmingham Drive in Cardiff (but with short term plans for expansion in a new facility so stay tuned for updates). (760) 635-1200 or email them at Info@EZIAhp.com.

Follow EZIA Human Performance on Facebook and Twitter.

Of the health clubs in Encinitas, EZIA Human Performance is truly unique. Check it out!!

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If I can provide more information about Cardiff and Encinitas real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

"...Continuation of "Organize your Office" series to get a Fresh Start for 2010! "

E. Archive files - Boxed Up in Storage

At the end of each year, remove the "Working Files in File Cabinet" (see step C above) and put them into a plastic file bin. You will use this bin to do your calculations for taxes. When your taxes are filed, archive this file box into storage.

Plastic or Cardboard File Boxes - Annual (by Year)

Get a clear plastic stackable filing tub with a clear plastic lid. Insert 10-20 hanging file folders (letter size) and 20+ file folders (letter size). Get 4 pieces of letter size paper and use them as large labels. Print the following and tape each label inside the box:

• 2009 Business (facing the front of the box)
• 2009 Personal (facing the back of the box)
• 2009 Taxes (facing the side of the box)
• 2009 Taxes (facing the side of the box)

Now, you can turn it one way and file all your business papers; turn the box around and file all your personal papers. And with these large labels, you can stack the boxes in storage, and yet easily find the correct box when needed.

If you have not yet sorted the papers as recommended in step C "Working Files in File Cabinet", take the time now to sort into the following categories and put each into a file folder:

Personal Papers - need the following file folders:

• Receipts Paid (sort by date, vendor name, or type)
  • Cable / Internet
  • Clothing / Shoes / Jewelry
  • Consumer Goods / Electronics / Tools
  • Debts / Credit Cards
  • Dining Out
  • Furniture / Equipment
  • Gifts
  • Groceries
  • Household Misc. (toiletries etc.)
  • Investments
  • Phone
  • Recreation/Entertainment/Vacation
  • Utilities
• Medical Receipts
  • Doctor/Dentist/Optometrist etc.
  • Health Insurance
  • Medications
• Automobile Expenses (separate file for each auto)
  • Fuel
  • Loan Payments
  • Repairs & Maintenance
• Real Estate separate file for each property: Home, Vacation home/Timeshare, Rentals)
  • Income:
    • Rental Income
    • Other Income
  • Expenses:
    • Appliances & Equipment
    • Cleaning
    • HOA
    • Improvements
    • Insurance
    • Mortgage
    • Property Taxes
    • Repairs & Maintenance
• Education
  • Books & Supplies
  • College & school tuition paid
• Charitable Donations / Tithes
• Other Tax-Deductible expenses
  • Child care
  • Investments (Stocks & Bonds)
  • Losses
• Bank Statements & Checkbook Stubs
• Projects / Events

Business Papers - need the following file folders:

• Tax Return File Folder
• Income Received (sort by vendor name & date)
• Receipts Paid (sort by category below):
• Accounting/Bookkeeping
  • Ads/Marketing
  • Computer
  • Copy/Printing
  • Dues/Fees
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Equipment
  • Furniture/Fixtures
  • Gifts
  • Insurance
  • Legal Fees
  • Licenses
  • Mailing/Shipping
  • Miscellaneous
  • Payroll / Contractors
  • Professional Fees
  • Supplies
  • Telephone
  • Travel & Automobile
    • Car Washes
    • Cabs & Transportation
    • Toll Fares
• Mileage (Automobile)
• IRS stuff (1099s, 1098s, W-2s, quarterlies paid to IRS)
• Bank Statements & Checkbook Stubs
• Schedules / Calendars / Events / To Do Lists

This condenses all tax/important files into 1 box for the year. Once you sort the files as shown above, they are ready to tally and to do your taxes. You can simply take the plastic bin to your bookkeeper, or do the calculations yourself.

Once your tax filing is complete, keep each box in safe storage for 10 years. They are labeled so they are easy to locate in your storage area. Put all boxes into a box storage system (such as Staples Item: 502759, Model: DF-AE2M2X4BW-04).

A space-saving storage idea is to keep each box for 3 years, and then scan and store the documents on a CD while shredding the originals.

Regina P. Brown
Broker, Realtor®, e-Pro
Author of forthcoming book, "Virtual Office Guide for Business Professionals: Work & Profit from Home"
Join & post to my NEW ActiveRain group at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Text copyright © 2010 R.P. Brown, All Rights Reserved

November 10th, 2009

Understanding the foreclosure property auction (also known as Trustee Sale) process takes time, due diligence, and understanding. Saavy Real Estate investors can find some of the best deals around buying at these auctions, but is it right for everyone? We would like to help explain further about these auctions and the benefits and downsides of buying Real Estate at them.

Understanding the overall process is the key, and here is how the process goes as an overview:

Pre-Foreclosure (Also known as Notice of Default). Pre-Foreclosure is usually when the current homeowner is 90 days past due on their Mortgage. Under the new California Foreclosure moratorium lenders have an extra 90 days in which they are supposed to aggresively pursue loan modifications with those current home owners who qualify. The current lender files with the County Recorders office a Notice of Default. When this is filed, this information becomes a matter of public record. When this notice is filed the lender usually gives the homeowner 90 days to come current on the amount they are past due. During this period a good amount of homeowners lately have been trying to obtain new financing terms by doing a Loan Modification with their current lender or a Short Sale with a Realtor if they know they aren't going to be able to keep up the payments due to hardship. Both of these options often times delay the foreclosure process as the bank looks to work with the current owner to see if one of these options may be a fit. To learn more about Pre-Foreclosures in Cardiff by the Sea and actually search all Pre-Foreclosures in Cardiff by the Sea for free click the yellow map.

Foreclosure Sale (Also known as Notice of Trustee Sale). The Foreclosure sale usally occurs and is scheduled roughly 90 days after the Notice of Default is issues. Although, these days this process is delayed most of the time. Notice of Trustee sale usally takes place on the courthouse steps in the County in which the property is located. In this area, most auctions take place in Downtown, San Diego. Properties are sold as is, without any warranties or guarantees, and they must be paid for on the spot with a certified cashiers check. Many times the buyer of that foreclosure property has to end up evicting the current homeowner or tenant and this sometimes can be a process. However, even though its a riskier process, the reward can be great. To learn more about Foreclosure Sales In Cardiff by the Sea and Search upcoming properties scheduled for Foreclosure click the yellow map below.

Bank Owned (REO). Bank owned properties are the properties that have gone through the two steps above and didn't sell at the Foreclosure Sale. In this case, the current lender has to take them back if there are no acceptable bids. This can also be a great option for an investor because in a lot of cases, the lender does not want to own these properties. These can be great deals for an investor, you can also research these properties in greater detail than Foreclosure Auctions, and most all of the time you can use financing and obtain a home warranty with these. To learn more about Bank Owned REO listings in Cardiff by the Sea and search all available inventory click the yellow map below.

Re-Sale Properties. Many people think Re Sale properties are not a great deal with all the Foreclosure properties out there. This is actually not true in many cases. Re Sales have to be priced aggresively and in line with Foreclosures if they want to have a chance of selling in todays market. In a lot of cases a buyer or investor can buy a re sale that has been taken good care of, that doesn't have much fix up to perform, and is very close in price to that of a Foreclosure that might require a lot of work. Sometimes people think that because they are buying a Foreclosure at 20% below market value that its always a steal, however sometimes there is 20% worth of rehabilitation to get the property back to standards that actually makes it the same deal as a re-sale. This makes Re Sales a great option as well. To learn more about Re Sale Homes for Sale in Cardiff by the Sea and search available inventory click the yellow map below.

We have built a fully integrated Real Estate Website that will allow you to search every aspect of what we have discussed above. To search Pre-Foreclosure, Foreclosure Auction, Bank Owned REO, and New and ReSale Homes in Cardiff by the Sea click here.

We also attend the Foreclosure Auctions for San Diego on a weekly basis and track virtually every Foreclosure property in San Diego County and would be happy to talk with you about your needs further.

We Look forward to hearing from you!

The latest data and sales statistics were provided by Foreclosure Radar.