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Sherman Oaks, CA

Ralph's Helpful Tips: Make sure you load your buyers up with business cards for open houses

Ralph Gorgoglione                        - California Real Estate (800) 591-6121: Real Estate Agent in Los Angeles, CA

Ralph's Helpful Tips: Make sure you load your buyers up with business cards for open houses

One thing you can NEVER have too many of is business cards. You really should be going through them like water. Why? Because each card that is floating around out there is just one more marketing piece that is reminding everyone around that YOU are the go-to person in real estate.

When working with buyers in the property viewing and discovery stage, don't skimp out on business cards and make sure you load your buyers up with at least 15-25 business cards. And if they run out, give them 15-25 more!!

Not only for the obvious reasons of possible referrals, but you and I both know that there are some unscrupulous agents out there who will try and "assimilate" your clients at open houses.

Give your buyers specific instructions to hand your card to the listing agent or agent that is holding the home open, and have them state that they are working with YOU.

And if you have the opportunity, on occasion when you simply cannot be there at the same time as your clients yet they are motivated to get out there to some open houses, find out which open houses they want to see and place a kind phonecall or email message to the listing agent and let them know your clients love the home, let them know they will be there at the open house, and provide the agent with your clients first names.

This will avoid any "mishaps" or "misunderstandings" (I'm feeling rather democratic today so I am using vague descriptives in quotes rather than any nasty adjectives......ah-hem!)

Each week I'll have a Helpful Tip posted for you to incorporate into your repertoire of savvy real estate professional techniques.

If you'd like to join our group, click here: http://activerain.com/groups/ralphshelpfultips

Starter Home with incredible potential in Sherman Oaks

Seana Yates, Realtor® - Los Angeles (818) 261-5253: Real Estate Agent in Lake Balboa, CA

4712 Columbus Ave Sherman Oaks

4712 Columbus Ave Sherman Oaks, CA 914032 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom $490,000

Built in 1941, this tidy, mid-century (ish) bungalow is an affordable starter home with character. It’s in the great location of Sherman Oaks near the Galleria, Ventura Blvd. and easy freeway access. The wood floors are in fabulous condition and the home has been updated with dual pane windows.

diningroom

The rich, wood-lined den has beamed ceilings, a large brick fireplace, and built in book cases. It has a glass door which exits to the large, brick patio and back yard. Read more and see more photos....

Listing courtesy of Elizabeth Marquart – RE/MAX Execs West L.A.

CASH IS KING! Especially in this market!

Emily Rose Newmark: Real Estate Agent in Sherman Oaks, CA

CASH IS KING! Especially in this market!

Did you know that 38% of the deals on the market in the Greater Los Angeles area are CASH ONLY deals? This is not to mention the thousands of Foreclosure homes that will be sold on the courthouse steps in 2012.

CASH IS KING! Especially in this market!

Buyers fortunate enough to possess the capital it takes to purchase properties ALL CASH are scooping up the deals by the dozens! These properites are then rehabbed and flipped at market value which is still a good deal for the entry level Buyer using 3.5-20% down to purchase the move in condition homes.

Its really a WIN/WIN for everyone involved and its going to help our recovery in California tremendously as well!

CASH IS KING! Especially in this market!

In early 2011 I put together a Full Service Team including myself that assists Investors with capital in SAFELY aquiring properties at Los Angles Courhouse Foreclosure Sales. I also have a fabulous crew of the best tradesmen & designers to rehabb the properties and of course I will offer you top notch full service for the resale at TOP market value!!

www.LosAngelesHomeValues.com

www.EmilyNewmark.com

CASH IS KING! Especially in this market!

Ralph's Weekly Legal What-If Scenarios: Encroachment - "Don't Fence Me In!"

Ralph Gorgoglione                        - California Real Estate (800) 591-6121: Real Estate Agent in Los Angeles, CA

Ralph's Weekly Legal What-If Scenarios: Encroachment - "Don't Fence Me In!"

Each Monday, I'm going to post a "What If" Scenario that presents a legal issue in a real estate hypothetical situation.

Each Sunday, either the correct legal answer (or most likely legal resolution) to the situation will be posted.

These are great opportunities to keep your real estate legal chops honed and tuned as a real estate professional. And I'm sure there will be some interesting discussions going on related to these hypothetical situations. Some of you may also have had identical situations in the past that will bring some interesting light to the answers.

Here is this week's scenario:

A buyer, Bob, purchases a property in 2008. Later that same year he decides to put up a fence. Unknown to Bob at the time, the fence actually sits about one foot onto the neighbors property, thus creating an encroachment. The neighbor at the time, Ann, never says anything because she never realized that there was an encroachment, she feels that the fence really doesn't affect her, and she actually thinks it looks nice.

In 2012, Ann's property changes hands and gets sold to another buyer, John.

John performs an inspection on the property during escrow, and it is then that he notices that Bob's fence sits about a foot over his property that he is in escrow on.

John closes escrow and immediately states to Bob that his fence is encroaching upon his property, and requests that Bob re-work the fence so that it does not encroach on his property.

Bob states that the fence has been there for three and a half years and that the previous resident never said anything about an encroachment. Bob states that he will not rework or remove the fence.

Who is right? Who is wrong? What will most likely be the outcome should John pursue the issue through litigation?

Post your definition of what the answer is, and the correct answer along with the relative laws that apply will be posted on Sunday.

Good luck!

NEW CALIFORNIA LAWS FOR 2012

Emily Rose Newmark: Real Estate Agent in Sherman Oaks, CA
List of New California Laws 2012


Child Booster Seat Law
The new
California Booster Seat Law outlaws parents, guardians, or drivers from transporting on a highway in a motor vehicle any child under 8 years old without securing that child in an appropriate child restraint meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards. The new California law does contain a provision, however, that a child under 8 years of age who is 4'9" inches in height or taller may use a safety belt rather than a child safety seat or booster seat.

Employment Credit Check Law
Employers can no longer request credit reports for Californians unless they are working or seeking work in a financial institution, law enforcement or the state Justice Department. The law also exempts anyone who:
(1) has access to people's bank or credit card account information, SSN number and date of birth,
(2) has access to an employer's proprietary information or trade secrets, (3) signs a check, credit card, financial contract, or transfers money for an employer,
(4) has access to more than $10,000 cash, or (5) is a manager in 'certain industries'.

California Handgun Open Carry Law
Open-carry citizen handgun ban. Supported by cops who cannot tell whether openly carried weapons are loaded or not. Violators pay $1,000 plus 6 months in jail (misdemeanor). Gun rights advocates vow to carry rifles and shotguns instead. Californians can still get permits for concealed weapons, though it is increasingly difficult.

California Human Trafficking Law
Enforces mandatory disclosure of efforts that companies take to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their entire supply chains. Being watched as a prototype of future legislation in other states and nations.

California Gay Bullying Law (Seth's Law)
Combats bullying of gay and lesbian students in public schools by requiring school districts to have a uniform process for dealing with gay bullying complaints. Mandates that school personnel intervene if they witness gay bullying.

LGBT Equality and Equal Access in Higher Education Law
State universities and colleges must create and enforce campus policies protecting LGBTs from harassment and appoint employee contact persons to address on-campus LGBT matters. The law includes community colleges statewide.

Domestic Partnership Equality Law
Corrects inequalities between domestic partnerships and heterosexual marriages, including domestic partner health benefits sharing.

Protection of Parent-Child Relationships Law
Allows courts to consider the relationship between a child and a non-biological parent when considering child rights cases involving birth parents, adoptive parents, and gay or lesbian guardians.

Transgender Non-Discrimination Law
Provides public accommodation and protection in education, housing and employment for gender identity and expression.

Transgender Vital Statistics Law
Makes it easier for transgender Californians to get a court petition to change their gender on official documents.

LGBT Equal Benefits Law
Requires an employer with a state contract worth more than $100,000 to have non-discrimination policies in place for LGBT workers and their partners.

Judicial Applicant and Appointment Demographics Inclusion Law
Includes gender identity and sexual orientation of potential judges into the state's Judicial Applicant Data Report to ensure that state courts are diverse.

Gay Divorce Law
Provides that if a gay couple got married in California but lives in a state that won't grant them a divorce, the California court will have jurisdiction to grant them a legal divorce. The case will be filed in the county where the gay couple got married.

California Gay History Law
Governor Jerry Brown signed the Gay History Law, which mandates that school textbooks and social studies include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender accomplishments.

Internet Sales Tax
Governor Brown signed into law that out-of-state Internet retailers must collect California sales tax on transactions if the retailer has a presence in the state.

California Renters Right to Recycling Law
Apartment building landlords will have to start providing recycling services for 7 million California tenants.


California Reader Privacy Law
Government and third-party snoops can no longer gather information on Internet users' reading, book shopping or ebook using habits without a legal court order.