Bob Willis

The latest numbers from Real Data Strategies on home sales in Whittier and La Mirada are just amazing. Home sales have jumped tremendously in the past couple of months. It looks like buyers have finally concluded that now is the time to buy, before prices start going up again.

I can personally attest to the rise in activity, especially for bank owned properties, which, since they are still priced to sell, are getting multiple offers above the asking price.

A total of 96 homes sold in September 2007 for Whittier and La Mirada. In September 2008, sales shot up to 228! Folks, they are selling like hotcakes.

I specialize in helping first time buyers get into their first home. Whether you want to buy now, in six months or in a year, a Buyer Consultation with a professional Realtor® should be the first priority of your home search. It's custom designed for you and your needs! Please call me for a FREE Buyer Consultation! (562) 639-9400.

For more information about Whittier real estate, please go to http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com.

I would like to let you know about my new web site dedicated to real estate in Whittier and surrounding communities. It is called www.WhittierWelcomesYou.com. It is a great new website for Whittier, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Norwalk and neighboring cities.

Whittier is a jewel of a city that offers some of the best deals in homeownership in Southern California. Come to www.whittierwelcomesyou.com to learn more.

Whittier Welcomes You to become a homeowner. If you are a First-Time Home Buyer you'll want to check out http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/FirstTimeBuyers.html.

Whittier Welcomes You if you are looking to buy a bank owned property because you can get a FREE report of bank foreclosure properties at http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/FirstTimeBuyers.html.

You can request many other FREE reports related to real estate from the Whittier Welcomes You report page at http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/FreeReports.html. The topics include "What to do to Improve Your Credit", "7 Reasons to Own Your Home", "17 Tips for Packing Like a Pro", "Common First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes" and many more.

Do you need to sell your home so you can buy your dream home, but are worried that it won't sell? My company offers a Guaranteed Sale program. We will buy your home if it doesn't sell in 120 days. For more information, go to http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/GuaranteedSale.html.

Are you tired of searching the Internet for your home? Wouldn't you like it done for you automatically? My FREE home finder service takes all the work out of it for you by sending you all the listings of your choice via Email on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Just go to http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/FreeHomefinder.html to sign up!

Whether you want to buy now, in six months or in a year, a Buyer Consultation with a professional REALTOR® should be the first priority of your home search. First time buyers, investors or long-term homeowners will all benefit from my one-on-one home buyer consultation. It's custom designed for you and your needs. You can learn more about my Buyer Consultation at http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/BuyerConsultation.html.

Are you curious about how much they paid for the house that sold down the street? You can get that information by requesting the FREE report from http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/SoldCompsReport.html.

Want to know how much your home is worth? Sign up for a FREE Market Analysis at http://www.whittierwelcomesyou.com/FreeCMA.html.

I hope you find the information at www.whittierwelcomesyou.com useful. If I can ever be of assistance to you with your real estate needs, please feel free to contact me.

The other night one of the agents in my office stated that we are now in a sellers' market for homes under $400,000. I had been coming to that conclusion slowly, but it really became apparent when he said it.

Here are the facts for homes selling in Whittier, CA:

• Well-priced homes under $400,000 are receiving multiple offers. I have seen many of them over the last 4-5 months, and they are increasing. I wrote an offer on one property that had over 33 offers. My buyers made a full price offer, but lost to someone with $100,000 down and a higher price.
• Whittier inventories are reducing. Total properties for sale in the City of Whittier have gone from 888 residences on May 25, 2008 to 757 residences on September 13, 2008. Less selection means that more people will be bidding for fewer properties.
• REOs are selling faster than other properties, if priced reasonably. If priced low they will receive multiple offers.
• Homes in good condition that are not REOs or short sales are very difficult to find.

First time buyers are coming out of the woodwork. They see that now is the time to buy. The $7,500 tax credit is a huge incentive. The Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac takeovers actually turned out to be good for buyers because they caused interest rates to fall near or below 6%, depending on the type of loan. So these first time buyers now realize that they can buy a home; and the homes they can afford are typically below $400,000.

Real estate recoveries usually start at the lower end of the market. Has a recovery just started, or is this just a temporary change?

We are still seeing a buyers' market for homes above $500,000 in Whittier. If homes in this price range start selling like homes under $400,000, then we may very well be on the way to recovery.

Bob Willis, Realtor®
Prudential California Realty
16218 E. Whittier Blvd.
Whittier, CA 90603

Phone: (562) 639-9400

Email: bob@willisrealtor.com

http://myhome.listingbook.com

I attended an estate sale in Palm Park on Sunday, at 11067 Lorene Street. I was there as the Realtor®, greeting any people who seemed interested in purchasing the home. Since the focus of the estate sale was to move the items inside the house, and not the house itself, the Realtor® station was in the back yard, out of the limelight.

Lorene Street is a very quiet street, with well-kept homes throughout the neighborhood. It is, indeed, one of the hidden gems of Whittier.

This home is still for sale, by the way. It is a beautiful home, and, with 1,463 square feet of living space, it is larger than the average home in the Palm Park area. Originally a 3 bedroom home, one of the bedrooms was enlarged and converted into a large den adjoining the living room. A second fireplace was also added to the den area, as well as a second bathroom. It is a great home for entertaining guests, whether inside the house in the living room/dining room/den, in the screened back porch or in the neat back yard.

This house has gotten a lot of attention lately, so I expect it to sell soon. Wouldn't you like to buy this beautiful home? If so, give me a call!

Do you have an estate and a house to sell? I work with a local estate sale company that will handle the sale of the furniture and household items. I would be happy to explain to you how my marketing program works, not only to sell a house with an estate full of goods, but to sell any house in this market.

Bob Willis, Realtor®
Prudential California Realty
16218 E. Whittier Blvd.
Whittier, CA 90603

Phone: (562) 639-9400

Email: bob@willisrealtor.com

http://myhome.listingbook.com

Many buyers tell me that they are waiting for prices to go down. In other words they are going to buy when the market hits "bottom".

The problem is, you won't know when the market has hit "bottom" until it starts rising again; and you realize that you missed the "bottom". If you wait to buy, then it means that you will be waiting for the time when everyone else wants to buy. Instead of being the only buyer for your dream property, now you are bidding against several others. Like an auction, the prices start rising.

The best time to buy real estate is when prices are going down, not when they are going up.

Today's market offers many advantages:

• Less competition now. More competition later.
• Lots of inventory = better selection.
• Very low interest rates. You get more home for the money at current low rates.
• Long term investment.
• Sellers are more cooperative.
• Tax advantages.

It's a buyer's market! Two years ago you would have had to pay full price, or over full price, to buy a home. Today it's your turn! Prices have come down tens of thousands of dollars. You can pay less than the asking price, ask the seller for closing costs, and get your terms. Why wait for this market to turn back into a seller's market? Buy now while you have the leverage!!!

The bottom line is, if you find a home that you want to live in for at least five years, then buy it now. Don't wait for prices and interest rates to go back up!

Are you ready to buy your first home, move up to a better home or buy an investment property?

Call me today for a FREE Buyer Consultation!

Bob Willis, Realtor®
Prudential California Realty
16218 E. Whittier Blvd.
Whittier, CA 90603
Phone: (562) 639-9400
Email: bob@willisrealtor.com

Search for your home online at http://myhome.listingbook.com