Michael Gilbert

Deciding to sell your home in Calabasas, Woodland Hills

www.michaelandirenehomes.com

Deciding whether or not to sell your home can be a trying time. Whether you live in Calabasas or Woodland hills or Hidden Hills, many questions pervade your mind. "Is inow the best time to make a move?" "Will I make money from the sale? "Will a move disrupt my family's routine?" There are numerous facts that come into play when making this decision.

First and foremost, can you afford to make a move? In many cases home values have dropped where some homeowners are owing more than their home is worth. If you have the means and need to move, it's a perfect time to buy. Interest rates are low and prices are at their lowest. If you wait for your home to regain more of its lost value, you will be missing a golden opportunity in this Buyers' Market.

A strong Buyers' Market does not necessarily mean that deciding to sell your home in Calabasas, Woodland Hills and outlying areas means that it is not a good time to sell your home. Likewise, a strong Seller's Market does not necessarily mean it is a bad time to buy a home. Contact Michael Gilbert and Irene Failla. We can help you with your decision. We are in the field every day. We know the local housing market in Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Hidden Hills and the outlying areas.

This week we have received so many requests from first time buyers looking to buy. They are so aware that now is the time to buy because of the great prices, low inventory and interest rates. Get on the band wagon and call us!

Thank you everyone for the fabulous feedback on how we can help you sell your home as a short sale and the information we send to you. We are certified as short sales experts by the National Association of Realtors. Our booklets are in demand.

It is time to buy a house in Calabasas and Woodland Hills

www.michaelandirenehomes.com

If you're into bottom fishing, now may be the time to start searching for a home.  In the last 20 years the market has gone through several cycles. How many times have you said to yourself  "Damn, why didn't I buy a home then"?  In 5 years you may be saying, "Damn, if I had just bought in 2011".  Prices are just moving along the bottom and interest rates are really low. Those  are the perfect ingredients for buying NOW. Have we reached bottom?  Am I going to wait for the bottom to hit?  Are you going to wait to find the market's bottom and miss out on LOW interest rates?  Low interest rates are so important to the cost of your deal. You might think you can snag a great deal by lying in wait, hoping that the owner will get desperate enough to take your low ball offers. But if interest rates rise maybe 1% during the time you wait you will end up shooting yourself in the foot. So what are you thinking? It's time to buy a house!

I have not met anyone who can time the market perfectly or has that crystal ball. It's hard to tell where the bottom of a market is until PRICES START GOING UP!  But guess what.  All the stars are lined up now for buyers. It's time to buy a house.

If you think snagging a short sale is the best way to buy a house, think again.  Rescuing underwater borrowers through a short sale; such deals can take months to approve.  Remember that the existing lender  has to agree to the underwater price that the buyer offers.  Foreclosures that are listed are often more realistic  about the value and are move along faster.

When it's your time to buy a house, look for what the real estate industry calls 'battered histories'.  That usually means one of three things: The home has been on the market for 90 days or more, the seller has cut the price numerous times or the house has had other offers that have fallen out of escrow. That's why you need an experienced broker to represent you and who knows the area and the history of these homes to guide you in writing an offer. Michael Gilbert and Irene Failla have the experience and knowledge.  

Its time to buy a house and if you are looking in the Calabasas, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Tarzana, Hidden Hills, Encino and Sherman Oaks areas, our expertise and experience will put you at ease.

FOR A COMPLIMENTARY STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO SHORT SALES, GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION!   www.michaelandirenehomes.com

Homes, Real Estate and Foreclosures in Calabasas and San Fernando Valley Areas www.michaelandirenehomes.com

As Californians struggling with 12 percent unemployment are trying to hang onto their mortgages, there may yet be signs of hope on the horizon. According to numbers just released, foreclosure activity in the state and Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Hidden Hills, Tarzana, Encino and good outlying areas dropped 14 percent last year, compared with a 2 percent drop in the rest of the nation. Home prices in California and areas like Calabasas and outlying areas hit bottom in April of 2009, and have risen incrementally since then. The first state to show signs of the housing crisis, California now may be the first to recover. Analysts caution that demand for housing is still weak- but does this news signal a first step on the road to recovery?

In Calabasas and the outlying areas (Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Agoura, Westlake Village, Encino, Sherman Oaks) many of the listings are foreclosures and short sales. Here is the opportunity to increase the inventory with good houses that are a REGULAR sale. There are not a lot of great listings! So sellers' chances to sell their home will increase in this market.

Yes, I know there is no crystal ball and NO ONE knows what direction the market is going. But take a look at the inventory in your area. www.michaelandirenehomes.com .

Did you know that the majority of interest -only loans nationwide were written for loans in California. It was the only way to finance these overpriced CA homes in 2006, that was 5 years ago

Buying a home in Calabasas and the outer areas makes good financial sense.

Lower home prices have improved affordability. In fact the percentage of renters who are worried that the cost of housing is getting so unaffordable that they will never be able to buy a home has decreased steadily since 2007, from appx 63 to appx 57 percent.

Despite improved affordability, 79 percent of home buyers still consider having enough money for down payment and closing costs to be among the biggest obstacles to buying a home. Another obstacle is a lack of confidence in their ability to be approved for a loan, reported by 73 percent of perspective home buyers.

The good news is that Americans are seeing more stability in the Real Estate market.

Michael Gilbert and Irene Failla are experienced Real Estate Brokers in The Calabasas and outlying areas of Woodland Hills,Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Agoura, Malibu, Hidden Hills and Westlake. Let their experience and knowledge of Calabasas and the outlying areas guide you - The BUYER -toward responsible, sustainable home ownership in today's market by helping you purchase a home in the Calabasas or any of the outlying areas. Search on our website - www.michaelandirenehomes.com.

Inventory is low and believe it or not Calabasas and the nearby areas like Hidden Hills ,Woodland Hills,West Hills, Agoura and Westlake have low inventory. It's a great time to put your house on the market!!! Buyers are looking for good houses in great locations such as Calabasas, Hidden Hills and Woodland Hills.

PLEASE VISIT www.michaelandirenehomes.com