Riverside Realty

Time-saving tips for a successful backyard fall cleanup

Tips to ensure a successful backyard fall cleanup effort—and to get a head start on next year’s growing season. ake those leaves. Once the snow or the rain falls, an unraked layer of leaves can get matted down over the turf and smother it all winter long. Raking helps avoid dead patches
in the spring.

Feed the grass. Using a slowrelease fertilizer allows the grass to soak up nutrients
and—just as important— spend the cool days and nights of autumn recovering from summer heat and stress.

Weed all about it. Weeding in the fall is probably the most valuable thing you
can do to prepare for spring, and it’s one that many people overlook.

Aerate. Heavy use throughout the summer can cause soil to become compacted. Perforating your lawn with small holes helps reduce compaction and lets water, air and fertilizer get down to the soil, which strengthens the grass plant’s root structure

Water trees and shrubs. Dehydration during the colder months is an all-toocommon
cause of tree damage, but it’s easily preventable. After they go fully dormant—but before the ground freezes—use a soaker hose or root irrigator to water them thoroughly.

Riverside Townhouse LP: $260,000

Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2
Lot Size: 1,152
Pool: Y

Property Description:
3 Bedroom 2 Bath Townhouse With Attached Garage.
Private Court Yard, Close To Ucr.
Great For First Time Buyer. New Carpet Throughout, Decorator Paint New Lighting And Fixtures. Inside Laundry, Community Pool And Clubhouse. Located On A Quite Cul-De-Sac StreetFeatures: Association Club House,Association Pool,Cc And R's,Cul-De-Sac,Homeowners Association,Main Floor Bedroom,Turnkey

Riverside Condo Lease: $900

Bedroom: 1
Bathroom: 1

Features:	AP,AJ,PT,CR,GC,AH
	Association Pool,Association Spa,Association Trash Paid,Cc And R's,Gated Community,Homeowners Association
LP Excl:
Description:	Perfect And Convenient Location Near Shops, Restaurants And Close To U.C. Riverside! Corner Unit In Gated Community With Pool And Spa! Granite Countertops, All New Appliances, Designer Tile In Kitchen, Bath And Entry!

The City of Riverside News

Riverside Master Plan
Planning for the future

The primary goal of the Master Plan is to create a map of improvements for today and for the next twenty years that reflects the desires of citizens and business leaders. The Master Plan lays out strategies for preserving the core characteristics that make Riverside unique, while improving the portions that detract from the community's vision for a better future.

Every recommendation within the Master Plan came from the citizens of Riverside. There were, of course, differing opinions and life-perspectives on many issues, but even where there were disagreements the challenges often times lifted the dialogue to a more thorough evaluation. It is the intent of the Master Plan to synthesize the hundreds of pieces of good advice into a comprehensive strategy for governing Riverside in the coming years. Learn more about citizen involvement and the planning process.

The City of Riverside has tremendous potential. The outpouring of community support demonstrated throughout the master planning process makes this a very promising moment in the City's history. With proper consideration and guidance from City officials, Riverside can have more amenities, provide a greater variety of shopping choices, protect its natural resources, and build a community that is proud of its character. Overview a summary of the Land Use Vision.

Is it time to stop filling your Landlord’s Wallet?

As a renter, you are subject to the whims of your landlord. They work at their own pace, and improve their property as they see fit. You have no control over the property that you reside in. Do your floors need to be resurfaced or your carpets replaced? Sit around and wait for your landlord to do it. Do your walls need to be repainted? Ask the landlord.

It sometimes feels like you’re living at home with mom and dad again, doesn’t it?

So, its just easier to keep paying rent, right? Don’t forget . . . the landlord can raise rent on you over time.

You can afford your own home!

Unfortunately, most people fear that qualifying for a loan will never happen. This is not true. Competition between lenders has increased drastically, causing them to come up with more and more products. There is likely a product out there to help you afford your own home! You just have to do some work and find the right information.

While owning your own home may take some work, it is certainly worth it

• You can deduct the cost of your mortgage interest from your taxes
• Closing costs involved with the purchase of your home, and property taxes are often deductible
• Historically, real estate prices have been cyclical, but over the long term, prices have generally risen.

Think about it . . . if you pay $600 a month, your landlord ends the year with $7,200 of income from you alone. After five years, that’s $36,000 that you’ve paid out (odds are your rent would have gone up over that period, so the amount you’ve paid out is likely much higher.) From this money, your landlord is not only getting income, but also getting tax deductions, business write-offs, and capital appreciation. You’re busy making him rich! Don’t get me wrong, you did have a place to sleep at night . . .

Okay, so I definitely have an opinion here. Do whatever you can to get out there and find a home to buy! You and your wallet will thank me.

Remember: Make sure you do not stretch yourself too thin with your payments. Buy only what you can afford. Be sure to consult with an attorney or accountant to protect yourself.

Riverside Single House LP: $ 659,000

Bedrooms:	5
Baths:	4.00/
Built:	2001
Square Feet:	3,789
Lot Size:	6,089

View: Y


Property Description:


Lots Upgrades. Granite Counter Tops. Window Wood Shutters. Designer's Tile Flooring. Interior Custom Printed. Gated Community W/5 Acres Park. Walk Trails Sports Courts. Gorgeous Park View. Easy To Access To Fwy 91/15.
Features:
Direct Garage Access,Double Door Entry,Driveway,Dryer,Fire Sprinklers,Gated Community,Home Warranty Plan,Homeowners Association,Lot-Level/Flat,Main Floor Bedroom,Washer,Window Shutters

California June 2007 Home Sales

A total of 38,291 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide last month. That's up 3.6 percent from 36,975 for May, and down 32.8 percent from 56,989 for June 2006. Last month's sales made for the slowest June since 1995 when 36,941 homes were sold. June sales from 1988 to 2007 range from 35,437 in 1993 to 76,669 in 2004. The average is 51,799. On a year-over-year basis, sales have declined the last 21 months.

The median price paid for a home last month was $479,000, down 1.0 percent from the record high of $484,000 for March, April and May. That was down 0.2 percent from $480,000 for June a year ago. The year-over-year decline in median was the first since January 1996 when the then-median of $146,000 was down 2.0 percent from $149,000 a year earlier.

The typical mortgage payment that home buyers committed themselves to paying last month was $2,319. That was up from $2,266 in May, and down from $2,372 for June a year ago, the current cycle's peak. Adjusted for inflation, mortgage payments are 10.1 percent above the spring 1989 peak of the prior real estate cycle.

DataQuick, a subsidiary of Vancouver-based MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, monitors real estate activity nationwide and provides information to consumers, educational institutions, public agencies, lending institutions, title companies and industry analysts. The numbers cover all sales, new and resale, houses and condos.

Indicators of market distress continue to move in different directions. Financing with adjustable-rate mortgages has declined significantly. Foreclosure activity is rising, although foreclosure properties are not yet a drag home on home values in most markets. Down payment sizes are stable, flipping rates and non-owner occupied buying activity is down, DataQuick reported.

All Homes	No Sold Jul-06	No Sold Jul-07	Pct. Chg	Median Jul-06	Median Jul-07	Pct. Chg
Los Angeles	8,844	6,809	-23.0%	$520,000	$547,500	5.3%
Orange	2,982	2,391	-19.8%	$640,000	$640,000	0.0%
Riverside	4,763	2,769	-41.9%	$415,000	$399,000	-3.9%
San Bernardino	3,500	2,008	-42.6%	$366,500	$355,000	-3.1%
San Diego	3,584	3,106	-13.3%	$500,000	$489,000	-2.2%
Ventura	941	784	-16.7%	$614,000	$582,500	-5.1%
SoCal	24,614	17,867	-27.4%	$487,000	$505,000	3.7%

Increasing Seller's Property Value

Understand first of all that there IS a difference between price and value. Price is the amount you are asking for the property. Value is buyer perceived, and this perception of value is influenced by many factors such as location, features, condition, comparison to other purchase option, etc. By attending to details that can have a positive impact on the value, sellers can significantly increase their chance of attracting qualified buyers willing to pay the asking price.

Some tips to achieve a positive impact on value are:

• Perceived size impacts value, even more so than actual square footage. Open floor plans make a room feel bigger than larger spaces with smaller rooms. Showing property that is furniture free, or at reduced clutter, helps to make the space feel bigger.
• Vacancy increases sale-ability. Property is easier to show and easier to sell, and quicker to take possession of when it is vacant at the time it is offered for sale. Evidence of problems to take possession of the property -- such as encroachments, or tenants who wont allow buyer tours -- negatively impact value. Vacancy also helps the buyer walk through the property imagining ownership. Sellers should remove personal trinkets and family pictures as well as being conveniently absent during a buyer tour.
• Cosmetics are important.
  • Fresh paint will always add more value than it costs.
  • Clean or new carpet/flooring adds more value than it costs.
  • Landscaping adds more value than it costs. At the very minimum, make the entrance area neat.
  • If you can, add some colorful flowers and new sod.
• Take care of the obvious! The spot on the ceiling from the roof leak takes thousands of dollars from the perceived value and the offer price.
• Condition affects value. Do a seller's home inspection to identify and fix the problem BEFORE closing. No point holding up your check a few extra days; plus a failed buyer's inspection could cost you the sale. Buyers will often bargain down your asking price to accomodate for property condition and repairs.
• If you can, remodel/update the kitchen and master bathroom. These two areas have a big impact on home buying decisions.
• Strategic renovations impact value and your bottom line. Don't spend more money to renovate the place than you can recapture in value on the sales price.

HOW "AS IS" HOME BUYERS CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES.

Knowing the key reasons many home sellers elect to sell "as is," home buyers can benefit from such sales if they know how to protect themselves.

The best way for a buyer to protect against an unscrupulous seller who "forgot" to disclose a serious but known home defect is for the buyer to include a professional inspection contingency clause in the purchase offer.

Buyers of every house and condominium should include such an inspection clause making the purchase offer contingent on the buyer's approval of their professional home inspector's report. That means, after the home seller accepts the buyer's purchase offer, the buyer hires a professional inspector and then approves or disapproves their written report.

Home buyers should be wary of inspectors recommended by the real estate agent. Such an inspector might be known as "easy" and not a "deal killer." Ask such inspectors recommended by a realty agent about their experience, background and professional memberships.

An excellent credential is an experienced independent inspector who belongs to one of the professional home inspections organizations.

Buyers benefit most when staying in home long term

Given the recent negative press about the state of the residential real estate market, it's understandable that buyers would be reluctant to offer more than the asking price. Yet, some buyers are finding that a list-price offer is not enough. Multiple offers are making a comeback in some markets.

Some buyers in this situation would decide to wait to buy until there are more listings and fewer buyers. A downside of this approach is that waiting in a market that's short on inventory could mean paying a higher price later.

Although appreciation has been flat to negative in many areas of the country, there are pockets of the market -- like the starter-home markets in Oakland and Berkeley, Calif., and Brooklyn, N.Y. -- where there aren't enough homes for sale to satisfy the demand. This tends to put an upward pressure on prices.

HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Does it make sense to pay over the asking price in a market that could soften further? The answer depends on how much over asking you have to pay and how long you plan to own the property.

Some sellers are still pricing their homes low to stimulate buyer interest. In this case, paying over the asking price may not mean paying over market value. Check the sale price of the most recent comparable sales in the area to determine if paying over asking is too much. Your real estate agent can help you with this.

Even if a listing is fairly priced, paying more might make sense depending on your circumstances. If the house will serve your long-term needs and you're confident that you won't be moving for five or 10 years, paying an extra $10,000 is probably worth it. However, if your future is uncertain, it could be risky to pay more than the asking price.

A job transfer that forces you to sell in a soft market soon after buying, could leave you in a precarious position -- particularly if you financed the purchase with a mortgage for 100 percent of the price. Unless you have financial assistance from your employer, you might have to pull money out of savings to cover your selling costs. If the value of your home has declined you might not be able to sell for enough to pay back the mortgage.

Another factor to consider before offering more than the list price is whether the house will appraise for your offer price. Typically, a lender's mortgage commitment is conditioned on an appraisal of the property that substantiates that the buyer is not overpaying. Most lenders require that the appraisal report include three comparable listings from the neighborhood that sold within the past six months.

Due to the general slowdown in the housing market, some lenders are tightening up on their appraisal requirements. Recently, an appraiser who was appraising a property in Oakland's Upper Rockridge neighborhood was instructed by the lender to use comparable sales from the last three, not the last six, months.

THE CLOSING: To protect yourself, include an appraisal contingency in your purchase offer so that you won't risk losing your deposit should you back out of the contract because the property doesn't appraise for the purchase price.

Corona 4 Units Condo Style LP: $ 793,000

Status:	Closed Sale
Units:	4
Price/Unit:	$197,000

Total Bldg SQFT: 3,600
Financial Analysis

Gross Sched Income:	$46,800	Operating Exp:	$5,400	Net Operating Income:	$41,400
Total Annual Op Exp:	$13,374			Monthly GSI:	$3,900
Sep Water Mtrs:	1	Sep Gas Meter:	1	Sep Electric Mtrs:	4
Total Pkng:	6	# of Garages:	0

Property Description:
Condo Style 4U.2Bd Rms,1.5 Bath W/Patio.Premiun Location,In The Heart Of Corona.Walking To Shopping Centers,Schools,Libary & All.Almost Totally Remodeled Recently,New Kitchen,Appliance,Carpet,Paint.Ez Access To 91, 71,15 Fwy.

We know what you are Looking For

You are looking for a bubble proof real estate market. You're sick of wondering and worrying about overvalued markets. You're looking for an undervalued market with potential hyper-growth indicators.

Real estate investing and emerging trends in real estate growth We think we've found the market you're looking for. Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Smart Money Magazine, Money Magazine, Business 2.0, Fortune and literally dozens of other industry sources are unanimous that the market we've found is the rare convergence of undervalued prices, tightening vacancy trends, explosive growth of retirement and other populations, a strong, growing, and diverse economy, massive new infrastructure changes: in short, virtually all the indicators of an emerging hyper-growth area. What's more, we think we've found an incredible value for individual real estate investors who want to own in this unique area. Where is this market? And what are we suggesting you may want to own? Read on, and we'll share our research, including sources, and our conclusions with you. You can decide for yourself. So we agree. The first rule of real estate investing is to buy in an undervalued market. How do you find it? How do you find the next real estate growth area? How do you know if a hot market is protected from a bursting real estate bubble? Where is the next location where the next hyper grown real estate value may occur? What indicators make a city one of the top real estate investment markets?

Successful investors understand that real estate is a game of probabilities, not certainties, and that is why you need to look for probabilities converging before you buy in an area. Taking action as an investor is the most important step. It is also the most difficult. Knowing that all the stars are lining up makes it that much easier. If they are not, don't pull the trigger.What elements and probabilities do you look for? 1. You look for an area of strong demographic growth 2. You look for a strong, growing, and diverse economy 3. You look for an area of growing retirement population 4. You look for new and substantial infrastructure changes 5. You only move into undervalued markets 6. You always acquire a property with strong potential for appreciation 7. You look for tightening vacancy trends 8. You always provide the rental renters prefer

So,I would appreciate having the opportunity to discuss this property with you if you are still interested in selling your property, please call me so that we can arrange a meeting to see how you can achieve your dream of wealth.

Buying Your Dream Home

Even though it’s not easy for everyone to buy a home, it is in fact easier than ever to get a home these days with most lending agencies and banks being more liberal than ever with providing home loans and mortgages. Even if you don’t have a lot of capital or a lot of money to put down, you can still get the home of your dreams at a very affordable price.

A lot of us think that buying a home is a tough process, needing a large down payment, although this isn’t always the case. Buying a home largely depends on your budget. If you put a down payment on your home purchase, it will go towards your overall purchase. The more money you put down on a home when you purchase, the lower your monthly payments will be.

Those of us who don’t own a home live in rental houses and apartments. This can be a worthwhile solution, although your still paying money towards your housing that you could instead be putting towards a home of your own. Owning a home is a dream for many of us, especially when it comes to that dream home that we all hope to own one day. Apartments and homes are great to rent - although most these days will cost you just as much as a mortgage payment - which doesn’t make any sense at all.

Instead, you can easily convert your rental payments into monthly installments towards your own home. All across the United States, you can find of lot of banks and lenders that offer easy to get loans for purchasing your own home or real estate property at low interest rates. With a lot interest rate, you can get the home of your dreams and enjoy low monthly payments.

Keep in mind, you need to choose a loan plan that’s best for you. You can go through bank, through a lender, or use a service online. There are many different ways that you can go, although real estate agents seem to be the most common now days. Good real estate agents will be more than willing to help you get a great deal on the home, at prices that are right for you. Anytime you buy a house, you should always plan ahead, get yourself a real estate agent, and then pursue your dream home.

If you plan your budget and take things one step at a time, you’ll be closer than you think to the home of your dreams. If you choose to keep renting and pay money toward something you don’t own - the home of your dreams will continue to slip away. Take action now and stop renting - find the home of your dreams and put your money towards owning it instead.

Determine The Listing Price

When it comes to buying a home, most potential buyers will use the listing price to as the number one factor to determine the homes that they look at. Even though you and a realtor may determine the asking price, the buyer will determine the selling price. If the price is too high, most buyers won’t give it a second thought - which is why you want to determine the listing price carefully.

If you set the correct price, you’ll notice a much faster sale. Setting the right listing price will also attract more potential buyers to your property as well. You’ll also notice an increase in response from realtors, and receive more calls about the property. The listing price is very important - and it can ultimately determine whether or not you sale your property.

A home can be overpriced due to several reasons. Overpricing is something you want to avoid, as buyers tend to steer clear of homes that have been overpriced. Normally, this happens when a buyer asks a lot more than the home is worth or valued at. Some buyers ask a lot more than the value of the home due to location. Although the location is very important, most potential buyers won’t give the home a second look if they think the price is too high - and more importantly out of their price range.

When you put your home up for sale, most activity will happen within the first couple of weeks. If you put the right price on your home, you’ll notice immediate interest. There are always buyers looking for homes in their price range, waiting for new homes to be listed or homes to be reduced in price. Buyers who are waiting to purchase may miss seeing your home completely if the price is too high.

To determine the listing price of your home, you should always have it appraised before you put it on the market. This way, you’ll know the full value of your home. You can sell it for market value or go a little under, although you should never attempt to go way over the value. In doing so, you’ll miss out on a lot of potential buyers. The home market is very competitive these days, which is why you want your home to draw as much interest as possible.

Keep in mind that realtors really have no control at all over the real estate market, only the plan behind marketing. Realtors don’t determine the asking price - the seller does. You can ask a realtor for advice, although you are the decider of your listing price. If you do things right and take each thing step by step, you’ll set the listing price in the right area and have no problems selling your property.