Southern California Real Estate Video Blog with Scott Himelstein

How we helped Patrick with his real estate needs by being knowledgeable about the process

"Scott was on point, responsive and very thorough. He was very knowledgeable about the process and extremely friendly. He really went above and beyond and made sure that I got my house appraised to make sure that we met my closing date."

-Patrick Landis, Home Buyer

Make the winning offer with these 3 tips

There are many great San Fernando Valley area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at 818-720-9922 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

There are multiple things that could lead to your offer being denied when trying to purchase a home. Today, we're here to give you 3 tips that will help you stand out of the crowd and win a multiple offer situation. Because we're currently in a seller's market, knowing these will greatly improve your chances of getting the home you desire:

Hire a full-time Realtor. This one is the most crucial. We see people all the time who want to work with a family member or friend who do real estate part-time. The problem is that part-time agents don't know the market as well as full-time Realtors and they don't have relationships with other agents. This makes it difficult for them to get an offer accepted.
Submit a clean offer. If you're asking for a closing clause or an excessive amount on a home warranty as part of the deal, it's going to be difficult to get your offer accepted. Also, asking questions about keeping the seller's appliances can hurt your cause. Finally, be aware of the seller's needs - have your agent ask how much time they need to close, whether they prefer a 30-day or 60-day escrow period.
Write a personal cover letter. Simply write a letter about you and your family to the seller, and include highlights of why the property is right for you. We have seen a buyer putting only 3% down win a multiple offer situation against a cash buyer because they wrote a nice letter. It may sound strange, but this is an effective method.

Don't let yourself get beat in a multiple offer situation - keep these tips in mind when making an offer. We can't stress enough the importance of hiring a full-time agent: they have a better understanding of the market than anyone else, are aware of different trends in varying neighborhoods, and know about the schools in a given area. If you are interested in buying or selling a home, give us a call or send us an email. We'd be pleased to assist you.

July Market Update for San Fernando Valley

The year is halfway over, making now an ideal time to give you an update on the San Fernando real estate market. Right now, the market is still very strong, with a good deal of activity from both buyers and sellers. There are currently 3,200 homes for sales, which is up from about 2,600 at the beginning of the year. However, this means we still currently have a seller's market.

At the beginning of the year, we saw homes sell quickly before interest rates went up - which had a leveling effect on the market. Today, rates have fallen back down to about 4.1% for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. That's a solid rate if you're looking to buy a home, and we don't know how long it will be before we see rates rise again.

Another important thing you should know about the current market is that appreciation is not like it was last year, where house prices were jumping at an incredible pace. It is currently at a healthy rate, with properties appreciating at about 1-2% a month. This has brought buyers back into the market, increased demand, and created a lot of multiple offer situations - all of which are great news for those looking to sell a home.

The average time on the market is 39 days - but it is not uncommon to see a home sell with multiple offers within the first week if it is priced right. In addition, many homeowners who either had a short sale or were foreclosed in the past few years are back in the market. They represent a large pool of buyers who have been absent until recently.

As you can see, there are many reasons for buyers and sellers alike to enter the market. If you have any further questions about current market conditions in San Fernando Valley, or are interested in buying or selling a home, feel free to send us an email or give us a call. We'd love to hear from you.

How we helped Cathy sell her home in 1 day by putting our time and effort into the transaction

Scott is really great at what he does. He puts his time and effort into everything! He really makes it a personable experience because he put his time in the neighborhood. He’s very knowledgeable and an all-around guy.
Home Seller, Cathy White