Avoid El Niño Damage

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Meteorologists predict El Niño and heavy rainfall will approach Southern California this winter and spring. Today, we compiled some tips to prepare your home for the serious, upcoming weather!

• Fix leaks. Dry heat may have caused wooden structures to shrink and open up, which creates leaks. Call your roofer today to avoid any leaks during inclement weather. Often, leaks occur at metal connecting points, so rid your roof of debris.

• Clean your gutters and downspouts. Again, clear debris from this area. Do it again after the first rainfall of the season. Seal up holes.
• Invest in a generator. If your neighborhood is vulnerable to power outages, this could be a wise investment for your family.
• Paint the exterior wood trim of your home. Paint cracks can carry water directly into the wood. It could cause termite invasion, mold, or dry rot.
• Examine your window glazing compound. Pull away from the glass paint. Loose paint can allow rain to penetrate your windows. Don’t let rainwater into your home.
• Check your balcony and deck slopes. Water should flow away from walls and instead, directly into drainage systems. Water shouldn’t touch the structure of your home.

If you have any questions about this topic, or if you would like real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to contact. We would love to help you out!

Patience, Understanding, and Knowledge Make a Difference

"This particular buyer in Porter Ranch was pleased at how quickly we responded to her calls, texts, and other inquiries about the progress of the home purchase. She admired our patience, understanding, and knowledge of the local real estate market here in Porter Ranch. 

She was very confident with our service, and cannot wait to recommend us to other home buyers in the area.

Thanks for choosing to work with our team!" - Scott

Why Has Your LA County Property Tax Bill Increased?

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Has your property tax bill increased? Do you know what you can do about it? Do you know why your property tax has gone up? Today, we'll answer those questions for you.

Fueled by an increase in home sales, the assessed value of all taxable property in Los Angeles County rose 6% this year. That's the largest jump since 2010 and that's what the county assessor reported last month.

Los Angeles County released a report on the 2015 assessment roll. Taxable properties were valued at a net total of 1.26 trillion dollars. That's a 73.1 billion dollar increase from the previous year. The tax roll is strong. Last year, every city in Los Angeles County experienced increased home sales compared to last year.

The assessment roll also reported on over 2.3 million taxable property parcels, 318 pieces of business equipment, 46,000 boats and 3,100 aircrafts. Each year, the county assessor must evaluate all residential and commercial properties. Taxes levied off 1% of the assessed value of the property. Under Proposition 13, the assessed value of a property can never increase more than 2% unless it's sold.

The majority of homeowners in LA County will see a 2% increase in the value of their homes. San Bernardino County will see an increase of 5% in home value, surpassing their previous high in 2008. In LA County, property sales were the biggest factor in the increases in the assessment roll, as we saw a 3% jump in home sales from 2014.

This report continues the steady upswing in property values that began in 2010. From 2007 to 2010, the assessment actually declined and homeowners saw a decrease in value. About 200,000 properties haven't fully recovered. These properties are mostly located in the northern part of the county, but there has been an increase in value in LA County.

If owners disagree with their new assessed value, they may file an appeal before November 30. We can assist with that. We don't charge anything. If anyone tries to charge you to file the appeal, you need to know that it is illegal to charge for that and report them. We will provide you with comparables to appeal your home value.

Go to the assessor's site to get the petition form. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

The Value of Going Above and Beyond for Clients

"Recently, the Himelstein Group helped Ann and Carol move into a beautiful new home. Ann was not looking forward to find a new house; she has friends who have had really bad experiences buying and selling real estate. 

A big part of Ann and Carol's success was due to our expertise and knowledge of the industry. We helped begin the search, market their home, negotiate with other agents, and every other aspect of the process. Our ability to get things done smoothly went a long way toward put their minds at ease!

Ann believes that the respect we've earned from the community helped our dealings with escrow officers, loan offices, other agents, and lenders. Our relationships with those people went a long way in facilitating the process for her! 

We went above and beyond Ann and Carol's expectations by being helpful in more ways than they expected. Things like setting up a trustworthy loan officer and making sure they got a wonderful insurance plan really made the experience one to remember. 

Thanks to our contacts and industry expertise, Ann and Carol never had reason to question what we were doing. We created an environment of trust so that they never had to stop and wonder whether everything was going according to plan. An added bonus, they said, was my sense of humor and friendliness!

After our experience together, I'm happy to call Ann and Carol my friends. Should they move again in the future, we'll work together yet again!" - Scott