Hey friends, between the presidential election. competitive colleagues, and the nastiness of the online "negative nellies", are you overwhelmed by negativeness all around you?  Are you unfriending people right and left on your FB page?  Maybe we can each take a moment of self-reflection and THINK before speaking.One way I do this is by LOOKING FOR THE GOOD in others.  Of course we all have downfalls and imperfections, but make it a habit to intentionally SEARCH for something nice about every person with whom you interact.  Reach out and recognize your similarities, give a compliment, or simply point out the positive.  Becoming a positive person is a STATE OF MIND developed through the habit of repetition.Assume the best in people.  Don't be so quick to take offense.  Allow a measure of ... 10/16/2016

Home ownership may mean learning how to do repairs yourself.  It may mean finding reliable contractors.  It may mean calling your brother-in-law, the handyman, to come help you in exchange for a barbecue dinner.  Buildings and yards require maintenance, so you are going to have a little bit different attitude.  When something needs to be repaired, you cannot just call your landlord any more.Maintenance should be done on a regular basis.  Things that need to be replaced should be put into your schedule: such as, clean the rain gutters; replace leaky water faucets and toilets; check, repair, and replace the roof; replace the hot water heater, replace worn-out light fixtures; put in new appliances; clean vents and heating ducts; and check water pressure.Most repairs can be avoided simply b... 09/18/2015

Article as published in The San Diego Realtor® magazine, pages 20-21.by Regina P. BrownHistoric homes, often built over a century ago, capture the essence of a significant time period in history, or were inhabited by famous people.  Vintage homes are revered for their character, charm, and unique style.  Buyers seeking to purchase historic homes are searching for buildings that whet their architectural, scenic, cultural, or visual appeal.Historically designated buildings, whether occupied or vacant, are carefully preserved and thoughtfully restored to the original carpentry.  Architectural styles include Georgian, Colonial, Victorian, Early California, Romanesque Revival, old world Spanish, Federal, and Greek Revival.Following are some of the features to look for in historic homes.EXTER... 11/04/2014

I know what you are thinking right now.  You are saying, “I have a zero down payment loan with 100% financing.  Why do I need to save money?”  Well, even if your loan is financed 100% by the bank, you may have closing costs, inspections, and reports.More importantly, you will need to put down an earnest money deposit to open escrow, which is typically $1,000 or sometimes even more.  This gives the sellers “good faith” that you will perform as agreed.  I would suggest saving up at least $2,000 for a zero-down loan, and you will need to save even more if you have a loan with 3.5% down, 10% down, or 20% down.Want to know another good reason to start saving your money?  With some loans, the lender will want to have assurance that you can pay your mortgage every month.  They may require that... 08/26/2014

A comfortable kitchen layout sets the atmosphere and determines the workflow. Spacious U-shaped and circular shaped kitchens offer more cooking room, counter space, and often a breakfast bar. L-shaped counters are often combined with an island or peninsula. Traditional galley layouts are being scrapped in favor of bright, open kitchens that allow cooks and guests to chat while preparing meals and entertaining. A lavish kitchen is uniquely custom designed with a well-appointed layout. To find out more, here's our book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HQDM034   SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! You can be a celebrity! We are now accepting YOUR original photos for inclusion into our next book and on our web site. They must be pictures that you have taken, which demonstrate any of the house lingo terms. For... 02/13/2014

Many home buyers made financial sacrifices to be able to purchase their home.  Amazingly, over 42% of home buyers made NO sacrifices at all!  The sacrifices were listed as: Cut spending on luxury items or non-essential items Cut spending on entertainment Cut spending on clothes Canceled vacation plans Sold a vehicle or decided not to purchase a vehicle Earned extra income through a second job Read more in our book, "Buy Your First Home", http://tinyurl.com/cs4724e. What is great about America? It is the American Dream, of course. It is the idea that we are in control of our own destiny, free from harsh government sanctions as in some other lands.  It is the rights and the freedoms that so many other countries do not have. Sometimes we take our basic values for granted, including home ow... 09/14/2013

Do you know someone who is currently applying for a mortgage loan and looking for the lowest mortgage rates? By forwarding this article, you will be doing them a huge favor! Finally a free daily report which offers complete transparency regarding mortgage rates by showing the actual market activity which influences the direction of mortgage rates. All Real Estate Professionals & Consumers are advised to stay informed about interest rates and learn THE TRUTH BEHIND MORTGAGE QUOTES to insure the best financial decisions are being made without the distraction of marketing gimmicks. Whether you're a newbee, market analyst (or somewhere in between), keep yourself informed of where mortgage interest rates are going (and why) by subscribing to this complimentary daily update. The Mortgage Stre... 07/31/2012

SOI stands for Sphere of Influence.  It’s a circle of people you know.  The more people you know, the more closings, and the more paydays you’re going to have. Here’s our little graph to illustrate our Sphere of Influence: The red center of the circle is the hot circle.  The hot circle encompasses people that you know really well.  Those are the people that you have the most influence over.  It includes immediate family members, close friends, daily and weekly contacts.  These are people that you know very well and stay in touch with on a regular basis, maybe a couple of times a week. The middle orange ring which is what we call the warm inner ring.  Those are people that you know and that know you, but they’re not influenced by you on a daily basis. And the circle around that is the ye... 07/22/2012