ActiveRain MasterMinds - January 2011 - the teams answers are in! Let's check them out....... OK, our first monthly challenge for the ActiveRain MasterMinds Team Challenge is underway! All teams have posted their answer/solution for this month's issue: If you're wondering what the ActiveRain MasterMinds is all about, you can read about it here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2027027/activerain-masterminds-be-a-part-of-the-powerful-mindshare-effort-in-2011- Here are this month's Teams that have entered: bRain Power Rain Godesses Mind Masters The Dream Team Synergy Golden State Stalwart Six YOU CAN READ THEIR ANSWERS TO THIS PROBLEM IN OUR INDUSTRY HERE: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2078990/activerain-masterminds-january-2011-how-do-we-improve-the-short-sale-process- Watch for the jud... 02/03/2011

Congratulations to our Winner for January: Stephanie Williams 1,500 Bonus Points!! This month's "Liar" posts were from featured members: Jeff BelongerDonna FoersterRosalinda MorganKym Tarr Stephanie guessed ALL 4 weeks correct this month! Each month if there is one member who has the most correct guesses, they will receive 1,500 bonus points. If there is a tie, each member who ties will receive 1,000 bonus points each. Once again, thank you Praful Thakkar for your assistance with the tabulation. Our next game will be posted in just a few minutes, right after this post. That game will end on the following Friday. Watch for that post of "2 Truths and A Lie"!! If you haven't played yet, then try this month! It's alot of fun and a great way to meet some of the other members on ActiveRain an... 01/30/2011

HAFA eligibility now includes vacant properties..............here's the facts........... Some recent changes to the HAFA program in regards to vacant properties have made the eligibile pool of borrowers who qualify just a bit larger. Prior to the changes, a property that was not owner-occupied for 90 days for reasons other than a required job relocation of more than 100 miles for were not eligible for HAFA. With the new changes, previously owner-occupied properties which have been vacant or rented for up to 12 months may be eligible as long as the seller has not purchased another property during that time period. The new guidelines are effective Feb. 1, 2011, and are not eligible on loans owned or guaranteed by government owned or sponsored entities including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FH... 01/27/2011

Interest Rate Update - 01/23/011 Home mortgage rates changed only just a bit this week.  The 30-year fixed rate mortgage rose a little, while the 15-year rates fell slightly. Hey, if you can pay off your mortgage in 15 years, now's the time to do it!! I have quite a few clients who paid off their 30-year mortgages early, some by even a decade merely by adding to their principal payment each month or even once or twice a year!     Los Angeles Homes For Sale Los Angeles Condos For Sale Los Angeles Townhomes For Sale 01/23/2011

I'm sorry, but the "A" for "Active" status on the MLS does NOT mean.................... "A"sk me and maybe I'll tell you if I feel like it. "A"fter I make up my mind if I really should change the status, maybe I will "A"dvertising that the property is still available so that I can fish out more buyer leads "A"t the time, it seemed like a good idea "A"fter I get an answer from the bank, then I'll change it "A"sk me, and I'll probably lie to you and say I forgot to change the status "A"fter I accepted an offer in writing, I really wasn't sure if they were good buyers, so I'm leaving it for now "A"fter the buyer removes contingencies, I'll think about it "A"ll this time I thought my assistant was supposed to change it "A"dd that to my To-Do list   I can't tell you how many times over the p... 01/22/2011

Many people who are now renting or leasing in the Studio City area are beginning to wonder whether or not this is a good time to go ahead and venture into home ownership by buying a home or condo. The strategy can often be a smart one, because those who invest in a home enjoy not just the pride and security of home ownership but also some potentially valuable perks that are not available to those who lease or rent.   Buying a home offers the chance to build equity, for instance, whereas renting or leasing only creates a financial benefit for the landlord – who uses your monthly rent to pay his or her own mortgage and create their own financial wealth. Meanwhile apartment rents are going up significantly in California.   Statistics related to the commercial real estate sector, for exampl... 01/21/2011

Enjoy a round of golf at the Studio City Golf Course in Studio City, California! There you can enjoy the afternoon playing a round of golf at a 9-hole par-3 golf course with its green and plush landscape. The Studio City Golf Course is located at 4141 Whitsett Avenue, Studio City, California 91604. The golf course is situated in the middle of Studio City (between the Valley and Hollywood). For more information regarding the Studio City Golf Course please visit the link below: http://www.nileguide.com/destination/studio-city-california-44/things-to-do/studio-city-golf-course-inc/368718 What great entertainment for people of all ages! CHEERS 01/07/2011

Enjoy the evening at the Wine Bistro in Studio City, California! There you will get to experience fine French cuisine at its finest. This amazing charming and quaint bistro opened it doors in 1972. The owner Jean-Bernard L. Torchon saw the need for a French restaurant, since back then nobody ever heard of French food here in Los Angeles. It became an overnight success and has been appreciated throughout the years by many who have stepped foot into this great little Bistro! For more information regarding the Wine Bistro please visit the link below: http://www.winebistro.net/About.html What a great and delicious way to spend the evening! CHEERS 01/07/2011

Pay It Forward - January Reporting Post OK, Pay It Forward Angels, this is where you will write your SINGLE comment with the link to your Pay It Forward posts for January. IF YOU MISSED THE REPORTING POST FOR DECEMBER, OR STILL NEED TO REPORT YOUR DECEMBER POSTS, HERE IT IS: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2003011/pay-it-forward-december-reporting-post We have 5 Sundays falling in January, so you will need to post the links to your 5 posts here. I've created a sample on the first comment below to give you a template.   Los Angeles Homes For Sale Los Angeles Condos For Sale Los Angeles Townhomes For Sale   01/04/2011

Homes In Los Angeles For Sale-Studio City Home Search-Studio City is located in the southeast San Fernando Valley. Highway 101 is the major freeway linking the area to Hollywood and the western valley. Access to other parts of the city is also provided by Laurel Canyon Blvd, Coldwater Canyon and Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevards. Ventura Boulevard is where the bulk of its commercial activity resides. Search the Studio City MLS right here for FREE-No need to log in to search the Studio City Home Search. You can search by price, rooms or map. All listing are up to date. Copyright © 2010 By Stephen Munson-Munson Realty Southern California Real Estate –Homes In Los Angeles For Sale*Homes In Los Angeles For Sale-Studio City Home Search* 12/21/2010

There is often a lot of confusion with various boundaries in Los Angeles and particularly in the San Fernando Valley. This next series of blogs will help define the boundaries of various neighborhoods. MAP OF STUDIO CITY BOUNDARIES View Studio City (STUD) in a larger map   Mills Realty has provided this interactive map, based on the official City Council maps, for your convenience. Buyer and Seller are advised to check the official LA City Council maps to determine the actual boundaries of the various communities. Links to all San Fernando Valley BoundariesArleta, Burbank, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, Hidden Hills, Lake Balboa, Mission Hills, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacoima, Panorama City, Reseda, San Fernando, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, S... 11/16/2010

Pay It Forward - I helped finance another small business person on Kiva.org this week! I just lent out another $25 of micro financing this week. About 2 years ago, I became a member of www.kiva.org KIVA is an AMAZING online micro-financing organization that helps finance small business people in impoverished countries. It is SO cool. You lend money to people in the different countries, and they pay the money back in installments. Once the money is paid back, you can lend it out again to another person in need to help them start their small business. You can only lend out a maximum of $25 per recipient, and the total amount of the micro-loan is comprised of however many individuals lending the $25 each. To date, I've lent out at least a dozen or more micro-loans of $25, and they have all... 11/14/2010

Congratulations to our Pay It Forward Accountability Angels for October 2010 - 2,500 Bonus Points Our Pay It Forward Accountability Group kicked of their initial month like gangbusters! You really should read the hundreds of kind and thoughtful things our Angels did for people this month! You can see the group's posts for the month or even join our group by clicking here: http://activerain.com/groups/payitforwardgroup The rules are you must post one blog per week about something nice you've done for someone.  It could be anything from making a donation, helping someone in need, re-kindling a long-lost relationship, or as simple as just saying hello to somone you've never met before. The posts are due no later than each Sunday at 9PM Pacific Time.  Your blogs MUST have the words "Pay It ... 11/03/2010

Pay It Forward - Our first donation to KW cares this week. We made our first donation to the KW Cares foundation as new agents. Not too bad, we were the highest bidder for some concert tickets for $170.00, so it was very nice to have something in return for our donation.   10/24/2010

Homes In Los Angeles For Sale- Studio City Property Search-Studio City is located in the southeast San Fernando Valley. Highway 101 is the major freeway linking the area to Hollywood and the western valley. Access to other parts of the city is also provided by Laurel Canyon Blvd, Coldwater Canyon and Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevards. Ventura Boulevard is where the bulk of its commercial activity resides. Studio City earned its name in the 1920s when Mack Sennett moved his studios from a neighborhood known as Edendale (near modern Echo Park) to a property near Colfax Avenue and Ventura Boulevard. His sound stages, Mack Sennett Studios, were later renamed Mascot Pictures Studios, Republic Pictures Studios, MTM Enterprises Studios and today are known as the CBS Radford Studios. Some residents w... 10/19/2010

Meet Jimmy McMillan - The Candidate from "The Rent Is Too Damn High" Party! He is a candidate in the New York governor's race. Althought the race is expected to be dominated by Andrew Cuomo and Carl Paladino, Mr. McMillan sure is causing alot of fireworks along the way!  And alot of laughs too. Check out his recent speech during the debate:   Los Angeles Homes For Sale Los Angeles Condos For Sale Los Angeles Townhomes For Sale 10/19/2010

How do you "Pay It Forward"? - I want to hold YOU accountable.............2500 Bonus Points Per Month I am proposing to put together a weekly blog where our ActiveRain peeps can tell everyone how they "Paid It Forward" this week. Ever done something really nice for someone out of random, genuine concern for them? I want to know about it and share it with everyone. If you are the type that like to blog strictly about business, great.  You can share something that you did for your clients or associates that was a very kind gesture. If you are the type that like to blog about something other than business as a distraction, great.  You can share something you did with your family or friends what was a genuine act of kindness or goodwill. Here is your platform! I want to start an ActiveRain ... 10/10/2010

Putting Zillow to The Test: My $948.60+ Adventure - Day 51 - Update Alright, peeps. So I'm 51 days into my 90-day benchmark with Zillow. Here is my activity listed on Zillow:   Here are my contacts thus far: Contact #1 - Another who wanted me to come to his open house Contact #2 - Same realtor wanting me to come to his open house Contact #3 - A prospect who wanted a showing on my Goodbee St. listing - non-responsive / dead end. Contact #4 - A prospect who wanted a showing on an REO property in my Zillow paid zip code (Yes!) Contact #5 - Zillow Executive asking me how I was doing so far (I'm flattered!) Contact #6 - A prospect who clicked through to telephone me to inquire about the same REO property in #4. We were doing great until I informed him I was not the listing agent, and he beca... 10/01/2010

AAA Credit Screening Services - A great, affordable, reliable credit screening service. I used to get all of my credit screening done by the mortgage brokers that I work with. But then, when I needed to get a credit report for a lease client, my mortgage broker told me that they do not run credit reports for lease clients any more, just for those who were looking to obtain a loan on a property. So that led me in the direction to find a credit screening service. I found AAA Credit Screening Services. I've been using them for about a year now, and they are GREAT! I have a very simple, half-page credit request form that my prospective tenant fills out, and after I email it to AAA Credit Screening, I get the credit report back within 2 hours or less! They are really great.  It costs about $... 09/05/2010

Just when I thought I've seen it all, then I see this. A friend of mine sent me this video.  I had thought that I've seen just about every stupid pet trick there was, but this is actually quite amazing. I mean this "dance routine" lasts about 3-4 minutes!  To see a dog do something like this is actually kind of mind-blowing to see they have the capacity to remember such a long sequence. Anyway, I though you all would enjoy:   Los Angeles Homes For Sale Los Angeles Condos For Sale Los Angeles Townhomes For Sale     09/02/2010