SLO County home sales, median home price increase from last April - Breaking News - SanLuisObispo.com

SLO County home sales, median home price increase from last April - Breaking News - SanLuisObispo.com

San Luis Obispo County 2011 1st Quarter Solds - SFR Statistics

Here are all the solds and median prices for the 1st quarter of 2011 in San Luis Obispo County. These stats are for all single family residents (SFR).

Arroyo Grande – 65 Solds @ $465K Median Selling Price

Atascadero – 51 Solds @ $320K Median Selling Price

Avila Beach – 3 Solds @ $765K Median Selling Price

Bradley – 9 Solds @ $287K Median Selling Price

Cambria – 28 Solds @ $425K Median Selling Price

Cayucos – 11 Solds @ $650K Median Selling Price

Creston – 2 Solds @ $347K Median Selling Price

Grover Beach – 28 Solds @ $277K Median Selling Price

Los Osos – 22 Solds @ $330K Median Selling Price

Morro Bay – 34 Solds @ $400K Median Selling Price

Nipomo – 51 Solds @ $340K Median Selling Price

Oceano – 15 Solds @ $244K Median Selling Price

Paso Robles – 144 Solds @ $275K Median Selling Price

Pismo Beach – 19 Solds @ $720K Median Selling Price

San Luis Obispo – 52 Solds @ $511K Median Selling Price

San Miguel – 15 Solds @ $220K Median Selling Price

Santa Margarita – 5 Solds @ $110K Median Selling Price

Shandon – 7 Solds @ $143K Median Selling Price

Templeton – 14 Solds @ $344K Median Selling Price

San Luis Obispo County – 575 Solds @ $350K Median Selling Price; 

Low = $32,900 – High = $2,995,000

Most Solds = Paso Robles @ 144

Highest Median Price = Avila Beach @ $765K

Lowest Median Pirce = Santa Margarita @ $110K

Please feel free to call me if you would like further explanation on any of these stats, or if you have any real estate questions at all. I simply see my mission as striving to be as helpful as I possibly can to area home owners. I hope these stats provide the information you need to be an informed home seller or buyer.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

805.801.1747

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: FINAL

HERE ARE MY FINAL VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

Home improvement “don’ts”

There are several things you can do that can actually lower the value of your home or make it more difficult to sell. Here are a few rules to keep in mind:

Do it well, or don’t do it at all

You may be tempted to do a lot of work yourself to save money. That’s fine if you know you can do a good job. But if doing it yourself means a sloppy paint job or bubbles in the vinyl flooring, then I suggest hiring a professional. Hiring an expert can often be cheaper and faster in the long run. This is especially important when dealing with electrical systems or plumbing problems.

Don’t over-improve

Any project that raises your home’s value by more than 20 percent above similar homes in your neighborhood should be reconsidered. The reason is simple. Say your home is typical in a neighborhood of $100,000 homes, and you make $50,000 in improvements. Buyers looking for a $150,000 home are looking in neighborhoods where that is the norm, not the exception.

Any project that raises your home’s value by more than 20 percent above similar homes should be reconsidered.

Don’t plan on moving soon if you’re spending a lot

You probably won’t recoup your investment if you plan to move in less than two years. If you plan to move sooner, spend less money and focus your efforts on the most egregious problems. For example, turn a bad kitchen into a decent one rather than a chef’s kitchen.

Don’t make unique improvements

Sure, you may love the built-in bookcases on every wall of your guest room, but prospective buyers will probably view them as a nuisance to tear out—which means they’ll be less willing to meet your price.  Also, avoid remodels that make unusual use of a particular room. Anything that limits flexibility will limit interest in your home.

Don’t create a mess

Make sure your floor plan will make sense when you’re done. Be careful not to make changes that impede the natural flow of the house—closing off halls, doorways, etc. Room additions in particular are often done very poorly. If it looks like something tacked on to the original house, don’t do it. Adding a bedroom whose only connection to the rest of the house is through another bedroom should also be avoided.

As you can see, squeezing every last dollar out of your home sale can be a fairly involved process. But when you consider the end result—a quicker sale and top dollar for your efforts—I think you’ll find that a few well-chosen home improvements are worth both the time and money.

Please feel free to call me if you would like further explanation on any of these topics, or if you have any real estate questions at all. I simply see my mission as striving to be as helpful as I possibly can to area home owners. I hope this special report provides the information you need to be an informed home seller.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Kiwanis of Greater Pismo Beach's 24th Annual Sight Read Aloud Contest

EMPOWERING SUCCESS IN CHILDREN

The Sight Read Aloud Contest began in the late 1980’s as the Nanny Britt Sight Read Aloud.  Nanny Britt, whose real name was Pat Whitaker, created a children’s reading program which she hosted on radio and television.  The reading competition was an extension of her program.

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pismo Beach became an early sponsor of the contest by offering to help organize and fund the event.  When Nanny Britt moved out of the area a couple of years later, the event was in danger of folding.

However, with the encouragement of Dr. Ned Van Norman, then President of the Greater Pismo Beach Kiwanis, the Kiwanis members voted to carry on the tradition of Ned’s favorite club project.  Ned continued to serve as chairman of the event for several years.  When Dr. Van Norman passed away in 1992 at the age of 40, the club renamed the contest in his honor.

In this years contest over 250 students from grades 1 thru 6 competed in this event. All grade levels were randomly divided into two judging sessions because of the large number of participants.  The two first place winners in each grade walked away with $100 savings bonds. The savings bonds were donated by Rabobank, N.A., Coast Hills Federal Credit Union and Santa Lucia Bank.  Plus, each of the top five finishers in each grade were recognized with medals for their efforts.

2011 SRA Winners

This years school participation winners are; 1st Place = Coastal Christian, 2nd Place = Shell Beach and 3rd Place = St. Patrick's .

Individual winners for each grade are as follows;

1st Grade 

1st Place: Chloe Shearer - Dorothy Lange  and Keira Owens-Rinehart - Fairgrove 

2nd Place: Isabella Gallagher - St. Patrick's and Aiden Wolstenholm - Fairgrove

3rd Place: Karina Bernfield - Dorothy Lange and Melody Goldiner - Grover Beach

4th Place: Max Martin - Harloe and Phoebe Mitchem - Ocean View
5th Place: Erika Schiesl - Shell Beach and Lorelai Murray - Grover Beach

2nd Grade

1st Place: Anna Kreowski - Shell Beach and Benjamin Feldman - Dorothy Lange

2nd Place: Hudson Reynolds - Shell Beach and Eliana Nunley - Ocean View

3rd Place: Siona Patel - Shell Beach and Victor Ortiz - Dorothy Lange

4th Place: Magnus Miller - Fairgrove and Jadyn Oates - Harloe

5th Place: Aidan Murphy - Harloe and Anna Salemo - Ocean View

3rd Grade

1st Place: Keyan Patel - Shell Beach and Helena Bolle - Branch

2nd Place: Jasmin Davila - Dana and Hannah Lowry - Shell Beach

3rd Place: Nicholas Flom - Shell Beach and Zineb Kammermeyer - Grover Heights

4th Place: Julliett Villa - Branch and Ethan Zelenke - Harloe

5th Place: Jaden Higgins - Coastal Christian and Kevin Untalan - Oceano

4th Grade

1st Place: Amy Ross - Shell Beach and Lucian Covarrubias Fairgrove

2nd Place: Sarah Yamaichi - St. Patrick's and Hunter Milliman - Shell Beach

3rd Place: Emily Olsen - Harloe and Esmee Sinor - Harloe

4th Place: Samantha Wolff - Coastal Christian and Karla Mejia - Fairgrove

5th Place: Abigail Hermenegildo - Harloe and Elizabeth Osburn - Grover Heights 

5th Grade

1st Place: Rebecca Schwind - Shell Beach and Jordan Schleifer - Dana

2nd Place: Jacob Racho-Luis - Coastal Christian and Julia Graham - Grover Heights

3rd Place: Casey Crouch - Fairgrove and Quin Etnyre - Shell Beach

4th Place: Cassie Mattina - Branch and Emily Osburn - Grover Heights

5th Place: Amina Assal - Shell Beach and Cheyenne Taylor - Grover Heights

6th Grade

1st Place: Jordan Benham - Coastal Christian and Jessica Swope - Dana

2nd Place: Nicholas Soares - Coastal Christian and Aimie Olson - Harloe

3rd Place: Christopher Kight - Fairgrove and Cali Singleton - St. Patrick's

4th Place: Kyle Continente - St. Patrick's and Jacob Benson - St. Patrick's

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all the participants and volunteers that make this annual event so great. The Kiwanis of Greater Pismo Beach's members devote many hours prior too, during and after this contest to make it all happen. A special thanks to Dena Van Norman, Ned’s wife, who has remained involved in the program since her husband’s death. She was a judge at this year’s event along with Ned’s mother, Susan Daughtry. Both ladies are teachers in the Santa Maria-Bonita Unified School District.

Without volunteers like this, our community wouldn't be as great a place to live as it is today. THANK YOU!!!!

Erich Salas

Co-Chairman

www.SightReadAloud.com

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part SEVEN

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home

Trends to watch

A more recent hot remodeling trend is the “great room”—combining the kitchen, dining and         family room into one larger living area. While lagging behind kitchen and bath remodels, it is definitely a trend on the rise. Living rooms, family rooms and formal dining rooms, on the other hand, are diminishing   in popularity.

Another relatively new wrinkle is the home office. With more home-based businesses and more companies allowing employees to telecommute, more people are looking for office-ready space in their homes. A recent survey conducted by Builder magazine found that nearly a third of buyers in their 20s, 30s and 40s plan to use a room as a home office. Other rooms that are showing up on more buyers’ wish lists are exercise and media rooms.

Questionable projects include fireplace additions and installation of elaborate security systems. You can find professionals who will argue for and against both of these projects. But with concerns about home safety on the rise, security systems appear to be moving into the “desirable” column.

Many of these projects are relatively inexpensive and will easily pay for themselves. With some projects, you may not recoup your investment, but you will have removed impediments to a sale. If you don’t take care of things like leaky plumbing, drafty windows or outdated light fixtures, you’re giving a buyer ammunition to use against you during negotiations. 

Erich Salas

The Real Estate Doctor

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part SIX

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home.

Now let’s take a closer look at improvements on a room-by-room basis, starting with your two most important rooms.

Kitchens and bathrooms have long been the top two remodeling projects, and you can expect them to remain so for years to come. They are the rooms that most consistently make or break a sale. A new or updated kitchen, a sparkling bathroom…these are features that help to sell a home.

The kitchen

 If you can get away with a remodel rather than a new kitchen, do it. Because the kitchen is so important, sellers sometimes over-improve them to the point where there is no chance of recouping their investment when they move. Don’t fall into this trap.

Add a new coat of paint, refinish the cabinets and counters, change drawer pulls and handles, install new appliances, put down a new floor—but don’t gut and start over if it isn’t necessary. When adding new appliances, be aware that many buyers consider brand name to be an important factor.

If you don’t paint everything, at least repaint the ceiling bright white. You’d be surprised how much it can lighten up the room. Another great way to brighten a kitchen is to add a skylight.

If you do choose to put in a new kitchen, keep in mind what sells. Buyers are looking for lots of cabinets and counter space, new appliances, and an easy flow between the sink, food prep areas, stove and refrigerator. Think sunny, spacious and clean.

Because the kitchen is so important, sellers sometimes over-improve them to the point where there is no chance of recouping their investment when they move. Don’t fall into this trap.When you do make changes to your kitchen, think sunny, spacious and clean.

The bathroom

New fixtures, wall tile and flooring can make a big difference. If the bathtub is in poor shape, you can replace it, but a less expensive option may be to re-enamel it. If you keep the old tub, at least regrout and recaulk it. A good bathroom remodel or expansion can easily return more than 100 percent of its cost when you sell.

If you’re feeling ambitious, adding a half-bath or second bath to a one-bathroom house is another option to consider, space allowing. Whatever the family size, one bathroom never seems adequate to most people.

A good bathroom remodel or expansion can easily return more than 100 percent of its cost when you sell.

Bedrooms

For most people, the master bedroom is the third most important room in the house. If you have a large home with four or five small bedrooms and the floor plan allows for it, you might consider combining two rooms into a master bedroom. If you have a two- or three-bedroom home and a decent-sized lot, you might consider adding another bedroom.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part FIVE

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home

Don’t neglect the minor details

It’s often the little things that really stand out. If your mailbox is in poor shape, replace it. Varnish or repaint your door if it needs it. A door knocker and brass kick plate can also be a nice addition. Spruce up the entryway with new light fixtures, potted plants and other decorative touches.

With the exception of adding a deck or patio, most of the steps I’ve touched on here can be accomplished in relatively little time and without a lot of money. But the difference in the impression your home makes on prospective buyers will be dramatic.

Ironically, some of the big-budget items you might consider spending your money on will do little to enhance the marketability of your home. Aluminum siding, for example, is prized by some and loathed by others. Hot tubs may or may not appeal to potential buyers. Watch out for changes that you may find appealing but end up limiting your home’s appeal to others.

Besides swimming pools, other investments you probably won’t see a return on are tennis courts and automatic sprinkler systems. Unless they’re for your own enjoyment, don’t waste your money.

One major expense you may have to consider is a new roof. But if you think you can pass the cost along to a buyer, forget it. Everyone expects a good roof, and they’re not going to pay extra for it. And a roof in poor condition can kill a deal quickly.

Making the best second impression

As with the exterior, I’ve found that there are plenty of interior tricks to punch the right emotional buttons in prospective buyers.

In all rooms, certain minimum standards should be met:

These Are The Minimum Standards:

•    Make sure all plumbing and electrical systems are in good working order

•    Repair cracks in the wall

•    Paint—as is the case outside, a fresh coat of paint throughout the house will more than pay for itself

•    Remove wallpaper

•    Replace missing molding

•    Replace cracked or broken window glass

•    Make sure window and door hardware match

•    Install new floor coverings

•    Install new light fixtures

•    Make sure switch and outlet plates match from room to room

•    Upgrade insulation in drafty or hot rooms

As is the case outside, a coat of paint can literally make the difference between a sale and no sale. Be sure to stick to neutral colors—white or off-white. It tends to make everything look new, clean and bright.

Be sure to paint everything: inside closets, cabinets, pantries, etc. If a prospective buyer opens a door and sees dirty walls or shelves, you’ve just wasted the advantage you had gained by painting in the first place.

Like paint, new carpeting should also be in a neutral shade. This helps buyers visualize their own furniture in your home.

Wallpaper, like wall colors, makes a personal statement about the owner’s tastes. Remove it. Buyers want to visualize what they would do with your house, and wallpaper gets in the way of their dreaming.

Many buyers value good wood floors, so sand and refinish yours if they can be restored. Otherwise, you might consider new flooring. If your home is short on storage space, consider how you can add shelving, cabinets or other storage systems to remedy this deficiency. You may also consider replacing windows and doors with more energy-efficient models.

Taken individually, each of the above improvements may not seem like much. But you’ll find that the cumulative effect of fixing even relatively minor problems will be dramatic. A crack in the wall, a carpet stain or a light switch that doesn’t work can send a negative signal that results in the loss of a buyer. I’ve seen it happen.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part FOUR

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home

Landscaping

Another key first impression is made by the grounds of your home. If you can improve the attractiveness of your landscape without spending a lot of money, you can add a good 5 to 10 percent to the value of your home.

Minimally, you should prune existing trees, shrubs and bushes, clean out dead plants and weeds from flower beds and replace them with colorful flowering plants. Because landscaping can become a high-maintenance headache if not done carefully, choose hardy perennials that require minimal care.

If you have a damaged lawn, you may need to take additional steps. The easiest step is to repair damaged sections with new sod. While seeding is cheaper, it won’t produce grass overnight. A good patch job can make for a great quick fix.

Other lawn problems—dead areas due to lack of sunlight or a tree’s root system—can be solved by planting ground cover or creating additional flower beds.

Like a new paint job, a relatively inexpensive upgrade of existing landscaping can bring far greater returns than what you spend. But don’t do anything that would be deemed excessive by neighborhood standards. The idea is to make your home more attractive, not stand out as an oddity.

If you can improve the attractiveness of your landscape without spending a lot of money, you can add a good 5 to 10 percent to the value of your home.

The driveway

Because it’s big, dark, and usually takes up a significant portion of the property in front of your home, a driveway can affect a buyer’s first impressions. If yours is in good condition, make sure you keep it swept and neatly edged where it meets the lawn. If yours is cracked, buckled or oil-stained, fix it. Patching concrete can be a problem because matching color is difficult; tar and asphalt are relatively easy to match. Whatever you do, be careful you don’t create a bigger problem through quick-fix solutions—use high-quality patching materials and sealers.

Decks and patios

These can be popular additions that add value, especially with smaller homes, because they add living space. But make sure that whatever you do is consistent with your home’s architectural style and integrates well with your outdoor areas.

The garage

If your garage has that rough, unfinished look, consider drywall and matching switch and outlet plates. At a minimum, make sure all switches and outlets work. And give everything a good cleaning.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part THREE

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home.

Now let’s take a look at some projects you might consider, beginning with some simple steps that can reap huge dividends.

Catch ’em at the curb

“Curb appeal” isn’t just catchy real estate jargon. It recognizes the fact that many buyers form their first, and often strongest, opinions before they step out of the car. Remember, buying a home is first and foremost an emotional commitment, especially for first-time home buyers. You may have a long list of logical reasons your home is a good catch, but a buyer is reacting emotionally to what he or she is seeing.

Knowing this, you can use a buyer’s emotions to your advantage. First, take a good, hard look at the first impression your property makes. What do people see? If it’s flaking paint and an unkempt yard, they may be seeing a home that needs a lot of work.

Many buyers form their first, and often strongest, opinions before they step out of the car.

Here are some investments in your home’s exterior that I’ve found through firsthand experience can pay huge dividends:

Paint

It should come as no surprise that surveys show that painting the exterior of your home results in the greatest return on time and money invested when compared to other improvements done for selling purposes. An investment of $1,000-$2,000 can mean adding $3,000-$4,000 to your asking price. And if you can do a good job yourself, your profit is even greater.

Even if your home doesn’t need the full treatment, check the trim around windows and doorways for cracking or peeling, and do any necessary touch-up work.


Erich Salas
The CA Real Estate Doctor

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part TWO

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home.

Planning is everything

If there’s one piece of advice I would give every homeowner regardless of the circumstances, it’s this: Plan first, then do. Careful planning on your part is a prerequisite to undertaking any home improvement project, major or minor. In fact, the quickest way a “minor” project balloons into a major one is when you haven’t thought things through in advance. I’ve seen more people get in over their heads because they didn’t think things through before starting work.

Whether you hire someone or do the work yourself, expect to spend more time and money than you initially anticipate. But by choosing well, you can ensure that the work you do adds the greatest value at the lowest cost.

Be methodical. Try breaking your list into “exterior” and “interior” projects, then break it down further by room or outside area. Decide which projects you’re going to take on yourself and which will require outside help, and then do a rough cost estimate for each job.

One rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if you do the work yourself, you’ll probably recoup more than what you pay out for some improvements. You can probably save anywhere from 10 to 30 percent by removing hired labor from the equation. On the other hand, you might pay more for work done by professionals, but the improvements can speed up the sale of your property.

The quickest way a “minor” project balloons into a major one is when you haven’t thought things through in advance.

Whether you should tackle the work yourself or hire professionals depends on several things. Do you have the time? Can your friends or relatives help you, or are you going to do it all yourself? How skilled are you and your helpers in the task at hand?

You may decide to split the job—the contractor does the major work and you do the finishing. Doing at least some of the work yourself can still save you money. Whatever you do, the key lies in doing it well. If that means hiring a professional, do it. A poorly done job can do you more harm than good.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Squeezing Every Last Dollar From Your Home Sale: Part ONE

HERE ARE VITAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT WHEN YOU PREPARE TO SELL YOUR HOME. READ THIS REPORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

A Special Report Prepared By Erich Salas

How To Maximize Your Return When You Sell Your Home.

The “secret” to making top dollar when you sell your home isn’t really a secret at all—I’ve been “revealing” it to my clients for years. But because it involves a lot of discipline and elbow grease, many people decide to cut corners. And that’s when the price you could command begins to drop. 

Do not be one of those people. During my years in real estate, I’ve seen countless examples where well-considered, well-placed investments of time and a little money have dramatically improved the sales price and increased the speed in which a home has sold. 

My report will show you how even minor home improvements can substantially improve the value and marketability of your home.  In today’s economy, there are no guarantees that you will recoup what you spend to improve the value of your home—all the more reason it’s important to pick the right investments. 

But even when you don’t recoup all the money you invest to upgrade, many improvements can give you an important edge over other homes on the market. And the failure to make some improvements can leave you at a distinct disadvantage as buyers compare your home with the competition. Believe me, I’ve seen it happen time and again.

Spend time before you spend a dime

Unless your home is in mint condition or you’re selling it as a “fixer-upper,” there’s probably a long list of repair or remodeling projects to consider. These can range from relatively simple jobs, such as painting a bathroom, to more complex room-addition or remodeling projects.

In considering any home improvement project, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions: Why are you doing it? Is it work that really needs to be done—a paint job or replacing a leaky roof? Or is it an amenity you’d like that you think might appeal to a potential buyer—a hot tub or home office addition, for example. Will it add value to your home, or have no impact at all? Or will it make your home more difficult to sell?

Some investments—like painting and yard work—involve relatively little cash outlay and yet return many times your cost. Other improvements that you think add value have no significant impact. Adding a swimming pool is a good example. Besides the hassles of maintenance, a pool can reduce your home’s appeal among families with small children because of safety concerns.

Erich Salas

The CA Real Estate Doctor

The Truth About Real Estate Advertising - How do you choose a Realtor®?

(Without making your decision by default)

In the typical scenario, consumers choose a Realtor^® by opening the paper, seeing a house they’re interested in and calling the agent who advertised the house. And before they know it, that person has become their real estate agent – by default.

Remember, regardless of who advertised a house, all real estate agents have access to the same information. That means you can call any agent and they will be able to tell you about the house being advertised. It also means that if you choose your agent based solely on a house he or she advertised, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. You wouldn’t select a doctor or lawyer or any other professional without getting to know who they are first, would you?

By keeping these three points in mind and meeting with several agents who meet the criteria, you will choose an agent that’s right for you and your individual needs.

1. Look for indicators of success

Today’s leading Realtors^® aren’t those running house ads or classifieds, but those who have a strong marketing presence with high-quality, personal marketing materials. According to consumer research, there are three traits you should look for in an agent: High-quality personal marketing materials, a personal brochure, and a seller’s questionnaire. High-quality marketing materials are full-color, professionally designed and printed on thick stock paper. Collect personal brochures from local agents, read them, and narrow them down to a short list of agents to meet with. Also, make sure each agent provides you with a seller’s questionnaire. While it will help them determine what you’re looking for, even more importantly, it’s an indication that they provide quality service.

2. Make a personality match

When you meet with the Realtors,^® look less for qualifications – after all, all licensed agents are able to do the same things – and focus on personality fit and your ability to relate to them as a person.

3. Make sure they understand you

An agent is only going to be as good as their understanding of your needs and desires. Make your intentions clear and specific. Then listen up to ensure they are on the same wavelength and that they are confident they will be able to cater to your specific needs.

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Erich Salas

Comparing 2 REO's in Nipomo Both Listed at $209,900.

Here is a preview of two REO's listings right around the corner from each other in Nipomo.

This is 197 E. Knotts Street in Nipomo. 3bd, 2bath, approx 1380 sq ft.

This is 244 E. Price Street in Nipomo. 3bd, 2bath, approx 1220 sq ft.

Both these house are located on the east side of hwy 101 near Nipomo Elementary.

The CA Real Estate Doctor
Erich Salas

The Truth About Real Estate Advertising - Myth No. 4

Myth No. 4 - Working with many Realtors^® gives you more exposure to the marketplace.

(The first three myths have been geared toward home sellers. This fourth myth is addressed to buyers.)

It’s actually kind of comical. When consumers do not understand how the MLS works, you’ll often see them bouncing from agent to agent hoping one agent will magically find the perfect home at the perfect price within an hour of meeting them. If only they knew – there is a better way.

Because all agents have access to the MLS, the best approach to selecting real estate representation is to allow one agent to get to know you and your needs. I’ve always believed that the better I get to know you and to truly understand your needs, the better chance I have  of helping you find the right property.

Furthermore, if I know I have your loyalty, I will be much more willing to do more and go out of my way to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. When an agent doesn’t have that loyalty, they often don’t invest the same effort into the home search, and for good reason.

Rather than rush you into my car, I prefer to have my clients complete a “Buyer Questionnaire” before we look for any properties. The questionnaire allows me to get to know you better and to better understand your needs and desires in a property. Then, once I have done sufficient research, I will present properties to you and take you to those you find worth investigating further.

If a Realtor^® attempts to immediately put you in the car and look at properties, be careful. They’re hoping to “win the lottery” by having you fall in love with a home emotionally without analyzing your actual needs. Often this leads to hasty decisions and buyer’s remorse just months later when the new homeowners realize the house they bought, while charming, may not be the best fit for their needs. Meanwhile, the real estate agent has cashed their commission check.

You want to avoid Realtors^® who operate from such a “sales mentality.” Today’s leading agents treat their careers like self-owned businesses, which means they take pride in forging long-term relationships that dictate they always act in the clients’ best interests. They’re not in it for the quick hit. For instance, I’d much rather be a trusted source of information and sell you three or four houses throughout the course of our relationship than make a quick buck never to hear from you again.

The CA Real Estate Doctor

Erich Salas

The Truth About Real Estate Advertising - Myth No. 3

Myth No. 3 - The best Realtors^® will personally have a buyer for my house.

One of the biggest fears in consumers’ minds is that they will list their home with a real estate agent who doesn’t bring any buyers to view their home. The reality is that’s actually the best-case scenario.

When selling your house, what you want to look for in a Realtor^® is a listing specialist. A listing specialist’s plan is to “sell” or expose your house to other Realtors,^® using the MLS to market your home, and basically making your home the focus of his or her activity. If the agent you choose is constantly out showing homes to buyers, they don’t have time for the networking that will expose your house to buyers throughout the region.

When you meet with agents regarding listing your home, make sure they have a plan for other agents to see your home. Evaluate the quality of materials they create for their listings. Research their reputation in the community and in the industry. For a listing specialist, a good reputation will cause other agents to preview your home more willingly and more often. This will maximize exposure for your home, and that’s exactly what you want from your Realtor.^®

^{The CA Real Estate Doctor}

^{Erich Salas}

The Truth About Real Estate Advertising - Open Houses

Myth No. 2 - Open houses will sell your home.

Selling a home is perhaps an even more stressful process than buying a home. First of all, you’re going to have many Realtors^® vying for your listing. They’re going to try to tell you all the great things they’ll do to sell your home. Chances are many agents will try to tell you how much they’ll advertise your house in house ads (which we’ve already dismissed as useless), and they’ll also try to convince you by pulling out the old signs from their trunk and promising an Open House every weekend until the house sells.

Now, let’s see how closely you’ve been paying attention. Remember how house ads only serve the real estate agents’ interests? Now, think about an Open House. What does it bring into your home? It brings a steady stream of people interested in buying a house – not necessarily your house, mind you, but interested in some house in the near future. And as a Realtor^® always on the lookout for the next client, it sure is nice to have people practically wave their hands and say, “Hey, look at me. I’m interested in buying a house and I don’t have a Realtor.^®”

Basically, the Open House is another lead-generating tool for Realtors^® that requires you to leave your house for a day while complete strangers take an unsupervised tour of your house and possessions. The truth of the matter is less than one of 10,000 people who walk into an Open House actually buy the house. It requires a great sacrifice on your part while providing very limited results.

Erich Salas

www.ErichSalas.com

Nipomo Elementary Schools Pre-Valentine's Day Taste L'Amour Fundraiser

This year's 2^nd Annual Taste l'Amour Wine Tasting & Gift Expo which was again hosted at Trilogy in Monarch Dunes offered everything last year's event did and more! Not only did everyone enjoy more wineries, more artists, more raffles to win and more one-of-a-kind gifts to buy, they also enjoyed the satisfaction of being part of the first organic gardening project for Nipomo’s grade schools. 

Inspired by the success of the event's premier in 2010 and encouraged by a deluge of compliments from both attendees and vendors, event organizers Jackie King with Barefoot Gardens and Ahly Mueller decided to step it up a notch this year and turn the free-admission event into a paid-admission fundraiser for their fledgling Nipomo Grade Schools Organic Garden Project.

So this year, with the invaluable help and support of Trilogy at Monarch Dunes, they decided to charge a $10 entry fee and raised over $2,100 through admissions and raffle ticket sales.” Event creator Jackie King says, ”Nipomo grade schools are the only ones in the county that don't have vegetable gardens for their students.” King, who is mother to her own Nipomo grade schooler, adds, “We want to help create grade school gardens for our community's kids to enjoy. They should have the same opportunities to have fun and learn about organic gardening as any other kids.”

This program aims to raise enough funds to fully finance the establishment of organic gardens at Dorthea Lange, Dana, and Nipomo Elementary Schools by the spring of 2013—that includes providing the materials, soil, and compost for raised beds as well as the first season's seeds and vegetable starts for the kids to plant. They will enlist the help of eager volunteers and the schools’ own 

parent-teacher organizations to help with the distribution of the funds.

The following is just a partial list of the local businesses that have made generous contributions to the schools by offering items and services for the event's raffles:

Jocko’s Steak House, Antonio’s Ristorante, Tanner Jack’s, Pi Whole Pizzeria, Me-N-Ed’s Pizza, Gibson Brothers BBQ, Laetitia Winery, Roblar Winery, Firestone Vineyards, Wood Winery, Per Bacco Cellars, Seasons Nails & Spa, Massage by Bill Morby of I’ve Got Your Back, Ruda Chiropractic, Gateway Picture Framing, Gerald’s Olde Thyme Chocolates, Ada’s Sweet Delights, The California Bee Co., La Bella Olives, Art of Flowers, Cloud 9 Design

Artists:

Sandra Johnson, Joe Tomei, Lorraine Cody, Glass Fusing by Ruby Glass, SLOCO Data and Printing, The Halcyon Store, Tierra Landscape Company, Lone Pine Nursery, Cherry Lane Nursery, Sweet Harvest Hydroponics and Organics, Barefoot Gardens Landscape Consulting and Design, GROW YOUR OWN Organic Garden Coaching for the Dirty Masses!

Thank's to all the support from everyone in this great community of ours!!
Erich Salas (Volunteer)