The PIN Magazine West Coast Edition | October 2020

OCTOBER 2020 Vol. 07 | Issue 10

Are REO Properties a good deal in real estate? Page 52

yvonne mcfadden Realtor at DeLex Luxury Realty Page 46

should californians hope for more covid cash? Page 10

Have You Read Our Past Issues Yet? the power is now

magazine WEST COAST EDITION Vol. 07 | Issue 10

Eric Lawrence Frazier, MBA Publisher Office: (800) 401-8994 Ext. 703 Direct: (714) 361-2105 eric.frazier@thepowerisnow.com www.thepowerisnow.com EDITORIAL team Sheila Gilmore Editor in Chief (800) 401-8994 ext. 711 sheila.gilmore@thepowerisnow.com Daniels George Managing Editor (800) 401-8994 ext. 712 daniels.george@thepowerisnow.com Goldy Ponce Arratia Graphic Artist and Design Manager goldy.ponce@thepowerisnow.com

CONTRIBUTORS The Power Is Now Research Team

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The PIN Magazine™ is owned and published electronically by The Power Is Now Media, Inc. Copywrite 2020 The Power Is Now Media Inc. All rights reserved. “The PIN Magazine” and distinctive logo are trademarks owned by The Power Is Now Media, Inc. “ThePINMagazine.com”, is a trademark of The Power Is Now Media, Inc. “Magazine.thepowerisnow.com”, is a trademark of The Power Is Now Media, Inc. No part of this electronic magazine or website may be reproduced without the written consent of The Power Is Now Media, Inc. Requests for permission should be directed to: info@thepowerisnow.com

contents POWER TECHNOLOGY Pg. 20. here’s what you need to know about Virtual Property Management Pg. 22. Facebook marketing tips for real estate agents

POWER GREEN Pg. 8. At last the greenest budget ever: House advances a bill that dedicates money to green infrastructure, blocks environmental rollbacks POWER ECONOMICS Pg. 10. Should Californians hope for more Covid cash? Pg. 12. American Dream Downpayment Act: A bill that could potentially revive the American Dream of Homeownership POWER REAL ESTATE Pg. 14. Millennials just saved the housing market! Pg. 16. What most coastal agents do not want to agree: A coastal exodus! POWER LENDING Pg. 18. What if? Just what if Biden wins. What happens to Refi Fee? 4

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VIP AGENTS Pg. 26. How to sell a fix and flip property quickly in Arizona Pg. 30. Tucson Arizona named among the five best cities to invest in 2020 Pg. 34. With so many real estate investment strategies, how do you choose the right one? Pg. 36. Your guide to vacant property investment: Tips and tricks Pg. 40. Here is a quick guide to finding foreclosed properties for sale Pg. 42. Riverside Real Estate Market overview and forecast for 2021

Pg. 46. The Power Is Now Media, Inc. now in the West, East and Central, to make sure you never miss out on anything!

Pg. 52. Are REO Properties a good deal in Real Estate? Pg. 56. Struggling with buyer leads? here are tricks to try out Pg. 58. The best streams of business for Real Estate agents Pg. 62. Try these five open house tricks out for massive lead generation Pg. 66. The best ways to ask a client for referrals Pg. 70. How much does home inspection Cost and how to plan for it. Pg. 72. Should you join a Real Estate investment club? Pg. 76. Commercial Real Estate investing trends in 2020: What’s new? The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Pg. 78. How to choose a Real Estate agent when buying out of State? Pg. 82. A step by step process on how to rent your home Pg. 88. Things I wish someone told me earlier on how to succeed as a your Real Estate agent Pg. 92. In which phase of the housing market cycle should you invest in a rental property in Los Angeles? Pg. 95. Is timing the market a real thing? Pg. 98. Pasadena Real Estate market overview Pg. 102. When is the right time to invest in Real Estate? 5 signs to watch out for Pg. 105. Be cautious! 7 things that will drastically affect your mortgage rate Pg. 108. Five easy ways to save for your down payment in Richmond 2020 POWER LEGAL Pg. 110. California’s proposal for its own

CFPB back on track Pg. 112. CFPB proposes a new category of qualified mortgages: Seasoned QM POWER MORTGAGE Pg. 114. FHFA extends the foreclosure and eviction moratorium for a thirs time to December 31 Pg. 116. Mortgage rates remain relatively stable despite the FED news. Here’s why POWER COMMUNITY Pg. 118. Fare Thee Well: Former California Assemblymember Gwen Moore passes away POWER HEALTH Pg. 120. How to heal emotional wounds after disaster

Every Other Friday

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Promote Your Listings Online Call me for more information Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA (714) 361-2105 eric.frazier@fbol.com www.thepowerisnow.com

Your voice is your brand! Increase lead generation, and give you the POWER to close more deals!

FROM tHE EDITOR

O

ver the past three months, this is one of the quotes that has been buzzing in my head, and it just can’t seem to stop. I love it because it reminds me that the road ahead is long, and there is still much to be done. Why do I say this? My vision starting out back in 2009 was just to be a ‘real estate company.’ Looking back, wow! What a journey!

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why.” Mark Twain.

Finding your purpose in life, to me, is the most outstanding achievement you could ever accomplish. Have I found mine? I believe I am on my way there, probably halfway there… still marching on! My vision for The Power Is Now Media Inc. has always been a real estate powerhouse and the number one resource for the real estate agent. Each day I rise, I have to remind myself of that vision, which means I have to align myself to meeting and to make that dream a reality. What is your purpose in life? Have you found your purpose? Let me know on our social media handles. I would love to hear it from you. Why am I talking of purpose anyway? And I know some of you might be thinking, “when will he get to this month’s issue?”; but hold on, it will make sense to you. The idea has always been to take The Power Is Now Media to the national level, and that means, in each state, we have an agent or a representative. This month, we are making it happen by introducing The Power Is Now East Coast edition, The Power Is Now West Coast edition, and The Power Is Now Central Edition. Folks, I am so excited by this, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Who would have thought that we would be here right now? This, for me, is a dream come true, and when I see something like this, I am reminded that I am truly on the right track towards accomplishing the task you gave me. To be your homeownership ambassador. Speaking of ambassadorship, I am pleased to announce that Yvonne McFadden will be our ambassador on the West Coast and will be the new host of The Power Is Now Homebuyer Townhall on both The Power Is Now TV and Radio Networks, and also the editor in chief of The Power Is Now West Coast edition magazines. On the other hand, Emerick A. Peace will be the new host of The Power Is Now Homebuyer Townhall on both The Power Is Now TV

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The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

and Radio Networks and the editor in chief of The Power Is Now East Coast edition magazines. Lastly, Steve Peterson will lead The Power Is Now Central edition. Folks, it’s about to get exciting, and I hope you are in for an experience like no other. Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming shows. To learn more about these great agents, flip the pages, and find our cover story for this month as we have detailed each agent quite clearly. This month, we have brought you some interesting news and developments that have been happening throughout the month to keep you informed. Learn about the upcoming elections and what might happen to the REFI Fee if Joe Biden wins the elections. Besides, did millennials help power up a market rebound, months after the COVID-19 fueled market crunch, find out more, and also if there are any hopes for more COVID-19 cash for Californians. In our real estate segment, we have featured the

Arizona, Riverside, and Pasadena Markets. Find out more. Of course, our magazine would not be complete without the nuggets for real estate agents, sellers, and buyers. This issue is filled with tips and tricks and tons of advice from industry experts to ensure that you do not miss out on anything. Please take a moment to read and share this issue. If there is a story you feel has touched you in one way, do let us know, I would love to hear it from you. With this note, I send you sunshine, warmth, and autumn fun for your entire family. Remember, “we are at our best, and we maximize our success when we act now.” The Power Is Now!

Eric Lawrence Frazier, MBA CEO and Founder The Power Is Now Media, Inc.

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At last, The Greenest budget Ever: House advances a bill that dedicates money to green infrastructure, blocks environmental rollbacks

The environment plays a vital role in sustaining life. All living organisms on the face of the earth need a healthy, clean, and a better environment to boost their adaptability and enhance their chances of survival, human beings included. Having this in mind, it becomes the obligation of every living organism to take care of the environment they live in. Human beings being the ones with the bigger capacity to think, should be at the forefront in conserving the environment.

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nfortunately, humans’ tendency to pollute and over-use resources provided by nature never ceases. Humans, the species trusted with conserving the environment, have instead been playing a role in ruining it. In the 21st century, environmental issues have significantly skyrocketed to new heights. This calls for immediate action if we want to increase the human kind’s chances of survival. We often forget that the well-being of the environment affects millions of jobs and the health of people worldwide.

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The third-largest country in the world, the U.S.A, has many times emerged among the top contributor and as well victims of environmental pollution. Among the top environmental issues felt in the U.S include; soil pollution, air pollution, waste disposal, deforestation, global warming, depletion of natural resources, ocean acidification, and nano pollution. Despite the threat environmental pollution poses to human societies, solutions are rather being developed at a slower rate, than we would

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Among the key environmental issues covered by the funding bill include: • Emergency funding for many of the infrastructure proposals in the Moving Forward Act (H.R.2). This includes $10.2 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. • The bill blocks the administration’s efforts to: »» Open the Tongass National Forest to logging. »» Drill oil in the Arctic Refuge. »» Expand offshore drilling. »» Weaken protections on toxic mercury and arsenic emissions. »» Open the Boundary Waters to toxic pollution from sulfide mining.

like them to. One of the most significant steps in fighting environmental pollution is providing funds to implement safety measures. America is doing it, let’s give credit where credit is due. Recently, the House Appropriations Committee approved funding that was meant for several significant environmental programs on July 10, 2020. These significant environmental programs are part of the FY21 funding bill for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI).

www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

In a statement, the director of federal government affairs for Environment America, Bart Johnsen-Harris termed the funding bill as the “greenest budget in recent memory,” and applauded the leadership of the House under Chairwoman Nita Lowey and Betty McCollum. The statement added that significant EPA programs and the agency itself have been “chronically underfunded for years.” He added that the budget would make up for the lost time and help in removing the backlogs for clean drinking water and clean water infrastructure. The bill also stretches further to protect the environment by “blocking a number of damaging rollbacks that the administration has been advancing.” “Environment America will fight for this bill to become law. This is the kind of green budget we have been waiting for,” Johnsen says in the statement. This indicates that America should prepare to experience an improved environment in the coming days. Works cited https://environmentamerica.org/news/ame/statementhouse-advances-greenest-budget-recent-memory.

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ore than eight months down the line, the virus is still with us. Meanwhile, reports from WHO continue to indicate that the virus is not going away soon. The stimulus funds from the government have dried up, as the government’s eviction moratoriums expire. The situation seems hopeless. The questions many people are asking right now is whether they should expect any more stimulus funds from the government.

Should Californians hope for more Covid-19 Cash? The government has been doing all it could to cushion its people and the U.S economy all it could. We can applaud them for that. Government stimulus funds came that prevented many businesses from dying, and a significant population was prevented from starving and were able to pay rent. But the persistence of the pandemic is proving all these government efforts futile. 10

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However, the situation is not entirely hopeless. The government is debating on how to issue another round of stimulus relief. The next package is estimated to have a $1 trillion plan known as the HEALS Act. The Republicans and Democrats are debating over the shape that the next round of relief should take. The two sides seem to be most divided over what should replace the previous $600 unemployment benefits. The Democrats want the weekly $600 weekly checks extended until at least the end of 2020. On the other hand, Republicans advocate for the weekly benefits to be slashed to $200 through September. After that, states would then use a system in which the state and federal benefits combined would compensate 70% of the worker’s previous income. Until an agreement is reached, Americans who lost their jobs will continue to rely on their state benefits, if there is any. In California, lawmakers are considering establishing their own $600 weekly benefits to its unemployed residents if Congress doesn’t reach an agreement. At the end of July, the federal moratorium on evictions passed in the CARES Act expired. This risks having millions of Americans evicted from their homes and rendered homeless. The Urban Institute estimated that the covered nearly 30% of the country’s rental units. Before the moratorium ended, the White House economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, had said that the moratorium would be extended. The motion on extending the eviction moratorium is before Congress, and still, they have not reached an agreement. Despite all this, there is a clear indication and hope for another round of relief funds from the federal and state governments. Meanwhile, let us continue observing the set public health measure as we hope for a vaccine to be revealed soon. Works Cited https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/03/600-unemployment-checks-are-gone-soare-eviction-moratoriums-what-relief-could-be-coming-next.html. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/24/stimulus-checks-how-soon-to-expect-asecond-round-of-1200-payments.html.

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The American dream of homeownership has never been a walk in the park. Just like other success stories, it comes with its hurdles. One of the cosmic limitations that prevent many people from achieving the American dream of homeownership is down payment. For ages, the down payment requirement has been the difference between owning a home and paying rent.

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recent survey by the Urban Institute shows that more than two-thirds of renters termed down payment as the ma jor barrier to owning a home. Saving the money required for the down payment is a hurdle to many low-tomiddle income Americans. However, there is hope! On August 4, 2020, Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced the American Dream Down Payment Act of 2020. This bipartisan legislation will significantly help prospective home buyers save for a down payment. The Act would help home buyers save for a 20% down payment by creating special tax-advantaged savings accounts that Americans can use for down payments and other specific housing costs. The accounts would work in the same way as the popular 529 Plan accounts that help people save post-tax money for future educational expenses. “As the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate our nation’s economy, it is getting even harder for many folks in Alabama and across the country to 12

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American Dream Downpayment Act: A Bill that could potentially revive the American Dream of Homeownership put money away in savings and to work toward the American dream of owning a home,” Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Banking & Housing Committee stated. “Down payments are the biggest barrier to homeownership for first-time homebuyers, especially among low-income and minority Americans, and make it harder to build generational wealth that is often tied to homeownership. Our legislation would provide a new path to help make the dream of buying a home a reality by making it easier to save money for down payments and other housing-related costs.” Once passed, the American Dream Down Payment Act would: The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

• Let individual states establish American Down Payments Accounts, which will be managed the same way as the 529 plan accounts. • Allow Americans looking to become homeowners to save up to 20% of the housing cost today. This amount would be indexed for inflation and used eligibly for down payment and other housing costs. • Encourage long-term savings for the down payment and allow contributions from family and friends. • Allow homebuyers through their American Dream Down Payment Account savings and earnings to use those funds tax-free at withdrawal for eligible expenses. To ensure maximum protection of the American Dream Down Payment Account holders, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would be required to set standards for the investments of eligible accounts and allowable fees. The Down Payment Act has support from the National Association of Realtors, National Association of Real Estate Brokers, and the Habitat for Humanity. www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

Significance of the Down Payment Act

Becoming a homeowner is the critical factor in building and passing wealth on to your next of kin. Unfortunately, achieving this has always been a problem for many Americans due to the difficulty in saving for a down payment. With the rapidly rising cost of living, it can take years for a middle-class American to save for a 20% down payment. Due to this, some Americans have resulted in believing that they will never own a home. On the other side, we should not turn a blind eye on the existing racial disparities in homeownership rates. The gap of homeownership among people of color,

especially African-Americans, is significantly wide compared to the whites. However, the American Dream Down Payment Act aims to make homeownership accessible to all Americans, regardless of their race. The saving facilitation from the Act will see many people, especially middle-class Americans, become homeowners within a short period.

Works cited. https://www.jones.senate.gov/ newsroom/press-releases/senatorsdoug-jones-and-cory-gardnerintroduce-the-american-dream-downpayment-act-of-2020.

Millennials just saved the hou sing market! Millennials helped power the market rebound The long-time perennial home renters, who were regarded as reluctant or unable to buy houses, are now resurfacing as the driving force behind the recent U.S housing market recovery. Housing demand from millennials, who are today aged between the mid-20s and late-30s, has had significance to the housing market witnessed since the middle of the last decade. However, more recently, this new category of homebuyers has had more influence in the housing market than older generations.

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ccording to Realtor.com, the group first accounted for more than half of all new home loans at the beginning of last year, which they also retained in the first months of this year. Millennials made up 38% of homebuyers in the year that ended July 2019. This number was up from 32% in 2015, according to the National Association of Realtors. Elsewhere, according to data from Pew Research Center, millennials surpassed baby boomers as the largest living adult generation in the U.S last year. According

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to per, the largest cohort of millennial births occurred in 1990, meaning that they turn 30 sometime in 2020.

“We anticipate as they turn 31 and 32, we’ll just see home buying demand grow,� said Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corp. Kushi also added that millennials are likely to be responsible for at least 15 million home sales in the next decade. The current millennial homeownership trend challenges the years of projection by experts The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

after the 2007-09 recession. Experts had speculated that millennials would be stuck renting perpetually, impeded by student loans, and careful of the housing market after the foreclosure crisis. The housing growing demand mainly comprises younger millennials, who are now entering 30s and starting to buy homes more actively. This trend is more in line with the ages of the groups that preceded the millennials (the baby boomers and Generation X) began to buy homes.

“Millennials, they’re roaring into homebuying age,” the chief executive of mortgage lender New American Funding, Rick Arvielo said. “What the industry’s been talking about for a decade is whether they’re going to follow their predecessor generations in terms of their desire to own homes,” he stated, adding, “Yeah, they do—they have the same desires.” Home sales remained on the path of recovery in July, facilitated by younger buyers. This saw sales of previously owned homes surge almost 25% in July to their highest seasonally adjusted annual rate since December 2006. Reports from NAR indicated that 34% of sales in July were from first-time homebuyers, up from 32% last year. Demand for homes is growing among Americans of all ages due to low-interest rates, www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

and the growing desire for more space as the COVID_19 pandemic has compelled more people to spend more time at home. However, many millennials, especially parents of young families, have additional motivating factors. Also, buying a home is cheaper than renting in the long-run in most parts of the U.S. A healthy housing market can be a positive indicator for the economy since home purchases come with increased spending on furniture, appliances, and remodeling or renovations. As the demand is growing, home builders have also responded to it by increasing their activities. Some experts have pointed out that the strengthening housing market is the driving force for the country’s stock market resurgence, despite the continued effects of the pandemic, such as unemployment. Meanwhile, it is not guaranteed that the millennial’s robust demand will last for long. The current recession has served a ma jor financial setback for millions of young workers who lost their jobs amid the pandemic. The significantly high unemployment rate among millennials is a possible cause that could affect their home buying rate in the future. Work cited. https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/ millennials-help-power-this-yearshousing-market-rebound/

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What most Coastal agents

don’t want to agree: A Coastal Exodus!

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here is an upcoming thread recently where most San Francisco and Bay Area people are relocating away from the coastal areas to more inland places. This results from the growing need as city dwellers forced to work from home due to the ongoing pandemic are looking for more spacious homes. This movement has posed the question, is this a coastal exodus? However, agents in the San Francisco and Bay Area differ with what we’re seeing. HousingWire approached some agents from the area to speak to them about what they’re experiencing in their respective markets. According to them, there’s no coastal exodus everyone is talking about. A general manager and broker associate at Century 21 Real Estate Alliance, Romeo Aurelio, stated that the exodus is actually in the rental market since San Francisco comprises 70% renters. Aurelio added that July 2020 sales surpassed the July 2019 sales.

“There’s been such a pent up demand here in the Bay Area, where before the pandemic we received 10, 15, 20 offers on properties,” Aurelio said. “Now during the pandemic, things did take a bit of interest because it was such an unknown, but because interest rates have stayed so low and ended up in demand. Even though there’s maybe a little bit more inventory right now it’s actually making our markets even stronger. So on the sales side of things, things are absolutely fantastic.” However, the story is told differently

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The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

on the other side. According to Hanna Ibrahim, an agent specializing in the San Jose and Silicon Valley markets, the number of listings, pending, and escrows give a different indication. “The fact of the matter right now…we have approximately 370 [listings] pending, that’s a huge amount, that’s quite a bit pending,” Ibrahim said.

“It is extremely hot,” Ibrahim said. “There is a lot of purchases going on and offers. Based on the agents that we have and the escrows that we have, [the market] is still going strong, despite the news and negativity we hear about the exodus.” On the other hand, Kate Davey, a leading agent with Century 21 and specializes in San Jose and Silicon Valley, it feels like “la la land” in her market currently as her clients are selling their smaller homes for more spacious ones. She adds that she’s having her best year in the business in five to six years.

“Most of my buyers are just buying in bigger homes and staying local, they just realize they need more of a home and a lot more space so that they can continue to work from home,” Davey says. “But, I noticed there’s this big thing about people wanting to leave California, and that could be true, I’m not seeing it. I’m seeing low inventory, people paying more for homes than what they should, in some cases, especially if they are updated home, and I’m encouraging my potential sellers to update during the shelter-in-place because buyers are looking for homes that are done and they can just move their families into their former home.” Both Davey and Aurelio stated that they’re witnessing bidding wars. Davey says that the homes that got the most offers are “priced right, and have a lot of value in them.”

“They’re not seeing the 30, 40, 50 offers... and that’s mostly because we’re not getting 30, 40, 50 people coming in to see the properties anymore, with all the restrictions on being able to get into property,” Aurelio clarifies. “I would say that the quality of buyer has gone way, way up, and the percentage of buyers that are making offers versus coming to see the properties are way, way up.” Work cited https://www.housingwire.com/articles/a-coastal-exodus-these-century21-san-francisco-agents-dont-think-so/

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he Federal Housing Finance Agency recently postponed the implementation of the new adverse market fee on refinanced mortgages backed by the GSEs after an industry outcry. The implementation of the new Refi fee was pushed to December, which is almost a month after the November 3 presidential election. As we all know, both presidential candidates (Donald Trump and Joe Biden) have distinct policies they plan to implement once elected to office. The distinct policies are likely to have different impacts on the financial sector and the housing market.

Obama-era policies that he championed. In general, Biden wants to “strengthen and protect” Dodd-Frank Act provisions in efforts to ensure American’s finances aren’t harmed during a financial crisis resulting from negligent lending or investing, according to a laundry list of recommendations formed through a “unity taskforce” with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Biden also aims to strengthen consumer lending oversight through credit cards and regulate ”usurious” interest rates that may be regarded high for certain regions of the country and borrower demographics. Moreover, he wants to utilize the Consumer

What If?

Just What if Biden wins. What happens to Refi Fee? President Trump has spent a lot of time in office rolling back Obama-era policies and regulations in the banking sector that cracked down on firms since the financial crisis, and policies that the industry regarded as costly and burdensome. Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to undo most of that, backstopping consumers’ finances and rendering depository institutions responsible to prevent the same financial crisis. As much as policies differ between the two candidates, the fact remains that the president cannot control rates. Instead, the market is usually the primary influence over rates, no matter what the president or the Fed wants. Biden’s Agenda Through his campaigns, Joe Biden has promised to reinstate most of the DoddFrank era financial reforms, which are 18

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Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to curb abusive or deceptive lending practices and make borrowing costs transparent by zip code. Biden is also proposing to update the CRA and extend it to apply to mortgage and insurance companies. If former Vice President Joe Biden wins the elections, “all bets are off,” said Stephen Myrow, managing partner of Beacon Policy Advisors in Washington, D.C. Even if FHFA implements the fee, it could be reversed by a Biden administration, who would likely stop plans to recapitalize and release the two GSEs, Myrow added. Works Cited. https://www.bankrate.com/banking/whatpresidential-election-trump-biden-means-forbanking/. https://truenorthtitle.com/what-happens-to-the-refifee-if-biden-wins/.

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

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echnology is reaching new heights in all types of businesses, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The real estate marketing is feeling the impacts of the technological advancements now more than ever since virtual property management became the new normal. With the implemented public health measures to combat the coronavirus’s spread, such as a ban on travel, and social distancing practices, the real estate market had to adapt the situation. All real estate activities had to be done remotely to keep everyone safe from contracting the virus.

What Virtual Property Management can do 1. Deal with clients Communication with clients is a very crucial aspect of property management. As a property manager, your responsibility is to take care of the property and keeping the owner posted about what is happening. Thanks to the technology behind virtual property management. All interactions with clients can be done remotely using virtual property management software. 2. Dealing with tenants Through virtual property management platforms or software, you can also keep in touch with tenants remotely. Tenants can give their complaints to you remotely, and you can attend to them without having to go there. 3. Regular updates Virtual property management keeps you regularly updated on the following issues: • The current tenants’ situation— if anyone is moving out and whether there are any problems with any tenants. • Invoices for repairs and materials. 20

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• Balances in the reserve fund. • Latest news from the other owners in the building or in the neighborhood, such as if someone is selling. • Warning on potential renovations needed before time runs out. • Suitable upgrade ideas to increase the value of the property. 4. Paying bills and taxes With virtual property management, you can settle your bills and taxes through virtual means. You only need to get authorization from the owner and send paperwork for approval where required. 5. Grow your business As a property manager, virtual property management does not limit your business to any physical location. Through virtual means, you can get clients from any state, and this significantly grows your business. Virtual property management property also allows a property manager to easily manage multiple properties at once. 6. Virtual property tours Virtual property management enables virtual open house tours to take place. Agents and buyers don’t need to meet physically to do the house tours. This serves a great advantage to sellers as most buyers nowadays are the younger population who are willing to use virtual means whenever possible. Virtual property management is the future of property management that every property manager should be willing to jump on the train before it is too late. Work cited. https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/virtual-propertymanagement/

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Facebook Marketing Tips for Real Estate Agents

Most successful real estate agents can cite the significance of using digital marketing platforms such as Facebook marketing. Facebook marketing can transform your business into a success story when done in the right manner. Below are some Facebook marketing tips that real estate agents can borrow to create an effective marketing plan. 1. Choose the right audience to target. To develop an effective Facebook marketing plan, you have to narrow down your audience as much as possible. It’s not helpful for thousands of random people to see your advert on Facebook. You have to make sure that the ad gets to the right audience if you want results. The right audience is more likely to click on your ads when they see them, and they could turn into customers. To get to the right audience, ensure you target a location depending on the location where you’re selling the property. Thanks to Facebook, using the Facebook geo-targeting feature, you can target a location by zip code. Also, Facebook allows you to target specific demographics based on income level, homeownership status, and age ranges. Additionally, Facebook also enables behavioral targeting, such as people who are likely to move.

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The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Using these features, you can generate useful, and quality leads from Facebook. 2. Use the right ad. Once you have set up the appropriate audience, you should then create relevant real estate ads for them. The images and the text you use in your Facebook ad play a significant role in communicating with your audience. Since you’re targeting a diverse audience, ensure you use different language categorically. The language to use on an audience looking for retirement homes is not the same for first-time homebuyers. Also, ensure the ads incorporate image and video icons to give your audience a complete picture of what you’re advertising. 3. Use a clear and compelling call to action. When creating your ad, ensure you include a clear call to action button so that someone knows what you wanted them to do. The most popular CTAs on Facebook include; ‘Contact Us,’ ‘Learn more,’ ‘Call Now,’ ‘Apply Now,’ or ‘Send Message.’ CTAs gives the user the direction to take if they’re interested. 4. Share helpful content. Some homebuyers, especially first-timers, find the home buying process a scary experience to undertake. You can use your business page to generate helpful content such as tips for a less stressful homebuying process that can help such people. Such informational content will promote and boost your credibility and make it easier to connect with prospective homebuyers. 5. Track progress. Facebook ads for realtors are effective only when you monitor and track your performance and progress. Ensure you regularly check your ad’s analytics for impressions, cost-per-click, click-through rate, cost-peraction, and conversion rate. With these insights, you will be able to know what is working and what is not, to know what to improve and where. Facebook marketing in the housing market can be very powerful when carried out appropriately. Generate quality and reliable leads by implementing the tips highlighted above. Work cited. https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/facebook-marketing-for-real-estateagents/.

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Select a VIP Agen Adrian Bates Los Angeles

Ameer Elahee Fontana

Andre Jackson Richmond

Briana Frazier Los Angeles

Charles Reynolds Solano County

Cornelous Jackson Irvine

Danon Burnside San Bernardino

David Trubey Corona

Denise Matthis San Diego

Don Dunbar Oakland

Emerick A. Peace Maryland

Eric Hooks SF Bay Area

Jenny Gonzalez Corona

Jerel Washington New Jersey

Joe L. Fisher Richmond

Johnnie Morine Texas

nt In your area Julius Cartwright Ohio

Kamesha Keesee Corona

Lewis Sanders Bay Area

Ruby Frazier Riverside

Kenneth Session Bay Area

Leon Townsend Los Angeles

Monica Hill Menifee

Peggie Simmons Arizona

Robert Langston Fairfield

Steve Peterson Oakland

Success Money LA Area

Yvonne McFadden Arizona

How to Sell a Fix and Flip property Quickly in Arizona Yvonne Mcfadden

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hen done correctly, flipping a home can turn into a gold mine for you. In some instances, the profit margins from some of the fix and flip properties will eclipse the typical average earning you get from other investments, making it a lucrative way of making a living. Be that as it may, flipping properties opportunities do not come very easily. It requires effective processes and systems in place to ensure a smooth flow.

It’s also important to note that a one size fits all approach will not work. With this understanding, do your research on the potential buyers, or the people you are targeting; what makes sense to them, and what doesn’t, what excites them, what would they like to see, are they young couples, probably looking for an affordable house to start with, or the seniors who want a calm and relaxing space so on. This information is vital to have beforehand so that as you make your renovations, you are renovating only the essentials.

Given this business’s nature, most agents and sellers want to know how to sell a fix and flip property efficiently and turn the opportunity into a house flipping snowball. It is relatively easy, and this article will delve deeper into the art and uncover some of the basics of selling a fix and flip property.

Additionally, do not go overboard with the fix and flip properties; otherwise, it will be too difficult to sell.

Make sure that your renovations are done right. Many real estate agents, homeowners, and flippers will invest a lot of money on renovation, but they will still struggle to make a sale in the end. Each investment you make in real estate is as good as its execution. And for home flippers, rehabbing the home has to be done right. Your primary focus needs to be on the small repairs and cosmetic renovations that will likely be inviting to potential buyers.

• Be prepared, do your research, and from the first day, hit the ground running with proper renovations plans long before closing. ‘ • Work on relationships with all the parties involved. If it is the contractors, pay them well. A good team of professional contractors will be critical to repeat flipping. • Never waste material and tools. Be cautious of how you use the resources at hand. They will come in handy later on. If you want to

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Here are some quick tips to unlock profit potential right from the start;

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do this for long, make sure to have readily available tools and inventory to get things done. • Make every effort count, especially if it involves rehab. Commit to it, which in the long run, will preserve and build your reputation. This is a good way to get buyers under contract even before the project is complete. • Additionally, do not make sure to include the marketing budget in your initial figures. As a matter of fact, check and recheck your numbers to make sure that your project is on track financially. Make the Pricing Competitive Talking of numbers, pricing a fix and flip property can be challenging. This is one area that most agents will struggle with. After all the renovations are done, after all the additions, how do you price the home without feeling like you have overpriced it? Most agents and house flippers will overprice the home, which is arguably one reason why a fix and flip will not sell fast. To sell fast, get the pricing right. Overpricing the property might make it relatively hard for you to get the property off the market; at the same time, pricing it too low at times will leave a lot of money on the table. Pricing details of the home should happen subconsciously, even before you purchase the property. Before purchasing the investment property, estimate the repair value, and ensure that in the end, you will make a good return on your investment when the rehabbed property is at market value. As a rule of thumb, you should not buy a property with a higher than 70% of the ARV minus the property’s repair costs.

because it allows them to fetch a top dollar for the property. However, in the case of home flipping, it can be tricky. Every day that the home does not sell means the lesser the profit due to the holding costs. Savvy home flippers will start marketing efforts immediately they acquire the property or even before that. You have to realize that the less you have to put in, the less time it will take for you to resell, and also, the lower the risk exposure and the higher the profits margin. Depending on how you chose to view it, this may be an ideal scenario for the buyer. Some buyers will prefer completing improvements much to their liking. Still, this scenario is an exception rather than a rule because most house flippers do not want buyers to be active on the job site. Work With Experienced Real Estate Agents The power of a real estate agent in any real estate transaction is unparalleled. Working with an agent unlocks unlimited possibilities, things you never thought would be possible. Experienced realtors are the key to selling your fix and flip properties quickly and getting good deals. When it comes to finding an agent, find the one who specializes in selling a fix and flip real estate properties, and has a good understanding of the local market. Most people underestimate the power of a real estate agent but what you need to realize is that real estate is local, and the person who can help you decipher the market is a real estate agent. Without an agent, selling a rehabbed house in Arizona will turn out to be a nightmare.

Market the Property Properly When is the right time to begin your marketing plan to resell your fix and flip properties? Figuring out the right time to market your flips will be one of the most contentious aspects of the house flipping process.

If you are looking to sell your flipped home in Arizona or are new to this investment strategy, talk to Yvonne McFadden. Yvonne is an experienced realtor in Arizona with many years of experience in the field of real estate. To get in touch with Yvonne, Follow this link; https:// thepowerisnow.com/yvonne-mcfadden/.

In most cases, and with ordinary homes, realtors are often decidedly for beginning an active advertising campaign right after the property is 100% polished, cleaned, and even staged. If you think about this, it is often in the realtor’s favor

Sources; https://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-realestate/08/house-flip.asp https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/sell-fix-and-flip-quickly/ https://www.athomebuyers.com/blog/sell-a-fix-and-fliphouse-fast-in-kenosha-racine/

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The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Tucson, AZ, named among the five best cities to invest in 2020

Peggie Simmons As a real estate investor, your investment’s success is significantly influenced by the city you choose to invest in. If you want to have fast and excellent ROI on your investment, and witness long-term growth in value, you should consider where you are sowing your investments.

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ata from experts show that in 2020, savvy investors are finding more peace in the secondary markets. This is unlike what we have been having previously where investors were more interested in the ma jor markets such as New York City and Los Angeles. Secondary markets are heating up with real estate activities as they experience job growth, population growth, and quicker appreciation, making them among the best real estate markets to invest in 2020. In a recent Mashvisor article dated August 8, 2020, Tucson appeared among the top five emerging real estate markets/cities to invest in 2020. The list also included the Charlotte market, Jacksonville market, Boise market, and Huntsville market. Tucson’s real estate market is boiling with extremely low housing inventory and overwhelmingly high demand. Tucson is the second–most affordable real estate market among the markets on the list. Moreover, the city’s economy is growing in length and diversity, with a steadily growing population. These trends indicate that the Tucson rental properties will continue experiencing fierce competition as experts project that the city will have a 3.3% growth in home prices this year.

The median property price in Tucson is $296,547, while the price per foot is $169. The market has recorded an average of days for a house on the market to be 59 days. Thriving amid the pandemic. Elsewhere, Tucson was also named among the top 10 cities in the U.S best positioned to thrive amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The report from Moody’s Analytics argues that the generation growing up today will remember the pandemic’s impact and be more likely to pursue careers and settle in less-densely populated places. In addition to population density, the report also considered the share of jobs requiring a college or graduate degree in 100 metropolitan areas. This indicates an economy’s ability to highlypaying jobs to its residents. The report also considered the share of residents with college degrees or higher in the cities. Tucson is the only city from Arizona that made it to the top 10 list. Other locations in the list include; Washington, D.C., San Jose, CA, and Salt Lake, Utah. Works cited https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/emerging-real-estatemarkets-2020/. https://tucson.com/business/report-tucson-among-top10-us-cities-best-positioned-to-thrive-after-pandemic/ article_01403927-3387-5985-bca0-ae8c850f0dfb.html. l

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With so many Real Estate Investment Strategies, how do you choose the right one?

Kamesha Keesee One of the most known ways to build wealth and widen your investment portfolio is through real estate investment. As a matter of fact, for most popular wealthy millionaires, real estate investment takes up a significant part of their wealth. As we move forward, real estate is developing into a more diverse industry that features limitless opportunities to anyone willing to invest in it to make some good returns. This basically means that anyone can make money in real estate investment.

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owever, for anyone to make money out of real estate investment, you have to deploy the right strategies. The choice of the right real estate investment strategy will result in a fast and huge ROI and vice versa. Not all investment strategies are going to be suitable for everyone. Also, the industry comprises of numerous types of investment strategies that one can choose from. This makes it even more difficult to choose the right strategy to utilize in your investment plans. So, how do you choose the best real estate investment strategy that works for you? Here is how you can do that: 1. Answer your “Why” question. To determine the investment strategy that is best suitable for you, you first have to come up with clearly defined goals. This means that you should determine what exactly you want the investment to help you attain. You

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should clearly figure out whether you’re looking to establish passive income for your retirement, or whether you want to make money to fund a family trip or vacation, or you’re just looking to gain more flexibility and be your own boss. Avoid vague general objectives such as “to make more money” when defining your goals. Ensure your goals are precise enough. With clearly determined goals, you can choose the strategy that fits you the best. 2. Get some knowledge. Once you’re clear on your specific goals for the investment, it’s time to learn what you’re getting yourself into. Take your time to learn the basics of real estate investing and ensure you can distinguish between the different real estate investment strategies. Like all other investment businesses, each investment strategy in real estate features its own levels of risks and rewards. However, The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

doing appropriate research will help you choose the best strategy for you. Research involves knowing each available strategy’s ins and outs, the duties and responsibilities associated with the strategies, minimum requirements in terms of capital, the time it will need from you, and the required skillset, among others. With such information, it will be almost impossible to choose the wrong strategy. 3. Combine the pieces. With your purpose and insights on real estate investing with you, it is now time to sit at the drawing table to determine the best strategy for you. Getting the best strategy for you depends on several factors. Like a puzzle, you have to have all the pieces together to see the whole picture. You have to consider your long-term goals, time constraints, skills, risk tolerance, and your financial situation. After putting together all these pieces, the picture will be much clearer. Therefore, you’ll be in a position to see the strategies that look viable for you and those that don’t. It may be possible to get returns from using any real estate investment strategy. But the reality remains that not every strategy will work for you. Take your time and choose your strategy wisely.

Work cited https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/real-estate-investmentstrategies-choose-one/

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Your Guide to vacant property investment:

Tips and Tricks David C. Trubey

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acant, abandoned properties are spread across the U.S in most cities. Eventually, they get attention from real estate investors, and most start asking whether that is the right investment for them. Many investors also do have questions such as, should one invest in a vacant property, or are they vacant for a reason? Where can you find these properties, and how do you buy them? This article is meant to answer all of your questions about vacant property investment.

How to identify an abandoned property. Usually, abandoned properties have common physical indications of wear and tear, such as broken windows, uncollected mails, weathered paint, unkempt lawn, and other worn-out features. Should one invest in vacant properties? Vacant properties feature excellent investment potential if you find the right one, but they’re, in most cases, overlooked by investors. Investment in vacant properties is a niche commonly associated with fix and flip investors. However, you can also buy an abandoned property to renovate and rent put long-term or as an Airbnb property. Investing in a vacant property can be a good idea, primarily because they’re sold at prices significantly below market price; therefore, they come with high ROI. If you’re looking for a cheap property to invest in and make profits later, consider venturing into vacant property investment.

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What to consider when buying a vacant property. 1. Conduct analysis on the property. Remember Real Estate 101, “If you’re not making a profit from it, you shouldn’t invest in the property.” So before getting into the investment niche, ensure you undertake both investment property analysis and the comparative market analysis. Investment property analysis will illustrate the expected profitability and return from a particular investment property. On the other hand, a comparative market analysis will enable you to learn the property’s value based on comparable properties in the area. With these two analyses, you can determine whether the investment is worth it or not.

2. Renovations aren’t cheap. Before you jump into buying the cheap vacant property, it is crucial to note that renovating vacant properties requires a series of work and maintenance services at a cost. Moreover, ensure you run a vacant property inspection to identify any red flags or considerable flaws in the property, if any. If you realize that the expected renovation cost is higher than the expected returns, the investment is not worth it. In conclusion, I’ll remind you that vacant property investment can be a profitable and yet risky adventure. If you’re looking to go that way, ensure you do your due diligence to develop a successful vacant property investment plan. Work cited. https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/investing-vacantproperty/.

Here’s a quick guide to finding foreclosed properties for sale Ameer Elahee

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ecently, the rate of foreclosed homes has been increasing rapidly. Due to this increase, foreclosure investing has become an increasingly popular and effective real estate investment strategy. As an investor, when you obtain a foreclosed home, you have the option of either renting it out or flipping it. Sometimes, you might get confused about where and how to find foreclosed properties for sale. This article will highlight some of the sure sources you can find foreclosed homes for sale. 40

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1. Real estate agents. Consulting experienced local real estate agents is one of the best and ascertained ways of finding foreclosed homes for sale. Real estate agents have access to the MLS, where all foreclosed homes are listed. Additionally, real estate agents are likely to be more aware of nearby homes undergoing foreclosure at the moment. Therefore, consulting a qualified real estate agent is the best way to find foreclosed properties in any area. 2. Online auction events. Continuous technological advancements have now made it possible for investors to attend real estate auction events from wherever you are virtually. Online auction events give investors a chance to easily invest in out-of-state property through virtual presence only. You can attend virtual auctioneering events at popular websites such as Auction.com, RealtyBid.com, Foreclosure.com, Hubzu, Hudson and Marshall, Williams and Williams, etc. When the auction process is over, the seller takes about 15 days or more to approve the winning bid. In case the winning bid is approved, the property is re-auctioned in an attempt to get a higher bidder.

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

3. Government agency websites. If you want to buy government-seized foreclosures, you can easily find them at respective websites of government agencies that offer financial services for real estate activities. Some of the agencies/websites where you can find the include; • U.S Department of Treasury- the Treasury Department is the best place where you can find listings of properties repossessed by the IRS for failure to pay internal revenue taxes. The properties here are also sold via auctions. • HomeSteps.com- the HomeSteps website features listings of foreclosed properties owned by Freddie Mac. The properties mostly include multi-family houses, condos, and single-family homes. Besides finding listed foreclosed homes, HomeSteps also offers loans with special benefits such as excluding mortgage insurance. However, HomeSteps is currently only available in select states, including Kentucky, Georgia, Illinois, Alabama, and Florida. • HomePath.com- the HomePath website belongs to the GSE, Fannie Mae. Here, you will find listings of foreclosure homes for sale in any U.S housing market. 4. Manual hunting. Alternatively, you can also choose to drive or walk around the preferred area or neighborhood hunting for houses market as for sale. As you walk or drive around, you might stumble on signs indicating, ‘For Sale’ ‘Bank Repo’ ‘Bank Owned’ or ‘Foreclosure,’ signaling that the property is up for sale. 5. Real estate investment software. You can also consider utilizing the available real estate investment software such as Mashvisor, to analyze and easily find foreclosed homes for sale. Real estate investment software catalyzes the process of finding a foreclosed home for sale by constantly updating you with real-time data on what is happening on the housing market of your preferred region. If you’re looking for a niche to invest in the real estate market, foreclosed houses are a good shot. However, ensure you carry out your due diligence before offering your commitment to a foreclosure deal. Work cited. https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/find-foreclosed-properties-for-sale/.

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Riverside real estate market overview and

Forecast for 2021

Ruby Frazier

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his year, Riverside’s housing market has been primarily influenced by two factors; supply and demand. But not in the whole of Riverside. In the San Bernardino area, these two factors tell a story of extremes. This is a housing market with very low inventory levels and strong demand resulting from the steadily growing population in the area. These trends have created an imbalanced supply-demand equation, which puts pressure on home prices.

Low inventory in summer 2020

According to Zillow, the home price median in Riverside rose by about 2.5 percent compared to the same time last year as of July 2020. As we advance, Zillow analysts predicted a somewhat negative projection for the Riverside housing market going into 2021. From their predictions, home values are likely to dip over the next year in the Southern California city. According to Zillow, “Riverside home values have gone up 2.5% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will fall -2.3% within the next year.”

In July, the California Association of Realtors in a report singled out Riverside and San Bernardino as having recorded a significant decline in housing listings. The report stated, “Southern California had the biggest drop in [housing] supply, with for-sale properties plunging 47.3% yearover-year. While all counties in the region dropped at least 40 percent from a year ago, both Riverside and San Bernardino plummeted more than 50 percent in active listings.”

Currently, few home buyers are shopping for homes across the Riverside-San Bernardino metro area. Despite that, there is no enough housing inventory available to meet that low demand. The imbalance in the Riverside market could help sustain home values through 2020 and into 2021.

Steady population growth.

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Riverside had less than a two-month supply of homes for sale in the market as of June 2020. This means that the housing inventory available at that time would only take two months to sell completely if no new homes were added to the listings in the meantime. This is an indication of significantly low inventory in the market.

Riverside’s housing demand is currently being driven by two factors; steady population growth and the historically low mortgage rates in the market.

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According to the U.S Census Bureau, the population in Riverside, CA, grew by 9% between 2010 and 2019. The growth represents a higher rate than the national average for the same period. Consequently, the growth in population results in increased demand for more for-sale and rental housing. In mid-July, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage loan fell below 3% for the first time in history. Elsewhere, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, purchase loan volume inclined 19% during the week of July 17, 2020, compared to the same time last year.

Recovery

A report published in July by Realtors.com indicates that homebuying demand has inclined a bit in the Riverside area. The report also cited the Riverside-San Bernardino metro area among the “most recovered markets.” The report stated, “In the ‘housing demand’ component … The most recovered markets for home-buying interest include New York, Sacramento, Riverside-San Bernardino, Seattle and Buffalo, with a housing demand growth index between 133.3 and 138.5.” Work cited. https://www.bpfund.com/riverside-california-housing-outlook-2021/

Do you know

Peppermint Ridge? We provide a community of loving homes and empowering support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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support and encourage our residents to live their

lives and fulfill their dreams by fully embracing their indvidual abilities and interests. With 24-hour specialized care and staffing, we provide comfortable, secure homes and recognize that everyone feels a sense of belonging when they have familiar places in which to spend time with family and friends.

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is a true sense of family at Peppermint Ridge. Of the 94 adults who

live at The Ridge, 38 have lived here for more than 20 years, with 10 of those calling The Ridge home for 40 years or more. Residents have the opportunity to flex their muscles of independence while developing rich lives of their own away from their loved ones. About 30% of our residents have no family, so other Ridgers and our staff have become their family.

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caring companies, organizations and individuals in

the community enjoy getting to know The Ridge by helping on small projects, hosting fundraisers, lending a hand at events, volunteering in our office, and assisting residents in activities such as arts and crafts, pool days, horseback riding, music and piano lessons, and exercise classes.

825 Magnolia Ave • Corona CA 92879 • 951.273.7320 www.PeppermintRidge.org • Tax ID: 95-2409851

The Power Is Now Media Inc.

Now In The West, East and Central To Make Sure You Never Miss Out On Anything!

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or the past ten years, The Power Is Now Media has impacted millions of Americans and changed people’s view of homeownership for good. Through active advocacy of homeownership, people are now finding it easy to move out of rental homes to becoming owners of even four-unit properties. The wave of influence that we have created around homeownership has been so profound that we are now attracting new real estate agents daily. With the growth, new opportunities, new renters becoming homeowners, and skeptics are becoming believers. Today, through our invite-only membership program, we have over 20 listing agents from various parts across the country. The company’s various ways of advocating and promoting homeownership are through our T.V. network, aired almost every day by the company’s President and founder, Eric Lawrence Frazier. The Power is now T.V. brings you inside scoop from the real estate industry to educate, inform, and inspire. The company has also been producing monthly national magazine and weekly real estate magazines filled with industry insights and important information to help you buy or sell real estate, from first-time homebuyers to seasoned real estate professionals. Lastly, through the company’s radio platform, which was created to empower consumers and educate real estate professionals in Orange County, California, the news about it soon spread worldwide. The Radio Talk Show is supported by National and State real estate associations and minority real estate trade associations throughout the United States. We’ve grown to one million listeners and counting! Over the years, Eric has been interviewing industry leaders to bring you the highest quality information, not to forget that he is a 38-year professional in the real estate industry. And now, we are proud to bring you The Power Is Now East Coast Edition; The Power Is Now West Coast Edition, and The Power Is Now Central Edition. These are an addition to everything that we do and believe in here at The Power Is Now Media Inc. That means each of these editions will be independent sub editions of The Power Is Now Media. Yvonne McFadden will lead the West Coast Edition, and Emerick A. Peace will lead the East Coast edition. Lastly, the Central Edition will be led by Steve Peterson, a powerful triad to ensure that you do not miss out on anything! www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

West Coast Edition with Yvonne McFadden

Known for her professionalism and her real estate prowess, Yvonne McFadden, is a realtor at DeLex Luxury Realty and a committed V.I.P. Agent with The Power Is Now representing Arizona. Yvonne, a veteran in the real estate industry, has a business that has been extensive for more than 30 years. For the time she has been in the real estate business, Yvonne has served clients a diversified client base constituting clients from all walks of life. Most recently, Yvonne has extended her presence in the foreign market by getting licensed in Dubai. Yvonne’s enthusiasm is evident with every client she meets or transacts with. She loves what she does and always makes the process fun for her clients while helping them make some of the most important decisions of their lives. Working with Yvonne is always satisfactory as she takes time to explain the process involved. You can be sure that Yvonne will guide you through it all and help you make the tough decisions where need be. Going into the future, Yvonne will be the host of The Power Is Now Homebuyer TownHall West Coast Edition on The

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Power Is Now T.V. and Radio Network, and the Editor in chief of The Power Is Now Magazine West Coast edition. Yvonne brings a mix of experience and professionalism, given that she has been in the industry long enough, which means she understands the industry’s dynamics. Catch up with Yvonne every first and third Tuesday of the month as she unwraps and brings you the latest real estate developments on the West Coast.

West Coast Edition with EMERICK A. PEACE

Emerick has a signature to his life-a certain style with which he lives. It is to make the most of every chance he gets and help others do the same. It’s a lesson he learned from his mother, and part of the reason his blessings continue to flow. The bottom line for Emerick is the difference he makes with the chance he’s given-and if he’s given the opportunity to be your agent of choice, he’ll work long and hard to make sure your dream happens precisely the way it should happen. When you are in the middle of something as crucial as a real estate transaction, you want professional services every step of the way. For your next real estate venture, “Give Peace a Chance.” Life as an agent Emerick began his real estate career in 1992. He is a certified R.E.O. representative, relocation specialist and received numerous sales awards, including; Rookie of the Year,

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New Home Sales Life Time Achievement, Prudential Leading-Edge Society, Coldwell Banker Chairman’s Circle, multiple ReMax and Local Board Platinum awards, Keller Williams Realty Quadruple Gold and 100% Plus Club. Emerick is the President of the Prince Georges County Chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. He has served on the Board of Directors and Vice President of the 5,000-member Prince George’s County Association of Realtors. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Housing Options Planning Enterprise, Inc. (HOPE), a local 501(c) (3) H.U.D. Approved housing counseling agency. Additionally, Emerick is one of only 68 real estate professionals ever to be inducted into the Prince George’s County Association of Realtors Hall of Fame. Success is the only option Boasting a background in the real estate industry that stretches more than seventeen years, Emerick understands the value of communicating with and educating the public. “In order to make good decisions, people must be knowledgeable about the process and their options.” Whether people are buying or selling, Emerick remains committed to keeping the communication lines open at all times. His regional expertise and strong customer service orientation allow people to receive the quality service they want and deserve. Emerick’s work ethic and fundamental business principles can be attributed to his 21-year career in the U.S. Air Force and his niche market mastery. Given Emerick’s success in the industry, you’ll agree that he is the right person on the driver’s seat of The Power Is Now Media East Coast Edition. And just like Yvonne McFadden, he will be the host of The Power Is Now Homebuyer TownHall West Coast Edition on The Power Is Now T.V. and Radio Network and the Editor in chief of The Power Is Now Magazine East Coast Edition. Catch up with Emerick every first and third Tuesday of the month as he brings you exciting news updates, interviews, and interesting real estate developments on the East Coast.

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

CENTRAL Edition with STEVE PETERSEN

Like the West and East Coast editions, Steve Peterson will be in charge of the Central Edition, mainly overseeing both central related shows and magazines’ production efforts. However, the Central Edition will be different in that much of the shows will focus on Commercial real estate, given Steve’s extensive background in commercial real estate. Steve is the Broker/Owner of Infinity Investments, a commercial real estate brokerage and investment firm based in Oakland, California. His focus and expertise are in apartment buildings, but he has experience in office and retail property and works as both a broker and principal. Steve has been in the commercial real estate business for 15 years, both as an investor and a broker/agent. He started his company Infinity Investments in November 2009 amidst one of the worst real estate & economic downturns in history; however, the company has turned a profit each year. How He Started Out He started in commercial real estate working for an investment firm raising capital towards acquiring large apartment buildings and small N.N.N. leased retail property. Steve has raised over 10 Million dollars of equity capital for projects such as a 336-Unit Luxury apartment building in Houston; TX purchased for $24,000,000, a 248-Unit apartment building in Fort Worth, TX purchased for $5,000,000, a

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4,000 square foot Lyon’s restaurant building in Turlock, CA purchased for $1 million, a $500,000 renovation of a tri-plex in San Jose, CA, a 24-unit building in Columbus, Ohio that required $500,000 towards the acquisition & rehab, a 58-Unit apartment complex being acquired for $1,050,000 in Columbus, Ohio and the acquisition of a Promissory Note from JP Morgan Chase on a 5-Unit building in Oakland, Ca. Steve has also sold several large R.E.O. properties in Oakland, such as an 81-Unit apartment complex from Chase, a 61Unit apartment complex from Chase, a 31-Unit condominium project from Cathay Bank. The Journey So Far Steve has done so primarily by finding quality deals that are usually not listed on the public market and then identifying investors with an appetite for the existing deal. Born and raised in Oakland, CA, and attended San Jose State University from 2000-2004 ma joring in Finance, Steve is a Bay Area native who has clients, colleagues, and associates from the Silicon Valley to the Peninsula, and throughout the East Bay. Steve has earned the CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation, which is the highest designation in the commercial real estate field, and served as the President of the NorCal CCIM Chapter in 2018. Steve also became President of the Associated Real Property Brokers (ARPB) from 2015 to 2016, the Oakland REALIST Chapter of NAREB (National Association of Real Estate Brokers), the oldest Minority Trade Association any kind in the United States. Finally, he was also the President of the California Association of Real Estate Brokers (CAREB) in 2017 & 2018. With the addition of these three editions, you can be sure that The Power Is Now is your real estate powerhouse. Stay tuned to find out more and also to be updated about these and many more developments.

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Are REO properties a

good deal in real estate? Cornelius Jackson

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eal-Estate-Owned (REOs) are properties typically owned by traditional lending institutions such as banks. The properties are repossessed by the bank where the mortgage loan originated through foreclosure after the owner defaults their mortgage payments. The bank then tries to recoup the lost revenue by auctioning the property after foreclosure. If the home doesn’t sell through auction, it will be listed as an REO.

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Recently, buying REO properties has become a popular subject in the real estate investment landscape. Indeed, buying REO properties can be an excellent move for acquiring real estate deals for the mere purpose of investment. Besides having its challenges, REO properties offer amazing investment opportunities that you can’t ignore for the following reasons; 1. REO properties come at discounted prices. Financial institutions do not accumulate any wealth by keeping non-performing properties or loans that are giving no returns. For this reason, when a bank repossesses a property, it is on the disadvantaged side in terms of losing money on its investment. Therefore, when a property becomes REO, banks are usually so willing to get rid of it. Additionally, if an REO property serves as a great liability, banks aim to sell it as soon as possible to The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

minimize the losses. As a result, banks are usually willing to sell REOs at low prices, sometimes below the market value. As a savvy investor or an investor with little capital, REOs serves a great deal. 2. REO properties come with no outstanding taxes or title liens. Most real estate investors have come across issues that raise concerns on the property’s legal owner due to outstanding taxes and liens. Outstanding taxes and title liens are critical issues that can block a prospective buyer or investor from taking full ownership of the property. Fortunately, REOs rarely come with such issues. Once a property has become REO, the bank immediately wipes out any liens and settles any taxes on the property. This leaves no questions or concerns on the status of the property. 3. No dealing with homeowners. When a property becomes an REO, it means there’s no other homeowner, other than the bank. With no homeowner with personal attachments to the property, the process of negotiating for the deal is greatly catalyzed almost to none. This is because buying REOs involves only a buyer and a bank that targets to recoup its losses, not a homeowner who wants to make a profit from the deal. It saves both time and a lot of money for the investor. 4. REOs fetch great returns. For investors who want a property for renting out or flipping purposes, REOs will yield great returns for both. A landlord can buy an REO and rent it out to generate rental income. The landlord will benefit greatly from the cash flow, considering he bought the property at a low price. In the long run, the landlord can choose to sell the property for a higher price than the original investment since it will have appreciated. Similarly, for an investor looking to buy the house for flipping purposes, investing in REOs is a smart move. Considering REOs sell at a lower price, a real estate flipper can buy an REO, do quick remodeling and sell it for more to make profits. In both cases, both investors will yield high returns from investing in the REO. Conclusively, investing in REOs is always a smart decision for both experienced and beginner investors. In most cases, beginner investors shy away from investing in REOs. It is time to step out of your comfort zone. The power is now. Works cited. https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/buying-reo-property-real-estate-investing/.

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THIS VETERAN HAS EXPERIENCED ENOUGH.

HE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF HIS DISABILITY. Sergio lost his leg and his hearing while serving our country overseas. Now back home, he was ready to start a new chapter in his life. But when he found the perfect apartment, the landlord refused to make a reasonable accommodation to allow his service dog in a “no pets” building. Then Sergio learned that the Fair Housing Act protects people with disabilities. He contacted HUD and filed a complaint. Today, Sergio is feeling right at home. If you believe you’ve experienced housing discrimination, please contact

hud.gov/fairhousing 1-800-669-9777 50 YEARS OF OPENING DOORS. A public service message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in cooperation with the National Fair Housing Alliance. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. For more information, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

Struggling with Buyer leads?

Here are tricks to try out Jenny Gonzalez

Generating quality buyer leads has always been a challenge to many real estate agents. The practice can be overwhelming and can lead to burnout unless you’re equipped with a clear strategy. If you feel like almost giving up due to fatigue from using the same old tactics and getting the same results, getting some new ideas is the best option.

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In this article, I’ll highlight some tips or tricks you can try out if you haven’t tried using them yet. I’ll categorize the tips into non-digital lead generation tips and digital lead generation tips. Non-Digital Lead Generation Tips • Use business cards. Using business cards is one sure way of generating real estate buyer leads. Your real estate marketing strategy is not complete until you’ve printed out business cards for your agency or company. You can then issue out the cards to anyone you meet, either new or familiar faces. Business cards will gradually help you build more robust networks and connections.

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

• Actively associated with community associations. Joining and actively participating in real estate community associations will enable you to build connections and establish stronger networks. Sometimes in businesses, it is all about who you know and who is in your network. Therefore, expanding your network is a smart move to generate more real estate buyer leads. • Gifting clients. When you close a deal with any client, it’d be a smart move to impress them with a house warming gift. The impressions will make them happy to talk to their friends, families, and networks about how welcoming and thoughtful you are. This will leave a good impression of your business on many people who hear about it. When these people will need any real estate services, be sure the first thing they think about or refer someone is you. This will perfect for generating buyer leads to your business. • Posters and signs. When planning your marketing strategy, consider including a small budget for getting a poster or a small billboard to advertise your business in a location with regularly high traffic volume. This decision can be costly, but it’s definitely worth it. Digital Lead Generation Tips. • Social media ads. Using paid ads on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram is an

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excellent strategy for generating quality and reliable buyer leads. Social media marketing is an effective way of generating quality buyer leads since it enables you to target a specific audience from specific demographic characteristics to ensure your ads are reaching the right audience. • Google Ads. Using Google ads is also an effective way of generating quality buyer leads. This is because, through google ads, you’ll only be attracting the people who are already interested and searching services of your kind. To use google ads, you only need to do a thorough research of keywords buyers from your preferred location are searching for and then bidding on those keywords. • Blogging. You can also consider establishing a real estate blog site. You can then use the blog site to post content with keywords that will help you rank higher in search engines. This will generate more traffic to your website, which will consequently translate to buyer leads. The tips highlighted above have been tested and proven to be effective in generating quality buyer leads. Consider implementing the ones you haven’t used before and watch your business turn around. Work cited https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/finding-buyers-leads-16ways/

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The Best Streams of Business for real estate agents

Danon Burnside

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t is commonly said that the average millionaire has seven streams of income. I don’t know whether this is true, but the idea here is that you need several income streams to make it where you want to be. The same applies to real estate agents. As a real estate agent, you cannot solely rely on one income stream, especially considering the rapidly changing housing market winds. Real estate agents need to protect themselves from the dynamic seasonal slumps and inevitable recession periods. The only way to do this is by diversifying on their income streams. This article will highlight some of the best streams of business for real estate agents.

1. Being a buyer’s agent. Real estate agents work on behalf of prospective buyers. Agents connect buyers to the sellers, show interested buyers, and rentees through the available housing units and properties. Agents also write offers on houses for buyers. Most homebuyers mostly depend on agents’ help to successfully undertake all the aspects of the home buying process until the process is complete. From this helping homebuyers, buyers’ agents make good money. 2. Listing homes for sellers. Real estate agents also carry out listing services for sellers of residential or any other properties. Agents help sellers find the right profitable price for their properties to be sold, prepare them for sale, and then list the properties in MLS. Agents are also responsible for negotiating with buyers to get the best prices for the properties, together with completing the transaction process. From this, agents earn a commission.

3. Property management. Real estate agents also play the role of managing various properties for homeowners, landlords, and investors. Property management includes managing, finding renters, collecting rent, accounting for the properties, maintaining, and repairing the properties. From the properties agents manage, their owners pay them a percentage of the rents collected monthly, which mostly falls at 10%. 4. Royalties. Some real estate agents earn royalties from giving people, especially other agents, access to their work. As an agent, you can create real estate eBooks containing reliable real estate insights and information and earn passive income from letting people access and use your work. Besides books, some agents establish courses such as investor courses, new agent courses, and real estate social media marketing courses, where you will charge people to have access to the courses. 5. Completing Broker Price Opinions (BPO). Licensed real estate agents also make money from performing the duties of licensed appraisers, that is, preparing BPO reports. The reports involve comparing various home pricing with the relevant statistics and commentary for the seller’s benefit. Most BPOs only require the agent to inspect homes or provide the pictures of exteriors and interiors of homes. All these income streams are very effective and can be utilized by all real estate agents. However, it is smart to master a few income streams, specialize in them, and be the best to get results. Work cited. https://www.designhill.com/design-blog/top-tips-on-howto-earn-money-as-a-real-estate-agent/

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The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Try these five open house tricks out for massive lead generation

Denise Matthis Open house remains one of the oldest and most effective methods of generating massive leads and interest in a certain property. However, due to its popularity, most agents have given up on implementing it to generate buyer leads. But equipped with the right tips and tricks, an open house can be a game-changer to your business by generating you quality and reliable buyer leads. Here are some open house tricks for massive lead generation I’ve handpicked for you.

1. Schedule your open house strategically. If you want to see more people attend your open house, you should consider scheduling the event strategically. By strategically, I mean schedule your open house at the time when most people are likely to be free from their daily activities. You should ensure that your event is at a time that is conducive to most peoples’ lifestyles. The best times include weekend afternoons and evenings, and after work hours. This also means that you’ll have to study the lifestyle and behaviors of the neighborhood you’re holding your open house. This will help you to identify which is the best time to schedule the open house. 2. Take a few days to market your open house properly. When planning for your open house, take at least three days before the open house day to market it using every means possible. Cold-call neighbors, talk to them face to face, let your friends and colleagues help you spread the word. The more people know about your event, the more many people will attend, translating to buyer leads. 3. Choose the best listing. Picking the best listing you have is a significant factor that determines whether you will have a good turnout or not. When selecting where to do your open house, don’t just pick any house on the listing. To select the best listing for your open house, I suggest that you choose a new house or listing, a listing priced just below your average price,

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and it has to be nice and clean. This will ensure that the open house leaves a good impression and boost your reputation. 4. Run well-targeted Facebook ad campaigns. One of the most effective ways to create massive awareness about anything in the current modern world is through welltargeted Facebook ads. Promoting your open house through well-targeted Facebook ads is a great strategy to attract more people to your open house. For your Facebook ads to be well-targeted, you must nail on your demographic targeting. Facebook allows you to target your ads by zip code, city, or within a certain radius. You can also select prospects over 25 years of age to increase the likelihood of good income history. Moreover, you can narrow down the target audience by selecting specific behaviors, residential profiles, and likeliness to move. All these features are available when advertising on Facebook.

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5. Get your guests to Sign In using a SignIn App. Using Open House Sign-In Apps instead of sign-in sheets is an effective method of generating massive leads from the open house. Sign-in sheets sometimes turned to be very frustrating when you realize later on that you can’t read everybody’s handwriting. Confusing between a ‘J’ and an ‘I’ could draw the line between a reliable quality lead and no lead at all. Sign-in apps such as Spacio and HomeSpotter are now available in the market to help your guests sign-in on a mobile device such as tablets and instantly send all their contact information to your CRM. From there, you can sign them up for nurturing emails for follow up. Try the open house tips highlighted above to generate massive buyer leads and get the most out of your open house.

Works cited. https://theclose.com/real-estate-open-house-ideas/. https://www.revrealestateschool.com/tips/open-houseideas

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

YOU DESERVE TO LIVE SAFE FROM SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

Sexual harassment by a landlord or anyone related to your housing violates the Fair Housing Act. If you receive unwelcome sexual advances or are threatened with eviction because you refuse to provide sexual favors, you may file a fair housing complaint. To file a complaint, go to

hud.gov/fairhousing or call 1-800-669-9777 If you fear for your safety, call 911.

FAIR HOUSING IS YOUR RIGHT. USE IT. A public service message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in cooperation with the National Fair Housing Alliance. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. For more information, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

The best ways to ask a client for referrals Lewis Sanders III

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ne of the easiest ways for a business to get new and loyal customers is through the age-long method and most basic form of marketing: referrals. Referrals are, no doubt, one of the most powerful selling tools and least expensive methods of gaining new customers. Based on the Wharton School of Business, a customer referred tends to cost a lot less to acquire and has a far higher potential for retention and loyalty. However, as powerful as referrals can be in bringing in new customers, most business owners don’t go out looking for referrals from their existing customers instead they believe that “their works would speak for them.” This method, though it works sometimes, it should be noted, is a very passive way to get new customers, especially in this current economic situation. Business owners have to break the ice and take charge of asking their customers to help them spread the words about their products and services. In this article, we would identify ways you can ask a client for referrals without being pushy or making it sound awkward. www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

• Build value Before you can ask for referrals from your client, you would need to have built value over a consistent period with the client. You shouldn’t ask a new client to refer someone to you immediately when they try out your product or your service. Instead, you can create value for the clients by allowing them to experience an unparalleled level of services with you. That way, it would be quite easier to ask the clients for referrals, and they would be glad to oblige. • Ask for referrals physically Where it is possible, you should ask for referrals from a client physically because people are more likely to do something for another person, especially if the person is standing in front of them. Also, you would gauge their responses better than when requesting for a referral over a phone call or even over a mail. However, in situations where you can’t be physically present, then you can still request for referrals over mails or phone calls.

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•

Personalize your request for referrals For people or businesses who might be unable to meet their clients physically to request for referrals, the next best option you have would be to personalize your referral request with each client. These might mean you have to send a direct email or a personalised message or even place a call through to them. The reason you would be doing the above is to avoid your referral request sounding bland, broad and generic. Referral request of this type mostly don’t achieve their aims.

•

Use incentives Everybody loves to be gifted. You can tap into this by offering either monetary rewards or gift items for every successful referral each client can get for you The incentives do not have to be overly expensive; it could be something simple and classy. All you are doing by using incentives is to thank them for referring more clients to you.

•

Focus on your strongest relationships One rule of thumb to apply when requesting for referrals from a client would be to ask for referrals from clients who you have built a strong professional relationship with. Clients like these are the ones who might have indicated they enjoy working with you or the ones who were extremely pleased with the level of your work when you worked with them. A client in this class would be glad to help you bring in new customers so that others may experience what they have experienced too.

Reference: https://thrivehive.com/word-of-mouth-marketingideas-and-examples/ https://blog.hubspot.com/service/how-to-ask-forreferrals https://referralrock.com/blog/how-to-ask-for-referrals/

UPCOMING EVENTS The power is now Events: HOMEBUYER TOWN HALL - 1ST AND 3RD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 7:00 PM REAL ESTATE ROUND TABLE - 1ST AND 3RD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 10:30 AM

National Events: nareb NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP October 27, 2020 2020 annual national convention (virtual) November 04, 2020 HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR VETERANS November 07, 2020

nahrep Profiles in Latino Leadership: The Castillo Connection (Virtual event) October 15, 2020 NAHREP Leadership academy sneak peek (online event) November 9-10, 2020

AREAA 2020 National convention October 14-16, 2020

CAR and NAR REALTORS® Conference & Expo Nov 13-16, 2020

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Kenneth Session How Much Does Home Inspection Cost, And How To Plan For It?

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nvesting in any real estate property requires a lot of work and a lot of money. For first time buyers, you would want extra eyes to help you vet the house you are buying to get a sense of the proper condition in which the building is. The only way you would be able to get proper reviews of the house would be for you to try and hire a home inspector who would use a home inspection checklist to look at your home features that could require repair or home features that could fall into disrepair. A home inspection is an essential activity in the process of buying a home, and it is why most real estate agents tend to recommend that you get a home inspection so that you can know what to do or not do as regards the building you want to buy. A home inspection helps to prepare your mind on the number of possible repairs you might want to carry out on the facility before you move in.

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How much does a home inspection cost? An average home inspection should cost between $300 to $500. However, this average cost can vary dramatically from one building to another as it does not consider things like the location of the house, the house size, the house age, and the ability of the home inspector. Usually, all of the factors mentioned above tend to determine what a home inspection would cost. Selecting a home inspector It is germane that you find a competent home inspector to help you carry out an intrinsic evaluation of the house you want to buy.

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

To get capable and experienced hands, you should ask your real estate agent to recommend a home inspector for you. In case you are not working with an agent, then your next best bet would be to get hold of home inspectors’ professional associations where they can easily recommend their members to you. However, pay close attention to the association’s standards of practice, don’t just meet any association that has no verifiable standards of practice. You also can ask your friends, acquaintances, and family for recommendations on home inspectors, especially if you know that they are quite knowledgeable about the subject matter. What does a home inspector check? On the authority of the American Society of Home Inspectors, home inspectors are expected to inspect all “readily accessible, visually observable, installed systems and components” of the home and property. This means that when you hire a home inspector, you should expect his inspection to cover areas like building floors, walls, attic, doors, railings, windows, patios, roofing materials, plumbing, the visible electrical wirings, chimneys, kitchen, bathrooms, and toilets, etc.

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Most home inspections cover much more than what was mentioned earlier, but all in all, you can expect your home inspector to carry out a thorough job of inspecting the property. Home inspection report After carrying out his inspection, a professional home inspector is expected to issue a full home inspection report 24 hours after he might have completed the assessment. The report would carry a description of the house, his recorded observation of the house, and a summary page that would outline the house’s general condition and any issues that the inspector might recommend addressing before the house is paid for. In some reports, you can expect a glossary and an overview of the weather condition, which can be necessary if the weather affects certain parts of the house.

Reference: https://www.homeinspector.org/ https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/how-muchdoes-home-inspection-cost/amp/ https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/homebuyerssurvey-february-2019/amp/ https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/how-much-doesa-home-inspection-cost.amp/

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Should You Join A Real Estate Investment Club?

Don Dunbar Whether you are an experienced player in the real estate business or you are just starting your career in the industry, the truth is investing in real estate can be very intimidating and draining. It can also be very expensive to start investing in real estate and dealing with the complex technicalities involved in real estate investment might just put many off investing in real estate.

What Is A Real Estate Investment Club? A real estate investment club is a forum that brings real estate investors, real estate professionals, and industry experts together to network, learn, and do business.

However, joining a real estate investment club could be just the thing you need to help further your business. It is also an excellent place where you can learn so much more about the business while also networking with loads of like-minded people in your community.

Most investment clubs are recognized under the law, and there is usually no limit to the number of people who can join or set up an investment club. However, in some clubs, membership comes with payment of certain fees and levies that are used to run the club.

The club usually can be made up of experienced investors or new investors, or even a mixture of both as it all relies on how the club operates and accepts new members into its fold.

How Investment Club Operates A real estate club tend to operate in two ways: • Group Investment An investment club that operates in this manner is a club where members of the club contribute towards jointly owning an investment in real estate. The investment is bought in the club’s name, and members of the club share the profit or loss www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

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on the investments amongst themselves. • Independent Investment In this type of investment club, an individual investor buys the real estate property on his own. He decides the property to buy or not buy on his own, and he shares his profit or loss with nobody else. Benefits of a real estate investment club The benefit of a real estate investment club are numerous; some of them are: • It would allow you to network with people of like minds which can be very valuable when you are looking for properties to invest in. • Being a member of an investment club would allow you to strike partnerships that you can bank on to invest in income properties you might not be able to invest in on your own • A real estate investment club would regularly seek to educate and inform their members of ongoing opportunities in the market and how they can capitalize on such opportunities. Dangers of joining an investment club • There have been stories of investors who have been scammed off millions of dollars after joining a fraudulent investment club. • There is every probability that you could get into a conflict with one or two members of the club which could make your continued membership of the club untenable. • In group investment clubs, the club could invest in an unyielding asset that may not be yielding the desired ROI, and getting your money back could be a very tough challenge. • Some investment clubs have a very high cost of membership, and some also request that their members invest a lot of money or purchase certain courses when joining them. Reference: https://www.thebalance.com/guide-for-real-estateinvestment-clubs-4159372 https://www.fool.com/millionacres/amp/real-estate-basics/ pros-and-cons-of-joining-a-real-estate-investment-club/ https://www.villaafrika.com/investment-club/

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Commercial Real Estate Investing Trends In 2020:

What’s New?

Steve Peterson Like the residential real estate market, commercial real estate keeps evolving and growing with the tides of the world. Due to this dynamism that commercial real estate possesses, an investor must keep strategizing on how to corner the profits and edge out his competitors from the market.

In this informative article, we look at the 2020 trends in commercial real estate. •

Demand for workspaces Before the advent of the novel Coronavirus, offices were open, and retail and restaurant operations were also in full force. However, the virus forced the government to order a lockdown of all of these commercial spaces in its effort to cut down the spread of the virus. The virus has forced many businesses to ask their workers to work from home, leaving many offices empty and unused. The virus also caused a global pandemic that has affected the global economy and has led to a soaring unemployment rate that has negatively impacted households and investments. Though the virus is yet to be exterminated completely, life is returning to what we

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used to know before. After the long hiatus, some businesses are asking their workers to resume back to the office while others have adopted the remote working option. What commercial real estate investors can deduce from the foregoing is that as businesses begin to open back en masse, the once empty workspaces can be expected to fill up in little time. • Demand for a restructured design of office spaces Part of coronavirus’s effect would be a surge in demand for a restructured office space that allows for more space and privacy Workers would be more conscious of their environment and health because of the pandemic. Commercial real estate landlords can expect to have businesses demanding that their offices be restructured so that it can allow for more privacy. The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

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Growth in the use of technology Like every other human endeavor, commercial real estate has seen rapid growth in the use of technology in the industry. This is not looking like it is ending anytime soon; instead, it looks like it has come to stay permanently. According to PWC, many industry leaders view technology as an enabling force for efficiency gains, not just for their business but in the work they undertake for clients and occupiers. This is whether it is building information modeling used by architects and developers or data management tools used by investors and asset managers. Reliance on technology is only going to escalate as the years go by. It would be in every real estate investor’s best interest to incorporate technology into his dealings.

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Growth in residential investment Many investors are beginning to invest more in places people can call home. Due to the rising interest rates, this sector allows investors to tie their investment to essential human living. Investors are now becoming more interested in investing in purpose-built student accommodation, residential care homes, and residential homes in areas where there is a sharp rise in job opportunities.

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Focus on the climate There is a growing focus on building homes and offices that are climate-friendly and compliant. PWC notes that “climate change is seen as having the biggest impact on real estate over the next 30 years, but it is clear that some industry leaders are already rising to the challenge, not least because they bear some responsibility.”

Investors are careful not to run foul of laws of the state that protect the environment, and many are responding to national emissions target.

Reference: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/05/11/work-from-home-is-here-tostay-after-coronavirus.html https://www.zdnet.com/article/wework-chairman-says-operatingprofit-on-the-horizon-due-to-covid-19/ https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/asset-wealth-management/ real-estate/emerging-trends-in-real-estate.html

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How To Choose A Real Estate Agent When Buying Out Of State

Robert Langston

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o you are contemplating buying real estate out of your state of residence and the process, the technicalities and the hours you have to put into it scares you off. The truth is buying real estate, either physically or remotely, requires a whole lot of hard work. It becomes even more difficult to purchase a real estate property when you are not physically present to see the property yourself and make the property evaluation with your own eyes. When you are buying out of state, you would have to depend wholly on your real estate agent to make the right decisions of evaluating the property, choosing a location etc. on your behalf. Because you would need to rely on someone else, you need to carefully

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choose who your agent would be as it must be someone with the same taste as you and a very professional agent. Here, we highlight how you can choose a real estate agent that can help you buy an out of state property. • Get A Buyer’s Agent The first step into choosing a real estate agent that can help you successfully make an out of state purchase is to find a buyer’s agent. Many people tend to make the error of requesting for help from a listing agent who most likely represents the interest of a seller. You shouldn’t make that error of finding a listing agent who has the aim of selling a

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particular property at the highest possible price. Instead, contact a buyer’s agent who will have your interest in mind and would seek to act on your financial interest and negotiate on your behalf. •

Seek Referrals It is not recommended to choose an agent that will represent you randomly. You should instead try to talk to your acquaintances (family, friends, colleagues) and a real estate agent in your community about your plans of purchasing an out of state property and your need for them to refer you a buyer’s agent with repute. By seeking their inputs in this, they are likely to refer you to an agent with a high rate of success and someone they feel they can trust to represent your interests properly. After gaining referrals, the next things would be for you to make your research on each agent; call them, email them, schedule meetings and talk about the plans you have got in mind. That way, you are able to choose from the plethora of options that you would be faced with. After picking an agent, you would have to extend your research to the state, the locality, the weather, the crime rate,

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economic stability and other germane information. This information will better inform you of what you are doing as having an agent on the ground wouldn’t be enough reason for you not to have all of this information. • Hire A Relocation Expert If you plan to relocate from your current state to another, then you can as well hire a relocation expert who is going to have the job of helping you handle all issues that are related to you getting a place in your preferred state. The good thing about a relocation expert is that they also would actively help you sell and close your current home and look for financing for your new home. Don’t forget that they would also arrange for packing and moving services that may be involved in your moving to the new state. Reference: https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/15-tips-for-buying-ahome-out-of-state-52650 https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/8-answers-tocommon-questions-when-relocating https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-buy-a-home-inanother-state-1798345

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

A Step By Step Process On How To Rent Your Home

Charles Reynolds

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o you currently have a spare room you have no use for, or your basement is currently vacant with no use in sight for the foreseeable future. Or is it that you are currently temporarily relocating or you have gotten a new home for yourself, and you don’t want to lose your old home? Well, the easy solution would be to rent out your home. Sounds easy, right? Renting out your home would be an ideal avenue for you to make a quick and an extra stream of revenue apart from your primary source of income which, admit it, is never enough to cater for all of your eternal needs and wants. In this blog article, we would be providing a step by step guide on how you can rent out your property. www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

Understand your obligations as a landlord As catchy and as alluring as being a landlord is, the level of expectations and the obligations that are required of a landlord can be somewhat daunting to an average individual. As such, the first step to take before you rent out your home is to understand the obligations that are expected of you as a landlord. Many rent out their properties without understanding the obligations that are expected of them and in the long run, end up having problems with their tenants. You would want to avoid issues with your tenants, and the best way would be to understand all the obligations that are expected of you to carry out as a landlord of your property. Determine your rent rate The next step would be to determine what your rent would be in comparison to similar properties that are in your locality. You don’t want to overcharge neither would you want to undercharge. Overcharging might lead to your property not attracting interest from prospective tenants while undercharging might leave you short-

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changed as you would not be collecting the value of the rent your property is worth. Market your home After determining how much rent you want to collect, your next step would be to market the property to prospective tenants. You can do this by placing your advert on real estate websites, or you can inform real estate agents in your locality, and you can also inform your family and friends about the availability of your property for rent. Meet and screen prospective tenants The moment you begin to market your home as being available for rent, you should also begin to effectively plan on how you would be meeting and screening your prospective tenants. During this process, you are likely to organize home tours for tenants who would be requesting it.

And once you have gotten your likely tenants list, the smart thing to do would be to give each of them an application form where they would provide you with some personal information which you can use to carry out some background checks on them. Make them a sign a lease A rental lease is an agreement between you and your tenant. It carries information like the rent rate, how long the rent would last and other necessary information as it concerns the rent. Your tenant must sign a rent lease as it protects you and them from any legal issues that may be arising in the future. Since your lease would be containing the expected behaviour expected from you as a landlord and them, as a tenant, both parties would know how best to act to maintain a fruitful and robust relationship.

Reference: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/ how-to-rent-your-house https://www.thebalancesmb.com/ basic-landlord-obligations-2125074 https://canadianrealestatenetwork. com/amp/how-to-rent-your-propertya-step-by-step-guide/ https://www.revnyou.com/5-steps-torent-out-your-property/

Things I Wish Someone Told Me Earlier On How To Succeed As A Young Real Estate Agent

Eric Hooks

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eing a real estate agent, like every other profession in the world, requires some level of creativity and a degree of hard work before one can become a success story in the industry. The truth is, most young real estate agents do not know that having a successful real estate career depends greatly on them doing a lot of right things at the right time so that their clients can remain satisfied with the work they do. Due to this lack of knowledge about the profession, many young professionals have failed and have become part of the many failure stories that litter the profession’s ground. In this article, we would be pointing out skills that every young real estate agent should know so that they can become a success story too. •

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Give every transaction your best One of the best pieces of advice one can give to any young professional in real estate would be for them to treat every deal like gold regardless of the transaction worth. This means that the amount of effort you would put into a 1 million dollars deal should also match the one you would be putting in a 10 thousand dollars deal.

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That way, your client would always be satisfied and can never be able to accuse you of not giving your best efforts to them. • Keep yourself informed Real estate, like every other profession in the world, keeps evolving and keeps growing. The best way to succeed in the profession would be for you to keep up with the best practices in the profession by regularly learning and relearning. The profession has loads of classes, seminars, webinars, and workshops which you can always attend to keep you very informed on the current trends and practices in the profession. • Develop your communication skills You have been giving every deal your best shot, and you have also been on top of your game by being regularly informed, the next thing would be for you to develop your communication skills. Being a real estate agent, there would be a need for you to continually communicate with clients who are either seeking to buy properties or seeking professional advice or information on properties you have listed. You would always need to be courteous and

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

polite when you are communicating with them, and you must also possess the ability to express yourself in a manner that your client would best understand. •

Network You, most likely, have heard this phrase a thousand and one times, but I will repeat it “a real estate agent must be willing to network at every opportunity he gets.”

be dealing with several parties always, and as such, it would be important that you structure your time and try to be punctual always. This could be when you are trying to close a deal or when you are meeting with a prospective client, or you are going to be showing a home to your old clients, just know that regardless of the situation, you must be able to manage your time appropriately.

Through networking, you would be able to get new clients who may have been referred to you through your networks. This is why you have to try as much as possible to maintain a professional and positive relationship with other real estate agents and also keep a community of like-minded people. •

Be punctual There is a common saying, punctuality is the soul of business. If you want to succeed in any profession, then you have to be always punctual. For a real estate agent, you would constantly

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Reference: https://10times.com/usa/real-estate/conferences https://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/blog/first-year-realestate-advice.html

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www.StopHigherPropertyTaxes.org

Split-roll Property Tax Measure Hurts immigrant and Minority Communities

Background: Prop 13 Has Helped All Californians for More Than 40 Years •

For more than 40 years, Prop 13 has provided certainty to homeowners, farmers and businesses that they will be able to afford their property tax bills in the future. Under Prop 13, both residential and business property taxes are calculated based on 1% of their purchase price, and annual increases in property taxes are capped at 2%, which limits increases in property taxes, especially when property values rise quickly.

Split-roll Property Tax Measure Destroys Prop 13 and Makes Our Economic Crisis Worse •

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Amid an unprecedented economic crisis, special interests submitted petitions to qualify a measure for the November 2020 statewide ballot that will destroy Prop 13’s property tax protections and will be the largest property tax increase in California history. The measure will raise taxes on commercial and industrial property by requiring reassessment at current market value at least every three years. This type of property tax is known as a “split-roll tax” because it splits the property tax roll, assessing business property differently than residential property. We should reject this measure and maintain Prop 13 protections that have kept property taxes affordable and provided every taxpayer who buys a home or business property with certainty that they can afford their property tax bills in the future. Now is not the time to raise taxes and bring more uncertainty to businesses and all Californians.

Gentrifies Our Longtime Communities •

A split-roll property tax will provide a huge financial incentive for local governments to approve business projects to replace existing housing so they can receive higher property tax revenue. It will also push small minority- and immigrant-owned businesses out of our communities when they can’t afford the higher property taxes. This unintended consequence will intensify the gentrification already occurring in much of the Bay Area and Southern California coastal counties.

Hurts Small Businesses and Consumers •

Most small businesses rent the property on which they operate. The measure’s higher property taxes will mean soaring rents at a time when the federal and state government is trying to provide small businesses with rent relief to keep their doors open. Ultimately, the measure’s tax hike on businesses will get passed on to consumers in the form of increased costs on just about everything people buy and use, including groceries, fuel, utilities, day care and health care.

Hits Minority-, immigrant- and Female-Owned Businesses the Hardest •

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Small businesses are already struggling. This measure will make it even more difficult for them to reopen their doors or stay in business as a result of this economic crisis. Increasing property taxes on businesses by up to $12.5 billion a year will hurt female- and minority-owned businesses the most and 120,000 jobs will be lost, according to a Berkeley Research Group study. Voters are being asked to consider a measure that will only increase job losses at a time when millions of Californians are applying for unemployment benefits. According to the latest data from the Harvard Business School, about 42% of new companies are founded by immigrants in California and the most recent 2012 Survey of Business Owners by the Census bureau found that 5% of businesses in the state are owned by African Americans. Additionally, the California Latino Economic Institute found that nearly one-quarter of all businesses in California are owned by Latinos, and they are the fastest-growing component of the state’s economy. Most of these businesses start small and stay small, meaning they often rent their property and are subject to higher rents when property taxes increase. In the most recent 2012 Survey of Business Owners by the Census Bureau, 38% of all non-publicly traded businesses were owned by females and another 9% were owned equally by females and males.

increases the Cost of Living for Everyone and Makes the Homelessness Crisis Even Worse • •

In 2019, US Housing & Urban Development data showed California led the nation with more than one-quarter of the country’s homeless population. California’s cost of living is already among the nation’s highest. We shouldn't do anything to make it even more expensive to live here. The split-roll measure will only increase homelessness and make life more difficult for Californians already living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Homeowners Are Under Attack • If businesses lose their Prop 13 protections, homeowners will be next. Supporters of the measure even admitted

that this initiative was the first step in a plan to end Prop 13, which could mean skyrocketing property tax increases for all California homeowners.

Ad paid for by Californians to Save Prop 13 and Stop Higher Property Taxes, sponsored by California homeowners, taxpayers, and businesses Committee major funding from Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association California Business Roundtable California Taxpayers Association Funding details at www.fppc.ca.gov

In Which Phase Of The Housing Market Cycle Should You Invest In A Rental Property In LA?

Briana Frazier Everything in life is in cycles. We move from one stage of the cycle to another stage of the cycle. It is likewise investing in real estate. The real estate market is quite a dynamic one; it operates cyclically from one stage to another till it goes round to its initial stage. Investing in real estate can thus be very dicey as the market cycles in real estate differ significantly from one another.

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verything in life is in cycles. We move from one stage of the cycle to another stage of the cycle. It is likewise investing in real estate. The real estate market is quite a dynamic one; it operates cyclically from one stage to another till it goes round to its initial stage. Investing in real estate can thus be very dicey as the market cycles in real estate differ significantly from one another. Explaining the housing market cycle The housing market cycle can be measured by the changes in the residential property prices and the number of transactions on residential investments undertaken over a period, which are often expressed as a reflection of the overall general market cycle. Simply put, housing markets tend to move in cycles due to the desire to make economic gains, i.e., new construction is completed to meet the rising demand for real estates. Typically, real estate operates in four phases. They are briefly explained below: • Expansion This phase of the housing cycle is known as the seller’s market. Investors tend to make the

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most profit because occupancy rates will be at an all-time high, and vacancies would be filled more quickly than usual. Also, during this period, rents tend to be high and often increases because of the high demand for properties and the fact that new real estate developments would spring up almost everywhere to meet the increased demand for homes. For a real estate investor, the expansion phase would be the right time to buy and flip properties. Distressed properties can be purchased, rehabilitated, and resold or even rented out with the assurance that the property won’t be vacant for long. The high rent would enable you to cover your expenses quicker. • Hyper supply Everything comes to an end, right? The bubble would eventually pop, and the supply of properties would be more than the demand, i.e., housing supply would significantly increase when there is no demand to match the supply. During this phase, since there are more housing units than buyers and tenants, there would be high competition for tenants, which would result in rent either stalling or declining. Investing in this period would not generate the quick profits gained during the expansion phase as your property may fail to attract new tenants for several months. • Recession Inevitably, the housing market that is already on a decline will crash. During this period, real estate properties could be for sale at prices lesser than their market value. Investors who buy properties during this www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

phase do so at a very low price because prices are down. Typically, it is during this phase that “the buy low and sells high” mantra tends to ring true. • Recovery The recovery stage of the housing cycle sees the housing market make a slow and steady rise again. In this period, the price of properties would still be low, but the next phase of the cycle, expansion, would make you sell at a profit, and unlike during a recession, you don’t have to wait so long. If you seek to make an immediate profit on your rental property, the cycle to invest in would be during the expansion. In which housing cycle can I invest in rental property in LA? However, if you seek to buy low and sell high, it would be advisable to buy during a recession. But if you want to make the best profits, the recovery phase would be the best period for you to invest in real estate. This is because you will reap the benefits of a low market price and be able also to reap the rewards of an economy that is about to experience high rental rates.

Reference: https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/us-housing-bubblecrash/ https://www.bankrate.com/glossary/s/sellers-market/ http://berkshirehathawayhs.tomieraines.com/Blog/ID/368/ How-Long-Does-a-Sellers-Market-Last-Analyzing-RealEstate-Cycles

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Is Timing The Market Really A Thing? Adrian Bates

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n the field of property investment, there is probably not a more controversial topic than timing. There are some divergent views and opinions on the possibility of timing the market as some school of thought holds that it is impossible while another school of thought believes that it is something that can be done. Timing the market is an intriguing concept as it sees investors actively seek means to game the market so that they can avoid losses on their investment portfolios. Understanding timing the market Timing the market, also known as countercyclical investing, means when an investor or an individual seeks to predict the future of their investment on whether it would become profitable or incur a loss. To put it in simpler words, timing the market follows the concept that investors can forecast when to buy and sell their investment that it would yield an enormous amount of profit for them.

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But, over time, the market has shown that it can’t be timed, which leaves one wondering how the concept of timing the market was able to gain root in the mind of many investors. Successful investors in the property industry know that wealth can be created at any time during a cycle especially when it is done with a lot of intelligence and due diligence, as every investor can create his own “perfect timing.” Why you can’t time the market The following reasons are why you would most likely be unable to time the market. • The market can sometimes be very unpredictable and volatile Robert Shiller, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, carried out a survey to study why the international stock market, including the United States of America, recorded over a 20% fall in one day in October 1987 and discovered that the fall did not have any external causative factor instead, the psychology of investors caused it.

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This means that it would be quite impossible for anyone to predict a market that hinges on the whims of the psychology of investors in the market. •

Timing the market can lead to making more tax payments Under the current tax code, long-term investments are taxed at 15% while short term investments are taxed at 28%. This means that holding on to an investment for a longer period of time can help you to achieve a better tax outcome that has the potential to help you improve your interest returns on the investment. You would be able to save 13% of your profits when you hold on to your investment for a considerably longer period than when you sell off almost immediately.

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Timing can be unsuccessful No matter the level of success some might have recorded when they timed the market, it was simply a case of luck being on their side, and it cannot be replicated over a long period of time. It is why some people who time the market, sometimes, also record a large amount of losses because their earlier success is not sustainable neither can it be replicated over a long period of time. As such, investors who time the market may sometimes, out of panic, go on to sell their investments which could later yield subsequent and substantial gains for them.

The fear of losing their investment or the greed of waiting for when the investment can yield the highest returns has made many investors lose all of their investments because of their trying to game the market. Reference: https://propertyupdate.com.au/important-timing-propertymarkets-2/amp/ https://www.nber.org/papers/w1851 https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/072313/ investment-tax-basics-all-investors.asp https://www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/property/timingproperty-markets/

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Pasadena Real Estate

Market Overview Leon Townsend

When most people visit California, their sights are set on Los Angeles and San Francisco. They believe that those two cities define the entire California state and pay no attention to other areas. But Pasadena, sitting eleven miles off the northeast of Los Angeles, in its own right, is a fully-fledged city that has been recording a steady growth in both residential and commercial property ownership.

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he city, most famous for the Rose Bowl and the associated parade, has its economic opportunities and tourist sites too that attract thousands of people yearly. The Pasadena real estate market holds a lot of promise as most investors are yet to bite the bug of investing in the homely city of one hundred and fifty thousand people. This is even though the city is one of the largest and fastest-growing metro areas in the United States. According to data gotten from Zillow, the median value of homes in Pasadena is $826,900, and the median rent price is $2,900. When you consider the fact that home values

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have risen by 1.2% over the last year and the real estate market is predicting that prices will still increase by 0.2% within the next year, you would agree that Pasadena would make for an ideal place for an investor to invest in. On average, homes in Pasadena tend to sell between 45 days, and the average cost of a home sold in Pasadena is $903K. According to statistics released as of August 2019, Pasadena was said to be a seller’s market as there were even more buyers than there were homes for sale in the market. This means sellers in Pasadena hold leverage over the market in the city. l

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The most common type of housing one can find in Pasadena are the one or two-bedroom singlefamily detached homes which account for 43% of the city’s housing units. Also, you can find large apartment complexes, duplexes, homes converted to apartments and a few row houses too in the city. If you are looking to invest in Pasadena real estate, the most crucial factor you should seriously consider is the location of the property as it is the property’s location that determines the desirability. Typically, you would be seeking a property in a locality that has basic amenities close to public service centers and shopping malls too. You would not want a property in an area with a high crime rate or a place that is not upwardly mobile. So, if you would like to invest in Pasadena real estate, the best neighborhoods would be Downtown Pasadena, San Marino, Annandale, Northeast Pasadena, The Oaks, Normandie Heights, Janes Village, North Arroyo, City centre. Some of these neighborhoods have the highest appreciation rates, according to Neigborhoodscout. It is advisable to invest in Pasadena because of the massive student market that is available in the city. The city is home to over three colleges (Art Center College of Design, Caltech, the Fuller Theological Seminary and Pasadena City College). And unlike in other college towns, Pasadena housing market is strong in its own right, so it cant be influenced by the rise and fall of colleges around it. Still, on why you should think of investing in Pasadena, the city has a high employment rate, and the quality of life in the city compares to some of the best in the county. Plus the fact that Pasadena housing rents have steadily increased over the past six years making house owners make a healthy profit from their investment. Reference: https://www.noradarealestate.com/blog/pasadena-real-estatemarket/amp/#Is_Pasadena_a_Good_Place_For_Real_Estate_ Investing https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/pasadena/real-estate https://www.zillow.com/ https://www.redfin.com/city/14498/CA/Pasadena/housingmarket https://www.neighborhoods.com/

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Success Money

When is the right time to invest in real estate?

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5 signs to watch out for

Investing in real estate is amongst the best investment decisions any man or woman can make for themselves. Real estate investment is a means one can use to diversify their investment away from the usual traditional investments like stocks and bonds. While some use real estate investments to get tax benefits that help them lower the amount they pay in taxes, many others invest in real estate to enjoy the benefits of property appreciation. This is the overall increase in value over time of the worth of their property.

When you have a stable and steady personal finance Before you can decide to want to invest in real estate, you need your personal finance to be on the good side so that you can be able to make sound and adequate financial decisions about the property you are purchasing. You would need to save a lot and have a positive credit score for you to be able to enjoy your investments in real estate. It is always advisable that investors in real estate make a 20% deposit on every property they may want to buy as it would save them quite a lot of money in the long run. Otherwise, you may be required to look for an FHA loan or a hard money loan or any other type of loan that would give you the best possible rates when you are investing in real estate.

But when is the right time to invest in real estate? The question is answered below.

After carrying out your basic and due research It is simply not enough for you to have your pre-approved mortgage letter or for you to have your cash readily available for investment in real estate. The next step you have to take when you want to invest in any real estate is to carry out your research about the market and about the location of the property you may wish to purchase.

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You wouldn’t want to be buying a property in an area where people are not willing to live not would you want to buy a property when the market is on a losing streak. You have to strike a balance, and the best way for you to achieve that would be to carry out due diligence first before taking the plunge into the market. •

When the employment opportunities in an area increases One of the ways you can know when to invest in real estate is when the employment opportunities in an area increases. This denotes that there are far more jobs in that location and as such, organizations would be needing more capable hands to help them keep their businesses running, which would invariably attract more people into that business location. People who come to that area from far distances may decide to rent a place or move permanently to their job location area to ease the stress of going back and forth over a long distance.

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The time of the year The best time to get cheap real estate deals is arguably during winter as there are always fewer buyers competing for available properties and because everyone else is busy preparing for the festive period. However, buying in winter can be very technical as you may be faced with options of buying in areas where snow and low temperatures can be an issue. As such, you may be faced with the low housing options available during winter. The other available option would be to buy during spring when there are more homes and more inventories to choose from. In this period, there are always more homes to buy though they may be costlier than those purchased during winter.

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Accurate cost estimates Okay, you have found the real estate you want to invest in, and you are ready to take the plunge already, hold on, have you thought about the overall cost estimate that comes with this property yet? No, you haven’t? One of the signs you have to look out for a while investing in a real estate property is for you to make a cost estimate of all expenses you will be incurring in-home repairs and other payments you would have to make. You have to make this comparison so that you would know if you would be able to net a profit in the long run or if the property would be worth all of the expenses you may incur on it. This is so that you can avoid any unforeseen expenses or troubles on the property in the long run.

Reference: https://homevestorsfranchise.com/blog/nationwide/2020/06/ is-it-a-good-time-to-invest-in-real-estate-right-now-yes-ifyou-have-these-top-resources/ https://m.benzinga.com/article/16852388 https://www.nuwireinvestor.com/right-time-invest-real-estate/

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be cautious!

7 things that will drastically affect your mortgage rate

Andre Jackson Everybody craves a low mortgage rate because no one would love to pay through the nose for any services or products. It is why when people are searching for a home mortgage; they tend to ask a dozen questions so that they can pick a mortgage lender that has the lowest possible interest rates.

But, in reality, no two people pay the same mortgage rate. Mortgage rates tend to change regularly, and it is because of the reasons identified below:

1. Credit score

One of the essential things that can influence your mortgage rate is your credit score. This means that if you have a high credit score, you are most likely to get an interest rate that would be lower to someone whose credit score is lesser than yours. Mortgage lenders tend to use your credit scores to determine how reliable you would be when repaying your mortgage loan. Information like credit history, which includes your loans, credit cards, and repayment history determine what your credit score would be.

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2. Property location

The location of the property also determines what mortgage rate you would be getting. The laws and policies of each state government could help to either increase or decrease the amount of rate you would be paying on your mortgage. Your mortgage rate would also be greatly depending on how urban or rural the area your property is located in.

3. Inflation

Inflation is pretty much when the price of goods generally rises over a period which leads to a continued fall of purchasing power of money. Mortgage lenders have to keep this in mind when they dish out mortgage loans to people. They have to keep the interest rate l

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at a level where they are still able to turn a net profit regardless of whatever level of inflation the economy might be.

4. Economy

The economy of the country also plays an active part in determining the mortgage rate. In a buoyant economy where there is more money to spend and people have jobs to do and are demanding mortgages, then the mortgage rate is likely to go up. When the situation is reversed, if an economy is suffering from recession and the unemployment level is skyrocketing, people are less likely to demand mortgages, and that would shoot down the mortgage rate level.

5. Loan duration

The duration of a mortgage would also determine your mortgage rate. If you have a shorter mortgage loan duration, you are likely to have a lower interest rate and a lower overall cost compared to someone whose mortgage loan takes a longer time.

6. Down payment

Mortgage lenders usually tend to tilt towards giving people who pay larger down payments a low mortgage rate than those whose down payments are not as substantial. This is because they tend to believe that those who put down larger

down payments put the lenders at a lower level of risk when compared to those who put down less. Which is why it is highly advised to put in a high down payment as it could help lessen your mortgage rate interest.

7. Property type

Like we said that no two mortgage rates are the same because of the number of peculiarities and technicalities that makes each different, one of those things that determine the mortgage rate is the type of property you would be acquiring with your mortgage loan. The mortgage rate you would be paying on a 4-unit property would differ significantly from the one you would be paying on a single-family home. Likewise, the mortgage rate on a condo would differ from a multifamily home. These properties differ, and as such, their mortgage rate also differs.

Reference: https://www.investopedia.com/mortgage/mortgage-rates/ factors-affect-mortgage-rates/ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-acredit-score-en-315/ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/howdecide-how-much-spend-your-down-payment/

Five Easy Ways To Save For Your Down Payment In Richmond 2020

Joe L. Fisher There is no denying the fantastic feeling that comes with having a roof over your head, especially one that you can lay claim to ownership over. It automatically confers on you that respect, and you are viewed in a different light by your peers.There is no denying the fantastic feeling that comes with having a roof over your head, especially one that you can lay claim to ownership over. It automatically confers on you that respect, and you are viewed in a different light by your peers.

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aving a home of your own also allows you to tie important memories into the fabrics of the building you call home. But, the truth is, saving for a down payment to make your homeownership dream come true can be an uphill and thankless task sometimes. You would have to make specific changes to your budget and sacrifice a lot of temporary comfort for the dream. However, regardless of how difficult it is, it can be achieved, and your future self will thank you for making the sacrifice now. In this blog article, we would be identifying five easy ways you can easily save for your down payment.

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Cut your budget and start shopping smart One vital thing you have to do if you want to save for your down payment would be to cut your budget and start shopping smartly. You can do without certain luxury goods during the period you are thinking of saving for your own house. Instead, you should only buy what you will need and avoid the pitfalls of buying those things you have no use for —even if their price is low. By shopping smart and cutting your budget, you would be surprised at how much you can save when you do without those things you don’t probably need.

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Skip vacation I understand you need to give yourself that treat. And I know that you have worked so hard and you deserve to go on that vacation. But think about it, the possible

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

expenses you could incur on that vacation could be better saved towards your down payments. Denying yourself a vacation so that you can be able to save more for your down payment could be a masterstroke as you could be able to go for that next vacation as a proud homeowner. •

Reduce your high-interest rate and debts One thing that may hinder you from saving more is when you have a high-interest rate on your credit card. It is always advisable to transfer your credit card balance to a card with a low-interest rate as it can help you save more. Debts also eat deep into our ability to save because we have to pay the debts and the interests that come with it. In some cases, the individual is unable to repay the loan, and he is stuck in an endless cycle of debt repayment. If it’s possible, pay off all of your debts and start on a clean slate that would allow you to save more.

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Get a second job You can easily save more for your down

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payment if you get an extra source of income. Having an extra income source would greatly help you improve your chances of saving and make substantial contributions to your plan of getting a home. But, this means you would have to be more hardworking, and you would have to be careful to avoid a burnout. • Discover if you’re qualified for a down payment assistance Agencies like the Federal Housing Administration, the US Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service, and the Veterans Administration can help you make your down payment if you qualify for the assistance. All you would need to do is visit their nearest office and make inquiries to see if you qualify for the assistance scheme. Reference: https://www.richmondamerican.com https://www.richmondsavers.com/saving-for-downpayment-on-a-home/ https://www.richmondamerican.com/blog/saving-tipsdown-payment/

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A California proposal meant to create a powerful state agency designed after the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has made a comeback but with small businesses and fintech firms’ support. Basically, the proposal wants to achieve expanded consumer protections. The bill was introduced in January by Gov. Gavin Newsom in his plans to expand oversight of all financial service providers in California. The proposal was dropped from a budget bill back in June. However, it has been revived and inserted back into a final budget bill that legislators were required to pass by August 31.

Californi a ’s proposal for it s ow n CFP B back on Track

Gov. Newsom’s plan is meant to replace or remake the state’s existing Department of Business Oversight with a new agency referred to as the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, with powers similar to those of the CFPB. The bill would authorize the state’s financial regulator to:

• Focus on unregulated products to stamp out predatory practices. • License and examine debt collectors, credit bureaus, and fintech companies. • Conduct research to craft new regulatory policies. • Seek to empower disadvantaged groups in making financial decisions. Opposers

However, the proposal faces a lot of resistance from financial institutions citing the bill would expand the state’s enforcement powers and potentially increase fines and compliance costs. Several bank and financial services trade groups recently were making a last-ditch effort to kill the proposal.

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Financial firms are particularly concerned with a provision in the bill that targets to expand enforcement and imposing administrative penalties for “unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices.” “The state is imposing new enforcement requirements that lack clarity and seem to be redundant,” said a lobbyist for the California Financial Services Association, Scott Govenar.

Proposers

On the other, the proposal has already gathered the support of about 47 fintech,

small businesses, and consumer advocacy groups. These groups are advocating for the elimination of unregulated industries— debt collectors, credit reporting agencies, and merchant cash advance lenders that market to small businesses— or for them to be registered and regulated. “It hurts borrowers and lenders alike when responsible companies must compete against actors who find advantage in unfair and deceptive acts,” the director of policy and advocacy at the Responsible Business Lending Coalition, Kim Wilson said. The coalition represents fintech firms, including LendingClub and Funding Circle, and nonprofit community development financial institutions.

Exemptions

Moreover, banks, credit unions, auto, and payday lender trade groups have announced their stand on the matter. They demand existing state licensees and entities operating with a federal license to be exempted entirely from the proposed bill.

“We [The California Credit Union League] believe the governor’s proposal should focus on the unregistered and unregulated entities in the state and leave current licenses out,” the group’s vice president of government affairs, Robert Wilson, said in a statement. Besides that, some financial firms have other concerns. They want limited investigations by multiple agencies, such as the state attorney general, and prevention of duplication of actions. They also object to the bill’s draft language citing that the department could recover legal costs if it successfully sues a firm. Work cited. https://www.americanbanker.com/creditunions/news/ californias-mini-cfpb-plan-is-back-in-play.

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CFPB proposes a new category of qualified mortgages: Seasoned QM

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he Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is advocating for the creation of a new category of loans called Seasoned Qualified Mortgages. The new loan category is meant to protect lenders from legal liability for making risky loans. In the statement, CFPB indicated that they hoped this new loan category would “encourage innovation and help ensure access to responsible, affordable mortgage credit.”

Who qualifies under the proposal?

To qualify as a Seasoned Qualified Mortgage (QM) under the proposal, a loan would have to be firstlien, fixed-rate covered transactions that have met certain performance requirements over a seasoning period of 36 months. On the same, covered transactions would also have to be held on the creditor’s portfolio during the seasoning period, comply 112

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with general restrictions on product features, points, and fees, while meeting certain underwriting requirements. Also, for a loan to be eligible to become a Seasoned QM, the proposal requires the creditor to consider and verify the consumer’s debt-to-income ratio (DTI) or residual income at origination. The new loan category would also only be available for covered transactions that do not exceed 30day delinquencies and no delinquencies of 60 or more days at the end of the seasoning period. Additionally, in case of a disaster or pandemic-related national emergency, and as long as certain conditions have been fulfilled, the proposal does not disqualify a loan from becoming a Seasoned QM for the failure to make full contractual payments if the borrower received a temporary payment accommodation.

“Today’s proposal continues the Bureau’s work to encourage safe and responsible innovation in the mortgage origination market,” said Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director, Kathleen L. Kraninger. “Our goal through our very deliberative rulemaking process is to protect, promote and preserve the financial well-being of American consumers while at the same time offering access to responsible, affordable mortgage credit.”

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

Critics

Consumer advocates immediately criticized the proposal, citing it would give lenders the freedom to make high-cost loans with no consequences, and that it contradicts the Dodd-Frank Act’s requirement that lenders make a good faith determination of a borrower’s ability to repay a loan. Consumer advocates argued that the proposal would be subject to a challenge under the Administrative Procedure Act, which oversees how agencies issue regulations. So far, the CFPB has already issued two other notices of proposed rulemaking this summer. The first notice is about amending the QM definition in Regulation Z that eliminates the debt-to-income ratio limit with a price-based approach. The other one is about extending www.tHEPOWERISNOW.com

the QM Patch. However, the CFPB provided a period of 30 days to receive comments from the public. You can get the whole proposal here: https:// www.consumerfinance.gov/documents/9118/ cfpb_proposed-rule_seasoned-qm-loandefinition_2020-08.pdf.

Works cited. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/ cfpb-proposes-new-category-qualified-mortgagesencourage-access-affordable-mortgage-credit/. https://www.americanbanker.com/news/cfpb-proposesa-new-category-of-seasoned-qualified-mortgages.

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FHFA Extends the foreclosure and eviction moratorium for a third time to December 31 Just before the eviction moratorium was almost expiring, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that it was extending the moratorium on foreclosures for single-family loans and evictions for real estate-owned (REO) properties until at least December 31. The foreclosure moratorium applies to Enterprise-backed, single-family mortgages only, while the REO eviction moratorium applies to properties acquired by an Enterprise through foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure transactions.

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reviously, the moratorium backed by the GSEs that is Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was set to expire on August 31. The latest extension was the third time the agency extended the moratorium. The moratorium was intended to help homeowners and renters during these times of crisis. According to the director of FHFA, Mark Calabria, the extension will protect more than 28 million homeowners with mortgages backed by either of the GSEs. “To help keep borrowers in their homes during the pandemic, FHFA is extending the Enterprises’ foreclosure and eviction moratoriums through the end of 2020,” Calabria said. “This protects more than 28 million homeowners with an Enterprise-backed mortgage.” “With this latest extension of the foreclosure and eviction moratorium, we can continue to help ensure distressed borrowers are able to remain in

their homes during this national emergency,” said Malloy Evans, senior vice president, and singlefamily chief credit officer at Fannie Mae. According to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the extension does not apply to tenants in homes that have not been foreclosed. The FHFA advises those who may be struggling with their mortgages or facing possible foreclosure to review their options as soon as possible. Moreover, homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible for a forbearance plan to suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months as provided in the CARES Act. Amid the foreclosure moratorium extension, FHFA projects that the GSEs will absorb additional expenses of between $1.1 and $1.7 billion due to the ongoing foreclosure moratorium and its extension. In the meantime, FHFA will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic on the mortgage industry and amend its policies where needed.

Works cited. https://www.housingwire.com/articles/fhfa-extendsforeclosure-and-eviction-moratorium-for-a-third-time-todec-31/. https://www.fhfa.gov/Media/PublicAffairs/Pages/FHFAExtends-Foreclosure-and-REO-Eviction-Moratoriums. aspx#:~

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Mortgage rates remain relatively stable despite the Fed News. Here’s why. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S, the housing market has been experiencing ups and downs, with the economy hit hard by massive joblessness and recession. At the same time, the housing market has had historically lowinterest rates; a move implemented to curb the impacts of the pandemic in the housing market. Meanwhile, it is important to note that the Federal Reserve does not control mortgage rates, but it does affect them more than any other institution. During these pandemic times, the Fed has bought consumer mortgage rates worth of billions of dollars in efforts to keep the mortgage rates low during these unprecedented times. The efforts of the Fed seem to be working effectively since the mortgage rates have hit record lows nine different times since March 2020. Moreover, the Fed’s position on employment and inflation policy could significantly help the rates remain low for years to come. However, although the Fed doesn’t set or control mortgage rates, it had played a significant role in holding them down during this pandemic times. Through Quantitative Easing (QE), the Fed can directly impact mortgage rates. QE occurs when the Fed injects money into the U.S economy to prevent the rates from skyrocketing, to encourage consumers to keep borrowing money and keep the dollar circulating. This is what happened during the early stages of the pandemic, where the Fed bought consumer mortgages worth billions of dollars on the second marketplace. More capital in the second marketplace translates to lower interest rates for consumers.

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Moreover, the Fed, through the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is known worldwide as the keeper of the Federal Funds Rate, which is the prescribed rate at which banks lend money to each other on an overnight basis. The Fed Funds Rate is correlated to Prime rate, which is the lays the basics for most bank lending, including consumer credit cards and business loans. Low Fed Funds Rate indicates that the Fed is trying to promote economic growth. However, the same low Fed Funds rate can bring about wage pressure and promote risk-taking, both of which could easily cause inflation. This explains why the Fed ended scrapped its zerointerest-rate policy in December 2015. Despite the Fed news, mortgage rates have remained relatively stable because mortgage rates are neither set nor established by the Federal Reserve, or any of its members. Rather, the rates are determined by the price of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) sold via Wall Street. Work cited. https://themortgagereports.com/17724/how-mortgagerates-move-when-the-federal-reserve-meets

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Fare Thee Well:

Former California Assemblymember Gwen Moore Passes Away

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he family, friends, former colleagues and other loved ones across California were saddened by the demise of former California Assemblymember Gwen Moore on August 19, 2020. Moore first appeared in the state legislature after being elected in 1978 and served Californians for 16 years until 1994. Moore was elected to represent California’s 49th district (restricted and renumbered in 1990 as the 47th district), which currently includes Long Beach, Catalina Island, and parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties. During her service period in the state legislature, Moore introduced over 400 bills that were signed into law. Moreover, she also served as Ma jority Whip and was a member of several other influential committees, including the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. Gwen Moore was also the architect and the force behind California General Order 156; a state supplier diversity program that has strengthened and stabilized several Blackowned, women-owned, and other minorityowned small businesses in California, by helping the land lucrative state contracts. Later on, Moore resigned from the state legislature and decided to run Secretary of State. Although she didn’t secure the position, she pursued other niches outside public offices that significantly influenced state policymaking, impacting lives of many people. Moore also served in several management boards that include; California State Bar of trustees, the California Small Businesses Association, and the national board of the NAACP. Besides that, she also served as the First Vice President of the California State Conference of the NAACP, Vice-Chair of

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the California Utility Diversity Council and Chairwoman of the California Black Business Association. Moreover, Moore was the founder and CEO of L.A-based GeM Communications Group. She was also a sought-after consultant who had worked with several prominent clients state-wide. For her impeccable service in California and the whole of the U.S, Moore won numerous national and local awards and recognition including honours from the U.S Department of Commerce and the NAACP Legal Defence Fund. Moore will forever be remembered for her service and the impact she has brought to many Californians and Americans in general, especially the African-Americans and the minority community at large. She indeed left a legacy behind. From The Power Is Now, we give our heartfelt condolences to her friends, family and former colleagues. Fare thee well Hon. Gwen Moore. Work cited. https://sacobserver.com/2020/08/rest-in-peace-formercalifornia-assemblymember-gwen-moore-passes-away/.

The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020

How to Heal Emotional Wounds after Disaster Disasters are distressing. Continued global warming due to human activities keeps adding fuel to the fires, leading to floods, hurricanes, and other natural calamities. The trauma that follows after the disasters strike leaves huge scars to the victims that take long to heal. Here the question arises, what can be done to heal this post-disaster trauma? To answer this question, the Center for Public Integrity and their partners in newsrooms, in conjunction with Columbia Journalism Investigations and California Health Report, conducted a detailed survey on this issue. The team has gathered a lot of insights from asking experts, victims of disasters or witnesses, and professionals who study this or come in to help. From the survey, here are some key takeaway points to note: 1. Be aware. Being aware might seem straightforward, but you’re a step ahead if you’re aware that coming out of a disaster and dealing with the long repercussions can be hard on your mental health. Being aware means keeping an eye on not just obvious symptoms like constant worrying, or short-tempered, but also trouble sleeping, or oversleeping, lack of appetite or overeating, and excessive drinking. It is also crucial to be aware that kids can feel the repercussions too, and might start having trouble in school. The effects could be felt right away or might take a while to come out. In both times, it’s normal and can stay put. 2. Seek support. Most respondents in the survey had not acquired or sort for any mental health support services after coming out of the disaster; some citing they couldn’t afford therapy or other related assistance, others thought they didn’t need it, as others wondered if support would have made the hard times more bearable.

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After surviving a disaster, it is crucial to seek professional support to equip you with the appropriate mindset to face hard times. Affordability is not a justifiable excuse since there are always free government avenues available that can provide you with the support you need. Some of the free avenues you should try include: • The Counselling Assistance and Training Program. • The Federal Disaster Distress Helpline (800-9855990). • The National Alliance on Mental Illness. • The Crisis Text Line. • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. • Community members; family, friends, your religious leader, co-workers, or other disaster survivors. 3. Help others. In times of disasters, some survivors find consolation in offering help to others. Helping others during disaster times as a survivor helps you get back some control in times known to make people feel powerless. “It helped me to keep my sanity,” said Kelley, a restaurateur whose family’s post-disaster efforts included cooking gumbo for people in the community. Solemi Hernandez, a resident form Florida whose employer shuttered after Hurricane Irma in 2017, leaving her to search for weeks for a new job, found peace in volunteer work. “Losing myself in service to others … is a way I became stable and not as depressed,” she stated. 4. Be ready for next time. The survey found that almost all respondents were concerned more that disasters would strike their community again. Also, a lot of survivors in regions struck by multiple floods, hurricanes and wildfires in the last decade, stated that they cope with that distress by getting prepared both mentally and physically for the next disaster.

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As some sort to leave the disaster struck places, others resolve to remain and make some changes. Dr. Irwin Redlener with Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness urges communities to get ahead of this. We have to prepare for more dramatic changes,” he stated. “Many places that may be habitable right now may become uninhabitable… We’re just at the beginning of the most serious consequences of unabated climate change.” Work cited. https://publicintegrity.org/environment/hiddenepidemics/how-to-heal-emotional-wounds-afterdisaster/.

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Home Ownership by Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA

Home ownership brings stability to individuals and families who have never had a dwelling place that they could call their own. There is something special about owning real estate that is unlike anything else on earth you can own. Real Estate you own is not like cars that decay over time and you have to replace them. Real Estate you own is not like clothes that go out of style and you have to buy new ones. Real Estate you own is not like expensive vacations or experiences that only last a moment in time. Real Estate you own is not like an apartment where the landlord may increase the rent until it’s no longer affordable. Real Estate you own is not like staying at your parents house where you know can’t stay forever. Home ownership is the beginning of wealth that increases over time and becomes your estate & legacy Home ownership is the pride of a mother nurturer and the kitchen her domain Home ownership is the pride of a father provider and protector of his territory and family. Home ownership is the foundation of permanence and the place where life happens, birthdays celebrated, deaths mourned. Home ownership is the place you build memories that can never be taken from you. Memories etched in walls and concrete, experienced in rooms and floors, Memories living in trees and shrubs planted by your hand. Howe ownership is the manifestation of you - your style, your colors, your smell, your stuff, your junk, your memories, your yard and your spaces, your life. It’s the height markers on your first child’s bedroom wall. It’s the hearts drawn in the concrete slabs when you pour your patio floor It’s the birthday parties, and anniversaries in the living room and kitchen. It’s the back yard barbecue with friends, neighbors and family contentions it’s the high school and college graduation, and wedding receptions Its’ the family nights and block parties and the fellowship of family connections Home ownership It’s more than real estate. Land, brick and mortar, wood frame construction and chicken wire. It’s more than money saved, gifts recieved and grants obtained It’s more than the debt you incur to buy it. It’s more than the payments you make to own it. It’s more than the appreciation that comes with keeping it over time. It’s memories, it’s family, and it’s life that can happen in one place Until you say it’s time to move.