Photography is the central component of home marketing.

Photography is the central component of home marketing.
It increases the effectiveness of web marketing.
It increases the effectiveness of print media.
It makes the agent look good because it reduces market time* and
increases net sales price*.
It will help you compete for more listings.

Few real estate agents have the equipment, and or time, required to do quality
interior photography.

What’s required to produce high quality interior photography?
Digital Single Lens Reflex camera body ~ $2,000
Ultra wide-angle lens ~ $600 – $1,000
External flash lighting equipment ~ $1,000
Photo-editing software ~ $800
An eye for making rooms look attractive
Extensive practice at shooting interiors

If you’re not well equipped and experienced your marketing photos will
show it and not be fully effective.

I offer free photography services with my listings and can also do videos – call for quotes.
http://www.carlofoto.com

Swine Flu Prompts U.S. to Declare Public Health Emergency

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

American health officials on Sunday declared a public health
emergency over increasing cases of swine flu, saying that
they had confirmed 20 cases of the disease in the United
States and expected to see more as investigators fan out to
track down the path of the outbreak.

Although officials said that most of the cases had been mild
and urged Americans not to panic, the emergency declaration
frees resources to be used toward diagnosing or preventing
additional cases and releases money for more antiviral drugs.

Read More

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Not too late to obtain the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers…

You’ve already filed your 2008 tax returns and maybe you’ve already received your refund. That means it’s too late to obtain the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers enacted by President Obama‘s Stimulus Plan, right? Wrong. The great thing about this tax credit is that you can still get the cash this year, even if you’ve already filed your taxes for 2008 – and the money is yours to keep. You don’t ever have to pay it back, as long as you stay in the home for at least 36 months.

There’s a lot of confusion in the media surrounding this tax credit, but it’s actually pretty simple. Qualified first-time home buyers (anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the three years prior to the purchase) can receive a tax credit of 10% of the purchase price up to $8,000. All you have to do is purchase a primary home (that means a home you’ll actually live in, not an investment home) any time between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 1, 2009. If you make a qualified purchase after April 15, or after having already filed your 2008 taxes, you and your tax professional can submit an amendment to your return and receive the credit on your 2008 taxes – you don’t have to wait until next April.

There are some income limitations and other factors involved, but give us a call or a tax professional and we’ll gladly review your financial situation and see if you qualify. With today’s combination of low interest rates and lower home prices, this tax credit gives you a second chance to benefit from the great opportunities in today’s real estate market.

Don’t let the urgency of the Job Hunt make you fall into a scammer’s trap.

With 2 million layoffs recently, the employment websites are busier than ever. And it’s not just jobseekers who are making these sites so popular. Consumer-protection and law-enforcement groups and better-business bureaus are reporting that a whole new breed of scammers and “phishers” are also logging on to get your personal information to steal your identity.

If you, or someone you know, are using the Internet to get a new job, protect yourself. Never supply Social Security numbers or bank account numbers over the phone or on your resume. Also, be wary of “work-at-home” or business opportunities which cost money or fees upfront for supplies, background checks, and other phony charges. The Wall Street Journal reported recently that many of these scam opportunities involve “medical billing, rebate processing, and mystery shopping.” The Federal Trade Commission says some of these “jobs” are even illegal, and you could be held responsible. Finally, watch out for phony executive-search firms and recruiters. Capitalizing on desperate jobseekers, these scammers have reportedly charged thousands of dollars for positions that never existed.

Finding a job in today’s economy can be hard, but be persistent, patient, and protect your identity. Don’t let the urgency of your situation lead you into a scammer’s trap.

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Let’s get you home with new high tech travel cards.

Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife

Apply for your travel card today made available by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Visit www.GetYouHome.gov to learn how. The June deadline is fast approaching. Enjoy peace of mind knowing you have approved docs to reenter the U.S. from land, air or sea from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean with no risk of losing a valuable passport.

Let’s get you home!

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…when the holder of the first deed of trust (the #mortgage document) forecloses, it eliminates all subordinate liens.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

DEAR BENNY: My husband and I are looking to purchase some homes for investment that are being foreclosed. Because many of these loans are the first deed of trust that are defaulted and the legal notice mentions nothing of second or third deeds of trust, if purchased at auction, who is responsible for additional liens taken out by the owner? –Lindsay

DEAR LINDSAY: While state laws may differ, in general, when the holder of the first deed of trust (the mortgage document) forecloses, it eliminates all subordinate liens. Before you consider buying at a foreclosure sale, you must obtain a complete title report, which would indicate what liens and clouds are on the land records. Some tax liens may have a super priority, and must be paid off at closing (escrow). You should also make sure that you have inspected the house — inside and out– although many homeowners who are facing foreclosure are reluctant to open their house to strangers. Too many of my clients have been burned when they bought property at a foreclosure sale. There is a lot of homework you have to do in advance of the sale, and I recommend that you get a tax professional and a lawyer to assist you along the way.

 

 

Benny L. Kass is a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. No legal relationship is created by this column.

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Offices offices everywhere, AHH what a place to meet.

AMERICA HOME HUNTERS OFFICES IN CALIFORNIA

Standard Hours of Operation 8:00 to 5:00, *8:30 to 5:00

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

BEVERLY HILLS
BEVERLY HILLS TRIANGLE
9595 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 900
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

CENTURY CITY
WATT PLAZA*
1875 Century Park East, Suite 700
Century City, CA 90067

CULVER CITY
CORPORATE POINTE
400 Corporate Pointe, Suite 300
Culver City, CA 90230

DOWNTOWN LA
WELLS FARGO*
333 S. Grand Ave., 25th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071

SANTA MONICA
BROADWAY PLAZA*
520 Broadway, Suite 350
Santa Monica, CA 90401

HOWARD HUGHES CENTER
6601 Center Dr., West, Suite 500*
Los Angeles, CA 90045

PASADENA
790 East Colorado Blvd., 9th Floor*
Pasadena, CA 91101

KOLL CENTER PASADENA*
1055 E. Colorado Blvd., 5th Floor
Pasadena, CA 91106

WESTWOOD
THE TOWER
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1600
Los Angeles, CA 90024

WESTWOOD PLACE*
10866 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90024

…personally attend the foreclosure sale (no matter how traumatic this may be) to determine who will own your house.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

DEAR BENNY: Our home is in the process of foreclosure. Bad economic times and the loss of work resulted in our failure to make two mortgage payments. The bank will not work with us to help solve this issue. What happens if a house is foreclosed by the bank? What are our responsibilities? Do we have to make up the difference in what is owed on the house? Your information will be greatly appreciated. –Louisa

DEAR LOUISA: I have been receiving many questions as to whether a homeowner who has been foreclosed upon has to pay any deficiency between what the house sells for and the then-outstanding balance. Unfortunately, each state has different laws; some completely disallow a lender from going after the homeowners who lost their house, while other states allow some form of deficiency. You will have to talk with an attorney in your state for this answer.

It is too bad that your lender will not work with you. But don’t give up. At a foreclosure sale, there are two possible “buyers.” One is a third party who is the successful bidder. The other — which apparently is the norm now in today’s difficult financial market — is the bank itself.

Either way, you will have to move out of the house. I would recommend that you personally attend the foreclosure sale (no matter how traumatic this may be) to determine who will own your house. You may be able to negotiate a rental for a period of time, so that you can at least stay in the house for a little longer.

Before the foreclosure sale, have you exhausted all available options? Does your state have any laws or programs that can assist you? Have you talked with a real estate agent about arranging for a short sale? Or have you discussed giving the property back to the lender so as to avoid the foreclosure sale; this is known as a “deed in lieu” of foreclosure.

 

 

Benny L. Kass is a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. No legal relationship is created by this column.

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