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10 Buyer Pitfalls to Avoid in this Hot SoCal Market


There are many Greater LA area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Payment Calculator so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (626) 414-3597 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions 
 
10 Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing a Home
Today we wanted to talk about the buyer market and 10 mistakes you need to avoid when purchasing a home. We will be counting backwards from 10, so try to keep up with us if you can.

10. Waiting to Pull the Trigger:
So, you found a great home in the right price range - but you get cold feet and wait a day or two. The current market in Southern California does not allow you to be indecisive. At the Monica Diaz team, we will make sure that your offer has the best chance of acceptance.


9. Pulling the Trigger too Quickly: This is the opposite of #10; this is when you make an offer just because you don't want to lose out on a home, but then decide that you do not want the property. Our buyer's agents will guide you through this process and consult with you about making the right choices.
 

8. Poor Financing Knowledge: Do you understand the different types of mortgages? Do you know the difference between a fixed mortgage and an ARM mortgage? You're probably not going to understand everything in the paperwork for a home. However, our team works with American Financial Network to guide you through this process and ensure you an affordable loan.
 

7. NOT doing your Homework on the Area: You need to know about the neighborhood that you're moving into. Learn about the school districts, call the police department, or find information online in order to form a clearer picture of where you might be living and if that type of environment would be suitable to you.
 

6. NOT being Aware of the Home's Surroundings: When you view a home, be sure to look around. Are there train tracks nearby? Do planes fly overhead? Is there a landfill or garbage dump a block away? Our team will ensure that you avoid these pitfalls.
 

5. NOT Thinking Ahead: If you buy a home that you know you will be selling in the future, consult with us on how to maintain your home's long-term marketability. It is our job to tell you whether or not we believe you're making a good investment - so just ask!
 

4. Taking Advice from Everyone You Know: Nothing upsets a realtor more than hearing about all the great advice you got from relatives, neighbors, etc. Listening to people who are not experts on your situation will only add anxiety and confusion. Please leave these things to the professionals. This is what we do for a living, and we're very good at it!
 

3. Calling ALL the Listing Agents for Homes You're Interested In: When you use the Monica Diaz Team, you're getting the help of a professional marketing and negotiating firm that does all the work for you. We are very good at communicating with other agents. So once again, just leave this job to the professionals.
 

2. NOT Having a Home Inspection: We don't care if the home is new or if your brother-in-law who is a contractor said it was fine. At the Monica Diaz Team, we mandate a professional home inspector to come out and take a look at your property. This professional is a certified home inspector and not just a plumber or an electrician. It's important to understand what you're purchasing.
 

1. Buying More than You Can Afford: The last thing we want you to do is to buy a home that leverages you to the bone. We do not want you to go broke right after closing. We want you to be able to take your kids to the movies, buy new furniture and continue to make your car insurance payments. We would never advise you to purchase more than you can comfortably afford. We will set a budget and and help you stick to it.

This is all we have for you today and we hope that it's been helpful to you. As always, if you know anyone looking to buy, sell or invest in Southern California real estate, then please have them contact us. We're always willing to help!

You can call us at (626) 414-3597 or email us at monica@monicamakesithappen.com

The 7 Habits Of A Highly Successful Real Estate Agent




There are many Greater LA area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Payment Caculator so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (626) 414-3597 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions

Being seasoned real estate agents ourselves, we have experienced the innate desire that each agent has to distinguish themselves by enhancing their overall status and reputation.  We also know firsthand how hard the quest for eminence can be when one is trying to break through as a professional agent. With each rung you climb on the ladder of achievement, you find yourself encountering a seemingly endless barrage of obstacles and insurmountable barriers i.e. economic decline, lack of resources, etc. That’s why we’ve decided to impart some of our wisdom that The Monica Diaz Team has gleaned from an extensive repertoire of experience over the course of many years. Here are seven tips catering to aspiring real estate agents for future reference:

  1. Passion - As a Liaison between buyers and sellers, it’s imperative that the realtor is personable, exuding a strong outgoing demeanor to clients at all times. Always be tactful in maintaining a consistent line of dialogue, whether you’re communicating via phone, text, email, etc.
  2. Tech Savviness - In the rapidly evolving world of technology, professionalism is contingent on the utilization of cutting edge, up-to-date tools when interacting with clients. From digital signatures to tablets, using the most current forms of technology will confer advantages to you over other agents who stubbornly refuse to adjust to new trends (the internet), or continue to use antiquated modes of technology that are less efficient.    
  3.  Know Thy Market - Becoming well-versed in the subtle nuances of the local market will not only lend you credibility, but allows you to impress upon potential clients just how keenly-tuned you are to the different niches within the local community. Whether there’s key differences in the schools or some unique facet of local businesses, it behooves you as a “neighborhood agent” to be well acclimated to the surrounding environment of your targeted demographics.  
  4.  Authenticity/Transparency – The top agents know just how appreciative clients will be of realtors who come across as sincere and dedicated. Agents who demonstrate a willingness to keep their clients well-informed and thoroughly enriched with the minute details of the real estate process will see the highest levels of favorability amongst past and current clients.
  5. Digital Marketing; Social Media; Brand Building Machines –  The best agents out there have built a solid reputation through the establishment of a myriad of different social media and digital marketing tools. Whether it’s weekly blogs, monthly newsletters, or videos, having multiple ways to locate, track, and record potential leads will dramatically increase an agent’s accessibility. They will also gain additional leverage by being able to isolate trends in local market activity, and expand their presence within the vast realm of online social networks, thereby enhancing their overall image amongst the communities they work with.
  6. Great Networks – While interaction with clients is important, the ability to network with other professionals whose services overlap or complement those provided by realtors, is just as crucial of a step in becoming a premier agent. The vast array of professionals that real estate agents must work in concert with include:  Lenders, Contractors,  Insurance providers, Escrow agents, and Inspectors. 
  7. Detachment from the Outcome – Remove any personal/emotional dispositions you have from the real estate transaction. Agents must instinctively assume the perspective of the client, as their own bias can adversely affect the outcome of the client’s decision. ALWAYS put the considerations and preferences of the clients first, acting strictly on their behalf

These habits are key components to any successful real estate agent, and if you strive to incorporate them into your professional acumen, you will see firsthand how effective they make you.

If you know anyone thinking about buying or selling real estate in the Los Angeles or Covina area, please let us know and we would be glad to help them out. You can reach us at (626) 414-3597 or email Monica at monica@monicamakesithappen.com.