California Real Estate and Life

Several months ago I wrote about a home Inspector from Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California, Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection.

I first “met” Joseph a couple years ago, and from day 1, I was impressed with how thorough and transparent he was. My old Broker said he hated Home Inspections because they always messed up his deals. YIKES…….

I want my clients to know what they are buying! I am not a used car salesman, and want to be able to sleep at night. When I do have a buyer for a single family home I always recommend a Home Inspection! And since Joseph of Pillar to Post is in my area, he is the only one I would recommend. I have learned to trust him.

Now do I get a kick-back, or any compensation for this recommendation…..absolutely not. I will only recommend someone I trust to do a good job for my clients. And after reading all of Joseph’s Posts, and actually talking to him a few times, I am comfortable that he is the best for my clients.

Joseph Lang- Home Inspector for Inland Empire, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Western Los Angeles Counties.

Many people call  for the Serrano Del Vista’s Home Owners Association address and phone number.  I have been meaning to put them  here for your convenience, so here they are.

Serrano Del Vista HOA:  Property is Managed by Lordon Management Co. 1275 Center Crt. Dr., Covina, CA 91724.

Phone Number is (626) 967-7921 x 3321

Wondering if you should buy a home….looking at those Short Sales and Foreclosures, and figuring they are the best deals?  The California Association of Realtors just released these stats:

“ Forty-nine percent of all buyers purchased a home through a traditional market sale, while 38 percent purchased a REO/bank-owned property, according to the survey. Reflecting the difficulty in closing short sales — properties selling for less than the loan amount — only 13 percent of buyers purchased a short-sale property. Home buyers who purchased a REO or bank-owned property experienced the highest level of difficulty in obtaining financing, compared with a more traditional transaction. They rated the level of difficulty as 8.9 (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 representing the greatest level of difficulty in obtaining financing) compared with a 7.7 for home buyers with a traditional market sale and 7.6 for short-sale home buyers.”  Courtesy of CAR Newsline

Want to know more about the Serrano Del Vista Community?  I made this Virtual Tour and Video for you to get a better idea of this Active Adult Community in the city of Banning, Ca.  On the left side of the Virtual Tour there is an icon for Video, and on the bottom of the Tour is a clickable link to get more details about the community and Banning area.  Hope this meets your needs.

Have you been wondering how the Obama “Stimulus Package” affects you?  Not everyone is eligible, but if you are buying a Home this year, you just might be. Below are a few questions and answers that many people have about the $8,000 tax credit.

7 important questions and answers about the $8,000 Tax Credit from Obamas Stimulus Package include:

• Will I be able to get the money as a refund on my taxes?  Yes, the credit is refundable.  If you qualify then you will either get a refund, or the money will be used to offset the taxes you owe.
• Do I get the whole $8,000?  The tax credit is either 10% of the homes value or $8,000. Whichever is less.
• What if I bought a house before, am I still a 1st time Home Buyer?  A “1st time home buyer” for purposes of Real Estate (and both the previous and current tax credits) is someone that hasn’t bought a home in the past 3 years.
• When do I have to buy a home in order to qualify for this credit?  This credit is for homes that are bought between Jan.1st and Dec.1st  and close escrow before the end of the year. 
• Do I have to live in the house to get this credit?  Yes, you have to live in the house as your primary residence for at least three years.  If not you may have to pay the money back.
• How do I file for this $8000 credit?  You would file as usual, and fill out the revised version of IRS form 5405. If you already filed your taxes for 2008 you can file an amended return and claim the credit, or claim it on next years tax return.
• Are there any Income Limits?  Yes, a buyer cannot make more than $75,000 or $150,000 for couples that file a joint return.

*Anyone that wants to buy in Central Oregon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit might want to read this Post about things to consider before buying.

*If you are a 1st time Home Buyer thinking of buying a home in CA, the following Article might be of interest to you.  CA is the only State offering a Mortgage Protection Plan.  The CA Mortgage Protection coupled with the $8,000 tax credit is a great reason to buy a Home now, and that’s not even counting low interest rates and home prices!