Real Estate Blog

First, and most importantly, I hope you’re doing well and staying safe.

To all of you in essential businesses keeping us safe, healthy, and well-fed, I sincerely thank you for your hard work on the front lines, often keeping you away from your loved ones.  I've had the privilege of working with many clients in these fields, and we're all lucky to have you in our lives.

I’d love to know what you’re doing during your newfound spare time?  I’ve been doing lots of organizing, archiving, and learning.  In California, Real Estate has been deemed an essential business, so by taking some precautions, both physical and legal, I am able to assist clients who need to sell or buy a home.  Many clients who can wait are electing to do so, and I think that’s wise.   Let’s talk about your individual situation if you are considering buying or selling a home now or after we get past this.  I've been bolstering my continuing education and earning some additional Realtor designations.  I’m most proud of my recently-earned Senior Real Estate Specialist designation, gaining excellent resources and skills to assist our aging community.  The National Association of Realtors defines “Senior” as 50+, so I’ll be joining this illustrious group this year myself.  I look forward to helping you and your family members, young and old. 

If your income has been severely impacted during the shut down, be sure to explore all of your options.  Here are a few to explore, though availability of funds fluctuates depending on the government stimulus packages:

PPP - for small businesses who are set up with payroll, there are loans available and some don’t need to be paid back!  Click HERE for more information.  

EIDL - Loan/grant for independent contractors. Click HERE for more information.

PUA - Unemployment compensation for independent contractors.  HERE for more details.

Mortgage Forbearance - Some lenders are offering homeowners the opportunity to delay 3-6 months of payments.  Please be sure to read the fine print regarding paying back the skipped payments, as some expect a lump sum payment after the forbearance period while others tack the missed payments to the back end of the loan.  Click HERE for more information, and call me anytime if you have any questions about the fine print. 

How is your mortgage doing?

Many of us check the stock market daily or even hourly, but I've met folks who don't know what the interest rate of their home mortgage is, likely their biggest investment!  For those of you wondering if refinancing makes sense while we're experiencing these historically low interest rates, I am happy to share a wonderful resource that I am sponsoring for you called Homebot.  I've been testing it out myself for a few months before offering it to you, and it's really addicting!  It provides you with a simple digest of the value of your home, including the equity you have earned, and how your current mortgage compares to other options available.  With simple graphics and intuitive options, you can explore what would happen if you lowered your rate, shortened your term, took out cash to buy an investment property or to pay off other debt, etc.  Click HERE to sign up and enjoy this service on me.  Here are some screen shots of Homebot in action: 

I’m just a call or email away if you have any questions about Real Estate, whether it’s a current need or to do some planning for the future.

All the best,

Matthew