McGraw Realty & Property Management

Hard Money

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:43:52 +0000

With the implosion of the financial markets, conventional funding has become unobtainable for many. Lending is the key element for the Real Estate whether for purchase, rehabs, or simply refinancing. Over the next three years, there will be a very huge shift in wealth. Obtain your funding TODAY, and make sure you don’t miss out on another opportunity.

If you or someone you may know, be in need to borrow money for Residential or Commercial Real Estate, we are a source for Hard Money. You may borrow up to 70% of the after repaired value for a maximum of two years. The terms of all loans have a one year pre-payment penalty. Rates are between 12-14% and fees are 4-6 points of the loan amount. All loans are for non-owner occupied properties only.

For more info, select the “Hard Money” link at the top of our web-page.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management

B of A’s New Short Sale Process

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:04:27 +0000

If you have ever attempted to transact a property with a B of A mortgage, with the hopes of completing a Short Sale, I hope your clients are not in a hurry. Bank of America is making a process change that will reduce cycle times and improve customer service for many short sales that are submitted with a fully executed offer.

The changes went into effect Dec. 1, 2011, and impacts all short sales submitted with an offer in which the homeowner is eligible for the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative (HAFA) program.

When a short sale is submitted with an offer and the homeowner is HAFA eligible, B of A will no longer halt work on the file while waiting to contact the homeowner. HAFA eligible homeowners are no longer required to call our Short Sale Customer Care to indicate whether they will participate in the program. Instead, real estate agents can indicate a homeowner’s HAFA interest by submitting the necessary documents to Equator within 14 days. During that 14-day window, the short sale will continue moving forward. By the end of the 14 days, if not received the requested HAFA documents, we will continue to process the file as a traditional short sale.

This change is being made because we are transitioning the processing of all HAFA short sales with an offer from our outsourced vendor partners to Bank of America associates. Our outsourced vendor partners will, however, continue to process all short sales submitted without an offer. Short sales initiated on Equator.com that receive a HAFA eligibility message no longer require homeowners to call Customer Care to confirm their interest.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management

Meet The Agent

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:55:29 +0000

MEET THE AGENT: Louis McGraw

By: Daily Breeze Staff Writer Stephanie Cary
Posted: 07/29/2011 01:08:27 PM PDT
Updated: 07/29/2011 01:14:19 PM PDT

After moving to California, Louis McGraw decided to get his real estate license. Today the 45-year-old Manhattan Beach resident has his own company, McGraw Realty. (Brad Graverson/Staff Photographer)

MEET THE AGENT: Lisa Levin
Louis McGraw was heeding the advice of his friends when he became a real estate agent.

He was working in Oklahoma as an aircraft maintenance manager for American Airlines when his friends – who happened to be real estate agents as well – told him they thought he’d be great for the job.

After moving out to California, he decided to get his real estate license.

It ended up working out for the 45-year-old Manhattan Beach resident as now he has his own company, McGraw Realty.

What kind of deals do you handle?

Lately it’s been more on the commercial and investment side. As a residential agent I cover here in the South Bay and then I work commercial in the inner cities of L.A.

Why are you mostly in commercial real estate?

The commercial side is residential income property. It’s units but they consider it commercial because it’s typically more than four units.

So why have you gone in that direction?

I started working with investors a few years ago. I ran an investment club here in the South Bay and a lot of it then was just single family and one to four units. Then as those people started buying and then they would sell, they would say, “We need to get upgraded properties.” So then I started getting into the commercial side of it. And then I started giving seminars to churches and I started picking up clients there and then I started buying and selling churches. So

that’s how I got into the commercial side more so, but I still do the occasional residential.
What kind of seminars were you doing at churches?

Those were investment seminars and then also financial seminars. I would bring other folks with me whether it be a financial planner or my CPA tax guy. It just depends what topic we were working on. I helped them set up their goals, just different things. At the same time, sometimes I would be going in to pitch to a congregation

that “Hey, you know, you folks are going to be moving because I’m representing a nonprofit that’s buying this place to build a charter school, and so I’m going to help you buy a new property.”
What do you like about real estate?

No two deals are the same. You can sell two houses side by side. They can be brand new construction and it’s a total different dynamic. So not only do you get to meet a lot of interesting people, a lot of my clients have actually become friends beyond the real estate Christmas card they get. Two of my clients I’ve gone on family vacations with.

Do you have a family?

Yes, I do. I have a wife and I have a son that’s 14 who goes to Mira Costa High and I have twin daughters that are home schooled by my wife. They’re 10.

What do you do for fun?

I train at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu with my son. I love jogging. I do that quite a bit.

Find out more
Louis McGraw

McGraw Realty

2309 Torrance Blvd.

Suite 205

California October Sales

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:02:47 +0000

According to the Real Estate data resources center, estimates show 34,087 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide in October. That was down 3.7 percent from 35,404 in September, and up 4.3 percent from 32,669 for October 2010. Despite what your beliefs are about the housing market these days, the data is the data.

Median prices paid for a home during the same month was $240,000, down 3.6 percent from $249,000 in September, and down 6.3 percent from $256,000 for October a year ago. Many can only believe the jobs market plays a very pivotal role in rebooting this market. Median home sales have been down on a year-over-year basis for the last thirteen months. The bottom of the current cycle was $221,000 in April 2009, while the peak was at $484,000 in early 2007. This leads back to an article I wrote for the Inland Valley News last year discussing housing and land trends since the 1800′s.

Distressed property sales, both foreclosure and short sales, continue to make up nearly half of all sales on average across the markets. Two years ago short sales accounted for 15.9% of the transactions, in October that number was 19.5% Also, while reviewing offers and countering as well, most of our competition is against non owner occupied purchases. I interviewed one investment group that is buying and flipping roughly 55 single family properties per month here in the Los Angeles metro area.

Should you or someone you know, need to Buy, Sell, or Rent/Lease, contact us Today. 310-592-4045

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management

Executive Bonuses Denied

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:07:57 +0000

Lawmakers were angry over the lavish bonuses scheduled to be handed out to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Executives today. The House Finance Committee, under extreme pressure, had to step in and approve a measure that would suspend the compensation packages. Employees of the two firms, under the signed bill would also have pay scales more in alignment with Federal Financial guidelines and the Federal Financial Insurance Corp.

Someone realized handing over $170 Billion in taxpayer bailout cash, to the heads of these two companies would most likely cause more than a occupation of whatever street, once the word was out. This kind of cash compensation could not be defended and the committees move was looked at as being prudent.

I strongly believe in compensating for services rendered. Somewhere along the way here, the business values that are taught in corporate America has obviously been forgotten by some.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management

Cash Buyers On The Rise

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:37:48 +0000

Cash rich buyers are purchasing properties at the highest rate in several decades, taking full advantage of the National distressed property situation. According to the National Association of Realtors, cash buyers accounted for 30% of all closed and recorded transactions in September. That figure however is up 29% over the month of August. Although the spike in cash sales has been increasingly higher, the investor returns have declined due to market declines.

Mr. Ward, an Attorney out of San Diego taught me everything I know about Real Estate Foreclosures and evaluating property purchases. I am seeing exactly what he trained me to look out for happening these days. There are thousands of investors buying all cash, buying all cash does not make you an investor, it makes you a buyer with cash. They are not looking at the market and evaluating trends properly.

As qualifying for a mortgage has become more and more difficult, cash buyers are extracting money from 401k’s, Stock Market accounts, and other lower performing investments.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty Property Management

Top 35 Items To Think About Before Selling

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:24:07 +0000

Selling a home in any market can be a very demanding and over bearing endeavor. We have a very extensive marketing program and whether you are preparing your home for sale or looking to purchase, there are a few items you may have overlooked. We know the list is endless, we just wanted to share a few of the items we have found to be the most obvious.

35. Not picking up their clutter, junk, mess, If you can’t sit on it, eat it, it shouldn’t be left out. gives perception not enough storage in the house.

34. Dirt, hair in the bath tub, grimy shower doors, pet hairs, dead bugs in light fixtures, dirt and rusty toilet hardware. clean the house, cheapest improvement. Kitchen and bathroom keep clean. Clean out dirty old grout with scraper, glaze over with new grout and wipe it with a sponge.

33. Fix it or forget it. Deferred maintenance. Loose screws, cracks in walls.

32. Neutral on the paint colors. Colors of sand. Always prime the walls. A gallon of paint is like money in a can, a gallon of paint can make you thousands of dollars.

31. Smell. Garlic, mold, pets, shoes, boil cinnamon, bake cookies-bread. Open all windows at least one hour before the open house to air out.

30. Best time to sell your home is the spring.
Worst time of year to sell is December although buyers are most serious this time of year.

29. Clear it out and clean it up. Lots of color in planter bed. Red mulch around trees.

28. Embrace architectural design.

27. Opportunity knocks. Clean up the front door.

26. Rear yard outdoor space. Every square foot of your property should be accounted for. Many realtors give buyers lists of addresses for buyers to drive by. If they don’t like the curb appeal, they wont even go inside. To make a room look bigger, pull the furniture off the wall.

25. Have them at hello. Seller has 10 seconds to make a good impression. Nothing but good things to hit them in the face.

For the remaining 24 items, please contact us directly and we will gladly forward them right over.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management

Pulse on Rents

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:12:55 +0000

We have been watching the housing and rental market adjust in some areas more drasticly than in others as of late. With interest rates at 4.258 APR this morning, one would think more buyers and savvy investors would take advantage of the rental market. Well I am here to tell you they are. The calls for investment opportunities helps us understand where investors are seeing the greatest return on their CASH. This in turn provides strong rental property opportunities and keeps the investment market moving.

Current data for the first three months of the year shows rents in Southern California have increased very little in comparison with the rest of the nation, according to Reis Inc., a real estate information firm. Los Angeles rents rose 0.2% from a year earlier while the U.S. as a whole increased 1.9% from a year earlier, Reis said. As one must understand, this report also includes areas of rent control and must be used as a guide.

The only true ways to assess the rental market is by zip code, vacancy factors, and rental rates. Working with investors is a specialty service and in order to provide the correct data, the proper research must be conducted. McGraw Realty Property Management.com consults with investors and home owners, emphasizing the importance of always analyzing the data. Southbay Real Estate is a very unique and rewarding product if you choose to consider the rewards of this market.

Sincerely.

McGraw Realty Property Management

Rental Market Trends

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 01:19:04 +0000

The rental market hasn’t really adjusted as many would be tenants may have hoped for. Nor has it out performed the forecasts of the many would be Guru’s. Although the Los Angeles Rental market as a whole is getting tighter, the rate increases have been struggling due to vacancy factors. Vacancies are down several basis points from last year. The brighter side for landlords is the first half of 2011, rents increased 0.2% each quarter according to sources.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management

1.3 Trillion Deficit, Guess Who Will Pay

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 09:47:25 +0000

All Home Mortgages up to 1.1 Million dollars, the Government allows home owners to deduct interest paid throughout the year, from their income. What is looming and all experts are wondering how congress will handle, is the rising public debt. By 2020 estimates show 69% of our National Gross Domestic Product will cost Americans $778 Billion in annual interest charges.

As of now, all eyes are on the middle class tax deduction. The plan is over a five year period, to reduce the amount a homeowner is credited through interest deductions. Making a move such as this today would most likely stall the housing market even further. This deduction is part of the financial attractiveness renters and home owners alike factor in when deciding to purchase. Even proponents of the Real Estate interest deduction feel it is time for the Real Estate sector to contribute. After all, the current of the mortgage interest deduction has already cost $100 Billion for fiscal year 2010 and over $400 Billion the past four years.
Though virtually no one in the real estate industry supports elimination of tax benefits for homeownership, many economists and deficit-reduction experts say some form of cutbacks will be essential to help balance the budget at some point. This move in my opinion is very crucial to the overall stability to the market, even though I am a huge benefactor of it by owning Real Estate.

Sincerely,

McGraw Realty & Property Management