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Realty company manages to grow
“He told me, ‘You’re too young to do development, why don’t you go into the sale of real estate?’” said Merage, chief executive officer of First Team Real Estate, which recently opened new locations in Beverly Hills, Marina del Ray, Pasadena, Westlake and San Diego.

Adjustable-rate mortgages are making comeback
How could this be, with fixed 30-year rates at half-century lows, hovering just under 5%? Isn’t it axiomatic that it’s always smarter to lock in a low fixed rate for as long as possible rather than gamble on a loan whose rate might bounce around in the years ahead?.

Ask The Builder
A savvy ceramic tile storeowner may get you in the door with an attractive price on the tile, possibly selling it at cost or at a thin margin, but then they soak you for all the other supplies you’ll need to install the floor. The cost of the grout, adhesive, underlayment board, etc.

MORTGAGE
Say you need a $450,000 mortgage with a 45-day closing and you have a FICO score of 740. According to Green, you should be able to get a 30-year fixed-rate jumbo for around 5.625%. Monthly principal and interest on a fixed-rate jumbo would total $2,590 a month.

Real Estate Matters
I’d like to avoid paying capital gains taxes on the sale. I am still working, but I’m in the poverty income tax bracket. The house has no mortgage, but the taxes, insurance and utilities are eating up my savings. Is there any way I could declare a hardship and avoid the capital gains taxes?.

VIEW
Are these properties great deals? Absolutely, because there is no emotion in the sale, so banks generally want these properties moved as quickly as possible to overcome any requirements of holding their funds in reserve as a guarantee against government-lending guidelines.

Saving some stress
Outside, the appraiser will look at the overall condition of the original construction. So, for example, if your paint is peeling or your siding is sliding, you’re going to lose points.