When to sell.. and when to buy?

When is the best time to sell your home? Most homeowners stress over what season to list their home. There are all sorts of myths about when is the best time to sell, but every situation is truly unique. Luckily, here in the South Bay – each of the four seasons offers different perks of listing your home!

WINTER:

Historically, the winter months are considered to be the slowest season for the real estate market, but it is necessary to take the temperate weather of Southern California into consideration. Seasonal variations may play a more prominent role in other parts of the country, but we fortunately skirt a good portion of extreme winter weather. Warm, sunny winter days means that your home may have just as much curb appeal as it does during the spring months!

As Sam Heskel, president of Nadlan Valuation, an appraisal firm in Brooklyn, highlights, “Sellers typically find that off-season buyers may be more focused and ready to buy a home.” This means that while some home buyers take a break over the holidays, they return after New Year’s with renewed motivation and focus to purchase a home.

*Remember, the quality of the buyers is often times more important than the quantity! Buyers who are serious about finding a home (no matter the season) are more desirable than those who are casually looking.*

SPRING:

The spring season always comes out on top as the best time to sell. With the warm weather, more daylight and spring fever in full swing, buyers are more likely to shop during this time of year. With more competition comes bigger sale prices. Thus, home prices are highest during the prime season, when more homes are on the market.

SUMMER:

A lot of sellers hold off putting their home on the market during the summer, preferring to wait until the first of the year or the spring season. This results in reduced inventory during the summer months, meaning more buyers checking out your home, whether online or in person. “For Sale” signs and postings are much more visible and easier to install in the summer than they are in the winter. Also, in some tourist areas, traffic is heavier, ensuring additional exposure.

Lastly, listing your home in the summer positions you well to sell in the fall. Even if you do not secure a buyer over the summer, you have the opportunity to assess the buyers’ reactions and make necessary adjustments to make your home more appealing.

FALL:

According to a survey by ERA, 40% of respondents cite that with the end of the vacation season comes a renewed attention to real estate. The survey also highlighted emotional motivations that are strengthened during the fall – namely the desire to be “home for the holidays”.  ERA President and CEO Charlie Young states, “As vacations wind down after Labor Day and people become more focused, the desire to be in a new home for the holidays is a historically strong driver of fall home sales”.  As the season progresses, financial motivations also come into play. 10% of respondents cited the desire to purchase a home before the end of the year in order to gain tax benefits.

The point of this all being: There are clear perks to selling in each season! Make sure that you home is in the right condition to sell and go for it!

Now on the flip side of things, when is the best time to buy?

Do not obsess with trying to time the market and figure out when is the “best time to buy.” Real estate is cyclical and constantly changing. The ideal time to buy is when you find your dream home (or the house that has the potential to become it) and you can afford it. Trying to predict the housing market and wait for the so-called right time, may mean you miss out.

You have to remember that while buying a home is one of the most important decisions of your life, the rest of your life does not get put hold. We have had buyers who have been planning a wedding while house-hunting, as well as a couple who gave birth during escrow! It can be a stressful process, but one that is well worth the effort!

However, there are three things that we suggest having arranged before you purchase your home: be pre-approved, have enough for a down payment and make sure you are comfortable with the monthly mortgage payment.

Getting pre-approved means a lender has looked at all of your financial information and they’ve let you know how much you can afford and how much they will lend you. Being pre-approved will save you a lot of time and energy so you are not running around looking at houses you can’t afford.

As always, we are here to help so don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to set up a consultation to discuss if right now is the right time for you to buy or sell your home. info@weberaccetta.com

Congratulations To The “Soon To Be” Trost Family!

Congratulations to Junette and Jerome who purchased their first home together all while working full time jobs, attending school, and planning a wedding! Talk about power couple go-getters! It was an honor and a blast working with such close friends, as Junette and Michelle have known each other since the 2nd grade!  Michelle would come back from their home tours excited to share about how much fun she was having working with her best friends. (Now, that’s when you know that you love what you do!)

Michelle taught Junette and Jerome our method on how to search for homes the right way verses the wrong way. It was impressive to watch them apply these skills and determinedly find their home in just a little over a month! They took the time to drive the different neighborhoods they were considering to narrow down their options and powerfully choose the home that was right for them. Their determination and dedication was what enabled them to find their home in a short period of time.

It wasn’t until we had our home inspection that I had the privilege of working face to face with Junette and Jerome. I could see right away why Michelle was having so much fun with these two. Their dynamic relationship with each other and fun loving spirits makes for a good time with anyone involved. My favorite is Jerome’s jokes and Junettes reactions 🙂 I could also see why they were able to find their house quickly. When it came down to business, their teamwork really shined through in their decision making and support for one another. Go team Trost!

We are so happy for the “soon to be” Trost’s and for what is in store for them this year. What an amazing way to start their life journey together and we know that many more good things are coming their way! Cheers to a year filled with amazing memories and festivities! We love you two love birds!

 

 

Neighborhood Spotlight: Cedric Shen

As your local REALTOR’s, our goal is to connect the Redondo Beach community. Each month we support and connect neighbors by sharing what they are up to!

 

“Are you guys the What’s Up Redondo Girls?” – we hear a voice coming from somewhere above upon ringing the door bell. We turn around and look up to the balcony and see Cedric’s gracious welcoming smile. Off the bat, we notice his calm, friendly and welcoming demeanor as he enthusiastically shares with us the upgrades he did to his home and his love for living here. Eager to learn more about him, we ask him about what he does for a living. He humbly answers that he is an attorney and primarily practices immigration law and his passion for his work stems from his own experience becoming a US Citizen upon moving here from Canada. We could tell that he really cares about his job and the people he serves and that his own experience going through the process really helps him connect with and compassionately serve his clients. We left our first meeting with Cedric with a smile!

All our encounters since have been nothing but professional and inspiring. Cedric has a fantastic attitude, a high work ethic and is extremely professional which make us really excited to feature him on this months Neighborhood Spotlight!

 

OUR INTERVIEW WITH CEDRIC:

When did you open your firm and what inspired you to focus on immigration law?  

I’ve been practicing law for over 11 years but I was always inspired to find a practice area that would allow me to help others.  I started my own immigration law firm in 2010 and as an immigrant from Canada, I had to go through the visa and green card process myself.  As a result, I was inspired to help others who wanted to immigrate to the United States.

What types of cases do you primarily focus on and specialize in?

 I primarily handle marriage green cards, employment visas, investor visas, and naturalization cases.  I particularly enjoy handling family-based cases and playing a role in helping families reunite, whether they be spouses, parents, children or siblings.

Why did you choose to live in Redondo Beach?

We wanted to to be in a family-friendly neighborhood, close to the beach, and with easy access to freeways and Redondo Beach was the perfect fit.  We love that there is a mix of sophistication with a laid-back lifestyle, and everybody we met has been welcoming and hospitable.

What about living in the South Bay inspires what you do?  

We love the diversity of the South Bay – seeing people from so many different cultures and all walks of life.  In any given neighborhood, you can find a family with young children, a friendly retired couple, or a yuppy in the prime of his/her career.  Living in a neighborhood as diverse as the South Bay has been a great experience and I know that it will only get better.

How do you see your business making a difference and impacting our local community?  

My practice can help businesses and individuals.  We often have local businesses looking to hire a foreign worker and they need a visa for the employee.  We can assess the position and the employee’s qualifications to determine whether there is a visa available.  We have also seen an influx of foreign entrepreneurs looking to start businesses in the South Bay – particularly in the tech field.  We can work with these entrepreneurs to set up a business and to secure appropriate visas to allow them to run their operations.

Anything else we should know about your and/or your business?  

As someone who immigrated to the United States, I understand firsthand the anxiety and stress that many people experience when trying to move to here.  So my job is more than just applying for visas on behalf of a client, but to also be there as a counselor, confidante, and a friend.  Seeing my clients’ dreams of living here is rewarding and something I couldn’t put a price on.

 

For a complementary 15-minute phone consultation with Cedric about immigrating to the United States call (310) 591-8200 or email cedric@maxlawinc.com.

CONNECT WITH CEDRIC:

Website – www.maxlawinc.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/maxlawinc

Twitter – @ImmigrateMaxLaw

Congratulations to the Cohens!!!

I could not have been more thrilled to give the Cohens keys to their new home this past weekend. It had been quite the journey but through it all I had the privilege of getting to know Sandy and Jay on a more intimate level and learned so much from them.

I first met Sandy when we both lived in San Diego back in 2004. Thanks to facebook we were able to keep in touch over the years and fast forward to 11 years later Sandy is now married to her awesome husband, Jay, and they are living nearby in Pasadena.  I was thrilled when Sandy reached out to me with their new goal of purchasing their first home together. What made reconnecting and catching up even more exciting was the news of expecting their first baby in December!  What an honor and joy to be part of their journey and new chapter in life.

When we first started our search I told the Cohens what they think they want and what they end up with may not be in complete alignment, but the one thing they can trust is their internal guide and the feeling of “meant to be”.  After exploring different neighborhoods, home styles, sizes, shapes, and colors, it was very clear when we walked through the doors of their home that it was the one!

Upon entering escrow, the Cohens worked diligently and quickly with their lender and in scheduling their home inspections. Negotiations with the seller, correcting city rules/regulations, and navigating through the new loan process were just a few obstacles that we overcame to close on Christmas Eve 2 days after Dexter was born! It was so amazing to watch Jay and Sandy communicate, make quick decisions, and plan all during their pregnancy and arrival of their new bundle of joy. There were times when the pressure was high but they kept their cool and had a great attitude through it all. Giving keys to the Cohens may be my all time favorite closing and celebration. I got to meet Dexter, who stole me heart, and I asked Jay and Sandy if facing all the challenges was worth it, which they happily said “Yes” with big smiles on their faces.

I could not have asked for a better Christmas present! It’s moments like this that remind me why I LOVE what I do. With every home that I sell, I learn an even bigger life lesson. From working with Jay and Sandy I will take away what I saw in their relationship. They complement each other so well and work together as a great team. I love the love that they share with each other and can only hope that one day I will be as lucky as they are to have found each other 🙂

Congratulations to Jay and Sandy on your new home, chapter in life, and handsome baby, all of which are very well deserved!