Santa Clarita Real Estate Buzz

The Great California Shake Out: Are You Prepared?

Section: Community Info Published on October 18th, 2011

The Great California Shake Out: Are You Prepared for a Major Earthquake? Small earthquakes are a regular occurrence in Southern California, so much so that most of the lower magnitude earthquakes go unnoticed by many of us. But do you know what to do when a larger earthquake strikes? You decide your fate. You decide your future. The steps you take now can mean the difference between your success or failure after the next big quake. The Great California Shake Out is a day of special events featuring the largest earthquake drill ever, organized to inspire Californians to get ready for big earthquakes,...Continue Reading!

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Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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Preventing Foreclosure: Is Your Bank Likely to Cooperate?

Section: Sellers, Short Sale Info Published on October 17th, 2011

Preventing Foreclosure: Is Your Bank Likely to Cooperate? Fannie Mae just released a new list of loan servicers that are on track to earn the 3-star rating in its Servicer Total Achievement and Rewards Program (STAR).  The STAR system, which awards a maximum of 5 stars, evaluates the consistency and level of service that is provided by loan servicers (lenders or banks) in helping homeowners to avoid foreclosure. Fannie Mae had this to say about their new STAR program: “Fannie Mae’s mission is to help stabilize the housing market. By working with servicers to prevent foreclosure whenever possible, we can help bring...Continue Reading!

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Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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Is Mortgage Life Insurance a Good Decision?

Section: Business Professionals, Sellers Published on October 12th, 2011

Insurance Tidbits: Is Mortgage Life Insurance a Good Decision?   You have just bought a new home.  Now you are being overwhelmed with offers for mortgage life insurance.  These policies promise to pay off your mortgage in the event of your unexpected death.  The question- Should you invest in one of these policies?  The answer- Probably not. Mortgage life policies are very simple.  The initial benefit amount is based on your mortgage.  As you pay down your mortgage, the policy benefits drop to remain in line.  The premium for most mortgage life policies is based on a constant monthly rate.  Although your coverage begins...Continue Reading!

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Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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Home Buyers Beware of the Los Angeles County Supplemental Property Tax Bill!

Section: Buyers Published on October 11th, 2011

Home Buyers Beware the Supplemental Property Tax Bill! One of the not-so-great surprises that home buyers receive after the purchase of a new home is the Supplemental Property Tax Bill. Supplemental property taxes are assessed by the Tax Assessor on virtually every home purchased in California. The amount of this bill is based on the difference between the current purchase price and the prior assessed value of the home, and is then prorated according to the number of months left in the tax year. The supplemental tax is due at the time the bill is received, and generally you’ll be allowed to...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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Getting the Best Price for Your Home In Santa Clarita Valley

Section: Sellers Published on October 11th, 2011

Getting the Best Price for Your Home in Santa Clarita Valley If you are thinking of selling your Santa Clarita home, you'll need to know exactly what it is worth before putting it on the market.  Having the right Realtor that can put all the pieces together is essential in getting the best price for your home. Effective marketing One of the most important elements of marketing your home effectively is setting the price right.  Set the price too high, and you won't get any offers and your home will take too long to sell.  Set it too low and you cheat...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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What is a Short Sale?

Section: Buyers, Sellers Published on October 3rd, 2011

What is a Short Sale? If you’ve been breathing the last 3 years, no doubt you’ve heard the term “short sale“.  But what exactly is a short sale anyway? There are a lot of misconceptions. A short sale is a home that is being put on the market for less than (or “short” of) what the home owner actually owes the bank on the property. The bank is willing to negotiate this “short sale” usually because the homeowner is, or is about to, go into foreclosure due to some sort of hardship. By selling the property at a small loss (or sometimes a...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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How Much Money Will I Need to Buy a Home in Santa Clarita?

Section: Buyers Published on October 3rd, 2011

Home Buying: How Much Money Will I Need to Buy a Home? Now that you’ve decided to go home shopping, you’ll need to determine two key numbers that will decide how much home you can afford: How much of a loan you can qualify for, and how much money you’ll need to have on hand to complete the purchase. Typically you’ll need a down payment of 3% to 20% of the purchase price of your new home, plus closing costs. Closing costs may include the buyer’s share of escrow fees and title insurance, plus lender fees and the first year’s home insurance...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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You too can own a home for as little as 1/2% down

Section: Buyers Published on October 3rd, 2011

You too can own a home for as little as ½% down. Yes, you read this right. The California Housing Fund (CHF) Platinum Program is offering a grant program for homebuyers to help you come up with the cash needed to buy a home. 3% grant for you to use towards closing cost, your down payment or even your pre-paid loan expense, escrow and etc. The grant does not have to be paid back The grant reduces the amount of out-of-pocket cash that you need to purchase a home The seller can pay up to 6% towards your closing costs 30-year fixed rate term Primary residence, owner-occupied...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

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McGrath Elementary in Newhall Wins Prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award

Section: Community Info Published on October 3rd, 2011

McGrath Elementary in Newhall Wins Prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award Rep. McKeon meeting students at McGrath Elementary School [photo courtesy of Rep. McKeon] McGrath Elementary School in Newhall was recently awarded the prestigious 2011 National Blue Ribbon Award by the Department of Education. McGrath joins many other elementary schools in the Santa Clarita Valley as being an award-winning school, which is a great benchmark for parents to use when selecting a quality school district for their children. McGrath Elementary has consistently raised their national test scores and has earned four consecutive Title I Academic Achievement Awards. Last year, McGrath received their first California...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

Search for a Home in Santa Clarita What's My Santa Clarita Home Worth?

Buying A Santa Clarita Home In Foreclosure vs A Home That Is Foreclosed On

Section: Buyers Published on September 26th, 2011

We get a lot of calls from people looking to buy a home in foreclosure in Santa Clarita Valley.  Most of these folks want to buy a home in foreclosure because they see it as an opportunity to buy a home for sale in Santa Clarita for a great deal.  Unfortunately, most people do not really know or understand what a home in foreclosure really is. First, Home In Foreclosure vs A Bank Owned Home Home In Foreclosure A Santa Clarita home in foreclosure is a home that is technically still owned by the home owner, but that homeowner has defaulted on their...Continue Reading!

Thank you for reading our Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate Blog!
Written by Kim Thomson – Santa Clarita Real Estate Agent
Kim Thomson Team For all your Real Estate needs, give us a call (661) 263-0441

Search for a Home in Santa Clarita What's My Santa Clarita Home Worth?