Gordon Castle

I had an demanded update on my Facebook profile and all my friends & contacts are gone! What a mess. With this kind of support I am about to drop FB permanently. What have you idiots done to my profile and why does FB no longer know my profile? I quit being a Realtor 5 years ago. At 71 I'm retired. I do not need to Boost my posts!

My latest ad to Expired Listings:

There are a couple major problems facing prospective home buyers this year. One is rising interest rates and the other is a lack of inventory. From the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/05/15/low-inventory-of-affordable-homes-is-yet-another-barrier-for-millennial-buyers/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.1cdd5f4b82e2

Analysis | Low inventory of affordable homes is yet another barrier for millennial buyers While overall inventory is down 15 percent, the number of homes priced less than $500,000 is down 26 percent.

When you’re a Realtor® three of the scariest words you can hear from a seller are “According to Zillow …” Typically Zillow over prices property by thousands. Today I'm reading about a lawsuit from an owner saying that Zillow underpriced his property. From today’s Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/zillow-faces-lawsuit-over-zestimate-tool-that-calculates-a-houses-worth/2017/05/09/b22d0318-3410-11e7-b4ee-434b6d506b37_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard

Zillow faces lawsuit over ‘Zestimate’ tool that calculates a house’s worth The plaintiff says the popular valuation system has hampered her efforts to sell a property.

To refi or not to refi, that is the question. From today's Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/04/19/four-criteria-to-help-you-determine-whether-a-mortgage-refi-will-save-you-more-than-it-will-cost-you/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.f6053db0f64e

Four criteria to help you determine whether a mortgage refi will save you more than it will cost you REAL ESTATE MATTERS | If you get all four of these things, it's a 'home run' refinance. Go ahead and do it.

A good article on borrowing mortgage money from a relative. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/04/10/what-you-need-to-know-before-obtaining-a-private-mortgage-from-a-family-member/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.40caa024a7b1

What you need to know before obtaining a private mortgage from a family member REAL ESTATE MATTERS | Some states require certifications relating to the loan; others have mortgage taxes on the filing or recording of the mortgage; and still others require the format of the mortgage to follow certain guidelines.

Unless you have the assets and resources, I would avoid house flipping. Not nearly the easy money as shown on those TV commercials. Buyer beware! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/04/04/flipping-houses-isnt-the-cakewalk-you-see-on-tv/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.aadda952a38a

Flipping houses isn’t the cakewalk you see on TV ASK THE BUILDER | Flipping houses is hard, dirty, dangerous and risky work.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/04/03/how-to-ensure-youve-received-proper-documentation-after-paying-off-a-mortgage/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard

Doing an Open House this Saturday & Sunday, 1 to 4 PM. Come on down! Free cookies & water. Check out the house, and see if it meets your needs. 2012 Kellogg Ave, Corona

I always tell house buyers to get pre-approved for a loan prior to house hunting. No reason to look at what you can't afford. On that same thought, not all free credit checks are accurate. The latest from the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/beware-mortgage-seekers-random-online-credit-scores-are-not-always-reliable/2017/03/28/eb8aa4a8-131d-11e7-9e4f-09aa75d3ec57_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.5afaf1435cd2

Beware, mortgage seekers: Random, online ‘credit scores’ are not always reliable Positive scores shown online won’t necessarily reflect the ratings lenders use to gauge potential borrowers.

This should be a no-brainer. If you purchase a property be sure to show up for the final inspection. Jus' saying. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/03/27/why-you-should-always-inspect-a-home-before-closing/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-realestate%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.620fdf3043d4

Why you should always inspect a home before closing REAL ESTATE MATTERS | If the residence isn't in tiptop shape, you'll have more leverage before settlement to get things in order than afterward.

To me, homeownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream. Owning a home seems to moving away for most Americans. This is the latest from the Bloomberg News:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-23/renters-now-rule-half-of-u-s-cities

Renters Now Rule Half of U.S. Cities The American Dream increasingly involves a lease, not a mortgage.