Rob Weiss Homes

Gayle Glew Named Director of Relocation Services

Rob Weiss — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:00:20 +0000

First Team is pleased to welcome industry veteran Gayle Glew as its new director of corporate relocation services. He will be primarily responsible for business development and continuing to enhance First Team’s reach into the corporate relocation market.

Glew comes to First Team with more than 20 years experience in the real estate and relocation industries, having most recently served as network manager for Employee Transfer Corporation where he trained the company’s national network of brokers in REO and relocation transactions. Previously, he was president of Windemere Relocation, Inc. in Seattle,Wash., and was integral to the growth and business development of its global mobility solutions. He holds professional designations with the Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers (CRB) and the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council (CRP) and was a former Realtor of the Year with the Seattle King County Board of Realtors.

“The innovation that drives First Team’s success in the Southern California residential home market helps to ease the process of relocation for transferees,” Glew said. “At a time when a growing number of people from the U.S. and around the world are coming to California, I am delighted to be able to extend to them, their employers and their families the company’s repertoire of tools and services to help them gain maximum value and to facilitate a smooth, streamlined transition to their new homes.”

“Relocation and corporate transfer are a highly specialized division within the real estate industry where depth of experience and innovation play a major role in serving corporate clients successfully,” said Cameron Merage, President and CEO of First Team Real Estate. “Gayle’s talent and expertise in this area uniquely qualify him to lead First Team’s Relocation Division and we look forward to him building on the division’s well-established record of success.”

See original article here

Gayle Glew Named Director of Relocation Services is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

FT Named Best of OC; Launches “My Story” Campaign

Rob Weiss — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:00:16 +0000

It’s official – First Team was named the fan favorite real estate firm by you, our clients and friends, in the Orange County Register’s 2011 Best of OC readers poll!!!

And what better way to celebrate this honor than to launch our exciting “My Story” campaign? This innovative campaign shows why First Team was chosen number one, with inspiring stories told by our clients of the profound, positive impact in their lives our agents have made.

Click here or below to see the first story, shared by Lauri Burns, founder of The Teen Project, Inc. Lauri, a leading advocate for emancipated foster youth, tells how her First Team agent helped her find a very special house where former foster kids with no home to return to are getting the support they need to become successful, independent adults (that’s Lauri in the photo on the left with her agent, Lora, and award-winning filmmaker, Tasha Oldham, who created the My Story videos).

Enjoy, share, and come back each month for a new, incredible story.

See original article here

FT Named Best of OC; Launches “My Story” Campaign is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

Fantasy-Inspired Home Featured in Sunday’s OC Register

Rob Weiss — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:00:15 +0000

A one-of-a-kind home in Fullerton built by craftsman Tom Whaling and listed by First Team agent Cherie Eckley was featured in Sunday’s Orange County Register real estate section.

The Fullerton property was inspired by Knott’s Berry Farm, Disneyland and Big Sur and resembles a Thomas Kincaid painting. It has the meticulous attention to detail of artisan homes of long ago, including a 2-inch, solid alder door with a rounded top that swings effortlessly on ball bearings; stone fireplaces; carved, wooden valances; elegant, carved, wooden cabinets and ornamentation that resembles great European chateaus. The back yard is a wooded fairyland adorned with winding paths, bridges and fountains, with an antique tea house at the top of a steep slope overlooking Mt. Baldy.

You’ll have to see it to believe it:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-320369–.html

For more information about this property, contact Cherie Eckley at (714) 357-2001 or cherie@cherieeckley.com

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-320369–.html

Tagged: Cherie Eckley, Fullerton, Tom Whaling

See original article here

Fantasy-Inspired Home Featured in Sunday’s OC Register is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

New Innovative Tool at First Team Allows You to Discover

Rob Weiss — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:49 +0000

From family friendly and hip & trendy to school performance and quality of shopping or restaurants Consumers have made two things crystal clear about buying real estate. First, searching for a home based on bedrooms, baths, and price alone is obsolete; today’s buyers wisely put lifestyle factors at the top of the list in finding the right home. Second, they prefer to research properties on their own before they contact a real estate agent. In answer, First Team Real Estate is premiering a new Lifestyle Search on its website specifically to meet the evolving consumer needs. “Typically, people wanting to start their searches without involving an agent have had to rely on sources such as Chambers of Commerce and social networks for information on where to look for their ideal home,” said CEO/Owner, Cameron Merage, at First Team. “The Lifestyle Search lets them do it much more easily and thoroughly. Everything from quality of schools to pet friendliness to local culture and vibe is covered in this great new feature.” Merage said it is ideal for homebuyers who want to put the most crucial search criteria up front, weeding out search results that turn up homes that may be ideal in terms of size and price, but all wrong in terms of lifestyle needs. “This lets people begin the search in terms of their lifestyle goals, where they then identify the energy and identity of local neighborhoods ideally suited to them. For example, young, single professionals who enjoy the nightlife and may be searching in the same price range as a young family, but will have completely different lifestyle preferences. With Lifestyle Search, everyone can start their search in the best direction,” he explained. The search feature’s lifestyle factors consider several different dynamics. Using a sliding scale, consumers determine the priorities they give to whether the area is family friendly; fun, hip, and trendy; its convenience for commuting and traffic; whether it is dense-urban, light-urban, or suburban; the proximity of golf courses; quality of schools; nearness of cultural arts and theater; public transportation; quality of shopping; and pet-friendliness. “The sliders are especially helpful because you can adjust the priorities and see how it changes the recommended neighborhoods,” said Merage. “You can become comfortable with a variety of locales, knowing they all have what you want in terms of nearby parks, family friendliness, or other factors which are as important to you with regard to your lifestyle. From there, you can search with confidence for homes based on price range and the number of bedrooms and baths.” The Lifestyle Search is as valuable for people new to Southern California, as it is to locals wanting to transition to a new life stage such as retirement, when things like pet-friendliness and the proximity of golf courses and cultural arts become more important than the quality of schools and ease of commuting. “We are partnering in this venture with an innovative company, Onboard Informatics, the leading provider of trusted real estate information and technology solutions, who has access to billions of details on every area in the country. Onboard Informatics has chosen to work with us to launch Lifestyle Search because it knows First Team is innovative, ranking 9^th in the nation, and continues to understand the needs of its consumers and also because of our close relationship with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, the nation’s foremost relocation service,” said Bill Plattos, Executive Vice President at First Team. Plattos invites you to “test drive” the new Lifestyle Search feature at First Team’s user-empowering, easy-search website, www.firstteam.com.

New Innovative Tool at First Team Allows You to Discover is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

Are Home Prices Headed Up or Down?

Rob Weiss — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In another account, my friends at Keeping Current Matters bring home the point that news on the real estate market can be conflicting and confusing. It also brings to light once again that real estate is extremely local and that you must get to know your market place by talking to a professional that knows what the local trends are. Stats can even vary from city to city, so before you jump to conclusions about the state of real estate – dive deeper into the story and get the facts so you can answer the question…Are Home Prices Headed Up or Down? Here are two headlines that appeared in print last week: LA Times: Case-Shiller Home Price Index Hits New Low Forex: CoreLogic: Home Price Index Increased 0.7% In the Los Angeles Times story, David Blitzer, chairman of the S&P index committee, was quoted as saying: “This month’s report is marked by the confirmation of a double-dip in home prices across much of the nation. Home prices continue on their downward spiral with no relief in sight.“ In the secomd article, Forex quotes Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic: “While the economic recovery is still fragile and one data point is not a trend, the month-over-month increase based on April sales activity is a positive sign.” The Case Shiller and the CoreLogic price indices are both very well respected. How can they come to seemingly opposite conclusions? There are two reasons for this.

1. Each Index Has a Different Lag Time

Each report is actually looking at data from different periods of time. Therefore, they are not technically comparing apples to apples.

The Case Shiller Index Methodology:

The CSI is reported with a two‐month lag and is based on three months of data. For example, data released in January 2011 was for the three months ended November 2010 (November, October, September 2010).

The CoreLogic Index Methodology:

The CoreLogic HPI is published on approximately a 5 week lag from the end of the data collection period. For example, the CoreLogic January HPI will be published in mid‐March.

2. The REO Saturation Level Has Changed

The Case Shiller report covered data several months old. This data would contain transactions where prices were negatively impacted by the large number of distressed properties on the market However, inventories of distressed properties have decreased recently because the process of foreclosure has slowed. The CoreLogic data, being more current, would have fewer homes impacted by distressed properties. Therefore, prices would be higher. The difference in time table helps explain some of the conflict in the conclusions of the reports. Once the banks again start to introduce more distressed properties to the market, prices will again be negatively impacted.

Bottom Line

Prices of properties in your region will not be determined by the different price indices. Prices will be determined by the supply of homes available in ratio to the demand for those homes in your area. Whether you are buying or selling, check with a local real estate professional to help you analyze these numbers.

Are Home Prices Headed Up or Down? is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

House Hunting Habits: What Not To Do

Rob Weiss — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 06:00:42 +0000

When hunting for a new home, there are some actions you may want to avoid in order to successfully scrutinize the properties you are viewing. In order to guarantee smooth scouting, try to avoid the following:

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is attending a viewing by yourself.

Regardless of the safety factor, going it alone may be a waste of time. “A qualified real estate professional will be able to trim your list down significantly, ruling out homes that don’t match your criteria,” says Bill Plattos, Executive Vice President of First Team Real Estate. Additionally, if a seller thinks you are unrepresented, you may be setting yourself up to be taken advantage of. “You don’t want to lose your bargaining leverage. Always view a home with your Realtor,” says Plattos.

Avoid taking separate cars on lengthy buyer’s tours

“If you’re house-hopping, meet your Realtor at a set location and hop in with him or her. This avoids possible separation, and you can use the time to provide your agent with feedback on what you’ve just seen.” Feedback is crucial to the process so that you can convey your likes and dislikes with your representative. “The more they understand what you want, the better homes they can find for you that match your buying criteria,” says Plattos. “Don’t ever be afraid of offending your Realtor: by being honest, you’ll be saving your Realtor — and yourself — lots of time in the long run.”

Though honesty is the best policy, avoid being too vocal at open houses.

“You never know when sellers will be lurking around the home,” says Plattos. “In a multiple-offer scenario, you never know what could work against you.” Be open with your Realtor, but do so once you are in the safety of your own vehicle — not in public when surrounded by other open ears.

Don’t hesitate to look in closets and drawers.

For houses that you’re really interested in, leave no spot unturned. Rifle through cupboards and drawers and really investigate everything the property has to offer. Don’t feel bad by being nosey. This information will be important later when comparing the different homes you’ve seen. If you know right off the bat that it isn’t the home for you, skipping the smaller details might make sense for you.

Viewing properties is a fun and exciting time for soon-to-be homeowners, however, there is a formula for success. For more information regarding getting prepared for homeownership, please contact me, Rob Weiss, today!

House Hunting Habits: What Not To Do is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

Selling Your House? 5 Reasons To Do It NOW!

Rob Weiss — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:00:55 +0000

The conventional wisdom when selling a home has always been to wait until the ‘Spring Buying Season’. Over the years, that has seemed to make sense and is now accepted as a good strategy for those who want to sell their house and receive the best possible price. This real estate market has shattered many previously held beliefs. The wisdom of waiting for a spring market is another belief that is about to fall. Here are five reasons why?

1.) Interest Rates Are On the Rise

Interest rates have spiked up rather dramatically over the last ninety days and are now over 5%. Initially, an increase in rates has a positive effect on the market as it forces buyers off the fence. However, it also eats into a buyer’s purchasing power. As rates increase, the mortgage amount a buyer qualifies for decreases. This will eventually have a negative impact on prices.

2.) Your Dream Home Will Never Be Cheaper

If your family goal is to sell your current house and take advantage of the fabulous selection of properties currently available to buy the home of your dreams, DO IT NOW! Prices will continue to soften in most markets. However, if you are buying, COST should be more important than PRICE. Cost can be dramatically impacted by rising mortgage interest rates. Do the math and decide if now is the time.

3.) Buyers Are Out Early

There is mounting evidence that buyers are coming out earlier this year. A belief that now is a good time to buy coupled with the increase in interest rates has started the buying season early.
Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia: “We’re seeing a national resurgence of buyer and seller activity on Trulia.com. In January alone, we experienced an unprecedented level of site traffic including 11 million unique visitors – which is more than 70 percent year-over-year growth. We’ve are now experiencing 100,000 property views per minute.” The National Association of Realtors just reported that the number of house sales increased 12.9% over last month.

4.) Inventory Increases Every Spring

Every year there is an increase of inventory which comes to market as we approach the spring. Here is the number of listings available for sale in 2010.

February – 3,531,000
March – 3,626,000
April – 4,029,000

We believe there will be an increase in these numbers in 2011 as there is a pent-up selling demand created by the weak market of the last few years. You won’t have to worry about this increasing competition if you sell now.

5.) We Are in the Eye of the Foreclosure Storm

While banks are trying to rectify their foreclosure procedures, there is a large supply of discounted properties which has been delayed coming to market. This inventory will be released sometime in the next few months. Foreclosures sell on average at a 41% discount. When released they will be competing with your house for the buyers in the marketplace. If you are looking to sell in 2011, you want to sell before this inventory becomes your competition. CNN Money quoted the leadership Of RealtyTrac on this issue: “We’ve now seen three straight months with fewer than 300,000 properties receiving foreclosure filings, following 20 straight months where the total exceeded 300,000,” said James Saccacio, CEO of RealtyTrac. “Unfortunately,” he added, “This is less a sign of a robust housing recovery and more a sign that lenders have become bogged down in reviewing procedures, resubmitting paperwork and formulating legal arguments related to accusations of improper foreclosure processing.” “We expect a spike in the first quarter,” said Rick Sharga, a RealtyTrac spokesman.

Selling Your House? 5 Reasons To Do It NOW! is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

OC Real Estate Press Release

Rob Weiss — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:44:24 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Irvine, California, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) July 1, 2011 — Rob Weiss is a real estate agent and professional helping buyers find their dream homes in Dana Point, Ca. Additionally, Mr. Weiss helps sellers get their homes to market quickly and sold at a fair price to ensure everyone is happy. He is able to do this by providing cutting edge techniques and technology to help buyers and sellers leverage for the best price possible.

While Rob has not been a real estate agent as long as some of his colleagues, he can boast a lifetime of experience working in and around real estate industry with his family, who were all involved in real estate.

Rob Weiss says, “My seller clients appreciate how I can help bring more attention to the unique selling attributes of their home and ultimately help attract more qualified buyers. Buyers are also appreciative of a well presented home that has a better description and more ways to learn about the property before
arranging an appointment.”

Not only does Rob partner with both buyers and sellers to get the best deal on an Orange County home, but he is able to offer strategic partnerships with some of the industry’s most reputable lenders to provide even more value to his clients.

For more information about Rob Weiss Homes and his services visit their website: at robweisshomes.com contact their office by telephone at 949.285.0943; or email at rob@robweisshomes.com

OC Real Estate Press Release is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

Financial News Icons Say Now Is the Time to BUY!

Rob Weiss — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:00:20 +0000

Always on the search for news and information that can help people make an informed decision on buying and selling real estate, today’s article gives you insight from Financial News Icons that Say… Now Is the Time to BUY! Today’s Keeping Current Matters Blog We received some tough news on housing last week. Prices are still softening. There was a lot of negativity surrounding these reports. The news caused more consumers to be concerned. However, the real question is what this means to you and your family. This could actually be great news if you are buying (either as a move-up buyer or a first-time buyer). We don’t want you to take our word for this. Instead, here are excerpts from articles published last week by two of the country’s iconic financial publications: The Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine.

The Wall Street Journal: Why It’s Time to Buy

“Despite all the gloom, there are growing indications that it is a good time to buy… The long-term benefits of homeownership remain very much intact. For now, at least, you can deduct the mortgage interest on your taxes—a big perk for people in higher tax brackets. You get to paint your walls any color you wish, without having to clear it with a landlord. And assuming you can buy a home for about the same price as you can rent one, buying will give you the ability one day to live rent-free. Come retirement time, a paid-off mortgage means your monthly expenses are significantly reduced, and you have a chunk of equity to play with.”

Forbes Magazine: 9 Reasons to Buy a House Now

“If you’re planning to buy a house right now, the next few months may be the best time to buy… With a convergence of the factors (mentioned in the article) all of which are favorable to the prospective home buyer, there may not be a better time to buy than right now. It’s a buyer’s market, but like everything else in life, the bargain deals won’t last.”

Bottom Line

When the Wall Street Journal and Forbes have articles saying now is the time to buy, maybe it’s time to buy.

Financial News Icons Say Now Is the Time to BUY! is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here:

Weekly Mortgage Watch

Rob Weiss — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 06:00:29 +0000

Weekly Mortgage Watch is a post from Rob Weiss's Real Estate Blog. If you'd like to keep abreast of current Real Estate trends and information, consider subscribing here: