Good News Friday

How's The Market?

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:00:37 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday February 25th, 2010. My name is Bruce Karasik. One of the most common asked questions I am asked is “How’s the Market?” “How’s the Real Estate Market doing?” What people are really saying to me when they ask me those questions are not, How is the Real Estate Market, they are asking How is MY market? What I have learned is that there is no one market. The Real Estate market in Las Vegas, Newport Beach, and Chicago are all very different markets. Even the market in Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Simi Valley are different markets, and there are some neighborhoods where homes are selling in days with multiple offers, and some neighborhoods where it is taking many months to sell a home. So what people really want to know is not how the general market is, they want to know, how homes are selling in their neighborhood. How many homes are there for sale? What are they selling for? How long have they been on the market? Are there any short sales or foreclosures that have affected prices in my neighborhood? So when I am asked that question, I just want to share with you how I am answering that right now. Experience shows, it all depends where you live. I would love to do some research for you and send you an email that will tell you what homes are for sale now, what homes have sold recently and how long homes are taking to sell in your neighborhood. So you can feel secure in the knowledge that you have the most accurate information. This timely information will tell you right away how your market is right now! I imagine that information would be of value to you, would it not? So if you, or if your friend, neighbor, or family member that would like to find out what is going on their neighborhood, I would love to provide that information to them. And then I send a monthly email that keeps people informed on what specifically is going on in their neighborhood. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, a Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

Our Thoughts Become Our Reality

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:45:53 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday February 18th, 2010. My name is Bruce Karasik. In Steven Pressfield’s Book “The War of Art,” He tells the story about a woman learns she has cancer and has six months to live. Within days she quits her job, resumes the dream of writing songs that she gave up to raise a family. She travels the world, and lives out all the dreams and fantasies she had always wanted. Her friends think she is crazy and she herself has never been happier. There is a postscript. The woman’s cancer goes into remission. Is that what it takes? Do we have to stare death in the face to make us stand up and live the life we have always wanted to live? If tomorrow morning everyone woke up with the power to take the first step to pursuing his or her dreams, the world would be a very different place. How would your life be different if you lived life to the fullest and did not wait for that “someday” or “one day that may never come? So how do we do start living out our dreams? Well, it starts with a thought, a mindset. In another one of my favorite books “As a Man Thinketh by James Allen he says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is, and as he continues to think so he remains. All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. He who cherishes a beautiful vision will one day realize it. Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream so shall you become. In all human affairs there are efforts and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result. Chance is not. Gifts, powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions, are the fruit of effort; they are thoughts completed, objects accomplished, and visions realized. The vision that you glorify in your mind, the Ideal that you enthrone in your heart- this you will build your life by and this you will become.” And so I ask you my friends, are you living your life to the fullest? Are you vigorously pursuing your ‘Art”, your life’s purpose, your dreams? Maybe it’s time you start now. In my initial consultations with my clients, my clients share with me what their dreams are, and what is most important to them. And only after knowing what is most important to my clients can I truly help them the most. Maybe your dream is owning your first home, or moving to a bigger home, or a better neighborhood with better schools. But before you act you need a plan and we can help you with that. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you, your friends, your family or your neighbors, about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, a Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

The Home Buyer Tax Credit is Expiring Soon: You Must Act Now

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:04:39 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday February 5th, 2010. My name is Bruce Karasik. The Home Buyer Tax Credit is Expiring Soon: You Must Act Now to Take Advantage of This Benefit! Back in November the U.S. government extended the home buyer tax credit to April 30, 2010. In November the April 30 deadline seemed a long time away, and perhaps you felt you had plenty of time to take advantage of this benefit. But now – that deadline is just a little over two and a half months away. That means you must be in escrow and under contract by April 30, 2010 to qualify. I believe (and the general consensus is) that this tax credit will not be extended again. So you must act now to take advantage of this benefit. This tax credit can benefit first-time home buyers up to $8,000 and current homeowners up to $6,500, provided they meet certain guidelines. And because this program is a tax credit – it does not have to be repaid. So as your Real Estate Advisor and Consultant I am telling you not to wait for the last minute. It may take some time to find the right home so you need to start looking at homes in person with us. Many of you are already receiving homes from us via email and that is a good start. If you are not on our Marketwatch Program, get in touch with us right away. It is easy, simple and convenient. But there is no substitute to seeing homes in person, so I strongly advise you to book some time with us to take a tour of homes you may be interested in. You, like me, want to save money and whether you are eligible for the $8,000 tax credit or the $6,500 tax credit, I don’t want you to miss out. There has never been a better time to take advantage of this tax credit because hundreds of homes are priced below market value. If you have a family member or friend who could benefit from learning more about this program, please have them call me for a free one-hour consultation so we can discuss how they may be able to take advantage of this benefit. This program expires soon! And so today, I really want to reach out to you and ask you today……Who are the next renters, growing families, or empty-nesters you know who should learn about this program? Who come to mind first? Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you, your friends, your family or your neighbors, about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, a Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday

You're Upside Down and Don't Know What To Do?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:41:16 GMT

You're Upside Down and Don't Know What To Do? New Legislation May Help! Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday January 29th, 2010. My name is Bruce Karasik. As we sit here today many Americans either have homes where they owe more than they are worth, or know someone where the amount of their mortgage exceeds the value of their home. Many people are also facing foreclosure, or their mortgage payments are too high, they may have experienced a loss of income, their home loan may be adjusting to an unaffordable higher interest rate, they want to sell their house but they do not enough equity to sell it. They want to get a fresh start and minimize the damage to their credit. We all know people who are facing these problems or it may even be you. You are upside down and don’t know what to do. A short sale may be the best solution. A short sale is where the bank agrees to accept less that the borrower owes to facilitate a sale. Here is the Good News! There is new Federal legislation called Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA). The Banks for now required to provide an alternative for those people who request a loan modification and the banks are unable to approve the modification request, the modification is offered and not accepted by the borrower, or the borrower falls out of a loan modification. In these instances, the borrower may benefit from an alternative that helps the borrower transition to more affordable housing and avoid the stigma of a foreclosure. Here’s why a short may be a much better solution for the borrower: 1. The damage to the borrower’s credit in a short sale is much less than a foreclosure 2. It gives the borrower an opportunity to repurchase a home in a much shorter time. 3. The borrower can retain some dignity in knowing that the home was sold. 4. The borrower won't suffer the social stigma of a foreclosure. 5. There are No mortgage payments to make, unless borrower chooses to make them. 6. The borrowers if they want to can actually meet the new owners. 7. The borrower may be eligible, under Fannie Mae guidelines, to buy another home in 2 years instead of 5 to 7 years. 8. If your credit report does not reflect a 60-day+ late pay, under Fannie Mae guidelines, you may be eligible to buy another home immediately. Because of this new legislation the short sales will be handled faster by the banks, they will be required to work with borrowers to facilitate the short sale with fewer delays and red tape. This new legislation is better for the banks as well. Here’s why. It reduces the need for potentially lengthy and expensive foreclosure proceedings. The options help preserve the condition and value of the property by minimizing the time a property is vacant and subject to vandalism and deterioration. In addition, these options generally provide a substantially better outcome than a foreclosure sale for borrowers, investors and communities. Depending on your unique situation we can help you determine whether a short sale is the right solution for you. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, a Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

Good News Friday Alert! - Information You NEED to Know!

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:04:06 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday January 22nd, 2010. My name is Bruce Karasik. I thought I would take a few minutes this week to discuss what is happening in the local real estate market and what we expect to happen later this year. Due to a shortage of supply of homes on the market, combined with historic low interest rates and large government tax credits being offered by the Federal Government, homes in our local area under $600,000 are selling in a matter of days with multiple offers. In many areas, people who purchased homes in 2009 in the lower to middle price range have already increased their equity. Because of our reputation, experience, and negotiating skills, we have had tremendous success by getting our clients into homes in the past year despite numerous buyers competing for the homes and multiple offers. Many of our clients have already made money on their homes. If you are a buyer and looking to purchase a home there has never been a better time. Homes being sold over $1,000,000 are selling at tremendous discounts off the original list price. So if you are a move-up buyer, this is a golden opportunity. If you are a first time buyer this is also a golden opportunity. If you need to refinance your home this could also be a golden opportunity. However, our current Real Estate climate of low interest rates, low prices, and government tax credits are about to change. As I warned in my podcast of a few weeks ago, Amy Crews Cutts- The Deputy Chief Economist of Freddie Mac has said the following, “The Federal Reserve’s scheduled phase downs of it’s multi-billion dollar of mortgage backed securities, plus expected moderate growth in the economy will force interest rate at least a percentage point higher in 2010.” This means higher interest rates are ahead making a potential buyers monthly mortgage payment sure to rise. The Federal Tax credits are expiring shortly as well. Remember to qualify for the credits you must be in escrow no later than April 30th of this year. So there is no time to waste, now may be best opportunity to act so as to not miss out on these opportunities. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, a Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

10 Thought Provoking Questions For The New Year

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:03:02 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday January 8th, 2010. My name is Bruce Karasik. The beginning of each New Year can be one of the most refreshing and inspiring times for each of us. To me it is a time of renewal, an opportunity to accomplish all the things I did not do last year, and to do the things I did do even better this year. The New Year can be a wonderful time of reflection, self examination, and rejuvenation. Since I am constantly asking thought-provoking questions to my clients to help them clarify their values and goals, I came up with my Top Ten Thought Provoking Question for the New Year. So here they are: 1. What is the most important decision you need to make this year? 2. What things in your life are you most grateful for this year? 3. What is the single most important thing you can do this year to improve the quality of life for your family? 4. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take to achieving it? 5. What book do you most want to read this year? 6. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year? 7. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year? 8. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year? 9. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year? 10. What will you do this year to enhance the relationships you have with the people you care most about? Bonus Question: How will you make a positive difference in your community and to each person you touch this year? I hope these question help you bring important issues to focus and help you make this year your best year ever. If you have a great thought-provoking question that is meaningful to you, I would love to hear from you. If your goals this year involve Real Estate and Mortgage decisions, I am here to help. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have so much to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy New Year, a Healthy, and Prosperous week and may this year be your best year ever. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

What makes a successful Real Estate Transaction?

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:48:33 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday December 11th, 2009. My name is Bruce Karasik. What makes a successful Real Estate Transaction? I was thinking the other day about all the successful Real Estate and Mortgage transactions that I have closed over the years and what they had in common. What I found was that there were in fact so many things that took place in each transaction that made it a tremendous success. Today I want to share 10 things that are most important on this list with you. I know that it could help you my clients, and my future clients have enjoyable transactions, accomplish your goals, and enjoy the process. Here are my top ten. 1. We met in my office for an initial consultation in advance of when we started the process. I have found this essential. 2. I asked thought provoking questions to help clarify what is most important to my client and they responded openly and honestly while sharing their hopes and dreams me. 3. We established mutual trust 4. We created a strategy and a blueprint for success based on the clients goals 5. We created goals were reasonable and attainable 6. We had open and regular communication throughout the transaction 7. We worked as a team to achieve positive results 8. When the time was right my clients acted and were available when needed. 9. My client all knew what they wanted and did not hesitate to make important decisions when required 10. My clients asked me for advice based on my experience and knowledge, and incorporated that advice in their decision making process. They listen to me, because they trusted me, and knew I was basing my advice on what was in their best interest. They knew that I had the courage and the commitment to tell them the truth. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

Mortgage Rates Are At All-Time Lows Again, But For How Long?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:02:02 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday December 4th, 2009. My name is Bruce Karasik. Did you ever wish you could look into the future? Well, here is a glimpse of what could happen very quickly if the Federal Reserve Board does not change it current course. As I record this podcast, interest rates are at or near all time lows. The 30 year fixed, 15 year fixed, and 5/1 ARM have never been lower. However rates are artificially low. One of the reasons for these low rates on home loans is that the Federal Reserve Board under the direction of Ben Bernanke have been purchasing Mortgage Backed Securites and lending money to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The Federal Reserve put programs in place where they were to buy up to $1.25 trillion in these securities and lend up to $175 billion to Freddie and Fannie. In the Federal Reserve Board’s November 4th 2009 Statement, it indicated that it planned to gradually slow down the amount of these purchases in the first quarter of 2010 and end the programs all together by April 30, 2010. So what does this mean to YOU the homeowner or the homebuyer? Most analysts are saying that this will mean interest rates for mortgages will start to rise as the Fed slows the pace of these purchases. If you are planning to refinance your home, NOW is the time to call me. If you are planning on moving by either buying a new home or selling your existing house, NOW is the time to call me. The potential changes that will start during the first quarter of 2010 will have an effect on your pocketbook and I don’t want my clients to miss out on the opportunities that exist today. Remember we still have the first time home buyer credit of $8,000 until April 30th 2010, and we also have a $6,500 tax credit for homeowners who have been in their home for at least 5 years until April 30th. As your Real Estate and Mortgage Consultant I am strongly advising you to schedule a consultation with me to discuss how this may affect your plans for 2010 and beyond. During this consultation I will ask you some thought provoking questions to help us determine what you should do next. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at The Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

How We Helped a Single Mom Save $10.000

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:30:20 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday November 20th, 2009. My name is Bruce Karasik. Here is a story with a happy ending. We are currently working with a wonderful single Mom trying to buy her first home. She came to our office to see if we could help her. We had about a one hour initial consultation with her and asked her some thought provoking questions. She told us was most important to her. She was currently living with her parents in the area but really wanted to be on her own with her kids. She had been divorced years before and although she has a wonderful relationship with her parents, she really wanted to be on her own. I pre-qualified her for a loan and told her we could certainly help her. We also explained in detail to her how the new tax credit will help her, and how much she could afford. Her parents were even willing to help her with a down payment. We found her a lovely home in the area, and did our inspection. What we discovered was that the deck/balcony outside the master bedroom upstairs needed to be replaced and since a prior owner had made changes to the deck’s materials, the home owner’ association would not pay for the repair. The repair was going to cost almost $15,000 and there was no way my client could pay that much money. The other issue was that this was a short sale and so the seller had no money to make the repairs. My client told me she really wanted this house so I went to work. The first thing we did was to begin to negotiate with the bank. The good news was that we were successful and received a $15,000 price reduction to pay for the new deck. We also negotiated with the seller also contributed money to make other repairs. But we were not done. We were able to find a contractor to perform the $15,000 repair for only $5,000. So our client had all her repairs paid for by the seller, the bank paid for the replacement of the deck and our client pocketed another $10,000 on the savings we negotiated with the new contractor. In addition our client will be receiving an $8,000 tax credit from the IRS that will go right into her savings. Now she is moving toward closing and being in her new home for the holidays. She was thrilled and now wants to tell everyone about how we helped her. Any agent can open up a door and show a buyer a home, but our experience, negotiating skills and our personal interest in our clients makes all the difference. You see, it is what we do after we find you a home that is sometimes is just as important as finding you the right home. I would be happy to discuss your unique situation with you to determine how we can help you. I have heard it said, that you don’t know how much I know, until you know how much I care.” Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

Tax Credit Extended for First Time Homebuyers and Current Ho

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:04:27 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday November 13th, 2009. My name is Bruce Karasik. A new federal law has just been passed that extends the tax credit for first time homebuyers through June 30th, 2010. There are some important changes to the previous bill that both first time homebuyers and existing homeowners need to understand. Prior to this current bill only first time homebuyers qualified for the credit. This new bill not only provides an $8,000 tax credit to first time homebuyers but also provides for a $6,500 tax credit to existing homeowners who have lived in their home for five consecutive years and sell that home to buy another home. Here is how the new bill works: There is a Deadline In order to qualify for the credit all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010 Higher Income Caps in Effect The income limits for single tax payers have been increased from $75,000 to a new limit of $125,000. The income limit for married couples has been increased from $150,000 to a new limit of $225,000. There is a partial credit available up to $20,000 over these new limits. The maximum purchase price must not exceed $800,000 The tax credit is not repayable as long as the home qualifying remains the primary residence of the buyer for 36 months. To qualify for the first time homebuyer tax credit the buyer must not have owned a primary residence in the last 36 months. To qualify as an existing homebuyer you must have lived in your home for 5 consecutive years during the last 8 years. I would be happy to discuss your unique situation with you to determine how this new legislation can help you. The timing of the tax credits and very low interest rates could create a golden opportunity for you to buy your next home and save thousands of dollars. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward to our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. The Good News Friday Podcast brings you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.goodnewsfriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

Welcome Back to Good News Friday!

Fri, 01 May 2009 18:00:41 GMT

Hello and Welcome back to Good News Friday! Today is Friday April 3, 2009. My name is Bruce Karasik. After receiving numerous requests from our listeners, we have resumed our weekly Good News Friday Podcast. So each week we will bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com. If you are a Homeowner or if you are a family or individual who is considering buying or selling, refinancing a home this year, it is important that you know, that there has been a large amount legislation coming out of Washington in recent months that will have a significant affect on you. It is so important that you have the latest detailed information on all these programs. So we are going to be talking about these programs and they can help you. I invite you to listen or read my podcasts each week and call me or email me with any questions so you can get the answers you need to make intelligent informed decisions. Today we are going to be focusing on the First Time Home Buyer Credit. Many of you have heard about the First Time Home Buyer Credit passed in February of this year. Here is how it works: First-time buyers can claim a credit worth $8,000 - or 10% of the home's value, whichever is less - on their 2008 or 2009 taxes. A big plus is that the credit is refundable, meaning tax filers see a refund of the full $8,000 even if their total tax bill was less than that amount. Does that mean if you purchased now that I would get an extra $8,000 added on top of my current refund?" The short answer is Yes, but the long answer is that it depends on several factors: Here are three scenarios: Scenario 1: Your final tax liability is normally $6,000. You've had taxes withheld from every paycheck and at the end of the year you've paid Uncle Sam $6,000. Since you've already paid him all you owe, you get the entire $8,000 tax credit as a refund check. Scenario 2: Your final tax liability is $6,000, but you've overpaid by $1,000 through your payroll withholding. Normally you would get a $1,000 refund check. In this scenario, you get $9,000, the $8,000 credit plus the $1,000 you overpaid. Scenario 3: Your final tax liability is $6,000, but you've underpaid through your payroll witholding by $1,000. Normally, you would have to write the IRS a $1,000 check. This time, the first $1,000 of the tax credit pays your bill, and you get the remaining $7,000 as a refund. To qualify for the credit, the purchase must be made between Jan. 1, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009. Buyers may not have owned a home for the past three years to qualify as "first time" buyer. They must also live in the house for at least three years, or they will be obligated to pay back the credit. Additionally, there are income restrictions: To qualify, buyers must make less than $75,000 for singles or $150,000 for couples. (Higher-income buyers may receive a partial credit.) Applying for the credit will be easy - or at least as easy as doing your income taxes. Taxpayers who have already completed their returns can file amended returns for 2008 to claim the credit. The stimulus plan improves on the current $7,500 tax credit, which was passed in July and was more of a low-interest loan than an actual credit. Now more than ever it is important to contact a real professional to get the best advice. So call me or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the most current information about the Real Estate and Mortgage market and how it can affect you. Our goal is to save you money when you buy your home this year or refinance at the new lower rates. The key to success is having the right advisors and consultants in place so you can have the right strategy. As your trusted Real Estate consultants and advisors, we at the Karasik Team work in our unique ability. My unique ability is consulting, negotiating and overseeing the transaction details. We take a customized approach and enable our clients to make informed decisions to accumulate wealth through Real Estate. In addition, we at Karasik and Associates, Mortgage Consultants, can help you come up with a strategy to determine whether this is the right time for you to buy your first home or to refinance your existing home. We continue to believe that homeownership will remain to the best avenue for American families to secure their financial future. I look forward our continuing dialog and we invite your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Bruce@TheKarasikTeam.com, call me at my office at 805-267-0366, or you can post your responses on our blog at www.GoodNewsFriday.com. So we do have some good news to be grateful for. And so, my friends, I wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous week. And that’s it for now. I’ll see you back here next week for another episode of Good News Friday!

"Real Estate Outlook: Worst Is Over."

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:43:42 GMT

May 23, 2008 Week 15 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"More Good News For You!"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:42:18 GMT

April 18, 2008 Week 14 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"Multi-Billion Dollar Real Estate Relief Plan Advances."

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:40:18 GMT

April 4, 2008 Week 13 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"Fed Lowers Interest Rates Up 200 Billion Dollars for Banks"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:38:23 GMT

March 21, 2008 Week 12 "Fed Lowers Interest Rates/Frees Up 200 Billion Dollars for Banks!" Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"Important Update On Interest Rates!"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:36:02 GMT

March 7, 2008 Week 11 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"Yes You CAN Buy A Home For No Money Down Today!"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:34:28 GMT

February 22, 2008 Week 10 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"New Lower Interest Rates For Buyers in 2008!"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:30:57 GMT

February 15, 2008 Week 9 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"Congress Passes The Economic Stimulus Package"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:27:47 GMT

"Congress Passes The Economic Stimulus Package -How Will This Affect The Real Estate And Mortgage Market?" February 8, 2008 Week 8 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

"Is The Local Real Estate Market Making A Comeback?"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:07:47 GMT

"Is The Local Real Estate Market Making A Comeback?" February 1, 2008 Week 7 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

Part 4-"Who's Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:02:40 GMT

"A Golden Opportunity For First Time Buyers!" January 25, 2008 Week 6 "Who's Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?" Part 4 of a 4 Part Series. Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

Part 3-"A Golden Opportunity To Refinance"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:52:00 GMT

"A Golden Opportunity To Refinance!" January 18, 2008 Week 5 "Who's Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?" Part 3 of a 4 Part Series. Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

Part 2-"Who's Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:50:34 GMT

"Why Investors Are Happy In Today's Real Estate Market" January 11, 2008 Week 4 "Who's Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?" Part 2 of a 4 Part Series. Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

Part 1--"Who Is Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?"

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:48:49 GMT

"Who's Happy In Today's Real Estate Market?" Part 1 of a 4 Part Series. January 4, 2008 Week 3 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

Good News Friday Podcast Week 2

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:47:00 GMT

December 28, 2007 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.

Good News Friday Podcast Week 1

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:45:40 GMT

December 21, 2007 Hello and Welcome to Good News Friday! My name is Bruce Karasik. Each week we bring you good news and positive developments in the Real Estate Market, Mortgage Market, in our economy and our country. If you miss any podcast, we have archived all or our past shows so you can listen to them at any time by going to www.GoodNewsFriday.com.