Whether you’re concerned about the Christmas Tree Tax or not, you may have been dreaming of being in a new Santa Clarita home for Christmas.   So, with over half the homes on the market in Santa Clarita Valley being distressed properties – short sales and bank owned homes, how can a first time home buyer be happily settled in their home by Christmas?  More   View current Santa Clarita homes for sale.  A standard sale can close in 30 days, which mean you’re in your new home by Christmas! And, given as cold as has been….maybe it will be  a white Christmas!!   11/09/2011

Unlawful Detainer Information Due to the marketplace, the Unlawful Detainer process has become a regular part of the real estate market and our business, whether we are representing Investors who purchase at Trustee Sale, and/or Landlords who need to evict Tenants for non-payment.  Many people call our office regarding these services, but are not in the position to pay for legal counsel to process a formal Unlawful Detainer.  We believe having legal counsel in this process and very valuable and beneficial, but do understand the financial restraints on certain individuals in our current economic client.  There are Self Help avenues, and one good web link to Help the Pro Per (A term derived from the Latin "in propria persona," meaning "for one's self") Landlord can be found at: http://www... 11/08/2011

    Looking for a great deal on a home?  Most people shopping in today's market are.  Here are some of the least expensive priced properties in Santa Clarita as of today:   $32,400 - Castaic - (click on the photo for detailed information and additional photos)           $144,900 - Canyon Country - (click on the photo for detailed information and additional photos)         $154,900 - Newhall - (click on the photo for detailed information and additional photos) $215,000 - Saugus - (click on the photo for detailed information and additional photos)           $345,000 - Stevenson Ranch - (click on the photo for detailed information and additional photos) $215,000 - Valencia - (click on the photo for detailed information and additional photos)         For more info on these homes or any othe... 11/06/2011

Don’t Make The Mistake Of Practicing Outside The Scope Of Your Agency Relationship And Expertise GroupOneLegal.com       Email Me             Visit us on Facebook It is hard enough to be a great real estate agent in today’s volatile California real estate climate, but to top it off, so many clients expect their agents to practice outside the scope or capacity of their relationship.  I agree that knowledge is power, but you should not take on the role of attorney, CPA, Contractor, Engineer, Surveyor, or any other licensed professional that is beyond the scope of your agency relationship. As an Attorney, Licensed Broker, and In House Counsel for a prominent Southern CA Brokerage, I definitely understand the pressure and expectations that clients put on their agent, but think before you sp... 11/03/2011

Consult and Collaborate to Get the Business Nov. 2011 If you're having trouble determining when is the best time to make a proposal to a client, chances are you are not approaching your sales with a process-driven methodology. More than likely, the sales you are engaged in are far more consultative than simply taking orders, so you need to have a process. Consider collaboration. You're probably dealing with a range of customers, each with their own needs of varying complexity. That's why it is important for you to consult and collaborate with your clients to help them determine what they want and then help them attain it. Stick to that mission – help your client understand his or her needs and then help fill those needs – and your sales process will always be moving toward delivering a... 11/03/2011

TENANTS AND SHORT SALES: SHOULD THE TENANTS BE NOTIFIED?   GroupOneLegal.com       Email Me             Visit us on Facebook I wanted to send out a blog regarding Tenants and Short Sales.  I have had several agents, landlords, and/or clients that have asked me about whether or not they should notify their tenant(s) when they are or about to become delinquent on their mortgage.  Also, whether or not they should shed light on the fact that they may be pursuing a short sale transaction.  Landlords, Tenants, Agents, and Clients have also asked me whether it is illegal to collect rents while owner/landlord is in default on the mortgage and/or deed of trust.  I wanted to address some key points and issues that are involved both legally and practically speaking.     SHORT VERSION: •Let’s start... 11/03/2011

 Did you know that? 6.4 million delinquent or in some stage of foreclosure?2.6 million likely HAMP/HAFA eligible 60+ day delinquent loans?As of August 2011, there are 690,969 active permanent HAMP modifications?Total U.S. delinquency rate 8.13%?  Unemployment rate nationwide 9.1% (nearly 14 million Americans unemployed) with California at 12%?6.2 million estimated “long-term unemployed”?$1.4 trillion in loans will have come into adjustment between 2010 & 2011?The top 14 lenders/servicers in the country are working under consent orders?There has been a 50%-75% increase in HAFA transactions started over each prior month. Total 15,954? Are you apart of the 6.4 million struggling homeowners that is in some stage of the foreclosure process?  With a 50% -75% increase in HAFA transactions eac... 11/01/2011

Happy Halloween to Clients, Friends & Home buyers & sellers,Remember the thrill of wearing a costume on Halloween as a child?  How about carving a pumpkin with the child safe scissors?  Can you remember "begging" for candy?  How about seeing that first "Haunted House"?  I grew up in Detroit, Michigan in the '50's and 60's and Halloween was a fun time for all of us kids!  This holiday seems to be far safer than it was in those days.  It's hard to believe how much this day has grown in popularity among families of all generations.  It is that one day a year that we all get to play make believe! Tony & Dani Lewis have put together some of the most exciting & enjoyable Halloween Events for your enjoyment: Find a Haunted House, Pumpkin Patch, Train or Boat Ride & Family Halloween Fun inSanta... 10/27/2011

Getting Started with a Roth IRA Oct. 2011 These days, many people are taking their retirement into their own hands. While it's nice to rely on an employers 401(K) plan – let alone the largely bygone benefit of a pension – many individuals are feeling like they don't have the control they once had. For instance, of the many companies that reduced or stopped their fund matching for their 401(K) programs in 2008, only 49 percent of them had resumed those contributions by 2010, according to researchers at Towers Watson. As a result, some might consider seeing what they can do with their own retirement account management. And even then, that assumes full-time work. Many individuals who were laid off by employers have transitioned to part-time or freelance/contract work status in the face of... 10/20/2011

   Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Carbon Monoxide (CO) Devices Many Agents Have Been Confused About the Scope of Senate Bill – 183, and more importantly, exactly how many detectors need to be placed and where they need to be placed within a dwelling.  Here is a good Q and A from the Los Angeles County Fire Department pertaining to and related to the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (Senate Bill – SN 183).  http://fire.lacounty.gov/top_story_images/faq_CO.pdf As of July 1, 2011, the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (Senate Bill – SB 183) will require all single-family homes with an attached garage or a fossil fuel source to install carbon monoxide alarms within the home by July 1, 2011. Owners of multi-family leased or rental dwellings, such as apartment buildings, h... 10/19/2011

Newsletter sent to Clients & Friends on October 17, 2011Dear Clients & Friends,We've reached the traditional time of year when Home Buyers are able find Bargains!  Between Halloween & February 1st. competition subsides, inventories grow and interest rates stabilize most years.  It's definitely the time to begin your search for a new home, help children find their first home or make an investment of a rental property.  The benefits of home ownership remain and have even been enhanced since prices are so low and interest rates are now flirting with the high 3% range.  Let me know which homes you would be interested in seeing and you will receive the best priced and located listings matching your family's housing needs or interests!  We are now in the midst of the much feared "double dip" ... 10/17/2011

Melt Away Wintertime Stress with a Home Sauna Oct. 2011   In today's challenging economy, more and more people are opting to nix expensive vacation stays at top-tier holiday retreats with some quality time at home, and what better a way to do that than with a home sauna.  As the weather starts to cool down, it's not hard to imagine the warm luxury you can enjoy through soaking up some heat, while icicles dangle from your eaves and rain gutters. The snow might not be melting, but you'll be able to feel your cares and stress dissolve away. And believe it or not, home saunas are actually attainable. Here are some considerations: First off, talk to a doctor to ensure you don't have any medical conditions that could be exacerbated by exposure to a home sauna's prolonged heat. You don't want... 10/14/2011

Come here for the latest Market Trends in the Santa Clarita Valley:   www.ScvMarketTrends.com     Come here for the latest Market Trends in the Santa Clarita Valley:   www.ScvMarketTrends.com 10/10/2011

http://paris911.com/Foreclosures   10/07/2011

Five Keys for Forging Client Trust Oct. 2011       Creating client trust is an underpinning factor in all sales success. You need to ensure that your clients trust what you say and in the products and services you stand for in order to ensure that you will not only seal a deal, but cement long-term relationships.  That said, it's not easy to come by. There are various factors that go into creating the kind of trust clients need to feel in order to sign on the dotted line. Let's look at five essential elements in building that trust:   1.    Understand trust. No doubt you are an honest person with integrity, but trust is a bigger concept than that. To create the kind of trust that will make the sale, clients need to have faith in your abilities and experience, and your ability to help t... 10/06/2011

You know what it's like when your at a sporting event and one person wants to start the wave.  They try and try and then a couple of people join in and they try together.  It takes time and effort and most often it fails.  However at some point it catches on and the wave begins.  It grows momentum and self sustains. I feel like the person that has been trying to get the wave started.  This wave is not at the stadium but much more significant.  It's been a goal to help save ourselves from ourselves.  You see the wave that needs to get started is people buying homes.  Just like the wave at a game, this wave, once started will self sustain.  Home prices are below what the market value.  However, home prices are not based upon value, they're based upon perception.  Too many people lack conf... 10/05/2011

     Do open houses REALLY work? I get asked this question time and time again. Ready for the truth? Think of it this way: If you were selling your car, would you leave it on a busy street on Sunday afternoon for three hours with signs and balloons all over it, key in the ignition, doors wide open, and let any random person sit in it and take it for a spin without first being pre-qualified? The answer is emphatically no, correct? Well, then why would you ever do this with your most valuable asset? Research has estimated that less than .25 percent of homes held open sell as a result of the open house. This is why you see the same houses being held open week after week. Usually, open houses only attract nosey neighbors and people who want decorating ideas. The agents holding the open hous... 10/05/2011

                                             Experience that counts when it matters the most. Here is another letter of recommendation from a family in Santa Clarita that we recently helped avoid foreclosure. September 20, 2011 To Whom It May Concern: With the economic crisis that the majority of Americans find themselves in, via mounting debt and housing depreciation, it is critical that one finds competent guidance with sound measures for domestic relief. Thankfully, I found this professional assistance with Jennifer and Gary Ricco. Whether it be by way of fortunate coincidence or what I continue to describe to my beloved wife as divine intervention, Jennifer and Gary came into my like and their concerned application and tenacious spirit truly to this day provide their clients with co... 10/04/2011

Here is the reference link to the Santa Clarita CA Pre Foreclosure Search Page. I have also placed the new listings here for you to view if you are interested in any and all real estate in the Santa Clarita Valley. Our Sellers Resources have been placed here.  My BEST!   10/01/2011

Halloween is a Fun Time for Kids of all ages!Halloween in 2011 is going to be Spooktacular, Enjoy Yourselves:Halloween Events,  Pumpkin Patch, Haunted House in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles & Southern California!Your Friend & Realtor,Tony Lewis RE/MAX of Valencia www.TonyLewis.com tonyglewis@yahoo.com 661-702-4720Call Tony to List to Sell or Discuss Avoiding a Foreclosure!Find your New Home in Santa Clarita, San Fernando or Simi Valley & Southern California!Find a Bank Owned/Foreclosure Home in Valencia, Stevenson Ranch, Saugus, Newhall, Castaic, Canyon Country, Sand Canyon, Tesoro Del Valle, Hasley Canyon, Placerita Canyon, Santa Clarita, California and the SCV! 09/27/2011