How to Hire a Marketing Assistant

What you’ll learn on the show this week:

Alex and Danny were both hired as minimum-wage marketing assistants, but they’ve leveraged their positions to set them up for future success. Here’s how.

We hadn’t had much success in the past hiring high-paid marketing assistants, so we decided that a new strategy would be necessary. Instead of hiring a high-paid expert, we would hire someone who would agree to work for minimum wage in exchange for the education and opportunities that we can provide here at Vyral. This process has yielded good results so far—just ask Alex and Danny.

We’ve created a culture here at Vyral that is all about improving and learning each day.

They were both initially interested in the position because of the opportunity of a $50,000 + salary six months down the road. However, once they went through the interview process they realized it was a perfect fit.

This was no accident. Our eight-step hiring process ensures that we only get the best and most motivated candidates. With all the steps we take to filter candidates, it’s inevitable.

Our interview process is a bit unorthodox, but ultimately rewarding. We first contact candidates via email and ask them to fill out a personal assessment, as well as answering five questions on video. After that, we set up a Skype meeting, then an in-person meeting, then an interview.

It’s a big deal when you make the wrong hire. That’s why we have a process in place to ensure we only get the best candidates. You should have one, too.

We’ve created a culture here at Vyral that is all about improving and learning each day. That’s why we’ve been able to attract such great talent.

Estate Planning After the Loss of a Loved One

When settling the estate of a recently deceased loved one, there are three key steps you need to take.

In the unfortunate event of the loss of a loved one, what steps do you need to take to handle their estate? 

According to Reba Birmingham of Long Beach Law, since it’s possible you might not be thinking clearly at the time of said loved one’s death, the first step is to capture documents that might be important later and throw them into a folder. This includes bank and stock statements and any deeds that might be lying around the house. 

After that, you have to wait. You have to grieve—there will be family members to notify and a memorial to put on. These things take time. It also takes time to get the death certificate, which is the key to opening up some of those bank accounts and insurance claims. 

See an attorney that practices regularly in estate planning and trust administration or probate.

Next, see a professional. See an attorney that regularly practices in estate planning and trust administration or probate. 

If you have any questions for Reba, you can call her at (562) 621-6300 or visit her firm’s website at LongBeachLaw.com. If you have any questions for me, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

How Pet Owners Can Sell Their Home Quickly & for Top Dollar

There are three guidelines you can follow if you’re a home seller and you have a pet to ensure your home gets sold quickly, safely, and for its maximum price.

If you have a pet and you’re looking to sell your home, there are some special considerations you must keep in mind to ensure the safety of your pet and any potential buyers, and that your property looks great and sells for the most money possible. 

The good news is most homebuyers are often looking for pet-friendly homes. Two out of every three buyers typically have pets of their own, and they want to make sure their new home is a good match for their pet. In fact, according to a recent survey, 31% of animal owners take their pet into consideration when buying a home. On the other hand, 67% of Realtors say a home that has pets is harder to sell. 

With this information in mind, here are three guidelines you can follow to strike the right balance and sell your pet-occupied home quickly and for top dollar. 

By following these three guidelines, you’ll be able to sell your home for top dollar.

First, repair any damage. Sometimes you can tell where a pet’s been just by looking at scratched doors or walls or a hole that’s been dug in the backyard. Repairing this type of damage will pay for itself many times over and help increase your home’s sale price. 

Second, hire a professional to remove any pet odors. Many pet owners are less sensitive to it than the people visiting their home and less aware of the odors that might be lingering because of their pets. Have a professional deodorize the rugs, the carpeting, the furniture, and anything else that has a tendency to absorb pet odor. Once that’s done, have a friend or your Realtor give your home a sniff assessment to see if the job’s taken care of. 

Third, remove your pet during any showings. Regardless of the time and money you’ve spent getting your home ready for prospective buyers, some of them might still feel prejudiced against it just knowing that a pet lives there. Removing them from the premises makes it a more comfortable situation for everyone. You should also remove any pet objects like toys, food bowls, and scratching pads. 

If you need more tips on how to sell your home with pets or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We’d be happy to assist you.

3 Reasons to Consider Selling Now

Our market conditions are ripe for those looking to move into a new home. You can sell quickly and profitably, and buy while interest rates are low.

If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, three recent developments make this an ideal time to do so. 

1. Mortgage rates have stabilized. They were at 3.4% last July, then shot up to 4.3% right after the election in November. Since then, the rates have stabilized and are still very low (historically speaking).

2. Job numbers are up. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 225,000 new jobs were created in February. Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen 2.3 million jobs created. Business is doing well, consumer confidence is high, and it all bodes well for the future of the housing market. 

It’s a great time to buy and to sell.

3. Housing inventory is extremely low. February saw an almost 18% drop in the number of homes for sale. Since October 2008, we have consistently seen a steady decline in inventory. In fact, we’ve had 100 consecutive months of decreased inventory.

What does all this mean for you? Well if you’re thinking about selling, right now is the perfect time. You can sell very quickly in this market. Last year, homes were taking an average of 43 days to sell. While that’s still a great number, homes are selling in an average of just 30 days right now. With such low inventory, you can expect to get a great price for your home sale. 

It’s also a good time to buy with interest rates staying low and steady. This market is a win-win situation if you’re looking to make a move. If you or somebody you know is interested in buying or selling soon and taking advantage of this market, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Your Best Options When Selling and Buying Simultaneously

Selling a home while trying to buy a new one can be a major obstacle. Luckily, there are two options that will keep you from having to pay two mortgages or move twice.

If you are looking to sell your current home and purchase a new one, there are a couple of options that will ensure you don't have to pay two mortgages at the same time or have to move twice. 

The first option is to sell your home contingent upon you purchasing your new home. This lets the buyer know that they will not be able to close on your property until you close on your new home. By doing this, you won’t have to pay two mortgages or move twice, but the buyer of your home won’t have the certainty of a closing date, preventing them from being able to lock in an interest rate. Also, if it takes you awhile to find that new home, the buyer could potentially get cold feet and walk away. 

The second option is to sell your home and negotiate a rent-back. You would close on the sale of your home in the normal 30-45 day time frame, but then negotiate renting back your home from the buyers for anywhere from 30 to 90 days or longer if need be. That gives you time to make sure you find and are happy with the new home that you’re purchasing. It also gives the buyer the certainty of a closing date so they can lock in their interest rate.

A rent-back would give you the time you need to find your new dream home.

Like the first option, this option keeps you from paying two mortgages or moving twice, but it also eliminates uncertainty for the buyers. It makes you a stronger buyer, as you know your property will close. 

If you’d like to see which option would work best for you or you are looking to buy or sell a home, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’m always happy to help.

How Can a Reverse Mortgage Help You Purchase a Home?

Andrew Scammon from Alpine Mortgage joins me today to help explain how you can use a reverse mortgage to purchase a home.

Today I’m joined by Andrew Scammon from Alpine Mortgage to talk about how you can use a reverse mortgage to purchase a home. 

We work with more and more folks nowadays who are either retired or about to retire and would like to buy a new home but are unsure they can qualify for a conventional loan. This is typically because they either live on a fixed income or are about to live on a fixed income. 

If you’re planning to downsize as part of your retirement plan, a reverse mortgage could be a useful tool for you because when you compare a reverse mortgage to a cash purchase, it effectively doubles your money.

This comes in handy for anyone wanting to sell off their existing home and downsize but knows they won’t realize enough benefit from that sale to make a cash purchase for their next home. If you net $200,000 from your home sale, that’s not going to buy much house. A reverse mortgage can double that sum and allow you to purchase a $400,000 house. 

Of course, there are some cautions you need to take. You need to work with a seasoned Realtor who knows their way around the market. If you’re looking for a condominium, it would have to be an FHA-approved condominium. For many people, though, it’s become relatively commonplace to identify properties they love without having to worry about making a mortgage payment or qualifying for one because of reverse mortgages. 

Reverse mortgages alleviate the worry of having to qualify for a mortgage loan.

With reverse mortgages, payments are allowed but not required. You can purchase a $400,000 house by putting down $200,000 and getting a $200,000 reverse mortgage. When the house goes to your estate or heirs, they have time to prepare the property, market it effectively, and realize the best gains on it that they can. The reverse mortgage balance is then paid off and the heirs divide up the remaining equity. The only age requirement for using a reverse mortgage is at least one of the borrowers must be 62 years old. 

I want to thank Andrew for joining me today. If you know anyone who is looking to use a reverse mortgage to purchase a home, you can call him at (562) 743-0111 or visit his website at effectiveretirement.com. 

If you or anyone you know are looking to buy, sell, or downsize, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help.

What to Expect Going Forward in the LA Real Estate Market

Today we're taking a look back at how the market performed in 2016 and what we should expect in LA moving ahead in 2017.

Today I wanted to take a moment to take a look back at how the Los Angeles housing market did in 2016 and provide a forecast for what we can expect from the market moving forward in 2017.

Last year in Los Angeles County, we saw the median price for single-family homes go from $535,000 to $580,000 in 12 months, which is an 8.4% increase. Moving to Orange County, we saw the median price rise from $695,000 to $735,000 in that same 12-month span from January 2016 to January 2017, good for a 5.8% increase. We had a really strong year in terms of price appreciation.

We also continue to experience very low levels of housing supply in our market.

In LA County, for example, we have just 2.4 months worth of homes for sale. That means that if no new homes came onto the market, it would only take 2.4 months to sell all the homes currently on the market at the going rate, and that's a very low number. In Orange County, we have just 2.6 months of supply. These are some of the lowest levels of inventory we've seen in a long time, and they are certainly the lowest numbers I've seen in my 13 years in real estate.

There are a few reasons for this low inventory, starting with the fact that there are a lot of people looking to buy a home thanks to low interest rates. Additionally, there are a lot of people who simply don't want to sell their house. Many of these people are baby boomers who have lived in their house for decades and just don't have a reason to sell it.

The California Association of Realtors forecasts that we will have another good year.

This year, the California Association of Realtors forecasts that we will have another good year with prices rising about 4.6% throughout the state of California. If you've been thinking about selling your house, it's a great time to figure out what your home is worth, and we've got great online value calculator that can give you an idea. This calculator can't consider everything in your home like your view and the updates you've made to the home, which is where I come in.

If you'd like me to tell you exactly what your home is worth or you're thinking about buying a home in the LA area, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be glad to help!

Thank you for participating in our 2017 Valentine's Day giveaway!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and we just wanted to take the time to say thank you! We had a great response from our clients for our See’s Candy Gift Card Giveaway. Due to such a great response, the giveaway has now come to a close.We hope your Valentine's Day is a day filled with love and friendship, and looking forward to seeing you in 2017.