Here is a selection of recent posts by Jean Joh:
FHA Loans for Distressed Properties?
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that FHA loans are making a huge comeback in the mortage arena. After all, it’s one of the only ways to obtain a loan with a low down payment (only 3.5% which can even be a gift) as well as a less-than-perfect FICO score (currently around 620). One of the main drawbacks, however, has been that the requirements for FHA loans have been a little more stringent regarding the condition of the property. This becomes an even bigger problem when you take into account that many of the more affordable homes now are REOs (bank-owned) or short sales, where the property has not been maintained very well. Well, I just wanted to share with you that THERE’S HOPE! It is possible to get an FHA loan for properties that are in need of some maintenance. How? Read more
Tech Day at Prudential!
This past Friday, we had a Tech Day for Prudential San Bruno agents. This great workshop, thanks to the efforts of Michael Monozon and Mark Hasha, focused on the ever-growing phenomenon of online social media networking. Our main speakers were the dynamic duo of Reggie & Nicole Nicolay, who are quite influential on the internet through their blogging and articles on sites, such as cyberhomesblog.com and mytechopinion.com. Read more
Are Things Looking Up?
“Jean, a conference room is available for you upstairs…Jean, a conference room is available.” Such went a page by my trusty colleague Shokoofeh about a week ago. I was meeting a client in order to submit an offer on a condo, but to my dismay (and some delight too) ALL of our conference rooms were full. Shokoofeh had just finished meeting with her clients, so she was able to vacate one conference room just in time for me and my client. At our company meeting last Friday, one of the brokers mentioned how pleased he was to hear this page and that he was hoping it was a sign that things were going in a positive direction. I couldn’t help but agree. Read more
Is Your Agent a Twit?
Recently, many people in our office have been learning more and more about social networking sites, such as twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, FriendFeed…you get the idea. One of the questions I hear often is, “How is twitter going to help me get more business? What good does it do to let people know what I had for breakfast?” The basic answer for this is that this is just another way to make more contacts, put ourselves in front of more people, and hopefully become known as the “real estate experts” in our area. But another question comes to mind: “How do my clients benefit from the fact that I’m on twitter and other such sites?” Here are some reasons why it might be beneficial to you to have an agent actively engaged in social networking on-line:
YES YOU CAN (Buy a Home)!!
I just met with some new clients for a Buyer Consultation, a complimentary service I routinely offer before going out to view homes with anyone. These clients are newlyweds, just starting out in the home buying process, and they were not even sure if they would be able to buy a home at this point, not having had a chance to save up much money for a down payment yet. With their permission, I also invited a mortgage broker to join us for this meeting, so that they might be able to get a better idea of their situation and what they needed to do in order to prepare for their purchase. Well, at the end of the meeting, they (and I) were excited to discover that YES, it would actually be possible for them to purchase a home in this area and perhaps much sooner than they had anticipated. Read more
Do Home Sellers Want to Hear the Truth?
On first impulse, most homeowners would say that, of course, they want their agents to tell them “the whole truth and nothing but” when it comes to the sale of their home. But do they really? There is a common mistake that home sellers make: choosing a real estate agent based on the price that the agent says they can get for the home. Don’t make this common mistake!
Visiting Homes in the Rain?
I just got back from hosting an Open House in Burlingame. It’s a beautiful house but it was pouring rain outside, so needless to say, not too many people came through. With that fresh in my mind, I thought I would write a quick blog about why it might be a good idea to view a home when it’s raining.
That House Costs HOW Much?
During my mall shifts at Serramonte & Tanforan Shopping Centers, I often interact with people who are just stopping by out of curiosity as to how much home prices are. The ones who own homes in this area are usually a little concerned about the value of their own homes. The ones who are renting in the area are curious to know if the prices are “at bottom” yet and if they should finally start thinking about buying a home. But it’s interesting to note the response of those who are visiting from out of town or even from another country. Their response goes something like this, “That house costs HOW much?”
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