Short Sale Seminar

Just wanted to take s few minutes to thank Debbie from Coaching Excellence, for doing such a awesome job yesterday. The Institute of Real Estate offered an one day work shop on how to get certified in Short Sales and Foreclosures...wow!!!! 98 Realtors attend and I think we will do the class again. The is a N.A.R. certification and these agents now can feel confident in helping you or someone you know...sell their home short. If you or someone you know would like to talk with one of these experienced agents..please call 436-4000.

Welcome Aboard

Royal Charter Home Loans wishes to welcome on board 3 new loan officer this week. Linda Holman, Diane Schwartz and Eric Smart. All three Loan officers will be working out of the Fresno main office. They have years of experience in loan processing and they looked forward to working with our agents and you. If you would like to call them please do so at 436-4020.

Royal Charter Home Loans Welcomes

On behalf of Royal Charter Home Loans we wish to welcome the following Loan Officer to the Family. Diane Schwartz and Linda Holman. They both will be doing loans for the Fresno, Clovis and Madera areas. Welcome back to Eric Smart formerly of resources Lenders.....Eric will be also servicing the Fresno, Clovis, Kingsburg and Selma areas. We are happy to have to back in the family.

Welcome Aboard New Agents

Just wanted to welcome aboard the following new agents to the company. Xol Roggow formerly of Remax, Xol will be selling real estate in the Fresno and Clovis areas. James Kinshasa former broker of Kingdom Realty will be selling in the Madera, Clovis and Fresno areas, Gary Rutten formerly of Zip Realty will be selling in the Kingsburg, Fresno and Clovis areas, Dave Singh formerly of Starr Realty will be selling in the Fresno and Clovis areas. Welcome aboard we are so happy to have you apart of our team.

Welcome New Family Members

Just want to Welcome aboard Gary Rutten formley of Zip Realty. Gary will be selling in the Fresno, Clovis, and Madera area. Also wanted to welcome aboard Dave Singh formely of Starr Realty. Dave will also be selling in the Fresno, Madera and Clovis areas. We are so happy to have you two join our family.

Wine Pouring this Friday

Hi everyone...Our Ag, Farm and Land Department of London Properties is hosting a Wine Tasting this Friday the 13th. This event is a chance for you to come and meet our great agents that handle these types of transactions. Please join us! The time is 4:30 to 6:30 here in our Fresno main office, which is located at 6442 N. Maroa. Any questions please feel free to call 436-4080.

London Properties Open Houses - Weekend of Nov. 8, 2009

You asked for it and here it is. London Properties will be posting an updated link to our Open Houses every week. Well... here are our Open Houses for this week. Make sure that you go out, see our homes and meet our great agents. Have a good weekend!

http://www.londonproperties.com/search/openhouses

Welcome aboard to the following new agents; Tony Martin ( selling in the Fresno and Clovis areas), Zen Thao ( selling in the Merced area), Jeannie Stevens (selling in the Fresno, Clovis and Madera areas), Kristina Ochoa ( selling in the foothills and clovis area's) and Rachel Mattos formally with Diamond Realty (selling in Fowler, Fresno and Clovis area's) to all welcome to the London family.

Welcome New Family Members

Just wanted to our family the following agents: Barbara Flaming, Sharron Parker, Johnny Holocker, Jeanette Baughman and Claudia Vera. These agents will be selling in the Clovis, Fresno and Madera Markets.

Welcome aboard and we're so happy to have you on board!

Training

This week at London Properties in the main Fresno office, we are offering Facebooking training on Tuesday 9am to 10:30, Wednesday Calredd (new mls) training at 3pm to 5pm , How to Read a Prelime. Title Report on Friday at 10am to 11:30...All are welcome to join these free classes. Call 436-4080 with any questions.

Welcome Aboard!!!

Just wanted to that some time out to welcome aboard the new sales that joined our firm in the month of July.

Welcome to our Fresno office:
Brent Sarabian-- new agent
Art Falcon--new agent
Leigh Ann Milutinovich--new agent
Corinne Bourzac--new agent
Welcome back to Lyndsi Dufresne returning London Agent


Welcome to our Madera Office;

Bebe Regalado--formerly with Madera Realty
Brittany Gutierrez--formerly with Realty World in Madera
Aurora Hernandez--formerly with Realty World in Madera
Shirley Clement--Formerly with GMAC Pine Tree in Oakhurst


Welocome to our Merced/Atwater Office:
Jose Duran--returning London agent..welcome back
Martha Cervante-Garza--new agent


And to our Clovis Office welcome:

Ruth Galanate--new agent

All welcome to our family...we are truly happy to have you with us.

CalRedd

Welcome to Monday and a new MLS system. We have had a few sales associates comment on the new Calredd system. Rachel Engle Say's " one thing she has learned so far this that when you click on "think" don't keep clicking it let the system have time to down load. Brian Winch from our Clovis office has informed used that the agent profile section does not have a update key...so don't update any of your profile information.

I know this is hard but hang in there, by Friday the board will work thru all the kinks...hopefully. Change is good!

Congrats!!!

Just want to time the time to say Congratulations to Joe Sciarrone who on Friday closed an $1,799,000 all cash deal!!! Wow we are proud of you. Good job for Wanda Fries who also closed an all cash deal on Friday...it was a Short sale that she got approved in only 7 days.... Great job Wanda!!That's why all the best work here at London Properties, cause we're doing it right all the time!

Welcome to our New Family

We just wanted to welcome Kathryn Straps, Booner Boel and Elisa Anula to our Family. Kathryn Straps formally with C-21 Watson will be working out of the Fresno office. She has been in Real Estate for 6 years and will be specialize in Clovis & Fresno area's. Booner Boel formally with C-21 Watson has been selling real estate 5 years before that he sold insurance, he will be working out of our Fresno office and Elisa Anula formally with Monticello Properties. She is a broker associate has been in the Real Estate industry for 20 years...she will be working out of our Clovis Office. Welcome aboard and we are so happy to have you in our family.

Web Site's for Real Estate Agents

I just want to say that if you don't have a web site ...your missing out! Here at London Properties...we provide every agent with a FREE standard web site. In the past 3 weeks I have come across 4 agents that have shared with me that they have gotten buyers just from that free site. Congrats! to Luis Bedford, Karla Pena in our Kingsburg office, Sonia Rogers and Kathi Holland. Good job, keep up the good work.

Another London Office!!!

Just wanted to say congratulations to Leff Lawry and Chuck Dudek, they will be taking over our new office which is located in Atwater, CA. This is our 12th office in the valley. Please feel free to stop by the new office any time. The address is 594 Bellevue Rd. in Atwater. Good job boys!!!

Royal Charter Home Loans

Royal Charter Home Loans, wants to welcome on board John McMillian. John will be covering our Chowchilla, Merced and Oakhurst offices. John, like all of our great loans officers, is doing just an awesome job taking care of all our gents. Thanks Royal Charter!

Kingsburg is having great floor!!!

Congratulations to Karla Pena!!! she told floor last week, and while on floor she pick up 5 leads and has already written 1 offer. Go Karla!!!

Great Job!!! Wanda Fries

Just wanted to share a great success story this week about Wanda Ann Fries. Wanda works out of our Fresno office, and has been selling real estate since 2004. One day about 2 weeks ago she was coming out of a Starbucks and she saw a gentlemen looking thru a real estate magazine. Of course being Wanda she ask him "are you looking at buying a house? " And he said "yes I'am" Wanda replied 'well that's great, because I work for London Properties and I can help you do that.' Wanda has written up 12 offers and 5 are in escrow. The gentlemen has 5 million dollars in the bank and wants to purchase 50 homes. Great job Wanda....it's just another reminder you have to ask for the business...just don't walk on by.

Welcome to our New Family

Just wanted to welcome a new agent to our Fresno Office, her name is Patricia Magallon. Patty is formally of Image Financial and Real Estate. She has been selling real estate since 2003 and she will be specializing in the Fresno, Clovis and Madera markets, Welcome a board Patty.

Great Story from our Clovis office

The power of wearing your name badge. One day last week one of our agents Cindy Reinke walked into a Quicky Stop to pick something up and the guy behind the counter noticed that she worked at London Properties. He told her that he wanted to buy a house. Cindy just like any good agent said "well I can help you do that" The store employee is currently getting pre-approved with our Loan Department Royal Charter Home loans and will be going out this weekend with Cindy to buy a house.

Good job Cindy. Keep wearing that name badge.

Great Story from Our Oakhurst Office!!!

Alex Gonzalez-Bustos received a email from a person who was looking on our London Properties web site last week. The person was looking to work with a hispanic realtor and came across her. They are currently looking for property in Oakhurst and are about to write an offer. Great job Alex. We wish you a fast escrow. Keep up the great work!!!

A Fool's Game?

The following editorial was recently published in the Fresno Bee:

'A fool's game'
"I was reading your article, "Fresno Home prices below U.S. average" and saw that Patrick Conner, owner of London Properties, is quoted as saying that prices are below the national average and that we are not in Nebraska.

He is right about one thing: We are not in Nebraska, because if we were, the home prices would be even lower. He should know that ratio of home prices to income levels in the Valley are still too high.

In that same article, Robin Kane, a real estate analyst, is quoted as saying that guessing the bottom is a fool's game. Isn't this the same group of people who said that real estate prices never go down and that it was the time to buy when the market was overinflated?

I think it's a fool's game to listen to a group of people whose vested interests are pushed ahead of the public they claim to properly inform."

-Carlos Montez, Fresno

Mr. Montez, your opinion is appreciated, but we are very aware of the opportunities and affordability of our local market. As of the first of February, the nation's unemployment percentage hit 7.6%. Fresno is slightly higher, and places in the midwest, like Nebraska and Indiana, have counties where that figure is over 15%. Also, in 2002, the valley's housing affordability index (which accounts for the ratio of wages to housing costs) was at 64%. Then, our market did get out of control and by 2006 that figure dropped to 24%. However, with our market correction, and lower housing prices, the Valley's affordability index is back up to 65%. These are just the facts, your call...

La Ventana Community

Are you looking for a home in the Northwest Area? Come by my community at La Ventana off Bullard and Grantland. We have lots of inventory, either foreclosure or new development. I'm extremely familiar with this community as I live in it. My friends at both Granville Homes and Bella Vista keep me updated with the best priced inventory. So come by or call me at 213-2090. I'd love to give you a tour or sell you a house.

Bubble? What Bubble?

If you bought a home 10 years ago you've seen its value increase approximately 130%. In the past two years, the market moved the other direction and the value dropped about 30%. After that decline, the home's value remains nearly twice what you paid for it. That's not exactly a bust. The good news is the abnormal feeding frenzy is over. The balloon has deflated a little but nothing burst. Housing values are stabilizing and lenders have even adopted a novel idea - perhaps people who borrow money should actually be qualified.

Now is the time smart shoppers are making their money. The not-so-smart will wait until the prices have gone back up. They may not have a long wait. Why?

Supply: It's no news that construction of new homes came to a screeching halt two years ago. The valley is still growing. People are still leaving the bay area and southern California to move here, partially because they can still buy twice as much home here for less dollars. Here's an eye opener — the MLS inventory of homes that was going up every month for three years has been going down.

Affordability: With low interest rates and lower prices, more people than ever can afford to buy. Sales have been down. Buyers are waiting in the wings. There is becoming a pent-up demand and the gates are about to bust open.

Momentum: After over two years of retraction the market is changing direction.

Interest: For a short time we are continuing to enjoy abnormally wonderfully low interest rates. It won't last. Never has, never will. Interest has always been cyclical. We were selling houses when mortgages were at 12-15%. I expect before long we will again. As sure as valley temperatures will increase in August, when inflation sets in our Federal Government it will raise rates faster than the thermometer.

Ok, you say now may be the perfect time to buy, but if I sell my current home I'll take a "big loss." I can't afford it. Oh contraire, home values are like the tide in the harbor. When the tide goes out, the level of all the boats drop. In simple terms, that means you can't possibly lose money by selling your home. In fact, it's the opposite. Remember you make money in real estate when you buy it, not when you sell. After your home is sold (at whatever value) you become a cash buyer. If you shop thoughtfully, you'll buy the next bigger, better home for even less.

This market is a chance of a lifetime for sellers. Not only can you now move up, you can lock in lower interest rates and lower taxes for the next 30 years. If you are new to the market and don't already own a home, here is a tip... Buy Now.

Happy Days are Here Again!

Did you know that over 99.5% of all prime (well-qualified buyers) home loans are not in
foreclosure? That’s right, over 99.5% of home borrowers who actually qualified for a
prime home loan are doing swell. So what’s all this big foreclosure crisis news about?
It’s the result of government-mandated pressure on Fannie and Freddie, et al to make
more loans to “Subprime” (poorly qualified) borrowers. Millions of loans were made that
shouldn’t have been and frankly, until pressure from Congress, would never have been. A
large number of these buyers, of course, have now defaulted (over 20%). Even with these
Subprime loans included, the average of all mortgage delinquencies have still topped out
at just under 7%. That still means 93% of all home loans are being paid as agreed.

So what’s really happening in today’s Real Estate Market?

• Locally, the number of homes for sale has dropped substantially in recent months. In
fact, as of December 9th, the current inventory of 5,563 homes in the Fresno MLS is 17%
less than the 6,674 that were for sale a year ago.

• Sales have been increasing all year. Fresno MLS reported 1,229 sales in September,
October, and November of 2007, compared to 2,550 in the same quarter of 2008. That’s a
108% increase in sales!

• According to our experience, the decrease in inventory, together with the increase in
sales, means that prices are going to be increasing soon.

• Government spending always seems to lead to increases in inflation. Though not good
news for the cost of living, inflation does increase building costs, and it also drives
increases in home values.

• Even some of the hardest hit states like Arizona and Florida are now seeing individual
counties with price increases. We’ve seen the same phenomenon here. In fact, in the past
months, we’ve experienced a number of investors once again “flipping foreclosure homes”
for a substantial immediate profit.

We’re not saying the market is in complete recovery, but we are saying there’s light at
the end of the tunnel and we’re on our way to happier days.

Real Estate Market Update

In the past 40 years, we've experienced 3 or 4 other down turns in home values. Every one of those has been temporary and home values have bounced back with a vengeance. Smart Real Estate owners buy on the dips. They buy when other people are selling. In other words, they buy low and sell high. That's why they make the most profit. Never forget, we all make our money in real estate when we buy it, not when we sell it.

We see inflation on the horizon. When that occurs, building products move up dramatically, which will increase the cost of new homes, which in turn, always pushes up the values of all existing homes.