North West Glendale Real Estate

Taking the time to make a difference....

Chris — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:40:04 GMT

In spite of all of the craziness going on the world today, a couple of my good friends and fellow real estate professionals are taking the time to make a difference by raising money for their favorite charitys.

Nick Rasic (my former partner/boss/good friend) is now up in Mill Valley at his own company Palladium Realty . Nick will be riding on October 18, 2008 at Death Valley to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. If you would like to help Nick you can click here.

Amy Lee with MetLife Home Loans will be participating in the in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk this Sunday. If you would like to help Amy you can click here.

Since there are so many of you that ask me about Nick I decided to post this photo of him. WE MISS YOU NICKY!

Deal or No Deal

Chris — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:56:14 GMT

Congressional leaders and the Bush administration had announced they came to an agreement on the historic Bailout Plan . However, in a new twist today, the House rejected the agreed upon financial bailout.

The plan called for taking illiquid mortgage backed securities off the hands of lending institutions. Several elements of the plan have been intensely debated, including the amount of the plan, the government's role, the absence of oversight, limits on pay for executives of bailed-out financial institutions, and exactly how the plan will help struggling homeowners.

No deal so far!

St. Joseph The Patron Saint Of Selling And Buying Homes...

Chris — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:52:42 GMT

Has your home been on the market a long time? You might want to look to St. Joseph the patron saint of buying and selling property. For centuries, Catholics have buried blessed medals of St. Joseph asking his help locating land for convents.

Today homeowners across the world seek his help in selling and buying their homes. The are many documented cases of his powerful intercession. According to my cousin Rosina you have to be a believer!

Then again you can always go the conventional way and hire a professional Realtor that you know and trust to do the job

Enjoy your Sunday!

Saturday Open House

Chris — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:01:08 GMT

Is it hot enough for you? Holy cow all I can say is that I hope it's cooler tomorrow because I have an open house at 2900 Canada Blvd. from 2:00-4:00. Please feel free to stop in and take a peek, it's a really cool house with tons of potential and priced to sell!

Regret

Chris — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:27:36 GMT

Regret

a troubled feeling or remorse over something that has happened, esp. over something that one has done or left undone
sorrow over a person or thing gone, lost, etc.

Have you ever done something that you regret doing? Have you ever NOT done something and regretted it? This post is for you buyers out there that were waiting for the market to drop so that you could buy that dream home. My Mom always says "Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it!" and get it we did!

The market has dropped so what the heck are you waiting for? Let me guess you want to wait and see what happens with the proposed bail out? Next it will be the election, then the holidays and after that income taxes. Come on people this is the down market you have been waiting for, get off the fence and get a move on!

Blah Blah Blog

Chris — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:48:57 GMT

Well I have nothing new to post today so I thought I would just do the stats. So far this month in Northwest Glendale there are 12 New Listings and 6 Closed Sales and currently 26 Pending Sales.

On another note I just read an article on the internet that people are Choosing Cash Over Cachet click here to read more. I guess people really are going back to basics, imagine living within our means, what a concept!

I don't just expect your business....I earn it!

Chris — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:11:27 GMT

I don’t know about you but I have noticed a drastic improvement in the customer service I am receiving just about everywhere I go! Could it be that people are actually going back to the good old fashion ways of doing business? Call me old school but I attribute my success to my good old fashion upbringing (thanks Mom & Dad!) and my commitment to my clients.

Today I was at Wells Fargo opening a new account and the service I got was first class. Later I went to Macy’s to pick up a few things and the nicest sales person helped me find what I was looking for and he was very pleasant. When you think about it we should’t have to go to Nordstrom to get good customer service, it should be a given everywhere we go. Check out this tidbit that is in the Nordstrom handbook. It never hurts to take a refresher course!

Welcome to Nordstrom
We're glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both our personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.

A Day In The Life Of A Realtor

Chris — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:15:09 GMT

Realtors wear many hats and today I wore a few. It's actually what keeps my job interesting as well as rewarding. This morning I helped my son wrap up some loose ends on the lease of his new condo in Westchester. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention he is now in grad school at LMU! His roommate's Mom is also a Realtor down in San Diego, what a coincidence! All I can say is, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE BOYS WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT US!

Moving on...then I get a call from a neighbor who is dying to know what a home in our neighborhood sold for, of course I know exactly what it sold for because its my job to know! Then a client calls me to ask me for the number of my handyman I referred to him FOR THE 10th time already Charles it's on my website at www.ZastrowsList.com I jokingly say to which he replies "Oh Chris you know how much I love to chat with you because you always make me laugh!" Awww shucks!

An Expensive Mistake And A Very Valuable Lesson!

Chris — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:14:20 GMT

In today's real estate market it is essential to keep in mind that the value of your home is NOT:

What you put into it
What you need out of it
What it appraised for during refinancing
What your neighbors home sold for 6 month's ago

The fact of the matter is this: The market value of your home is what a buyer is willing to pay based on today's market, available financing and our current economic condition! It's really that simple! Failure to understand this basic concept could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars!

Take for example the seller's on Lee Drive-They originally listed their home with agent #1 (a knowledgeable and well respected area agent) last December for $840,000 (the seller's price of course) then reduced it to $799,000. Agent #1 brought them an offer of $749,000 and they turned it down! A few months later along comes yours truly and I list the home for $785,000 with the agreement that if we didn't get any offers in the first couple of weeks we would reduce the price. In spite of the fact that I hired a professional cleaning crew, photographer and floor plan designer and heavily marketed the home as well as had several open houses we still did not get any offers. The seller's did not hold up their end of the bargain when it came time to reduce the price so when my listing expired I recommended they call another agent. They tried to sell for sale by owner for a short period of time before agent #3 came along (another well respected agent/team). Agent #3 lists for $749,000 and nothing happens UNTIL they reduce the price to $699,000 and WHA-LA it's now in escrow! So just to recap their original list price was $840,000 and final was $699,000 a difference of $141,000 over a 10-month period. During that period this home (NOT the seller's primary residence) had expenses pool service, yard service, property taxes, insurance, utilities and of course the payment and interest! Let's not forget the $749,000 offer that agent #1 brought them. The difference between the current list price and the previous offer is $50,000. It's hard to say exactly how much this overpricing mistake actually cost the sellers but we know it was at least $50,000 which is a lot of money in my book! As agent #1 so eloquently put it "We, as agents, can not force the market to pay more than the home is worth."

Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise.: Cato the Elder, from Plutarch, Lives
Roman orator & politician (234 BC - 149 BC)

Good Help Is Hard To Find!

Chris — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:10:51 GMT

Because so many of you ask me for recommendations for misc. services I put together a list which you can find at www.ZastrowsList.com . Recently I came across this list-www.angieslist.com/AngiesList/ that covers much more than just local vendors. The contractors on this list do NOT pay to be on the list and there is even a place where you can go and complain if you run into a problem. You do however have to pay a $40 a year fee but for some of you that may be money well spent. If you have anyone you would like to recommend or have me add to www.ZastrowsList.com please feel free to let me know.

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all!
Sam Ewing

Neighborhood Alert!

Chris — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:35:47 GMT

I just received some disturbing news....a home on my block was robbed this week! Click here to read today's police report in the Glendale News Press. As most of you know both of my parents were Los Angeles Police officers, what I have always been told is that a robber typically does not randomly pick a home to hit. In most cases they are familiar with your home and your schedule so be sure that when you leave your home you lock all doors and close windows. Leave a porch light on if you are going to be out late and be sure to let your neighbors know if you are going to be out of town. My neighbor and myself have decided to start a Neighborhood Watch group on our street, check back for more details. Click here if you are interested in starting one on your street. Unfortunately in these tough times it is likely that we will be seeing more of this type of thing so be safe!

Burn After Reading

Chris — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:00:04 GMT

Yesterday I had a pretty quiet day as did a good friend of mine so we decided to sneak away and catch an afternoon flick. Burn After Reading seemed like a good choice as I am a big John Malkovich fan and he is a huge Coen Brothers fan. Both of us really enjoyed the movie and it was nice to just take a break from work and recharge!

This morning I am off to caravan, I am looking forward to seeing that beautiful home on Cumberland Road!

What exactly does it mean when a home is under the Mills Act?

Chris — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:00:45 GMT

A client of mine asked me about the Mills Act because she saw a home in Glendale advertised as being designated under the Mills Act. The Mills Act is a Tax Abatement Program put into place to foster the preservation of residential neighborhoods, click here for frequently asked questions. It is very important to understand exactly how it would affect you as a buyer. You can also find out if your home qualifies for the program by clicking here.

Buying A Home, The American Dream

Chris — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:16:20 GMT

Owning a home is not only the "American Dream", it is an important part of our national economy. Home ownership has been a part of our heritage, and represents the largest part of the average American's net worth. Owning a home is the only way some people will be able to retire, the sooner you become a homeowner, the better off you will be!

If you are wondering if this is a good time to buy a home the answer is YES! ST Mortgage (one of my favorite lenders) offers a first time buyers seminar simply click here to register. Remember knowledge is power, don't let fear prevent you from making your dream come true!

7 Years Later

Chris — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:46:20 GMT

Earlier this month I was in New York visiting my sister who lives in Saratoga. We took the train down to the city to visit my niece, it was the first time I had been to the city since 9-11. We got into Penn Station and took a cab to Brooklyn where my niece lives and on the way we drove past the site where the Twin Towers used to be. The moment I realized where we were I was taken back, I quickly snapped this photo and found myself thinking back to that terrible day seven years ago. Later that evening we took a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge (that's me you see in the photo) we enjoyed the sunset as we walked across the bridge and later dined at Lupa, which is owned by the famous chef Mario Batali. I couldn't help but think about what it must have been like to live in New York City on that day. On this seven-year anniversary I think we should all take a moment to count our blessings and remember those who lost their lives and the loved ones they left behind on that fateful day.

Indroducing my new assistant!

Chris — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:04:54 GMT

Hello everyone, I am so excited to introduce you to my new assistant. This little guy was supposed to be here last week but his arrival was delayed due to the Labor Day weekend. Fortunately he is here safe and sound! Thanks to all of you that expressed care concern and support while I was anxiously awaiting his arrival. Especially to Norma who offered to drive me up to Sacramento in her new Prius to get him, do I have some awesome clients or what! As you can see he is pretty tired from his first day on the job

Did someone say OPEN HOUSE!

Chris — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:08:05 GMT

Today I had an Open House at 2900 Canada. Judging by the number of open house signs that were out today I knew I was going to have an excellent turn out and right I was. I kid you not, there were so many signs out there it was ridiculous! One couple that visited me today said they had looked at 10 open houses and wanted to take a look at several more! Needless to say I had a very productive day

Are you a good apple?

Chris — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:53:34 GMT

As I said earlier this week "It takes just one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch!" As a Glendale Realtor I have had to face the challenge of trying to sell a bad apple as well as trying to sell a bright and shiny apple that is located next door to or across the street from a bad apple. Often times I find that homeowners don't realize that their home might be somewhat of an eye sore. Either that or their lives are just so hectic that they don't have the time to even think about it! As homeowners we have a vested interest in our neighborhood. Do you want to be the reason why your neighbor can't find a buyer for their pride of ownership home? As homeowners it is our responsibility to maintain our homes and keep our neighborhoods clean and beautiful! Not to mention by doing so you we are protecting our investment! Once again I would like to remind you all that you can call Neighborhood Services to report a bad apple at 818-548-3936. If your a looking for something to do this weekend why not take a look around your home and see what needs to be done, maybe there is a fun weekend project waiting for you !

Bad apple gone good!

Chris — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:06:59 GMT

This week I have been talking about Bad Apples vs. Good Apples. Today I am excited to tell you about a very good apple that used to be a rotten bad apple with worms! If you live in the 91201 then you know about all of the problems that went on at this property at 1644 Grandview. The property was once owned by Paul Hutchinson a prominent attorney and president of the Los Angeles Bar Association. I represented the daughter of Paul Hutchinson in the sale of this home, it has since changed hands a couple of times. The current owner of this property took it down to just one wall (if that wall could talk YIKES) and built a beautiful 5000 square foot home with a pool and tennis court! The home is currently listed at $3,800,000 and I am sure the neighbors are happy to see a beautiful shiny apple every day, check it out!

New Northwest Glendale Listings

Chris — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:55:46 GMT

So far this month we have 2 new listings in Northwest Glendale, one at 1360 Justin and one at 1212 Bruce. The one on Bruce is actually an old listing but the listing agent was clever enough to put it on as new after some serious sprucing up, in other words it’s no longer a “bad apple” I think the seller’s are going to get a good return on their dollar!