The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) is a dynamic professional organization to be affiliated with. The NAREB is a national trade association dedicated to bringing together nation's minority professionals in the real estate industry to promote the meaningful exchange of ideas about our real estate business and how best to serve its clientele. NAREB is the oldest minority trade organization in the country, founded in 1947. NAREB's mission is to serve the un-served, and develop creative and effective methods of doing so. Even though, the members are composed principally of African-Americans, however, membership is open to any ethnicity or gender being that believes in the "Democracy in Housing."  The NAREB offers many opportunities to any Real Estate professional to expe... 12/08/2009

If you have not been there you should.  It is a weekly meeting every Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am.  There are weekly speakers and property discussions and a chance to network with others from Realtors, lenders, title reps and officers, to inspectors, insurance and marketing experts.  We even have restarted the property tour (once a month on the third Wednesday of the month) thanks to Nino Pascolati's help getting it started.  Check the video of the tour that Sarah Fields made.  you can check it at www.cvmarketingmeetings.com So if you have never been there it is time to start and if you have not been there for a while we all love to see you back. 06/09/2009

 Real Estate Agent's wear many, many, many…many hats.      As and Short Sale or REO Agent we MUST be efficient at managing several properties at a time and making sure that those properties are being maintained property. Within the last two years, Real Estate Agents and Firms have received a bad rep for not taking care of the properties. Even Agents, who put their best foot forward to convince Asset Managers and Lenders to give more allowance to get repairs done and keep the property in good condition. Unfortunately, agents weren’t always getting the support that was needed to keep property in the recommended condition. It is imperative that agents pay special attention to the properties they are managing so they do not remain or become a Public Nuisance. The Modesto Municipal Code defi... 06/06/2009

On Friday May 8, 2009, I gave a training on WinForms to Realtors in the area.  The training was held at Phoenix University which was sponsored by CVAR (http://www.CVAR.ORG). There were 50 participants and within the 2 hours training, I was able to cover the basics of using WinForms Desktop and Online and featuring the DocuSign (an online digital singing). CVAR will be providing this training free to Realtors quarterly or as needed at different location to accommodate its association members as an added benefit. Part of the the topic in the training is to demonstrait the difference between the Destop and the Onloine versions and how to utilize the templates to streemline writing a CAR purchasing and listing agreement forms. Make sure to join http://activerain.com/groups/CVAR for updates ... 05/11/2009

We have much to be thankful for! Professionally, this year has been so challenging compared to years past... but with the support and trust of our family and friends, we have seen our way through. We are greatful for the relationships we've built over the years and I hope that together, we can continue to prosper. 11/27/2008

Short Sales My partner and I specalize in short sales, we have been through numerous short sales and closed them  successfully. Call our team and let us do the foot work for you. 07/17/2008

    The truth of the matter is your down payment effects everything and it says a lot about the potential buyer. The down payment is the difference between the purchase price and the mortgaged amount. Lenders recognize the importance of the size of the down payment. As the down payment increases, the lender's risk decreases. The size of the down payment is one of the most important factors in determines whether a loan will be approved.     With large down payments there is less need to worry about the borrower's qualifications. Few borrowers are willing to allow a loan to default and lose a large equity. If a buyer purchases a home at $150,000 and made a down payment of $30,000, you would do everything possible to maintain the payments. If it became impossible to keep up the payments, y... 03/22/2008

It just might be the perfect opportunity to sell your rental property, or exchange into another investment property.  Prices of real estate are at their highest level in 15 years.I specialize in 1031 Tax Exchanges and the new reverse exchanges.  Put one of Modesto's Top Listing Broker/Associates and the Power of PMZ Real Estate to work for you.  Our tremendous PMZ Real Estate advertising campaign and internet marketing is second to none.Please feel free to contact me on my direct line, any time day or night at, (209) 491-3826 or call my cell (209) 345-0621.  The summer market starts now, get top dollar for your rental properties while the market is peaking. 03/13/2008

I just joined Active Rain and this is an update on local market - Modesto - located in the Central Valley of California.  In Feb 2008, number of units sold for single family homes are 139.  Average days on market is 67; median days on market is 46.  Average price for single family home sold is $240,580; median price is $215,000.(This is a test post for a first time blogger)   03/09/2008

I'm holding a Foreclosure Buyer Seminar this Saturday March 1st.Come learn about Bank Owned Properties, Short Sales and BPO's.  Countrywide Mortgage will be on Site offering Free Credit Checks.The Seminar is Free but seating is Limited.  It will be from 1-2 pm at 605 Standiford Ave Modesto, CA  95350.  To reserve your seat email me at markdavis@c21mm.com.  02/28/2008

        Although, purchasing a home can be a tedious process, the right Real Estate Agent can make it a relatively smooth one. Researching information on the homeownership process will also benefit you. Throughout this blog series...I have tried to walk the homebuyer through the process from selecting your Real Estate Agent to House Hunting to understanding negotiating your offer and now closing the escrow transaction.         Escrow closing signifies legal transfer of title from the seller to the buyer. Once all the conditions of the escrow have been satisfied your Escrow Officer will inform you or your Real Estate Agent of the date escrow will close and takes care of the technical and financial details.      Closing day is also the day to pay "closing" or settlement costs (accumulatio... 02/06/2008

As a homeowner, you can legally own a home and not be insured. However, most lenders require for a future homeowner to have insurance coverage. The owner of real property runs the risk of financial loss due to circumstances which are beyond their control. Lenders need to protect their investment in your home in case your house burns down or is badly damaged by a storm, tornado or other disasters. Other perils that can result in property damage are hail, windstorms, smoke damage, explosion, earthquake, riot, glass breakage, and building collapse. The area that you reside in will determine the type of coverage the lender will require you to obtain.      Insurance is a method of showing risks with a group. The basic property insurance is fire insurance. The principle of insurance provides ... 01/29/2008

       Your home is one of your most valuable assets...... that's why you protect it with homeowner's insurance, title insurance, and get the inspections....but what about the items not covered by insurance? As your Mother and Daughter Realty Team, we offer to pay the home warranty for our seller/buyer. That's right a year of home warranty FREE to our clients! A Home Warranty is an insurance policy, it gives the same comfort as any insurance against unforeseeable events. The Home Warranty protects the buyer by paying for certain repairs and costs of major mechanical systems and major appliances in the home such as heating and air-conditioning. The Home Warranty can be ordered at the time of listing to protect the seller during the listing period, usually not exceeding six months, then a... 01/27/2008

    Now that your offer has been accepted there are a number of steps that will need to be taken care of until the closing process is complete. So, it is important to give the same amount of attention to the closing process as you did during hunting for your home.     The concept of an Escrow and Title Escrow Company is to operate as an uninterested third party in Real Estate Transactions. Title Companies act as an intermediary between buyers and sellers, or their agents, and ensure that everything in the transaction goes according to the sales contract. This offers protection to all parties involved. TITLE INSURANCE     Title Insurers operate under the theory of risk elimination or loss caused by defects in title from the past. Title Companies spend a high percentage of their operating... 01/26/2008

I can't believe the number of calls that I received from SEO companies since my last blog on SEO page ranking.  For the next two weeks my phone was off the hook with people promising me to promote me to page 1 on Google using one or two keywords or phrases. I did not understand how these companies could make that promise to me, so what did I do.  My wife and I acquired a SEO program, for very cheap, which many of these SEO companies use. What happened next astounded me.  I saw my page ranking go from not even showing on google in November to actually surpassing my company site in January, using modesto real estate as my key words. What caused this increase?  A few things:1.  We made sure that we had an RSS feed going from Active Rain to my website, to make sure that it is continuously b... 01/18/2008

I was asked by a consumer to write about Modesto, California, and some of the misconceptions that there are about the area and some of the plusses. First I will start off with the issues that have been in the press lately.  Modesto has terrible gangs, the worst car theft in the nations, home values are low, and it is not a family-friendly community.  Now everything that has been written about Modesto is true, but only pertains to a little section of it. For the majority of Modesto, and if you look at the city crime reports, the crime occurs within a few little pockets of the city, it is relatively gang and car theft-free. It offers wonderful areas to raise a family. I lived in Modesto for over 10 years and have lived in wonderful areas in which I felt safer than when I lived in Portland... 01/07/2008

In a previous article I wrote, Path to Homeownership: House Hunting I described how to inspect a house using your 5 senses. While house hunting, it is a good idea to write down notes on what you have seen. Write down the good, the bad, and the ugly. Throughout the day, you may have looked at several houses, so it is a good idea to have a checklist for each home you visited. At the end of the day, if you have determined which home is of interest to you, look at your notes. Revisit your budget. Determine the most you are willing to pay according to your budget and the condition of the home, as well as,  the amount you were pre-approved for.  I call this Number Crunching Time!     Whatever you do make sure that you are certain about the offer that you make because once your offer has been ... 12/28/2007

Your Path to Homeownership is a process in it self, it takes time. You've been saving and budgeting your household income by cutting down expenses on dining out and spending sporadically on shopping sprees. You sat down with your family and wrote down your wants and needs. You have learned and heard endless information about the lending process, looked into down-payment assistance programs, and have your pre-approval letter ready.     It's time to go House Hunting! Finally! Hunting for your dream home is an exciting time, however, it can be an overwhelming experience. So, it's best to be as focused as you can be, keep your goal in mind. As your Mother and Daughter Realty Team we are dedicated to taking the time to get to know what is on your wish-list, walking through homes and visuall... 12/26/2007

Whether you are looking to purchase a house or not...you have either heard about or read about the current Real Estate market. You've heard about the mounds of homeowners in foreclosure, you've heard about Short Sales and Bank owned properties. Well, as a homebuyer what does that mean to you? Interest rates and home prices are low and now is a great time to be in your shoes. It is time to invest in you and your family!       In my previous blog, The Path To Homeownership: Determine Your Wants and Needs, I suggested Homeowners write down what they are looking for in a home based on their current situation. It's exciting to visualize about your own space...painting your own walls...landscaping your own yard...decorating the way you want! Once you have written down your wants and needs, i... 12/24/2007

As a first-time homebuyer, you can get overwhelmed with information...from loan information to real estate information...from learning experiences from friends and  family to reading information on your own. So, as your Real Estate Agent it is important to us that we help you gain Real Estate knowledge without being overwhelmed and discouraged. If you are looking to become a homeowner and don't know where to start...a good place to begin is...to write down your wants and needs. What are your reasons for moving? Is it because of the location? Is the family getting bigger or smaller? Is the kitchen too small or big? Are you getting tired of renting and paying someone else's mortgage? Are you looking to invest? Are you looking for a House, Condo, or townhouse? How many bedrooms/bathrooms ... 12/21/2007