It is time time of year again. The early flowers are already begining to bloom. I've heard we're suppose to get some rain to help spring board the spring time colors. And of course the annual tradition of cleaning out your garage, closets, drawers, and storage spaces. I know a wonderful spring cleaning always leaves me feeling good! The City of West Covina is helping out to make it easier than ever to do your spring cleaning. By offering a series of programs that all get kick started on Earth day April 18th, 2009! The first event is a once-a-year UNLIMITED PICK-UP of house hold trash. Just place the items at your curb by 6a.m. on your designated Saturday. So clean out that clutter and trim up and clean out your trees bushes and garden beds. These Saturday pick-ups begin April 18th so be... 04/11/2009

The Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008 “Who Qualifies?” First-Time Homebuyers who purchase a home between April 9th, 2008 and July 1st, 2009 could be eligible for an I.R.S. tax credit of $7,500. Any taxpayer who has never owned a home as a principal residence (or within the last 3 years) For a single taxpayer with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000. If income is higher, the credit decreases and disappears altogether above $95,000. For married couples with an AGI of $150,000. If income is higher, the credit decreases and disappears altogether above $170,000 “When do I get my money?” You get your money only after you claim the credit on either your 2008 or 2009 tax return, NOT when escrow closes on the home. However, you can speed up the process if you amend your taxes and still re... 02/24/2009

This past Monday the City of West Covina, CA hosted its Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There was a great community turn out at The Lakes Entertainment Plaza. With live music, dancing, street vendors, and more it was a really enjoyable event. The highlight just might have been the electric slide, which we caught on tape... You can watch the video below...   Carolina Chacon- My Real Estate ProAssociate Broker 01/22/2009

I receive a phone call from a past client. She informs me that she is looking to buy a property, and that she is very excited (as she should be). She goes on to declare that she wants to work with me and my team (GREAT!), and that she is looking in San Diego.(not my territory) Because it is very important to work with a Buyers agent that is familiar with and knowledgeable with the local community I go into my referral scripts. After having this conversation with her, and going through the benefits of working through a referral it hit me. Referrals really are a win-win-win for all parties, and so much so in today's market that any hesitant buyer should hire their agent through a third party referral.   I know that I'm out on a limb when I say this, but you should not hire an agent unless... 11/06/2008

Estate Planning Workshop Location:Trilogy Financial Services, Inc1000 Lakes Drive, Suite 325West Covina, CA 91790 Wednesday, October 22, 20087:00p.m. - 8:30p.m. Learn how to protect your family with a living trust and answer questions you may already have.... What is a living trust and who should have one? Is a living will the same as a living trust? How does a living trust save on estate taxes? How can I avoid probate? Does a living trust maintain privacy? How can I reduce or eliminate estate taxes? How can I protect dependents with special needs? What can I do to protect my minor children from court imposed guardianships? Will a living trust prevent a conservator ship or guardianship at physical or mental incapacity? How to spare loved ones from having to make critical decisions at a ... 10/14/2008

We all know the baby boomers are coming and local resources established are preparing to welcome this new generation. The quesiton is what will they need? The reported needs assessment places health, housing, and transportation as going to be the most important. The survey goes on to share the following results: 61 percent of seniors interviewed said they had inadequate dental insurance. 54 percent were interested in physical exercise. 13 percent reported wanting a job. 24 percent reported interest in volunteering and community involvement. 29 percent reported social isolation and desire for interaction.  18 percent had concerns about Social Security benefits. 19 percent lacked transportation for medical appointments. Although health needs top the list of concern, the verbal response to... 10/14/2008

What if someone you love (maybe a parent) could no longer live at home because they became too old to take care of themselves, or get around safely? What if a family member experienced a severe incident – a heart attack or a stroke – which resulted in their having to move to an assisted living facility? What if you were responsible for the well-being of this person? Where do you go? Who do you turn to for help? As the people we care about are living longer, many of us are finding ourselves faced with these questions. It is an important area in which most of us have no experience, and, with our family lives being so full, have little time to address. Now there’s an organization called Bridges. It was specifically designed to help family members deal with this complex and stressful proces... 10/09/2008

With a major "green theme" happening in the news around us, it is only fitting to touch on it from an investment standpoint in this article. It was reported in the Wall Street Journal that between 2005 and 2007, socially responsible investing, or SRI, assets grew more than 18% to $2.71 trillion. About 11% of assets under professional management in the United States are now involved in SRI. Regardless of your stance on whether the earth needs man's help, socially responsible investing has become a force to be reckoned with. The financial world appears to have a quickly spreading appetite for all things earth-friendly. Investment screening involves looking for investments or companies that align with your values. Positive screening is searching for ventures that are active in creating sol... 08/13/2008

I generally believe that Real Estate has become one of the most highly sought after conversational topics within social settings. Everywhere I go different people seem to want to talk about the same things: The up coming election/politics What are the latest gas prices or predictions The war on terror The real estate market. As highly sought out as the current market condition conversational piece is I figured I would host a mock conversation of how this conversation may go. Please excuse some specific keyword placement, but I'm also trying to keep it regionally specific. Consumer: "How's the San Gabriel Real Estate Market doing?" Realtor: "Thank you so much for asking. The market has definitely changed, but I'm really excited about this because I feel that their are some really great o... 08/07/2008

Short sales require patience, dedication, tenacity, some skill, and some luck to successfully complete. All these factors add up to partially explain that, according to National Association of Realtors (NAR), only 1 out of every 10 short sale listings successfully close. Another main reason, that I believe short sales have become a dirty word, is that inexperienced agents are taking short sale listings that do not have a high probability of closing, and then treat it like a traditional listing. There are some things that will make a successful short sale highly unlikely, and darn near impossible to successfully complete. Unless you have experience, and/or a great relationship with the asset manager, if the potential listing fall into one or more of these categories I'd highly recommend ... 07/30/2008

West Covina, CA- The Regency grand is a beautiful community that has just recently finished undergoing some upgrades to "enrich" this courtyard center piece. The Regency grand offers Independent living, assisted living, and as well as memory care for mature adults in the East San Gabriel Valley. Be sure to visit this Thursday, July 31st 2008 between 3:00pm until 6:00pm. The Regency Grand is located at 150 S. Grand Ave, West Covina, CA. This open house event will also be welcoming the new care coordinator Phyllis Vines, LVN. If you have not had the opportunity to had the opportunity to tour this unique facility please be sure to RSVP with Kim Homer or Michelle Reisch (626) 332-3344 or e-mail reggrand.cr2@bpmsenior.com, and remember to mark the date on your calendars. 07/29/2008

    Welcome Aboard My Real Estate Pro Airlines!   Buying your home or Selling your home is like taking an airline flight across the country.When you start on your trip, you have no idea how the trip will go. Neither does the pilot! You could run into many different types of turbulence, or you could have a smooth flight and land on time. Certainly, the pilot will try to use his or her experience, to navigate around storms and go for the smoothest flight plan, but if they're honest, they can't promise a turbulence-free trip. Our job is to get you to your destination in the least amount of time and with the least amount of hassles while keeping you informed throughout the trip. As your real estate consultant's we see ourselves as the pilots of your plane. Our job is to assist you in the bu... 07/18/2008

The process of buying a home is like taking a cross country trip on an airplane, it can be complex, long and a little turbulent at times, but buying a home is much more than a sound financial investment. For many people it is the realization of a dream. For others, it's an investment that provides tax benefits and builds wealth. Whatever your reasons, when you are thinking about buying a home, you may want to consider the many advatages: You can enjoy being a part of a community and a neighborhood. Home ownership offers more flexibility to make changes to your living space, such as painting your walls or putting in new carpeting. Houses can increase in value overtime, which means you increase your net worth. The interest you pay on your home mortgage is often tax-deductible. (consult yo... 07/17/2008

First I'd like to congratulate you on your decision to purchase a new home. I know this can be a very exciting and also scary time. I'm here to try and eliminate some of those worries so you can focus on being excited by giving you some focus and clarity in your search for your new home. Probably the single biggest determinant of what you want to focus your energies on is what are you comfortable paying a month. From that you will better understand what you can afford. With the still lingering affects of the last housing crash the last thing you want to do is get in over your head. Start out your search for a new home by talking to a lender... In fact talk to a few, shop a few rates, and focus not on what you are pre-qualified for, but how much will that amount cost you on a monthly bas... 07/15/2008

Watch the video for the explination of why you should let your kids partake in these 6 dangerous things. (I know the video title says 5 but you'll see that there are actually six). Play with Fire Own a Pocket Knife Throw a Spear Deconstruct Appliances Break the Digital Millenia Copyright Act (DMCA) Drive a Car Contact Team Chacon of Keller Williams Realty. Licensed REALTORs® in California to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Alhambra, Anaheim, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Brea, Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Covina, Diamond Bar, Duarte, El Monte, Fullerton, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, La Habra, La Puente, La Verne, Monrovia, Montclair, Monterey Park, Ontario, Pasadena, Placentia, Pomona, Rosemead, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Marino, Santa Fe Spri... 07/01/2008

Options for a Borrower Facing Foreclosure in Los Angeles County Workout Plans: The first option a borrower should consider when attempting to keep a home is a workout. Under a workout scenario the lender will assist the borrower in keeping the property. One of the plans usually offered to the borrower is “forbearance.” Under a forbearance plan the lender will allow the borrower to continue for a certain period of time, such as six months, without making a payment. When the borrower is able to catch up, the borrower resumes making payments plus an additional amount to bring the loan current. “Loan modification” can also involve rewriting the terms of the loan to make the loan affordable for the borrower. This might consist of changing an adjustable rate mortgage to a fixed rate mortgage... 06/28/2008

  Required documents and paperwork   The goal of these blogs are to give those interested in buying or selling a short sale a better understanding of the process of a short sale in the San Gabriel Valley, a short sale in San Bernardino County California, or a short sale in Los Angeles County California. In order to fully understand the Short Sale process and where this post takes place in the time-line of a Short Sale I would highly recommend that you read: Short Sales- What, Who, How, When, and Why Self-Evaluate if a Short Sale is it right for me? Now that you understand the what, who, how, when and why of the short sale process and you have determined that a short sale is right for you we are now ready to go over what materials and documents you will need to gather together for your a... 06/18/2008

  Is a short sale right for me?   The goal of this blog is to give those interested in buying or selling a short sale a better understanding of the process of a short sale in San Gabriel Valley, a short sale is San Bernardino County California, or short sale in Los Angeles County California. If you missed the article Short Sales in Los Angeles County California- What, Who, How, When, and Why I would highly recommend that you read this article first, just to make sure we have a common understanding of the terms, phrases and expressions being used here. Now, if you own a house in San Bernardino County or Lost Angeles County and you have found out that what you owe your lender is more than what a buyer is currently willing, ready, and/or able to pay for your house does not mean you are aut... 06/18/2008

PRESERVING HOMEOWNERSHIP Foreclosure Prevention Resources HUD RESOURCES HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies NeighborWorks® Neighborworks Center For Foreclosure Solutions FreddiMac RESOURCES Avoiding Foreclosure For Borrowers Anti-Predatory Lending Campaign CreditSmart® Curriculum The Learning Center For Community Outreach IF YOU SUSPECT MORTGAGE FRAUD: Call 1-800-4FRAUD8 (1-800-437-2838) I am neither an attorney nor a CPA, and this post is not intended to be or to provide you legal advice of any kind. I insist that you talk with your attorney and your tax accountant to determine if a short sale is the best solution for you. Contact a Pro today... My Real Estate Pro!. Licensed REALTORs® in California to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Alhambra, Anaheim, Arca... 06/18/2008

Short sales in Los Angeles County and Short sales in San Bernardino County If you have looked at anything to do with the Los Angeles County Real Estate Market or San Bernardino Real Estate market you have probably heard of short sales in Los Angeles County California and short sales in San Bernardino County. With a multitude of medians for communicating information available now days I seem to see a lot of misleading information in the media. My intent is to try and give those interested in buying or selling a short sale a better understanding to the following questions: Who participates in a short sale, What a short sale, How long does a short sale take, and When can I participate in a short sale. I do not believe anyone should ever take the advice from one source in such decisions. I ... 06/12/2008