Word of caution post from your Realtor Endre Barath, Jr. a Beverly Hills Realtor!
It has been a while since I posted so with that said it is well overdue, and May is a favorite month of mine. If you missed the Full Moon on Friday the 1st, you are in luck – there will be another (better known as Blue Moon) on Sunday, May 31st.
Full Moon Sky
On the subject of real estate, those who regularly read my Blog Posts have heard me say: do not focus on the misleading headlines on various media platforms regarding real estate news. This extends to Real Estate Mergers and Acquisitions and the assorted legal battles between different real estate platforms. All of these are just distractions.
If you are contemplating buying or selling, you must focus on that particular local real estate market. In my estimation, the ideal approach is to look at a one-mile radius of where you are interested in buying or selling. Assess what that real estate activity has been over the past three to six months. This formula gives you a very realistic and knowledgeable picture to determine what your property is worth for selling and what the ‘true’ purchase price should be if you are considering buying. (As an example, a recent media headline that came across my emails touted “Home Prices Dropped in Dozens of Big U.S. Cities This Year”. While this may be accurate, it means nothing unless it’s a city where you are buying or selling.)
One of the most visited tourist attractions: The Sign in Beverly Hills
In closing, a word of caution. Scammers/Bad Actors/Impersonators also affect real estate. Should you get an email or a phone call from someone purporting to be a Realtor and that person asks you to deposit funds, do not fall for it. In a legitimate real estate transaction, funds are deposited into Escrow. Should you fall victim to real estate fraud, you can report it to:
1. DRE, at: http://www.dre.ca.gov/Consumers/FileComplaint.html
2. The California Attorney General, at: http://oag.ca.gov/consumers
3. The District Attorney, Sheriff, local police and local prosecutor in your community. More information about law enforcement agencies is available at: https://oag.ca.gov/government/about
4. The Federal Trade Commission, at: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft
5. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), at: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety
6. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
As always, feel free to reach out with any real estate questions or advice.
Los Angeles Land Man
A portion of my commission will be donated to a local and reputable animal rescue organization or cause. Remember this Military Friendly Realtor treats every day as if it’ one of his last 50
Important Dates for May: May 5 Cinco De Mayo; May 10 Mother’s Day (U.S.); May 18 (Victoria Day); May 2
