OC Magazine January 2017

Januar y 2017 Vo l. 0 3 | Is s u e 1

IN THIS ISSUE: • BEN CARSON TO LEAD HUD • TAX PAYERS, TAX SEASON IS HERE • 35 THINGS, 35 YEARS. MARRIAGE IS A GOOD THING

We proudly welcome ZipRealty™ and its innovative technology platform to our family of real estate brands!

facebook.com/realogy

CONTENTS: Mission and Vision of the Orange County Realtist Magazine....................(page 5)

ECONOMICS Orange County Retail Market Development Despite the Continued Availability of Constraints ...........................................................................................(page 10)

THE POWER IS NOW INC. Vol. 03 | Issue 1

Eric Lawrence Frazier, MBA President and CEO Office: (800) 401-8994 Ext. 703 Direct: (714) 361-2105 Eric.Frazier@ThePowerIsNow.com www.thepowerisnow.com www.blogtalkradio.com/thepowerisnow

Higher Interest Rates Causing Discomfort in the O.C. Housing Market..(page 14)

FINANCIAL The Heathcare Law and Your Taxes. Do you Qualify for Exemption?.....(page 18) What to do Before the Tax Year Ends on December 31? .......................(page 20) Privatizing Medicare In Not the Solution.................................................(page 24) The Start of Tax Filling Season: January 23th, 2017 ...............................(page 26) Tax Payers, Avoid Scams and Frauds .......................................................(page 30) Andreas Lehnert Appointed New Director of Division

EDITORIAL TEAM

of Financial Stability.................................................................................(page 32)

Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA Editor in Chief (800) 401-8994 Ext. 703

Real Estate Market Focus: Fairfield..........................................................(page 34)

Goldy Ponce Managing Editor Graphic Artist (800) 401-8994 ext. 711 goldy.ponce@thepowerisnow.com Kim Collier Executive Director of Technology (800) 401-8994 ext. 712 kim.collier@thepowerisnow.com

REAL ESTATE Real Estate Market Focus: San Diego.......................................................(page 38) Top Places Where Millenials Are Buying Houses ...................................(page 40)

LEGAL Fair Housing Act in California..................................................................(page 48) New Laws for California Real Estate World and Realtors ......................(page 52)

MORTGAGE Get Yourself a HUD Home.......................................................................(page 56) VA Loan Guidelines for Married Persons and Military Personnel...........(page 58)

GREEN Green Real Estate Trends In Modern Life...............................................(page 60)

CONTRIBUTORS Orange County Realtist Research Team

TECHNOLOGY How Your Site Looks on Mobile Devices................................................(page 64)

YOU 35 Things, 35 Years...................................................................................(page 66) Goal Setting Versus Goal Achievement ...................................................(page 70) Emotions That Successful Real Estate Agents Never Feel ......................(page 72)

COMMUNITY The Day When We Remember Our Dreams ............................................(page 74) Riverside Public Library, From Classical to Innovative ..........................(page 76)

The Orange County Realtist Magazine is an online and eZine publication of the Orange County Realtist a Chapter of The National Association of Real Estate Brokers® (NAREB).

The magazine is published and distributed by the publishing division of The Power Is Now, Inc., and has ten sections focused on the real estate market, economics in Orange County and the Realtist members who serve the community. The mission of the OC Realtist Magazine is to educate consumers and real estate professionals about the opportunities to buy or sell real estate in Orange County and to spotlight professional real estate agents who are Realtists.

profit organizations, and community organization that support the welfare of the citizens of Orange County and are affiliates of the OC Realtist.

The Digital Online subscription launched April and continually provides the best of the Orange County Realtist Magazine in an all-digital format.

With the Orange County Realtist Magazine, readers can have access to archived issues as well as current content online. Videos, online radio, webinars and other events provided by the OC Realtist will be available to empower its readers with information to achieve the American Dream.

The OC REALTIST MAGAZINE - The The magazine is free and is distributed by email American Dream and online to members of our local chapter and NAREB chapters nationwide. Over 30 The Orange County Realtist Magazine features thousands real estate professionals in Orange articles about real estate in Orange County and County, our state, federal and local city political informational interviews with local and national representatives in each of the 34 cities in Orange community leaders, real estate agents, banking County, non-profit housing organizations, church and investment professionals, and community. leaders in Orange County, and many affiliates of The Orange County Realtist Magazine also our chapter -- OC NAACP, OC Black Chamber, provides consumer focus content about buying OC 100 BMOC-- and others will receive the and/or investing in real estate, financing real estate magazine. and maintaining and protecting real estate as an asset for years to come. The magazine’s focus is In addition, our own email list of consumers on all aspects of buying and/or selling real estate is growing daily through our community from a consumer’s perspective because it is still outreach. The list will continue to grow due to the American Dream. the importance of homeownership and the strong support we have in the community to help others achieve it. We want the magazine to be of great value to our members, an excellent resource for our community, and a tremendous value to our advertisers as an affordable marketing strategy to a target consumers interested in real estate as a home or investment. The Orange County Realtist magazine will also provide free advertising to non-

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

4

Mission The mission of the Orange County Realtist is to provide support and education for its members to grow and expand their businesses while assisting the community to achieve the American dream of homeownership.

Vision The vision of the OC Realtist is to become the largest Chapter of NAREB in the United States, comprised of successful Realtists® whose businesses are thriving from the support they receive through the chapter and the networking opportunities that exist by their affiliation with National Association of Real Estate Brokers.

Departments 1. OC Real Estate Market 2. OC Real Estate Resources 3. OC Real Estate Investing 4. OC Realtist Spotlight 5. OC Real Estate Financing 6. National Association of Real Estate Brokers News 7. California Association of Real Estate Brokers News 8. OC Realtist President’s message 9. OC Real Estate Business and Economic 10. OC Real estate laws and legislation

Cover and Feature story profiles: The OC Realtist Cover will never be sold as it will be our way of recognizing Realtists in Orange County and all over the United States who exemplify the Realtist spirit. The online magazine and eZine will have 10 sections for various articles under the OC Realtist theme: OC Real Estate Market, OC Real Estate Resources, OC Real Estate Investing, OC Realtist Spotlight, OC Real Estate Financing, National Association of Real Estate Brokers News, California Association of Real Estate Brokers News, OC Realtist President’s Message, OC Business and Economics, OC Real estate Laws and Legislation. The writers for each department will be industry professionals who are practitioners in their field of expertise. They are industry professionals who can provide advice, and information to make decisions that will enable consumers achieve the American Dream.

5

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

CEO & Publisher Eric Lawrence Frazier, MBA 3739 6th Street, Riverside, CA 921506 Ph: (800) 401-8994 ext. 703 EDITORIAL Editor in Chief: Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA Managing Editor: Goldy Ponce ONLINE Web Designer: Nicholas Clarkson DESIGN Art Director & Design Manager: Goldy Ponce ADMINISTRATIVE Administrative Assistant: Rachel Bacol

SALES National Sales Manager: Christina Kimble National Relationship Manager: Success Money HEADQUATERS The Power Is Now Inc. 3739 6th Street Riverside, CA 92506 Ph: (800) 401-8994 Fax: (800) 401-8994 Email: info@thepowerisnow.com www.thepowerisnow.com www.thepowerisnow.com/onlinemagazine www.thepowerisnow.com/ezine PUBLICATION AND SERVICES The Orange County Realtist Magazine The PIN Magazine The Power Is Now Radio The Power Is Now Publications The Power Is Now Radio Guide The Power Is Now VIP Agent Program The Power IS Now Power Consulting/Coaching The Power Is Now Association Management The Power Is Now Event Management

STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT: The OC Realtist Magazine TM is owned and published electronically by The Power Is Now Inc. The Power Is Now Inc. has entered into joint venture with the OC Realtist for the design, publication and distribution of the Magazine.

Copyright 2013-2017 The Power Is Now Inc. All rights reserved. The name Orange County Realtist is a trademark of the Orange County Realtist Inc. A chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers.

“The PIN Magazine and distinctive logo are trademarks owned by The Power Is Now Inc. “ThePINMagazine.com” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “Magazine.thepowerisnow.com” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “Thepowerisnow.com” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power Is Now Event Management” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power Is Now Radio” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power Is Now Publications” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power Is Now Radio Guide” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power Is Now VIP Agent Program” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power IS Now Power Consulting/Coaching” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. “The Power Is Now Association Management” is a trademark of The Power Is Now Inc. No part of this electronic magazine or website may be reproduced without the written consent of The Power Is Now Inc. Requests for permission should be directed to: info@thepowerisnow.com 7

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

From the editor...

To our valued readers: Happy New Year from The Orange county Realtist Magazine. With 2016 behind us, we joyfully acknowledge the New Year standing before us.

We are bound to start 2017 strong with the upcoming Presidential Inauguration taking place on January 20th.

On that date we will swear in our new leader of the free world, Donald Trump. Although this election was a turbulent one, we are optimistic about what the future holds.

President-elect Trump’s announcement appointing Ben Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was exciting news for our industry and our team. With health issues being a #1 concern in low-income housing, neurosurgeon Ben Carson can make a difference by focusing on the many health dangers that riddle the public housing arena.

There is so much in store for you and we are excited to take on the next 365 days with vengeance and a productive mindset.

Here at The Power Is Now we look at each day as a blessing to accept new opportunities as well as proactively create the life we are meant to live.

This year we are celebrating seven years in business, so in honor of our accomplishments we would like to share with you our seven New Year Resolutions: 1. Bring “The Power Is Now” TV to a cable network near you.

2. Establish powerful partnerships with real estate professionals to bring our readers more access to home buying and selling.

3. Expand our company to five more states in mortgage and real estate.

4. Hire 5-10 more loan officers to aid in expediting loans and getting our clients in their first homes faster.

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

8

5. Publish five books, expanding our real estate reach to consumers looking to buy their first home as well as real estate agents looking to better themselves in 2017.

6. Maximize exposure on all social media platforms to bring you current news, events, and programs with The Power is Now company.

7. Offer free speaking workshops in African-American Churches around the United States to educate, inform, and aid minorities in purchasing homes and building wealth.

Our mission in 2017 is to inspire, encourage, and help homeowners in any way we can. That is our pledge to you.

In this January issue of the Orange County Realtist Magazine, we have a variety of articles we are excited to share with you. We introduce you to everything from the top agents blazing the trails in 2016 to taxpayer tips on avoiding tax-time scams. We also take a look inside Millennial trends and where Millennial are buying homes. Featured on the cover is Ben Carson; here we will be discussing what makes him tick and his newly appointed position as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

I am so excited about what 2017 has in store for us. Our accomplishments mean your accomplishments. We have a great deal of new things coming your way and I cannot wait to reveal them each to you one by one. Keep coming back each month and you will not be disappointed.

Thank you for your continued support and readership. Our team is dedicated to you. We want to see you thrive in 2017.

Let’s make this month the beginning of a prosperous year to come. Please take a moment and share this magazine. Knowledge is power, and The Power Is Now. Cheers!

Eric Lawrence Frazier CEO The Power Is Now Inc.

9

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

ECONOMICS

ORANGE COUNTY RETAIL MARKET DEVELOPMENT REPORT despite the continued availability of constraints

R

etail market in orange county, since the recession period has remained flat year in, year out. Though the for the last two quarters this years, the retail market has shown gradual improvements in fundamentals although the overall effects have been characterized by minimal to flat changes. Comparing the third quarter with the first two quarters, the commercial real estate market has been faced by some challenges, the vacancy, the net absorption, the construction trends and the lease rates have shown fluctuations over the year.

The vacancy rates for the third quarter of this year rose by 4%. The retail market has shown vigor in growth but despite all that, various constraints are still very adamant, the lack of space, growing lease rates and limited development projects have been the key issues still limiting growth of the retail market.

Take a look

Source: CBRE Research, Q3 2016

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

10

Despite all this, the Orange County has remained resilient and a prime market for retail. If you look at the general trend in this area, you will notice an affluent population with a very low unemployment rate. Well, to say the least, the area is not in short supply of eager tenants but what mainly is eating up the retail market is the restriction on the product. What now remains is the question of whether just a slight downturn will present the Orange county with a rate relief while opening up a wider space selection of various types and also sizes.

Over the past one year, the region has stayed strong to change, the retail market remained flat but the third quarter, Q3 2016 there are some slight changes that have been noted in this market with the many of the big box tenants closing down their stores. This has contributed to a rise in the vacancy rates only by a slight proportion.

The average lease rates continued to grow with even higher and effective submarkets growth rates. Coming closer and closer to close the year, the county welcomes the brand new and fully leased food hall which is a new development construction in the retail market.

The general lease rate analysis in the Orange County This is quite impressive because the Orange County has performed marvelously well compared to what was there in the second quarter this year. In the third quarter of this year, the average asking lease rates grew by $0.07% to attain a max level of $2.25% per square foot this year. If you were to consider the year-over-year growth rate of the region, that would amount to about $0.15.

Looking at the region’s submarket growth rate, four of five major submarkets had their rents increased. A major increase noted in the central coast submarket in the quarter-over-quarter analysis, registering an increase of $ 0.16 per square foot. The west coast submarket of the orange county was the only one registering a negative growth rate, in the quarter-over-quarter analysis, registering a decline by $0.07.

There is a strong persistent in the for the new constructions and effective rents for most of the coastal communities in the orange county. In Laguna beach and Corona Del Mar, retail hit an average effective rent of over $6.50 per.

Sq.Ft. Developments in Orange county like the Village and the La Floresta in Brea and Huntington Beach’s Pacific city have really pushed the rents close to between $4.50 and $6.0 per. Sq. Ft. This is expected to push further to year 2017.

11

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

Vacancy rates analysis in Orange County Generally, if you were to consider the key contributors of the increase in the vacancy rates in Orange county, perhaps the net absorption rates stand among the first causative factors. The average Net Absorption Rate this third quarter alone decreased causing the vacancy rates to increase by 20 basis points(bps).

Over the last two quarters this year, Orange County retail market has shown no progressions.

Q3 2016 was the first marking of change in vacancy rates this year, analyzing the Orange County’s submarket performance and contributions this last quarter, Central Orange County submarket recorded the largest vacancy rate standing at 4.6% followed by the North Orange County, 4.3%. On the list, the last recorded submarket with the least vacancy rate was the Central Coast which stood at 2.7%.

Take a look at the overall vacancy trend rates for the Orange County

Source: CBRE Research, Q3 2016 However, majorly taking into account only one point, the decrease in the Net Absorption Rates, we would be ignoring the role of closure of the Big Box stores which has been directly linked to the increase in the vacancy rates in Orange County.

Notably, the new developments in the region especially in Village near La Floresta continued to lease spaces with an increased demand, 100% leased. Others include the Pacific City, 90% leased and Los Olivos Market place 97% leased. Mostly, the boxes that have been vacated this year are expected to be filled by the end of this year or early 2017.

Major developments in Orange County If we are to focus on the current developments in the Orange County, in August, there commenced

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

12

a development project covering over 110,000 Sq. Ft, part of a larger project- the Tustin Legacy Project. The project is anticipated to include many things like education, tech offices among many others. This new project brings this county retail under construction to a total of more than 500,000 Sq. Ft. Take a look at the following data;

Source: CBRE Research, Q3 2016

Net absorption in Orange County Q3 2016, the net absorption in Orange County declined to about 123,007sq.ft, by large, this was contributed by the closure of multiple box in Orange County. Well, this figure has brought an year-to-date net absorption for the region to a negative value, reaching 129,225sq.ft This figure was modest, if were to consider the average size of the tenants that closed their door at the third quarter of this year. Perhaps this could have been triggered by the fact that many of these tenants are vying for modest sized spaces to lease. Some of this spaces take a long time to be occupied since many of the landlords become very choosy looking at the best tenants to complement their centers.

The Orange County retail market has continued to grow though gradually. The region’s fundamentals remain very stable. However, according to CBRE Econometric Advisors, the vacancy rates are expected to project a decrease, over the next 12 months, though gradually. The overall average lease rates are also expected to increase to reach about $2.37 per sq.ft. that is the good news focusing on the commercial real estate market in particular to the retail market.

13

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

ECONOMICS

Higher Interest Rates Causing Discomfort in the

O.C. HOUSING MARKET nterest rates are something that most of the investors will want to consider before taking real risk in the business. In Orange County CA, the general trend is a rise in the interest rates and perhaps as an investor, a major cause of alarm. However, you need not to worry. The higher interest rates in Orange County will have no effect on the housing market, not now or even soon.

I

correctly, the Federal Reserve decided that for the sustainability of the market in Orange County, they had to taper the housing market stimulus. Nevertheless, what now they are trying to do is raising the federal funds from zero, in an attempt to move the housing market in a moderate and normal economy once again, with no Federal Reserve stimulus.

The Federal Reserves introduced an interest policy and for the last six years, the body held the benchmark for the federal funds to zero with the hope that may be somehow, the market would improve. Stimulation of the market to enjoy more is one of the major improvements that this body seeks to do and in Orange County, the Federal Reserve raised the rates in last December which saw a boost that preceded to this December, making it the first interest rate hike in years.

The Federal Reserves had promised to keep the rates at a steady zero percent until some standards were met, however, that was the previous leadership that saw many of its standards unmet. With the new leadership, we expect some new standards that will shape the housing market in Orange County.

Quantitative easing You may be familiar with this term but for those who are unlucky, for the period that the interest rates were down to zero, the Federal Reserve applied a stimulus into the housing market in Orange County. This is just a policy that the Federal Reserve applied to inject a stimulus into the housing market.

Back in the year 2013, if you remember

january 2017 issue

The rate guidance that the Federal Reserve offers are very rosy and very promising, however, they are usually OVERESTIMATED in the number and the timing of the future rate hikes and therefore, this affects the housing market in Orange County. This year in December, when they raised the rates, they changed the future rate guidance from two weeks rate hikes to three extending to 2017. And if the economy is strong to support it, they change the rates or increase once or twice.

Actually, nobody ever knows when the rates will change and the general effect that we would expect is that the higher interest rates will hurt the market BUT, there are enough

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

14

reasons believe that they will not be raising the interest rates any time soon and therefore, you need not be worried about the housing market in Orange County.

The higher interest rates translate into smaller loans If you are to gain consistency in your payments, higher mortgage rates decrease the amount of loan to be received and significantly, they will reduce the number of borrowers bidding on real estate. Now, if the mortgage rates are to raise, then it would mean that there will be either smaller loan balances which leads to the sales volume will going down or the house pricing.

Take a look;

If you look at the chart above you will notice that the mortgage loans are decreasing significantly as the rates are increasing and therefore as you will need not to be worried about the rates increasing in Orange County.

The demand for homes in relation to the interest rates If the interest rates continue to raise, something that you should not be expecting, but just in case, it will lower the demand for the houses in Orange County. Generally, higher interest rates lower the prices and the sales of the homes.

If we are to go back a little, you will notice that the mortgage rates fell from the mid-2010

15

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

extended through 2013. Here there was a noted low level of house demand in Orange County.

However, the demand suddenly went down in what was supposedly, a strong market where the interest rates were raised significantly. Take a look;

The problem there is, it is the affordability. In buying the homes in Orange County, most people will borrow the max allowed. If the mortgage rates were to be raised to 5.5% hypothetically, then most of the people will not be able to borrow much money as before the rates went up. If the prices were to remain at a constant edge, then it would mean that most of the people will not be able to borrow the loans.

The reason for this effect is that if the rates raised to a 5.5% then buyers will not be able to finance for that kind of loan. It would mean that most of the buyers will not be able to buy in Orange County allowing these buyers to do something called the move-up purchase. If sales are possible, then it would be only at a very low price meaning that the seller will obtain less equity from the sale proceedings.

Therefore, we see two major effects if the interest rates on mortgage were to rise; either the sales will fall or the prices will fall. And there is no way that the Federal Reserves would allow that.

Also consider this, most of the economist are optimistic that the wage rate in Orange County might rise after the weak recovery in the last two years where the wage rate was staggering at 2%.

If the Federal Reserve allows the Orange County economy to bust out, then we would expect that the wage rate would increase to about 3% or to even 4%. This would take an approximate of four years of that wage growth to compensate for a percent increase in mortgage rates.

Therefore, be optimistic about the interest rates in Orange County for there is no way that these rates are to increase, not now or even a later time in the year.

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

16

FINANCES

THE HEALTHCARE LAW AND YOUR TAXES

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR EXEMPTION?

W

ith tax filing season starting on January 23, it is the perfect time to know if the laws concerning health care influence your taxes. Both paper and electronic returns will begin on that date, and the IRS expects to receive around 153 million individual tax returns in 2017; the IRS also expects to receive 4 out of 5 returns electronically. For this new tax year, three items may grant you and your family eligibility for the Affordable Care Act; every family member must have or be entitled to at least one item. The items are:

Get a qualified minimum essential coverage This can be achieved by having insurance from Medicare or a job-based plan that meets the Affordable Care Acts requirements.

Get qualified for a health coverage exemption Being eligible for the exemption will grant you not to pay for the months you did not have health coverage.

Arrange with your federal income tax return a shared responsibility payment making use of the months that were not given the exemption or the coverage.

The payment amount is related to a percentage of your income january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

18

or a flat amount; either way, the debt will be 1/12 of the annual fee. In some cases, it is possible to be exempt from the minimum essential coverage if certain criteria are met. In the past, there were certain conditions, like if the coverage is considered unaffordable, if there is a short coverage gap, if you are a member of an Indian tribe, etc. If this was the case for you in the past, you would have needed to file Form 8965 regarding the Health Coverage Exemption, accounting your return of the federal income tax. A shared responsibility payment or a minimum essential coverage would be needed for the months you did not meet the requirements for an exemption.

For this new tax year, some criteria, such as being of an Indian tribe, sharing a health care ministry, or being incarcerated have been removed by the Federally-facilitated Marketplace. Nevertheless, if you apply for a tax return this year, Form 8965 must still be completed.

If you had health insurance coverage from another source, you just need to check the “full year coverage” box on your federal income tax form. Other sources include Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or any other source.

Depending on what kind of coverage you had, you may get form 1095-B, Health Coverage to help you complete your taxes. If you do not receive the form, do not worry as some insurance providers do not provide the form to their customers. You do not need one to file your taxes.

prevent you from having coverage; some examples of these circumstances could be (but are not limited to) homelessness, eviction, or unpaid medical bills.

If you are interested in knowing if you are eligible for a coverage exemption, go to the interactive tool, Am I eligible for a coverage exemption or required to make an Individual Shared Responsibility Payment?

And for more information about the exemption list, please visit the Individual Shared Responsibility Provision – Exemptions: Claiming or Reporting page located at IRS.gov/aca.

All federal tax returns submitted by electronic means are not going to be discarded if they reflect neither health care coverage report, the coverage exemption claim nor shared responsibility payment report. On the other hand, if the return was filed in a conventional way–on paper, without any of the items mentioned above–it will take a longer period to process the return, deferring the refunds. The IRS requires a completed application to process tax returns. If you need any help using your form or filing your return, you can call the IRS Tax Help Line for Individuals at 1-800-829-1040. The Tax Help Line is open Monday-Friday from 7AM-7PM local time.

You may also visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov.

You may also want to consider working with your tax preparer.

The most affordable coverage available is thought to be too expensive for you. You are applicable for an exemption if your coverage is priced at more than the 8.05% your yearly household income.

Short coverage gap You are applicable if the gap in coverage you went through is less than three months. You are applicable if you are going through certain circumstances that

19

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

FINANCES

WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE TAX YEAR ENDS

ON DECEMBER 31 T

o the average person, filing for taxes is as important as breathing. Persons see the importance, and not only do they partake in its essence, but they also gain the full benefits. Many individuals mark the date, and many ensure that they are fully prepared in every capacity to reap the rewards. However,

january 2017 issue

there are those people who have missed the rewards and are left bamboozled by the process of collecting the incentives.

Below are three MAJOR stages to embark on that will guarantee full success and extra money in yourr pocket!

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

20

STAGE 1:

Draft your blueprint.

Ensure that all charitable contributions are made deductible from the start of the year you desire to claim from with the company or organizations you are employed to. Accordingly, ensure that all donations charged to credit cards and checks made to charities and foundations are also made deductible. It is a great feeling to give, but in giving, the tax returns are mega-sized; many persons ensure they donate cash, stocks, bonds, and even mutual fund holdings. In doing so, individuals obtain high returns, which propel them to give even more each year and to invest in charities and foundations.

It is also imperative to have health insurance to start the process. If not, this can be attained through the government, but it is critical that you are covered. If you have children, they can also be added to greater returns on your part as long as your child or children are under 23 years of age, are living in your household as a dependent, and you are in possession of his/her birth certificate and Social Security Number. It is also important that all vital updates such as changes in names and addresses be presented to the company or organizations that you are employed with or to the government so your records can be updated accordingly.

STAGE 2:

Balance your balances. Should you have any outstanding payments to the government, ensure that they will be resolved so that you will not be faced with any barriers or penalties when it is time to claim. It is also good to begin a new year by ensuring you clear all debts, which in the long run provides you with the opportunity to reap greater rewards. Sit down and draft yourself an outlined and detailed balance sheet stating the amount owed. Go to each firm you owe money to and agree on a payment plan that will clear all these outstanding payments before the year ends in which you desire to claim from.

STAGE 3:

Begin your journey! It is critical that important dates are not overlooked and missed, so the first thing that should be noted to begin the process of claiming is the deadlines to start the work processes. The forms to begin this process are usually issued via mail from company or organizations employed, and once these are issued, you are then required to take them to the Tax Office to begin your claim. Effective January 1st, 2017, it should be noted that any Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) not used at least once over the last three (3) years will no longer be valid to claim on your returns. Also, any ITIN with middle digits 78 or 79 will expire on January 1st, 2017. It is therefore imperative that all persons who desire to file a return in the upcoming year renew their ITIN immediately. Additionally, you are allowed seven weeks from January 1st, 2017 or the mailing date of the Form W-7 for the IRS to notify you of your ITIN status.

Remember to prepare what you need, begin the process early, and keep documents safe for future reference.

It is indeed that time of year when many persons are making NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS, and finance is often at the top; your tax returns should be as well. Be in the know and prepare to reap the benefits of your hard work!

21

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

FINANCES

PRIVATIZING MEDICARE the SOLUTION

IS NOT The Medicare Privatization Battle

A battle to privatize Medicare is brewing, and the question on everyone’s mind is: “Will Republicans attempt to privatize Medicare or not?” According to Presidentelect Donald J. Trump, campaigning for significant changes in Medicare will surely be equal to a political death wish. But right after the elections, it was made quite clear that the intentions of Republicans are to privatize Medicare by making each beneficiary pay a fixed contribution to the Government. In January 2017, the Republicans will assume control of the Federal Government, at which point they will focus on transforming Medicare to a private model from a federal program. They want to do so as they believe it will reduce the total health care cost. However, Donald Trump thinks that abolishing Medicare is not a wise move as it is a program that is loved by the majority of the people. But the health policy agenda of Trump supports the concept of modernizing Medicare, which has the potential of embracing the Republican proposal of privatization.

This situation has created a state of chaos as Republicans are moving forward january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

24

with their plans to replace Medicare with private health insurance. They are working on their agenda in spite of Mr. Trump’s pledge to protect Medicare, which is quite disappointing. The situation has put the health benefits of millions of American seniors at risk, and there is a need to act quickly to defend this program.

care benefit program into a private insurance plan, which is surely not desired by seniors or people approaching retirement age. The idea of privatizing Medicare is not new, and Republicans have long had this dream. But the question is “Will this approach help in avoiding financial collapse, or will it make things worse?”

Importance of Medicare

It is a known fact that private plans never tend to decrease the costs; instead, the costs are increased.

The example of Medicare Advantage can be used, as it always requires more than the traditional Medicare program. It is believed that private plans will increase the efficiency for the beneficiaries, but this does not happen without relying on Government subsidies. Privatizing Medicare would be expensive, and as a result, subsidies would be kept extremely low to achieve savings. If Republicans are not going to reduce the costs, then they definitely would need to shrink the insurance coverage. Hence, the older population will not get the medical care they need.

Medicare was introduced as a result of rapidly rising medical, insurance, and pharmaceutical costs. It is a medical program that was initiated to cater the needs of senior Americans and is funded by the federal government. The plan covers many expenses, including hospital stays, drugs, doctor’s visits, hospital insurance, doctor’s services, supplies and more. The program is very significant for senior citizens (aged 65+). People at this age are already retired, and they do not have any source of income.

It is very hard for them to afford their medical expenses. Obviously, in order to fund Medicare, taxpayers would have to pay more taxes, but it is Final Verdict essential in order to medically protect the older population who rely on this program.

Under Medicare, seniors are guaranteed some rights, benefits, and protection. All these rights This medical plan is very much needed for the will be abolished if Medicare gets privatized. The elderly population as they are more prone to injuries government will then not take any responsibility for and diseases, so they need to be ensured that they the older population, and the elderly will not be able will receive proper medical care. Such care can only to afford private health insurance plans without any be given if programs like Medicare are in operation. source of income. Medicare needs to be defended Medicare is currently the largest health insurance from being privatized so as to save seniors’ rights plan that covers not only the elderly but also many and to keep them healthy. of those with disabilities. The plan was put into action in 1965, and it currently accounts for nearly 17% of US health expenses. This program has made positive impacts on the healthcare system. Before the introduction and implementation of this plan, the majority of the older population did not have any medical insurance. Those who had some insurance plans were not covered enough. But today, as a direct result of this program, less than 1% of the elderly in the United Stat lack a health insurance plan.

Why is privatizing Medicare wrong?

Republicans have had bad intentions for Medicare for years. They were against this program even when it was not implemented during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. They are still trying their best to transform this health

FINANCES

THE START OF TAX FILING SEASON:

January 23th, 2017

W

ith the New Year nearly upon us, it is almost tax season. Tax season this year begins on January 23rd, 2017, and ends on April 18th, 2017. This is different from the normal deadline of April 15th; due to the weekend and a District of Columbia holiday, it’s pushed back to April 18th this year.

This season, taxpayers should make sure they plan ahead. They should get their tax filing materials prepared now, and file as soon as possible for the earliest access to their refunds. The IRS will be working hard to ensure that tax season goes smoothly. As a reminder, taxpayers should keep their tax returns for three years. If you are changing software this year, make sure you have a copy of The IRS predicts that four out of five filings will your 2016 tax return as well. be performed electronically this year, and they will begin accepting them on January 23rd. That being In addition to a later deadline, this year those said, some online tax preparation software will claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit as well as the collect your information now, but will not send it to Additional Child Tax Credit will have their refunds the IRS until the 23rd. held until February 15th, 2017. Those refunds may not be available until February 27th.

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

26

Refunds E-file and direct deposit for refunds is the easiest and safest way to file your taxes this season. While 90% of refunds should be issued within 21 days, the IRS is cautioning those who are claiming the EITC or ACTC. The reason they are holding these refunds longer is to ensure that these individuals receive volunteers the correct refund, and for and software information. fraud detection and prevention purposes.

You may be eligible for IRS free file. On the irs.gov website, you All taxpayers, even those claiming can find online fillable forms EITC or ACTC, should file as they that anyone can use if they are normally do. The IRS will begin comfortable completing their own processing tax returns on January tax return.

23rd. You can visit Where’s my Refund? On irs.gov to see where The IRS website also lists all sorts your refund is. Those who claimed of help that you can receive if you EITC and ACTC will see theirs are confused about tax season. updated after February 15th.

It can help you find a trusted professional to actually do your After refunds leave the IRS, taxes for you, and can also help there may be additional process you locate community volunteers time by banks. Banks do not if you fall into a specific category. process refunds on weekends or holidays, which may affect refund Individual Taxpayer processing time.

beginning of the New Year. Also, any ITIN with middle digits of 78 or 79 will also expire. Those with expiring ITINs need to go through the renewal process before the beginning of the year to avoid refund delays or fees. A complete and accurate renewal application can take up to seven weeks now, with that number increasing to eleven weeks during tax season.

Ensuring all information is perfectly correct is the best way to ensure your renewal goes through quickly. ITIN renewal applicants should use the most updated W-7, found at irs.gov.

Identification Numbers

Help

People who currently work in the U.S. and have tax requirements If you are confused about taxes under U.S. law but are not eligible and need some guidance, the irs. for a social security number use an gov website is a great resource. If individual taxpayer identification you click on the Filing tab on their number. Any ITIN not used in the website, you will find a plethora of past three years will expire at the resources, including community

27

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

are you ready

to become a vip agent?

Benefits:

• Increase your Brand on the Web & Social Media • Promote your Listings and Brand via Online Radio and Online TV • Promote your Listings and Brand in our national Online Magazines • Receive Lead Management support from inquiry to closing • Receive Social media management support on five online platforms • Co-brand our Online First Time Homebuyer Live Monthly Seminars • Receive professionally produced videos for selling & educating consumers • Received professional ghostwriting for your Blog and Magazines articles • Receive Business Coaching, Planning and Accountability support • Receive Business and Technology support for Websites, Landing Pages

GET STARTED TODAY! Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA Broker | President and CEO CA BRE: 01143484 | NMLS 461807 The Power Is Now Inc. CA BRE: 1980407 | NMLS 1435243

www.thepowerisnow.com eric.frazier@thepowerisnow.com Mobile: 714-361-2105 Office: 800-401-8994 ext. 703 Fax: 800-401-8994

FINANCES

TAXPAYERS Avoid Scams

and Frauds

Let’s be honest: nobody like taxes. Nobody even likes talking about them, let alone paying them. However, that does not give anyone the right to attack or steal taxpayers’ data. Believe it or not, there is a whole criminal ‘faction’ dedicated solely to tricking people into thinking they are paying their taxes, while ‘tax collectors’ are stealing their information and money. Every week there are new ways and new schemes created in a bid to rob you of your finances.

That is why, in the era of technology, being well-informed and on the lookout for these ‘tax demons’ is of crucial importance.

What do they do?

They use known channels and technology that they assume you might find officials using–such as emails and phone calls– and it gets easy from that point. Once you believe that somebody from the IRS is contacting you, you will do anything to get them off your back, so many people fall victim to this quite lucrative business. You would normally just give your information (that should be private and known only to you) and think “Hey, that was easy,” when in reality, you just gave your money to someone who is in no way related to the

january 2017 issue

IRS. How to stop it? First of all, let’s see what the IRS would never do.

• They will never demand any immediate payment method such as gift card, wire transfer, debit card, or contact you via text message or email.

• They will never threaten with police action if you refuse to take action required.

• They will never require payment without the amount disclosed.

• They will never ask for your credit card information via email or phone.

If anyone has tried to trick you before, you should know better now after reading the IRS’ ‘will never do’ list. Nowadays, the scams are usually exposed by sounding too good to be true.

False IRS phone calls: They would call you

claiming it is your last warning before they take legal action. They will impersonate the IRS and demand payment via iTunes, wire transfer or a gift card. Remember, the IRS will never call you unsolicited, and will never ask you to pay your taxes via these

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

30

channels.

Fake federal student tax: For this scam, they will often use phones for demanding payments for a non-existent student tax, and if you do not cooperate, they will usually get aggressive and threaten with taking legal action. The only one who could take legal action here is you. Use the “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page or call 800366-4484.

Phishing:

This method has been around since emails came into fashion. It is executed through unsolicited emails that look pretty legitimate, or through a fake website that also looks real.

However, those only lure you to leave your payment information.

Remember, there will be no unsolicited text messages, phone calls, or social media channel requests from the IRS. If you believe you fell victim to this fraud, please send an email to phishing@irs.gov.

Identity theft:

This is the most lucrative of all scams. The IRS has a special identity theft strategy that is made to prevent, detect, and assist victims who were scammed.

Did you know that in 2012, the IRS managed to save $20 billion in fraudulent transactions, while in 2011 they managed to save $14 billion? So you can rest assured that the IRS is doing everything they can to protect you. After all, if they let anyone else take

31

your money, how would they get theirs? If you suspect your personal or financial information has been compromised, please contact the IRS immediately, so they have enough time to secure the tax account.

According to Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes’ tax expert, there is one thing you should never forget–do not click on links that are found in any suspicious email you might have received from the IRS. Criminals rely on the prejudice that people are not familiar with the IT mafia, and will, therefore, click on everything they find official or formal. However, any link you might click could be a potential window to stealing your information, and eventually, your money. The link you are supposed to click is information bait, a malware that steals all of your info.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

Some other tips from Kelly urge you to hang up every time someone claiming to be from the IRS is calling if you do not owe any taxes whatsoever. If you think you might be a victim of such a fraud, you probably are. Also, never give your information (of any kind) to anyone over the phone. Official institutions are aware of the fraud possibilities and therefore will never ask you do to anything like that.

Being professional is, after all, still a business virtue, so we should keep text messages, phone calls, and unsolicited emails for friends and family. The IRS has its door open for all of you who think you might be a victim of fraud. You do not have to be a tax pro to know the basics of their business. You just need to educate yourself and stay on constant alert.

www.OCREALTIST.org

FINANCES

higher education: • 1987 – 1991, Bachelor, Economics, Mathematics, Trinity University; • 1991 – 1992, Master’s degree, Science, Economics, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); • 1992 – 1998, Ph.D., Economics, the University of Chicago.

ANDREAS LEHNERT APPOINTED NEW DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF FINANCIAL STABILITY

O

n December 25, 2016, Andreas Lehnert was announced to be proposed as the director of the Division of Financial Stability of the Federal Reserve Board.

Andreas Lehnert, who is a wellknown figure, has been a deputy director of this division and played the main role in several projects. The mentioned board has held a research and policy agenda on financial stability and in 2009

january 2017 issue

ran its first regulatory stress tests.

In both cases, Andreas Lehnert was one of the leaders and key figures. The Office of Financial Stability Policy and Research that became the Division of Financial Stability in May was also launched by him.

General information about Andreas Lehnert Some details and facts about his

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

Concerning his working background, as it was mentioned above he has been a deputy director of the Division of Financial Stability of the Federal Reserve Board from 2010; Before that he was an assistant director in the same division in 2009-2010.

During 2007-2009 he was a chief at Household and Real Estate Finance Section; In 2006 he became a Visiting Researcher at Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute in Washington D.C.; From 1998 he was an economist and a chief economist from 2004 at the Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System; His earliest position was a Research Affiliate at Joint Center for Poverty Research in

32

Chicago Illinois. He has about 30 publications, the most remarkable among them are “The History of Cyclical Macro prudential Policy in the United States” (2013) and “Financial Vulnerabilities, Macroeconomic Dynamics, and Monetary Policy (2016)”; He was a co-organizer of the conference “Mortgages and the Future of Housing Finance” and AFE session “Uncertainty in Capital Markets”.

He has been a referee in several journals.

Andreas Lehnert was a leader in the discussion for ensuring the stability of the state finances, particularly identifying and reducing the threats.

is Michael T. Kiley, and now the former director is Nellie Liang. Andrea Lehnert is a good change in the Federal Reserve Board, and we just hope that According to Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet in the year 2017 Federal Reserve Board achieve its L. Yellen, Andreas Lehnert was a leader in the mission is to ensure the financial stability and all the discussion for ensuring the stability of the state other activities to neutralize the threats. finances, particularly identifying and reducing the threats. She believes that Andreas will keep that high level of financial expertise and analysis and the board shall rely on his decisions. He has all the leadership skills needed to run the Federal Reserve Board operations smoothly, he has an influential personality and he is very reasonable person.

Co-workers talking about Andreas Lehnert

New responsibilities Andreas Lehnert will face as a director The mission and goal of the Financial Stability Division of the Federal Reserve Board is to ensure the financial stability, to estimate the risks, implement reverse activities and neutralize the threats. Andrea Lehnert, now the director of the division, will have to lead these processes. He will have to define which measures are financial vulnerabilities and which are not, and then monitor the vulnerabilities concerning financial markets, banks and nonbank systems too. The board also makes the annual stress tests. Its goal is to estimate how the monetary and regulatory policies affect systematic risks and suppose regulations. The Division of Financial Stability also undertakes long-term researchers in banking, finances, and economics to have the broader understanding of financial stability.

The staff of the division consists of about 30 workers. Senior associate director of the division

33

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE MARKET FOCUS:

FAIRFIELD

by Lynell Holden

Photo by Coolcaesar at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

B

uying a house in Fairfield is an easy decision to make.

There are plenty of reasons why your next home should be in this beautiful California town.

Based in the northeasterly region of the Bay Area, Fairfield is ideally situated directly between the bustling cities of Sacramento and San Francisco. What more could any Real Estate investor ask for than an idyllic city bordered on one side by the stunning Rockville Hills Regional Park, and on the other by an array of verdant vineyards? Are you planning on buying a new house january 2017 issue

soon and think that Fairfield, CA might be the right place for you?

Here are some facts that might be of interest to you in making this decision.

Educated population When choosing a place to settle in, most people–especially families with children or families that are planning to have children soon–look for places with good schools and where people have a high level of education.

According to Economy Review, this is where Fairfield, CA excels.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

34

The percentage of its population aged 25 or higher who has obtained a college degree is higher than the national average. That is why Economy Review shows the unemployment rate in Fairfield, California is 5.30%, with job growth of 2.81%. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 40.32%. For families with children, it is a great advantage that children live in an environment where people have superior studies. This is important because it will set a good example for children and give them something to look up to. If you are interested in schools, there are six different local high schools, five middle schools and a plethora of elementary schools from which to take your pick.

Colleges local to Fairfield include The University of Phoenix, Sacramento State, and UC Berkeley, some of the most prestigious Universities in the country.

should be aware that business is booming in the county of Solano, in which Fairfield is the county seat, so job hunting will not be a problem here.

If you are considering buying or investing in Fairfield property, then you would be interested to know that the median price of a four-bed home has nearly doubled in the past five years, with three- and twobed properties seeing similar trends. According to 2016 statistics, the price per square foot for property in Fairfield has increased from $195.00 to $219.00 in the past year alone, for an increase of nearly 15% in a single year.

Property to rent

The story is similar when looking at rental prices.

Whether you are looking to purchase a property to rent in Fairfield, or you are a Real Estate investor Ethnically diverse considering branching out into the Fairfield rental market, it is worth considering that the median rent One of the advantages of living and growing up in rose to $2,200 per month in August 2016. This is a Fairfield, CA is an ethnically diverse population. This trend that did not falter as we moved into the winter means that people of different ethnicities can easily months and looks set to increase further next year. integrate with and be accepted into the community.

Also, it can help people have a better understanding If we were to look at the overall homes sold in of other cultures, and it is an opportunity to Fairfield over the past five years, you would see learn more about multiculturalism. Contrary to that there has been a decrease in the total number expectations, ethnic diversity does not translate only of properties sold. From 365 homes in December into the Latin segment of the population, but also 2011 to 363 in June of last year. This indicates that people belonging to Asian and black ethnicities. homeowners are happy in Fairfield and are not likely This is especially good for the children who will to want to sell up and move on. And who can blame learn to tolerate and accept other cultures from an them when they live in one of the most beautiful early stage, which will later translate into racially areas of the country? This is a call to those who are tolerant and beneficent adults. considering purchasing property in Fairfield to cast their doubts aside and follow their impulse. You will Excellent climate not regret your decision; just ask the 108,321 people who have chosen to make it their home.

For people with rheumatic problems, Fairland, CA is the right place to live. According to various weather People understandably worry about foreclosure forecasting stations, Fairland, CA has higher than when purchasing a property, whether that be in average temperatures all year long. It is also great for Fairfield or another part of the country. Foreclosure people who dislike bad weather and want to enjoy is one of the more stressful parts of buying and summer all year long. Also, according to recent selling the property, but you will be happy to know studies, hot weather has been proven to improve that in Fairfield, the ratio of homes foreclosed is just the mood and general happiness of people. This over 1.15:100,000 square foot of property. means that the chance of being depressed is lower in Fairland, CA and it might even prove to help people If you think that Fairland, CA is the perfect place with this affliction improve their state of health. for you to buy your next real estate in, then you will make the right choice. With a higher-thanGood for Real Estate Agents nationwide college-educated and ethnically diverse population, in addition to year-round good weather, Real Estate professionals will be joining a blossoming Fairland, CA makes a perfect place for a new home. industry in this part of California, rivalled perhaps only by the Travis Air force base, which currently employs over 14,000 workers. Potential homeowners 35

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE MARKET FOCUS:

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

by Lorraine Santirosa

S

an Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States, with an estimated population of nearly 1,500,000 citizens.

“America’s finest city”, as the locals like to address it, is a great place for starting your real estate agent career. The city is situated 120 miles south of Los Angeles, and it is very close to the Mexican border, making the trans-border agglomeration with Tijuana. There are a lot of reasons why one should wish to buy a house in San Diego: great beaches, mild climate throughout the whole year, and most of all, to live in the middle of an important developing healthcare and biotechnology center. Let’s go over the San Diego housing market statistics to get a better insight of the possibilities.

Home prices trends From the available data provided by pacificsothebysrealty.com,

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

38

we can conclude that the San Diego housing market has been growing in 2016. The home prices have varied from $561,000 in February to $620,000 in October of the current year. The median home price for the past 12 months was $597,000, and $615,000 if we consider sales made in the past three months (September, October, and November). Other indicators (info available at pacificsothebysrealty. com and trulia.com) show that there is a constant year-over-year rise in median sales price; on the other hand, there have not been any changes in median rent per month ($2,600).

houses. When we are talking about percentages, we can see a significant increase in the number of sold houses (19.8%), comparing this year’s results with those of 2015.

Other important facts for Real Estate agents If you are going to continue your real estate career in San Diego, it is recommended that you become wellinformed about the city life and all other factors that can affect the house selling market.

• First of all, have a good look at criminal activities

Price per square feet

in the San Diego area. For the last year, there have been reported 14,776 counts of theft, 9,240 counts of arrest, 7,840 counts of burglary, 5,440 counts of assault, and 3,796 counts of vandalism.

Most of the criminal activities have been conducted in the south part of San Diego County, near the downtown area. The north and central area of the mentioned county are practically free of criminal activity.

The average price of a square foot in San Diego increased significantly in the period between November 2015 and November 2016: the increment was 7%, for a total of $385 for one square foot. The lowest price per square foot was in October 2015, and since then it has been on a constant upward trend.

Number of home sales Before we present the number of sold properties, it is good to know that the average time a house spends on the market was 33 days for the period between December 2015 and November 2016. The best months were June and July 2016, when homes were on the market for just 29 days. The number of days before houses were sold for the last three months was 33 days.

The number of available homes in the period between July and November decreased (from 7,231 to 5,838), which caused a natural decrease of sold properties (from 3,532 to 2,893 per month). The average number of available homes for the last 12 months was 6,317, and the mean number of sold houses was 3,417. The best months for the sales were between April and August, with an average of 3,691 sold

39

• The list of available elementary, middle, and high • • •

schools contains 278 educational institutions.

The schools are evenly distributed throughout San Diego County.

The median age of a San Diego citizen is 36 years, and 36% of them are single residents.

50% of the population are homeowners, and median household income is $62,681.

Almost half (49%) of the San Diego residents are college-educated.

In a nutshell, all this information should be sufficient to decide whether or not San Diego is a good place for making a career in real estate business. The numbers are saying: Yes!

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

REAL ESTATE

Top Places Where MILLENNIALS

Are Buying Houses

The demographic cohort called millennials recently entered the adulthood. The members of this generation are people who were born between 1981 - 2001. This population is also known by a few different names: “Generation Y,” “Echo boomers,” and “Generation Me.” Various studies have shown that millennials are more likely to stay at home and live with their parents until their mid-thirties. There is not a simple explanation for their lifestyle. This generation is technology native, loyal, professional, and modest. On the other hand, they are recognized as narcissists who will subvert all established rules in order to gain freedom for themselves.

january 2017 issue

Where do they choose to live?

The question arose: Where do the millennials choose to live after they find a job and leave their parents’ house? Since they are tech savvy, the first guess must be: “Silicon Valley, California.”

Guess again. “Well, they are narcissists, so they must have a great urge to perform in front of other people. They buy houses and live in Hollywood and surrounding areas.” Nope, not even close.

But that is enough guessing. Millennials are not interested in shiny places packed with money and opportunities for success. Most of them would not even buy a house. They would prefer to rent it

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

40

and move when it becomes boring. The majority 30 years old. They obviously like to be of the generation will avoid both coasts, since the surrounded by coevals. prices are too high, and they like to spend their money on different stuff. If they have to choose, Other places that are popular among millennials they will buy houses in the middle of the United are Denver CO, Kent MI, Weber UT, Polk IA, States.

Weld CO, and Linn IA.

The State of Choice: Utah

Places unattractive to millennials

Forget about New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle. The state of choice is Utah, and especially Utah County, which is the second most populated area:

The other side of the coin can show us which places are likely to be unattractive to millennials. Those are expensive east and west coast cities: Marin CA, Westchester NY, Honolulu HI, Barnstable MA, and Santa Cruz CA. The reason for this is the sudden technological boom which took place over the last several years, and the consequence was a rise in real estate prices up to $970,000, which is a 6.7% increase from the previous year.

• The main reason why millennials prefer to buy their homes in Utah is the affordable home prices. They are paying for property with a price around the national average, which is $230,000.

• The second reason is an increase in job opportunities–especially jobs in the transportation, trade, and utilities sectors.

The millennials make their home-buying decisions based on affordability and income, and the ratio between those is giving them a chance to negotiate good conditions when it comes to paying the mortgage.

• Another reason why most members of Generation Y are buying houses in Utah is the fact that this state has the youngest population in the United States, with a median age of

41

Conclusion We have learned that millennials are not easy on money, regardless of their good salaries. They appear to be brilliant and practical, ready to make a sacrifice here and there. The way they choose their homes is a great indicator of their morals, which are not corrupted by opportunism and city lights. Millennials can be the next step in societal evolution by bringing their new values and improving the economies of other, maybe forgotten parts of the country, instead of those that are already overpopulated and oversaturated.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

OUR COVER

Ben Carson NEW HUD SECRETARY

H

aving grown up in a poor neighborhood in Detroit, Ben Carson knows a thing or two when it comes to living on the breadline. Do not be mistaken, though; there is a lot more to Trump’s new ally than a cabinet nomination.

A pioneer in neurosurgery, Mr. Carson is the epitome of the American opportunist. Let’s rewind and see how he arrived to his current position.

Early Life Born in 1951, Ben Carson seemed like he always had a mountain of obstacles to climb. Raised by his single mother Sonya in inner-city Detroit, the family had to make ends meet by relying on government housing and food stamps.

Frequently, the family would work with local farmers to pick their produce for a small portion of the food. Sonya also worked two or three jobs at a time and was said to be a tremendous influence on her two boys, Ben and Curtis.

It seemed that the odds were stacked against them, but their mother was determined for them to progress academically and to believe that anything is possible in life. Ben has mentioned that his mom had him and his brother read two books every week. Such rigorous discipline would lead to tremendous improvement at school and eventually academic excellence.

43

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

The secretary has revealed that he had anger Housing and Urban Development issues as a teenager; a simple turn to the Bible enabled him to turn his life around. In fact, So what is the HUD and what does the HUD he reveals that after discovering the Book of Secretary do? HUD stands for Housing and Proverbs, he never again had temper issues. Urban Development. Essentially, the agency is responsible for the creation of housing Neurosurgery for low-income families across the United States. Mr. Carson’s mantra as Secretary By the age of 33, Dr. Carson had not only would be to increase home ownership, achieved degrees from two prestigious support community development, and institutions (Yale and Michigan) but he was increase affordable and discrimination-free also the head of pediatric neurosurgery at homes across the country.

Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and was the youngest ever department head there. Commenting on his recent nomination as HUD Secretary, Carson stated, “I am Beating Cancer honored to accept the opportunity to serve our country in the Trump administration.”

In 2002, Ben developed prostate cancer. He He further said, “I feel that I can make a took a very proactive role in his illness, and significant contribution particularly by was continually working with his doctors, strengthening communities that are most in analyzing scans. Such drive and tenacity need. We have much work to do in enhancing towards his condition eventually led to the every aspect of our nation and ensuring that cancer being entirely eradicated. our nation’s housing needs are met.”

The end of one career, the start of another

HUD is a government agency dedicated to ensuring safe housing for low-income families and individuals with moderate After a long, illustrious career in neurosurgery, sources of living. It also deals with Dr. Carson decided to retire in 2013. He is rehabilitation of cities and neighborhoods quoted as saying “I’d much rather quit when after natural disasters and limits racial I’m at the top of my game.” discrimination by enforcing the Fair Housing Act. After crises faced by HUD under the Three years later, in 2016 he decided to run Obama administration, the job has become for the presidency of the United States, in especially crucial. a passionate bid to help people of a similar background and to steer them in the direction Housing policy had not been an explicit of the American dream. Like Trump, Ben part of any candidate’s campaign. However, Carson had no previous political experience Trump discussed urban renewal in the and was a departure from the establishment. closing months of his campaign trail and emphasized the importance of AfricanAfter dropping out of the race for the White American outreach. In a rally during House, Carson publicly pledged his support elections, he stated, “You have so many to the President-Elect, referring to Trump as things, so many problems, so many horrible, “The voice of the people to be heard”. horrible problems. The violence: The death.

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

44

The lack of education. No jobs. We’re going to work with the African American community, and we’re going to solve the problem of the inner city.”

The imminent appointment of an African-American as HUD Secretary sends a positive message and shows Trump’s commitment and sincerity towards solving housing problems. However, Carson’s lack of housing background has received criticism from political circles. No doubt, the new secretary would have another momentous challenge to overcome. It is said that a third of Americans pay more than 30% of their income on housing. When these costs are combined with food and healthcare, it is no surprise that millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet. It is certain that interesting times are ahead.

45

I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

LEGAL

FAIR HOUSING ACT

IN CALIFORNIA What is the Fair Housing Act?

Immunity Under Certain Circumstances

The Fair Housing Act seeks to prohibit discrimination in transactions related to housing.

Such transactions include rental, dwelling financing, and sales. It was enacted into law in 1968 in order to protect buyers and tenants from discrimination by sellers and landlords. The act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, nationality, gender, religion, or family status.

While most housing is covered by this Act, there is immunity under certain circumstances–for example, when single-family housing is being sold or rented without a broker. Housing being managed by private clubs or organizations has this immunity if the occupancy is limited to members of that particular club or organization.

The act is against refusing to rent or sell housing, refusing to have negotiations, making housing unavailable, denying a dwelling, having a

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

48

Refusing to avail mortgage loans, failing to provide useful information about the loans, setting different terms and conditions, discrimination in appraising property, failing to purchase a credit, and other race, color, nationality, religion, gender, family status or disabilitybased actions by the mortgage provider are prohibited by this act.

different set of terms, privileges, or conditions, providing different housing amenities, and blockbusting. All these activities are against the Fair Housing Act if they are discriminating against a certain religion, gender, nationality, color, or even a member of a given family. The Fair Housing Act also covers mortgage lending. Refusing to avail mortgage loans, failing to provide useful information about the loans, setting different terms and conditions, discrimination in appraising property, failing to purchase a credit, and other race, color, nationality, religion, gender, family status or disability-based actions by the mortgage provider are prohibited by this act.

CIT Group’s OneWest Bank Violation Case There are instances where banks and individuals have violated this Act. CIT Group’s OneWest Bank has been accused of violating this particular Act. On November 17th, 2016, two NGOs submitted a petition to Housing and Urban Development offices asking HUD to carry out investigations that would determine if the CIT group had been violating the Fair Housing Act or not. According to the two NGOs, OneWest Bank had been going against the Act by carrying out redlining

49

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

activities. This included failure by the institution to open up its branches to areas mainly occupied by people of color and also maintaining and marketing REO homes in areas mostly occupied by white neighborhoods more efficiently than in people of color neighborhoods. According to Kelvin Stein, deputy director of the California Reinvestment Coalition, the analysis shows that the bank had no branches in areas populated by people of color. The analysis also shows that where the bank and its competitors are compared, people of color are not amongst its loan borrowers.

To be precise, the number is low when compared to the people of color living in California.

Fair Housing Advocates of North California executive director Caroline Peattie claimed that the investigations indicate that there was a huge difference in how the bank-owned homes were being maintained in areas mainly populated by whites and in areas mainly populated by people of color. She stated that most of the REO occupied by the people of color look more abandoned that the ones held by the whites.

She claimed that homes held by the people of color are poorly maintained, with trash strewn in the yard and their windows and doors boarded up. They are also not well-marketed. On the other www.OCREALTIST.org

hand, white-occupied REO had perfectly manicured lawns and were well-marketed. If these allegations are valid, it is the responsibility of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to act.

forms about 55% of the submitted claims in 2015 (HUD.GOV). Section 504, Rehabilitation Act, 1973 together with the Fair Housing Act are being effectively administered by HUD to reduce the number of cases of discrimination against people with disabilities when it comes to matters to do with The Final Verdict housing. Housing advocates are also on the frontline to ensure that this Act is being observed. With the Fair Discrimination against people with disabilities is a Housing Act, there is an open and unitary housing shared act of violation of the Fair Housing Act in market characterized by no restrictions to access. A California. This is according to HUD’s complaint victim of a violation of the Housing Act can seek database. In 2015, HUD received over 4,500 justice through HUD or other legal platforms. complaints linked with disabilities. This figure

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

50

LEGAL

NEW LAWS FOR CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE WORLD AND REALTORS While reviewing the latest legislation update, we can spot more than a few new laws which will likely require adjustments for those doing real estate business in California. Some of the new laws are plain technical, but nevertheless, they will be an essential addition to the real estate business. Some of the laws will be effective from January 1st, 2017, and others will be implemented on January 1st, 2018. Below is the list of most important ones which can and will affect a lot of realtors.

ADVERTISING - UNIFORM STANDARDS (1/1/18) By this law, all solicitation materials (regarding the first point of contact) will need to incorporate licensee’s name and number, and “identity” of the broker. “Identity” is the licensed name (at the BRE) of the responsible agent. The license number of the broker will not be necessary. This

january 2017 issue

law will try to unify the manner of advertising property which is for sale, rent, or lease, etc.

All advertising standards must be harmonized, regardless of the type of media realtors used for that purpose (print or electronic media). There will be some exceptions as well; the directional signs (“open house,” “for sale,” rent, lease) will not need to include licensee information if the broker’s information is available.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

52

BROKER ASSOCIATES SEARCHABLE INFORMATION (1/1/18) This new law will enable internet research of the “associate licensee.” CalBRE will offer the public licensee’s information, which can be used to determine if the licensee in question is, in fact, the “associate licensee.” This law will try to provide valuable information about the existing contract between brokers and broker-associates, and users will be able to see if the broker-associate is acting under their own license, or if they are under a responsible broker. There is another addition to this law: the responsible broker must share the information with CalBRE each time they hire or terminate one of their associates. All mentioned information would be available on CalBRE’s website.

is justified. The same law will also prohibit issuing license renewals to persons who have not paid the fine for illegal practices.

LICENSING OUTDOOR ADVERTISING EXEMPTION (1/1/17) Employees of an advertising company that holds a license for outdoor advertising will be obligated to issue the license at BRE for displaying the advertisement for lease or transfer of real property.

The advertising placement will just need to follow basic insurance requirements. In case of injury, death, or property damage caused by the outdoor advertisement, fines will be between $500,000 and $1,000,000.

LICENSING RETIRED STATUS (1/1/17)

DISCIPLINARY ACTION RECORDS (1/1/18) The following law will enable all licensees to request CalBRE to delete their previous disciplinary action record if it is ten or more years old. This rule applies to licensee’s online profile at CalBRE, which means the offline permanent record will still contain the violation information. To remove the online violation information, licensees will need to provide evidence of rehabilitation and to pay the appropriate fee. After that, the commissioner will evaluate the case by taking into consideration other possible violations of the licensee in question, and make a decision as to whether or not CalBRE will remove the disciplinary action record.

The boards that are under the Department of Consumer Affairs will be able to put their employees’ licenses under the “Retired” category. This action will be possible in cases when the licensees are inactive regarding their profession, but not if their license is inactive due to disciplinary action.

Further, this action will be effective on both active and inactive licenses.

With all of the above mentioned, we can come to the conclusion that the real estate game will slightly change over the next few years. New laws will make the needed corrections, which will provide better conditions for all involved in the business. The result should be a more transparent and violationLICENSING ELIMINATES REFERENCES TO “SALESMAN” free environment, which will ensure a better working (1/1/17) atmosphere that will positively affect all realtors and their customers in the state of California.

This change in the real estate law concerns renaming “Real estate salesman” to “Real estate person.” The need for this change is obvious since the terminology used in the past is no longer acceptable because it does not reflect both genders (salesman, salesmen).

Although this is just a technical alteration, the action

53

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

MORTGAGE

GET YOURSELF A

HUD HOME B

uying a new home is a big decision in anyone’s life, and it calls for a thorough approach. As the buyer, you need to gather relevant information about all details concerning your purchase.

You have probably already searched for available real estate possibilities, but before you make your final decision, you should take HUD homes under consideration. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is offering to sell foreclosure properties which were credited with FHA mortgages.

These 1-4 unit houses are now back on the market since HUD is trying to minimize their losses. If you are lucky, you may get yourself a sweet deal with the government and get a great home for a discount price.

Let’s get real These houses are not just perfect and cheap, and that is the reason why you should be highly vigilant when it comes to picking the right one. Before you sign anything, you should be aware that there may be a lot of issues to address.

Prices are not as low as you may think Buying a house will most definitely cost you a lot regardless of the january 2017 issue

option you have chosen. To get the most affordable house in a good condition, you will need to do online research, which should be easy with one of the many available tools. One useful online tool is the mortgage calculator, which can be found here.

Open your eyes widely Even if you have found a perfectly priced house, you should know that they are sold “as they are.” This means that these properties might have waited for you for several years, and some major fixes may be necessary. HUD is not responsible for the possible defects, and they will not pay for the repairs. This issue can be prevented if you have done a previous visual home inspection. In case you choose to buy a house that needs reconstruction, you may apply for an FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation Loan. According to HUD statistics, this program will allow up to $35,000 to be added to the mortgage which you can spend on upgrading and improving the house. To get a good and professional evaluation, you will need to consult with the home inspector or an appraiser from FHA. Their reports will be used in the process. The same FHA loan may also cover the acquisition of the property.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

56

Team up with professionals

Look around the neighborhood

Everything should be a lot easier if you have support.

As mentioned, you will need a home inspector to take a close look at the state the house is in. After that, you may need to consult one of the Management and Marketing contractors available in your area.

They will give you the best information regarding available HUD homes. Last but not least, you will need to find the Real Estate agent of your choice. It does not matter that you are not buying a house from a person; you will need a good broker to make an official offer and seal the deal.

Since HUD homes are numerous in every single state, there is a good chance that someone in your area decided to move, and if you are quick, you will get the opportunity to purchase an affordable house in exceptional condition.

Thirty days of head-start

You as a bidder have one month of advantage against investors since the government made sure not to give them the opportunity to join the competition over this period. Once you have found your dream house, Once you have had a chance to take a look at all the you can rest assured you will not be competing with possible issues and challenges, let’s talk about the big fish. upsides of buying a HUD home.

There is a discount you can negotiate while bidding The abundance of possibilities for the HUD home. HUD may save you $350-$900 by paying the escrow fee and covering up to 3% of Buying a HUD home can be a pleasant experience the closing costs. If you are a low or mid-income since it can be very easy to find your dream house, buyer, make sure to ask for these perks. thanks to a significant amount of foreclosure properties. Using online search tools will make this process even faster and more enjoyable.

57

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

MORTGAGE

VA LOAN GUIDELINES FOR MARRIED PERSONS

AND MILITARY PERSONNEL

A

re you searching for a mortgage? If you are married and a veteran, you are in luck, because there are special loan guidelines through the VA for married service members.

According to FHA rules, traditional loans may require anywhere from a 3% - 20% down payment, and an FHA loan would require a 3.5% down payment from both active and former members of the U.S. military.

must have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). A COE may be acquired through benefits by visiting benefits.va.gov. However, of the nearly 4/5 active or inactive service members who are married to a spouse in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard, many marry outside of the Armed Forces. The VA addressed this by allowing for the partner of the COE holder to also be eligible so long as the two are legally married. Additionally, any dependents of the service member also gain Armed Fo VA Loan Guidelines for Married eligibility by association, and the COE transfers Persons and Military Personnel rces have another to survivor spouses of deceased service members. option: the VA loan The VA also took into consideration the fact that military transfers might affect loan transactions The VA loan is a government-backed, low-interest amongst current service members. option. This alternative provides 100% financing to any service members and also provides a zero- Lenders take into account two things in this down payment option to the spouses of service situation. The first can be confirmed by the U.S. members provided they are involved in the Armed Forces, which is that the income of one transaction. spouse will not change. However, the second consideration for a lender is that the “trailing Certificate of Eligibility (COE) spouse� of the service member be able to find employment in the new location as well. This can, To be applicable for a VA Mortgage Loan, one therefore, be something that affects an active duty

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

58

member attempting to sign a mortgage, especially because the spouse must have been employed in that line of work for at least two years for it to be considered a reliable source of future income.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the loans are provided by private lenders.

It may be furnished by the lender of your choice.

Because a portion of the loan is guaranteed by the VA, the lender can provide the COE holder with more favorable loan terms. Thus, members and their spouses can get a more competitive interest rate.

Additionally, once a VA Mortgage loan has been taken out, one can apply for an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL) to further lower interest rates. The IRRRL can only be used if the mortgage is a pre-existing VA loan, and not on other conventional or FHA loans.

What if the spouse’s credit score is low?

While there is no minimum credit score required to take out a VA Mortgage Loan, lenders usually look for a score between 550 and 620. Almost all mortgage loans are used with the credit score of the spouse with lower credit, but the VA loan allows the veteran’s middle credit score to be used even if the other spouse’s is less impressive by applying only in the name of the COE holder.

Community property states Some states are called community property states.

In Wisconsin, Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, New Mexico, and Nevada lenders consider applications for mortgage loans a bit differently than in other states. Properties acquired by married couples in community property states are considered joint assets, meaning that any outstanding liabilities on one spouse may be considered for both parties. In this case, a conventional loan may be more appropriate.

Veterans United recommends using a realtor who is familiar with the details of the VA loan so that they can structure the contract accordingly when putting down an offer for a home. Veterans United Realty is one such organization providing specialized services to veterans and their spouses.

To get a quote for the loan, you do not need to provide your Social Security number and the process is entirely without obligation. It can be a great way to secure a zero-down, low-interest loan for an active or inactive service member, their spouse, or their dependents. Happy hunting!

GREEN

GREEN REAL ESTATE TRENDS

IN MODERN LIFE Green Buildings

The Roofing Materials

Green buildings are becoming more popular each day. There are numerous features to choose from that can be added to new or existing houses in order to make them more nature-friendly. Modern materials are used for walls, triple windows instead of double for better insulation, floor heating for better heat distribution, rainwater, solar collectors– you can even choose a paint that reflects light and emits less carbon dioxide so it is more nature-friendly. Besides being good for the environment, these buildings are also beneficial to our health. Having larger windows and better airflow can lead to happier and healthier residents or employees.

The roofing materials are also improved, so now you can pick a cool roof made with different types of rubber and insulating materials which help to lower the temperature inside the house or a green roof with vegetation on top which makes the air cleaner and keeps the house temperature more moderate. These roofs are more durable and require less maintenance, thus reducing the overall house maintenance cost. This is not only a healthier option for the environment, but also for your family.

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

60

is mainly focused on commercial buildings, but can be applied to residential buildings too. It provides Making your house green requires a larger initial guidelines for builders in order to construct buildings investment, but it pays off in the long run. Some that have a low carbon footprint. By obtaining this features, like LEDs, pay for themselves in just a certification for their building, the owners get higher few years and are much more nature-friendly than tax breaks, which leads to huge savings over time. regular light bulbs. In addition, having an energy efficient house can greatly reduce the utility bills. Green commercial buildings are still built much more Better insulation helps lower your electricity bill by often than residential ones. Larger corporations have up to 12%; if your house is built near a geothermal already started making their buildings greener. This water spring, the water can be used for heating, trend has also been followed by hotels and schools, and by combining the warm geothermal water with where the main health and cost efficiency benefits can solar panels you can reduce your bills up to 80%. be noticed. This occurs mainly because the building process is costly, so it can be difficult Rain collectors are useful for watering to sell a green residential building. plants in the summertime and for The solution that pays off mostly other technical purposes. Not at this time is having a multionly are the bills lower longfamily house. The only way term, but the overall value to overcome this problem of the house can increase is to have better-educated significantly.

By real estate agents who integrating green energy understand the value into your design, you and benefits of these can even achieve “nethomes and know how zero� status, meaning to explain the energy that you have a selfsaving systems and sustainable house which long-term value to the uses none or almost none of potential buyers. The the grid energy. good news is that many municipalities are working However, simply making a on making environmental house more energy efficient and policies mandatory, so real estate less of a polluter will not raise its agents will have green real estate value instantly. Even though realtors designations. Make sure to do your are aware of the benefits such a own research when trying to buy or house brings, they still do not give sell a green house because there are them as much value as they should. already some agencies around the The solution is to get the house LEED United States that offer this type of certified. This certification can increase service so you can get the best value the house’s value by around 9%. The for your money.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification program is based on a points system and

Make an Initial Payment

61

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

BUSINESS

Frazier Group Realty, Inc. As you venture into the World of Real Estate, we can help you put the pieces together and Naviagate you into Home Ownership

Ruby L. Frazier President License #01751773

Briana M. Frazier Broker License # 01751473

Jessica E. Frazier License # 01817312

Erica L. Frazier License# 01791095

Frazier Group Realty is the right place. Our Navigators are available to give you personalized service and answer any questions you may have. You can call, email or visit us and we will be there ready to help you every step of the way. Wether you are a first time home buyer or an experienced real estate investor, here at Frazier Group Realty you gain useful information about how to choose the “right” property, and everything involved in making an informed decision in today’s real estate market.

Making Clients for Life

3739 6th Street, Riverside, CA 92501 Office: (951) 686-5261 Fax: (951) 686-5264 www.fraziergrouprealty.com

Home Ownership Home ownership brings stability to individuals and families who have never had a dwelling place that they could call their own. There is something special about owning real estate that is unlike anything else on earth you can own.

Real Estate you own is not like cars that decay over time and you have to replace them.

Real Estate you own is not like clothes that go out of style and you have to buy new ones.

Real Estate you own is not like expensive vacations or experiences that only last a moment in time.

Real Estate you own is not like an apartment where the landlord may increase the rent until it’s no longer affordable.

Real Estate you own is not like staying at your parents house where you know can’t stay forever.

Home ownership is the beginning of wealth that increases over time and becomes your estate & legacy Home ownership is the pride of a mother nurturer and the kitchen her domain Home ownership is the pride of a father provider and protector of his territory and family.

Home ownership is the foundation of permanence and the place where life happens, birthdays celebrated, deaths mourned.

Home ownership is the place you build memories that can never be taken from you.

Memories etched in walls and concrete, experienced in rooms and floors, Memories living in trees and shrubs planted by your hand.

Howe ownership is the manifestation of you - your style, your colors, your smell, your stuff, your junk, your memories, your yard and your spaces, your life.

It’s the height markers on your first child’s bedroom wall.

It’s the hearts drawn in the concrete slabs when you pour your patio floor It’s the birthday parties, and anniversaries in the living room and kitchen.

It’s the back yard barbecue with friends, neighbors and family contentions it’s the high school and college graduation, and wedding receptions Its’ the family nights and block parties and the fellowship of family connections Home ownership It’s more than real estate. Land, brick and mortar, wood frame construction and chicken wire.

It’s more than money saved, gifts recieved and grants obtained It’s more than the debt you incur to buy it.

It’s more than the payments you make to own it.

It’s more than the appreciation that comes with keeping it over time.

It’s memories, it’s family, and it’s life that can happen in one place Until you say it’s time to move.

By Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA CA BRE 01143484 | NMLS 461807

TECHNOLOGY

HOW YOUR SITE LOOKS

ON MOBILE DEVICES

C

urrently, it is inconceivable within the framework of a project not to think about the user experience of your Real Estate website on mobile. Let’s discuss different methods to make your site compatible with mobile devices. Making the Real Estate Sites Compatible use Responsive themes and Programmers.

Before seeing how to make your site compatible with tablets and touch phones, we will quickly see what a compatible site should do and what it should not propose.

A mobile version of a site must: • be straightforward and convenient to use • be linked graphically with the classic site (same logo, color, typography) • adapt to all devices instantly by recognizing them • eliminate the steps of presentation of the content (article accessible directly) A mobile version must not: • force the reader to zoom in and out to read the content • use images and graphics too heavily (even if the 4G is there!)

• contain too many clickable links close to each other (think of the holder of big fingers) • contain Flash animation (we know that is not accessible with Apple hardware).

• Three methods to make your site mobile friendly

january 2017 issue

1. Responsive themes There are some Wordpress templates specially created to display correctly on mobile devices.

They are simple to use: just install them like any other template and configure. The theme will automatically recognize the device used and adjust its display accordingly. These themes are very practical, but nevertheless limited in number. Most are paid for, which does not help the “test.” I put the names of three reputable responsive templates below.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

64

2. Modifying a template

for the device you use and allow for navigation like a smartphone application. For those who do not want to launch themselves into the (very simple) programming of their mobile site, you will find thousands of freelancers on recruitment platforms, who can do the job for you professionally. The advantage over the modification of the code of its template is that with jQuery mobile your site is going to be much lighter and faster. You will be able to recreate only the elements of the design that you find primary and to display the images in lower quality. jQueryMobile is a very interesting option for your site. However, I recommend you go for WpTouch Pro, which I consider a better option.

Whatever template you use, it can be modified. I will not go into the details of the CSS features to change, because I do not know them. I just know you can call on a freelance or your virtual assistant programmer to do this job. On social media, you can quickly find the right person for this job; read the free eBook if needed that will show you how to have your programmer configure your template to recognize and adapt to mobile devices. It will often be necessary to remove the sidebar colors or other elements of the design so that it create the best possible experience on mobile. It is a rather complicated job that needs to be done carefully. The criteria mentioned at the beginning of this chapter A good choice for mobile sites: WpTouch Pro will have to be respected. I advise you to draw the rendering you expect on a sheet before going into One last important piece of information: the WpTouch Pro plugin will conflict with your cache the programming phase. management plugins. Simple manipulations allow 3. The creation of the mobile site with for solving the problem, but given the number of different plugins, I invite you to refer to the linked JQuery support page. jQuery is above all a JavaScript library for programming. The jQueryMobile tool allows you to You no longer have an excuse for not updating create your mobile and tablet application or mobile yourself and still scaring away the users of mobile site from scratch. With some knowledge of HTML, devices. WpTouch Pro happens to be the solution we you have the power to create from scratch the found, but this is not the only one and may not be the presentation of your mobile-compatible site as well best for you. I invite you to visit http://thepowerisnow. as its menu and its possible options. I prefer this type com/ with your tablets and smartphones, and to tell of site because they are from the beginning adapted us what we can improve.

65

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

YOU

35 Things, 35 Years O

n 12 /19/1981 at 11:00 AM, I said I do to Ruby Lee Gordon and we became Husband and wife. I was 19 years old and very naive about my new responsibilities as a Husband and a man. Looking back on that time in my life I realize that I was a man and a Husband in training, and the training has really never ended. After 35 years of marriage I can honestly say that I am still learning how to be a better man, husband and father.

january 2017 issue

When I told Ruby the title of this article she said I should call it “35 things I have forgotten.”

Ouch! There is some truth to that comment.

So in spite of what I may have forgotten, here are “35 things I have learned in 35 years” with Ruby. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without her. What I have learned is not in order of importance or rank but each lesson, remembered or forgotten has added great value to my life and marriage. Enjoy.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

66

My Home 1. Make it home for dinner every day. Help in the kitchen and open a bottle of wine. Spend time together cooking.

2. Express your appreciation for the home and life you have with your wife daily. Talk about work if you need too but focus on life and family.

3. Cook Dinner once a week or more if you can.

There are great online dinners you can order that give instructions on how to prepare them.

4. Pick your clothes up off the floor and help straighten up the bedroom.

5. Stop by the store and pick up some groceries and her favorite junk food. Everything is good if eaten in moderation.

6. Wash your clothes and hers every now and then to show you care. Or just wash your own clothes.

She is not your maid.

7. Pay attention to her when at home and listen to what she has to say. Turn off the cell phone. Yes, it’s hard to do in the sales business but you have to set boundaries.

8. Go shopping with her once in a while and be engaged in the process especially if she enjoys shopping.

My Family 9. Spend time together with the kids. It must be scheduled when you are busy but it is important.

10. Spend time together as husband and wife. It doesn’t matter what it is: watching TV, walking, eating out or just sitting in the family room and talking.

11. Be engaged at the dinner table and know what is going on. Contribute to the conversation by finding out what is happening with everyone at the table.

12. Go to your kids games and take part in their events.

Understand their interest and invest in them. Your

67

wife wants you invested time just as much as she is. Paying for it is not good enough.

13. If something breaks fix it immediately – Don’t let it become an issue. If you don’t have the time hire a handy man. Everything breaks: Air condition, heater, water heater, toilet, light fixture, blown out light bulbs, broken door or gate, alarm system, stove, oven, refrigerator. Get it done man!

14. Paint or wallpaper the walls if she wants to change it. Move the furniture around as often as she likes. Listen to her complaints about colors and designs and that things our old or out of style.

Then budget and plan the changes together.

15. Mop and sweep the floor frequently. Especially the kitchen. Own it. Do it in the morning or after dinner. Just do it. Don’t ask if she needs or would like you to do it. You can see the floor 16. Help with the kids. Divide the work: homework, sports and lessons. Devise a plan and work the plan. Share the load and make her feel like she has a partner in all of this.

17. Clean up the patio and the yard. Hire a gardener if you can afford it. Don’t let your yard be the worse looking yard in the neighborhood. It is reflection on you and your wife. She will be embarrassed to have her friends over.

18. Paint the exterior of the house. The areas that need frequent attention are doors, garages, crown and based modeling, wrought iron fencing and gates, and the eaves on the house. Let her see you take pride in your home. In doing so you take pride in her. Women take pride in their home. How the home is being taken care of reflects how much you care about them. Of course, this is not true but that is how women think.

19. Be happy at home. Don’t argue and fight at home and especially in front of the children. Go for a ride. Don’t let anger about what happened at work take root in the house. Let your home be an environment of peace, joy and comfort. Let it be a sanctuary.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

the goal and use of the funds when the goals are achieved. Make sure they are S.M.A.R.T goals.

7.

Plan and budget for big spending or gift spending 1. Make money. There is no easy way to put it. If and trips. Women really do not like surprises they you are not making money you will have serious like thoughtfulness and planning. Your married problems in your marriage and home life. Get a now and you have a joint bank account. You don’t second job, start an online business, do something. need to surprise her. Surprises only last a moment Financial security is the bedrock of a marriage. but the argument over what you bought will last Not love. Love is the decision to get married. forever and create resentment.

That decision can be unmade.

2. Pay your bills on time and take care of business.

Be the point of contact for creditors. If you are Communication having financial problems own it and be the lead.

Do not turn it over to your spouse. This is not 8. Make time to talk to each other especially about to say that your spouse’s income and help is not very important issues. Don’t put it off. If you do necessary or required but you need to be the lead. she will see it as her opinion is not valued.

No woman wants to take care of a man unless he 9. Do not go to bed angry. Ask for forgiveness all the is boy and she is his mother. time and mean it. It may require a conversation 3. Save your money. Establish an emergency fund. so be prepared to stay up late until it is resolved You are the security and the answer to problems completely before you go to bed. that arise in the family. Not her father or her sister 10. Hug and kiss as much as possible. When leave or brother. If you don’t have the money get a home and when you come back. Intimacy is loan. If you can’t get a loan sell something. If you the most effective way to communicate, “I love can’t do either one go to family and friends but do you” than just saying those 3 words. Women are it discreetly and pay the money back as soon as emotional creatures. Touching and embracing is possible. No man wants another man to take care one way she validates your desire for her and your of his family. Tough times can call for tough and love for her. uncomfortable actions. Hopefully the experience 11. Don’t try to change your communication teaches you a life long lesson and you will never style because you can’t. You are who you are. find yourself in that place again.

Understand your weakness and work on it. In marriage communication, a strength cannot over compensate for a weakness. You know what your My Finances weaknesses are so work on them and get help.

12. Don’t communicate when you are angry. Calm 4. Sit down together and go over your finances each down first, be an adult and talk with your inside month. Have a discussion and not arguments voice. Only children yell and scream and it gets about spending. It’s not your money it’s our you nowhere fast. Calm down and think about money. who you are in the marriage and try to understand 5. Create a budget and strive to live by it. It is a goal her perspective. Anger leads to hurt and pain that for spending and not the law. Be flexible but be is sometimes difficult to come back from. committed. You are in this together. Keep a joint checking and saving account. No wife or husband 13. Laugh as much as possible and tell bad jokes.

Share funny stories and bring your spouse in your should have their own checking account. You are world for a minute or two. Levity and humor is asking for trouble. Transparency is everything in always appropriate in every situation. a marriage 6. Make saving money a family goal. Agree on 14. Talk about people even when you don’t like to

My Business

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

68

with your wife. Women can’t help it. They love to talk about their girlfriends and people in general and they do it all the time among themselves. Consider it a privilege to be brought into the club. If you don’t take part in the conversation you are communicating that you are better than they are and you are not.

Intimacy and Love 15. Make love as much as possible.

Let your love-making be the gauge of how she is really feeling about you. Whatever you do don’t demand it. Most importantly don’t fight about it. It is symptomatic of a much bigger issue and you probably need help to address it. Love making is a natural occurrence of two people coming together because of love. If it’s anything other than that it is not worth the pain it will cause and whatever pleasure you gained from it will be short-lived.

16. Demonstrate Love don’t just say it. Love is best communicated in actions and deeds. Saying it means very little unless it is after the action or deed has been completed.

How to show love is found in numerous books so go buy one. If you want to know real love then read the bible. There is a ton of information on marriage in bible. Two chapters I recommend is Ephesian the 5th chapter and 1 Corinthian’s

69

the 13th chapter. These two chapters will put you on the right track.

Bonus Limit your engagement with the opposite sex. Love is territorial and emotional. Women have a built-in radar to detect when you are too close to another woman, especially if they sense that the relationship is more than business but is in fact a friendship. There are strategies to deal with this but I cannot deal with it now. But simply stated, men cannot be inappropriately close friends with women. Save yourself the heart ached. It is a conflict waiting to happen. Do not engage in

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

inappropriate conversations with the opposite sex. Keep it business and social – not personal.

Let pray that Ruby gives me another 35 years of training so I can write more about what I have learned. Can you imagine coming up with 50 things in 50 years? I am up for the challenge. Marriage is a beautiful thing.

www.OCREALTIST.org

YOU

GOAL SETTING versus GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

by Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA

J

anuary is always an exciting month for me. Each New Year marks an opportunity to put my goals in motion and accomplish all that I set out to do. It’s my time to shine and to be the best I know I can be. 2017 will be no different.

As a Coach and a Sales Manager I enjoy working with goal achievers. They excite me and make me better as a coach and a manager. I desire to be around them and welcome opportunities to conduct joint sales calls. There are goal achievers in every office and you know them immediately when you meet them or you know them by their incredible productivity. These special people take the goals that have been given to them or that they have set for themselves very seriously. It’s a matter of pride and professionalism to achieve their goals. They are like Samurai warriors who live the code of “death before dishonor”.

them by helping them find something they can master and achieve success. My goal is not to manage them up the talent curve but to help them find the right job because a desire to succeed and to achieve goals cannot be taught. You either have it or do not.

There is one thing that really impresses me about Goal Setters and I wish that more goal achievers could do the same.

Goal Setters write the most professional business plans you will ever see. They are packed with statistics, graphs, planned activities by day, month and year, a financial analysis, marketing budget, key strategies and all the details. It is very impressive professionally bound book that looks absolutely beautiful on their credenza. Goal Achievers could learn a thing or two about writing business plans and Goal Setter could learn a lot about getting from behind their desk and making Goal Setters on the other hand are also their goals a reality. great people but all they do is talk about what they are going to do and never get So, what does it say about a person who, to it. They are experts in coming up when given a goal, accepts the goal, with excuses about why they fail and are internalizes the goal, takes complete unable to achieve the goals they set for ownership of the goal and actually goes out themselves or the goals assigned to them. and achieves double or triple the original My goal in working with Goal Setters is to goal given to them? help move from setting goals to achieving

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

70

Let me tell you what that says:

and excited about achieving their goals and being successful. They have made a 1. This is a person who will not decision and are all in. They do not have be limited by another person or time for negative people and failure is not personalities, internal politics or an an option. adversarial market place. You see, you cannot tell this person what they cannot 3. Finally, this is a person who wants to achieve, they will tell you what they will win and realizes that it is a daily contest. achieve. Nor will they allow anyone or Like a nuclear reactor they are always anything to limit their potential. If you full of energy, never tired, and ready to give them a goal of five houses to sell, go. They eat, sleep, and drink, selling they will raise it to 10, and if you say themselves, not the product or service, 10, they will say 20. The reason for this but themselves and making new contacts. conflict is because they know that no one Their mind is always turning; they wake can judge their heart or measure their up in the middle of night writing down desire and intensity to achieve their own new ideas and thoughts for tomorrow. view of success. Moreover, it is important Failure is not an option to them so they to them that they and they alone set the constantly practice, drill, and rehearse boundaries for their success. You want to capitalize on every opportunity. They someone like this on your team whose are always ready for the next challenge pride drives them to succeed. because the word “problem” is not a part of their vocabulary.

2. This is a person who will not be lulled into complacency or influence There is burning deep within them a fire by negative people. Just because others so hot that only the Sun may be able have become complacent and content to compete. A thirst for success and with their productivity they will never recognition that is unquenchable. They be satisfied. They refuse to place limits want to win, they refuse to lose. They will on their success or achievements and never give up trying. Revisit your goals, they refuse to hear the stories of others and examine your results so far and ask about why they cannot achieve success. yourself are you doing what it takes to While others have become negative win every day. Are you a goal setter or a and have given up on the company they goal achiever? work for, the support they receive and perhaps even their own goals, they refuse Whatever it may be let’s make 2017 your to be infected by their negativity. Goal best year yet! Set the goals, take action achievers observe this behavior and note and create the life you want. The power is it as a destination that they will never in the mindset. The Power Is Now! see. Goal achievers choose to be inspired and focused. They like being pumped up

71

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

YOU

EMOTIONS THAT

SUCCESSFUL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

NEVER FEEL

B

uying a house is a life time dream for many, and as per the statistics of National Association of Realtors of the USA, 87 per cent of buyers use a real estate agent to buy a home. Although it looks to be lucrative to be a real estate agent, other statistics do not paint a rosy picture; just 20 percent of agents close 80 per cent of the dealings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, the top 10 percent of earners earned more than $100,000, and the bottom 10 per cent only $17,600 in the year 2011. All real estate agents do not get big bucks; the obvious question is what makes a real estate agent

january 2017 issue

successful? As most of them work on their own, entrepreneurial skills are inalienable to them. Apart from having realistic expectations of themselves and a plan for bettering the odds, real estate agents need to manage emotions of both themselves and clients to climb the success ladder. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) plays a vital role in shaping the success of a real estate agent; According to the centre for Creative Leadership (CCL), success owes 85 percent to a high EQ the rest to technical skills. Let us examine the five emotions that successful real estate agents never fail.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

72

1. Distress When compared to healthy individuals, successful real estate agents have more things to feel anxious about. Being distressed drains one both physically and emotionally and robs one of the positive energy that could be fruitfully employed in devising and implementing successful strategies. Excessive worrying causes a whirlwind of other negative emotions and causes the downfall of individuals. On the other hand, emotionally stable and successful real estate agents are enlightened enough to realize that excessive worrying leads to unproductiveness, and they never let the emotions ride a roughshod.

They quickly realize that worrying doesn’t discount the possibility of adverse occurrences, and use the emotional energy to stay level headed.

estate agents. Being envious of others conveys an indelible impression that the jealous person admits that success is a mirage for him or her. Emulating the winning strategies of others immensely contributes to one’s success and this option is fervently exercised by successful real estate agents. They are aware that jealousy inhibits them from improving their performance and attain success.

4. Discontentment

Discontentment is a very common emotion experienced by everyone regularly; however, what separates a winner from a loser is how they channelize that feeling. While most people let disappointment control their lives, successful real estate agents keep their emotion on a tight leash.

They use failures as stepping stones to success and learn from the experiences to revitalize their plans 2. Lethargy and actions. They never let the feeling of dread drain The Karma theory states that one should focus on the their positive energy, but treat it as an opportunity to work and not overly obsessed with the result. This better themselves. sounds to be a good strategy for real estate agents, because without caring about the results- good or 5. Despair bad- they can invest their energies in productive work. However, in dealing with human beings so Despondency takes over when there is no hope left. excited with the prospect of buying a property, it is As real estate agents regularly pass through phases impractical to be aloof with the results. Moreover, of very lean business, hope is what keeps them without emotional attachment, it will be difficult to focused on the job. Without hope, humankind would work passionately to serve the buyers. Apathy also have never progressed this far, and most ventures paints a negative picture of the real estate agents to would have never materialized. Successful real the customers and makes them look lackadaisical, estate agents never let the emotion of despair take and thus repels the buyers. Keeping emotions in over them; although, like humans, they are prone to check is important, but being unemotional is not an losing hope sometimes, they always bounce back and redirect their energy towards their goals. answer.

Emotional skills thus are very essential to be successful for real estate agents. The skills cannot Jealousy is probably the single most reason for the be taught in a classroom, but only by experience and self-inflicted destruction of the human race; it is no practice. Life, indeed, is the best teacher! different for real estate agents. Learning from other’s success is a trait shared among the successful real

3. Envy

73

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

COMMUNITY

THE DAY WHEN WE REMEMBER

OUR DREAMS J

anuary 15th, 1929 is the birth of one of the most glorified and most oppressed civil rights fighters in all of American and human history: Martin Luther King Jr. While he was born Michael King, the son of Reverend Michael King Sr., his father changed both of their names after a trip to Germany in 1934, where he was inspired by the legacy of the German reformer Martin Luther.

eventful childhood and adolescence. During the dark years of segregation and King’s early years, he began to see injustices which were aimed towards African-Americans, such as: only being served in the back of a store, being required to give up your seat on the bus to a white man or woman, and not being allowed to enter the majority of establishments. Those were just the tip of the iceberg of the abuses that Martin Luther King grew up under.

The years to come were not easy for the little Martin Luther King. Before he won the From direct experience of these injustices, Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964–becoming the Dr. King knew what his mission was; and youngest recipient in history–he had a very he gave his life towards endeavors realize

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

74

that mission. He followed his dreams, and after years of struggle and hardship, his footprints became deeply embedded in the soil of the United States. He was the first whistleblower. He succinctly declared the main problems of a population which had been fighting for freedom for centuries. He left us a great example of the path which we should be following. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, after a few years of activism, he started to use the term “nonviolence” in his magnificent speeches, and he quickly became one of the greatest leaders of nonviolent civil disobedience activism.

January, which is when the world received a present in the form of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King’s efforts did not go unnoticed. We are now living in a better society today than before. Even so, we still have things to continue to fight for, including the war for our civil rights. Today, more than ever, this is something we cannot ignore. We as Americans must never forget the words and deeds of Martin Luther King Jr.; it is a great way to pay honor to this great man.

Martin Luther King Jr. did not have a chance to truly live his dream because he was assassinated during the preparation of the national occupation of Washington D.C. This event should have taken place under the name Poor People’s Campaign; it formed via 3,000 protesters who camped out on the National Mall for six weeks in the spring of 1968. The “Resurrection City” showed that civil rights were not just a problem for African-Americans; they were also a problem for the majority population. All of them had one thing in common: their rights were not realized, and all of them were in a terrible economic situation.

Just a few days after King’s death, legislation changed everything. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed by Congress, and the same act has been expanded during the past few decades, now including sex, familial status, and disability laws. The King’s legacy is alive, and his words are echoing towards the future, reminding us of equality, coexistence, and love.

King’s marches and speeches changed the face of the United States of America, making it stronger and greater. The date of his birth is now a Federal holiday observed on every third Monday in January–around the 15th of

75

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.

And so, we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org

COMMUNITY

RIVERSIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY

FROM CLASSICAL TO INNOVATIVE

O

ne can hardly find a parent or a teacher not complaining about children who do not read as much as they did a decade ago.

Publishers and writers contribute to this pitiful chorus, complaining about the popularity of self-published e-books of low quality, which threaten the market. To survive and develop in the atmosphere of decreasing value of the books, libraries face the necessity to get rid of the arcane principles and policies. It is important for them to invest money, efforts and time into promoting reading and other book-related experiences and activities. While some libraries remain rigid and lose attendants and supporters, New York Riverside Library engages more and more visitors, exploiting innovative approach and providing all modern services to the clients.

january 2017 issue

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

76

COMMUNITY

How did it get started?

In 1897 New York Free Circulating Library received a donation from the Riverside Association in the form of the modest book collection. It served as an impetus for the development and growth, making Riverside a branch of the New York Public Library 4 years later.

Not only books

Riverside Library has an impressive collection of books, but it is not the only attraction for its visitors. Nowadays, libraries compete for visitors not with other libraries, but with other places of interest and storages of information. Riverside Library took this challenge seriously and answered it with the variety of the creative, modern and useful activities both for adults and children.

Events and activities for adults

English classes. Riverside library, as the part of the New York Public Library, provides an opportunity to attend English language classes. This program is held for ten weeks several times a year and can be attended by native and non-native speakers.

Computer classes. Riverside library pays serious attention to the role of digital technologies in the modern person’s life. Due to this, the variety of courses concerning the usage of internet and computer are available in the library. It is important that, like English courses, these classes are also divided according to the students level.

Book discussion groups. Every first Wednesday of the month at 3.30 pm book-lovers and passionate readers have an opportunity to meet in the Riverside library and discuss one book, chosen and announced previously.

Books for discussions come from different genres and periods so that it might be “David Copperfield” by Charles Dickens for one meeting and “Between the world and me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates for another.

Games. Are you a board game fan or one of those, who has a passion for the good old bridge? Riverside Library has specific meetings for those who share your interests.

Events and activities for children

Parents with kids can visit morning “Baby story time,” suitable for parents and caregivers whose kids are not older than 18 months. “Baby story time” is not only for stories but also for songs, rhymes, and other activities, which kids can enjoy with their parents and other children from the neighborhood.

Useful information

COMMUNITY

Working hours

Library begins to work at 10 am every day and closes at 7 pm on weekdays and 5 pm on weekends. All major events and activities are held within these timeframes. Any changes to the working hours related to the technical issues or holidays are shown in the New York Public Library website in the precise and timely manner.

Facilities and amenities

For the full comfort of visitors, the library provides access to a secure wireless connection, computers, black/white printers and scanners. Clients can also make black-white and full-color photocopies of the needed materials. Library is accessible for those who use wheelchairs.

Conclusion

Lives are speeding up; new technologies invade more and more parts of our lives, the role of old, classical institutions fades away and the only way for libraries to keep abreast is to stay in touch with the existing and potential visitors, minimizing the distance and increasing the number of the available library-related opportunities. Riverside Library is a great example of the synergy when old traditions of respect to the books, authors, knowledge, and research cooperate with the innovative approach, which includes the variety of entertaining, educational activities and reader-friendly access to the collections.

THE POWER IS NOW MORTGAGE SERVICES

A Division of The Power Is Now Inc.

ERIC LAWRENCE FRAZIER, MBA MORTGAGE SERVICES

APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.APPLYTOBUYNOW.COM OR CALL 800-261-1634 EXT. 703

Why Work with Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA?

Programs:

• 34 years of experience in helping buyers finance their home • BS in Business Administration and Management and a MBA in Finance • Real Estate Broker CALBRE # 1980407 • Experienced Business Consultant and Life Coach • Eric Frazier will counsel and guide you through the process. He will help you to make difficult decisions and support you until the loan is closed.

• • • • • • • • • •

• Obtain Preapproval online in 48 hours at www.applytobuynow.com • Join the Power Is Now Buyers Club for free at www.neverrentagain.com ERIC LAWRENCE FRAZIER MBA CA BRE: 01143484 | NMLS 461807 The Power Is Now Inc. CA BRE: 1980407 | NMLS 1435243 Website: www.thepowerisnow.com

Grant Funds for Down Payment Assistance 100% FHA Financing Programs Conventional Loans Government Loans Jumbo Loans None Prime Loans Commerical Loans Private Equity Loans Land Loans Note Loans Buy a Home 12 Months After Bankruptcy, Foreclosure and or Short-sale.

Email: eric.frazier@thepowerisnow.com Video Chat: https://zoom.us/j/5443077305 Mobile: 714-361-2105 Office: 800-401-8994 ext. 703 Fax: 800-401-8994

The Power Is Now Inc., is a Mortgage Brokerage Licensed by the State of California CALBRE License #1980407 and is not affiliated with any state or federal agency. Go to www2.dre.ca.gov for verification. The Power Is Now Inc., is also licensed by the NMLS License #1435243. Go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org for verification. The Power Is Now Inc., is an equal housing lender. Our corporate office is located at: 379 6th Street Riverside, CA 92501. Telephone and Fax: 800-401-8994. Eric Lawrence Frazier, MBA is a California Licensed Loan Originator NMLS# 461807. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Restrictions may apply. Information and/or data is subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Not all loans or products are available in all states.

Our board of directors

Successs Money

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT success.money@ocrealtist.org 800-790-0941 ext. 737

Eric Lawrence Frazier PRESIDENT

Kym Thompson

DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT kym.thompson@ocrealtist.org 714-293-2098

Christina Kimble

Ivery Summers

R. Ann Ellis Hall

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT ivery.sells@verizon.net 310-920-3455

january 2017 issue

THIRD VICE PRESIDENT christina.kimble@ocrealtist.org 800-790-0941 ext. 705

SECRETARY ann.annellis@gmail.com 626-864-4127

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

80

Our board of directors

Mary Ann Epstein

Edilma Friesen

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Edilman.Friesen@ocrealtist.org 949-209-7708 657-900-2066

La Toya James

VICE PRESIDENT OF AFFILIATE latoyajamesrealestate@gmail.com 323-767-6933

VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGY maryann@realpro.la 909-539-7196

Felsia Dailey

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING fdailey@ocregister.com 714-856-1743

For information about membership and upcoming events please go to www.ocrealtist.org

81

The ORANGE COUNTY Realtist Magazine

www.OCREALTIST.org