Today's Guamhome January 2015 by Todays Realty

GUAM IS OUR HOME, WE WOULD LOVE TO MAKE IT YOURS

JANUARY 2015

VOL 07

ISSUE 01

ONE-OF-A-KIND TALOFOFO HOME

WHAT’S INSIDE

SOLD! PROPERTY OF THE MONTH MARKET REPORT THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDSCAPING KEEP YOUR HOME PURCHASE ON TRACK RECENTLY CLOSED LISTINGS FUNDING FRAUD FUUSUI INTERIOR JUST LISTED!

WHAT’S INSIDE 02

SOLD! PROPERTY OF THE MONTH One-of-a-kind Talofofo Home. Exquisite home on a 1/2 acre lot overlooking the golf course’s Signature Hole.

MARKET REPORT

THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDSCAPING!

Residential Market Snapshot from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014

You may want to consider Landscaping as a “must do”, to attract buyers quickly, and to sell your home for top dollar!

KEEP YOUR HOME PURCHASE ON TRACK You’ve found your dream home. Make sure missteps don’t prevent a successful closing.

RECENTLY CLOSED LISTINGS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

FUNDING FRAUD

As a member of the American Land Title Association and as an Agent for Stewart Title and First American Title, our company receives fraud alerts on a regular basis.

FUUSUI INTERIOR

An ancient Asian topology believe to bring happiness & luck

JUST LISTED

Recently listed properties in the market.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This huge lot and pool is paradise for kids, parties, or the southern serenity of sprawled-out livingâ&#x20AC;? 2

ONE-OF-A-KIND

TALOFOFO HOME

Exquisite home on a 1/2 acre lot overlooking the golf courseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Signature Hole. An inviting tiled swimming pool, plus a HUGE guest house with mahogany cabinets, granite counter tops, double sinks, and double French doors that open to a private balcony that sits right atop the golf greens! Main house has a 700+/-sf covered and tiled patio that is fully furnished and has copper ceiling fans & a built-in BBQ area, plus sinks and cabinets. Interior wooden floors, a sunken living room, and porcelain tiles. The large kitchen is mahogany & granite, too! Property boasts a full garage, with remote doors. This huge lot and pool is paradise for kids, parties, or the southern serenity of sprawled-out living. Other amenities include recessed lighting, a spiral stair case leading to the top of the guest house, split and central type a/câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, solid core doors, tank-less water heaters for the entire house, giant laundry room with connecting storage room, and plenty of storage space throughout. List Price: $598,000 Sold Price: $598,000 Days on the Market: 59

RESIDENTIAL MARKET SNAPSHOT JANUARY 1, 2014 - DECEMBER 1, 2014

HOMES SOLD All members of the Guam Multiple Listing Service (MLS) reported:

HOMES RENTED 2014

2014

2013

234 single family homes sold from January 1, 2014 thru December 31, 2014 vs. the 274 homes sold in 2013.

AVERAGE SALE PRICE The average year-to-date home price of $264,038 was slightly higher than the $250,115 reported during the same period in 2013.

AVERAGE RENTAL PRICE 51% 2014

49% 2013

2014

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET On average, single family home sales in Guam take nearly 6 months to sell from date listed to date closed. This was consistent with last year.

UNITS SOLD

2014

2013

161 Condominium transactions have been completed from January 1, 2014 thru December 31, 2014. Compare this to the 123 closings for the same period last year.

$191,149

2014

$186,575

The average condominium sale price of $191,149 in 2014 was significantly higher than the $186,575 reported during the same period in 2013.

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET Average days on the market for the same period for condominium sales were slightly higher this year. It 2014 2013 took nearly 152 days to complete transactions in 2014. Compare this to the closings for the same period in 2013 at 149 days.

TIME TO TAKE ACTION!

2013

Average single family monthly rentals so far this year decreased from $2,737 last year to current year at $2,150.

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET In 2014, single family home rentals in Guam took nearly 69 days from date listed to date closed. Compare this to the closings for the same period in 2013 at 80 days.

2014

2013

UNITS RENTED

AVERAGE SALE PRICE

2013

The strength of the Guam real estate market continues to be residential rentals. Year to date saw a slight decrease in the number of single family homes rented at 685 vs. 691 in 2013.

Year to date saw a slight decrease in the number of condominiums, townhomes, apartments rented from 1,103 in 2013 to current year at 1,049.

2014

2013

AVERAGE RENTAL PRICE 2014 2013

The monthly rental rate for condominiums, townhomes, apartments decreased from $1,839 in 2013 to $1,517 for the same period in 2014.

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

In 2014, condominium rentals in Guam took nearly 65 days from date 2014 2013 listed to date closed. Compare this to the 82 day for closings during the same period in 2013.

Interest rates are still very attractive with fixed rates hovering above four percent (4%). The inventory of homes on the market provides buyers with a good selection of properties to choose from. Coupled with low interest rates, it’s a great time to buy. Anthony Godwin, Principal Broker

*Statistics from Guam Multiple Listing Service from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. **Statistics from Guam Multiple Listing (MLS) from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. Transactions not reported to the Guam Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are not included in this presentation. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Entire contents, including but not limited to, content, design and concept Copyright ©2015 by LG&G Corporation. All rights reserved.

elcome to 2015, if you are considering selling your home, you may want to consider Landscaping as a “must do”, to attract buyers quickly, and to sell your home for top dollar! Hopefully the tips below will help you get started, and on your way to having a more comfortable abode to enjoy your outdoor spaces, or simply to get as much money from the sale of your home as you can!! Some people might not be able to realize the value of landscaping. That is why, they just leave their yards as is and merely clean it. Adding some decorations or going beyond cleaning is a double effort for them and could even be unnecessary on their part. But there are also people who pay much attention to their yards and really allocate time in designing and decorating them. Investing for landscaping accessories is a luxury for some but for others, it is part of their hobby and in giving back to nature the care it deserves. But aside from those mentioned, what other good reasons is there that would urge us to do landscaping? Is it really necessary or just something merely inclined to aesthetics? Does landscaping really matter? Let us look into five things that would make us realize the value of landscaping 1. Seeing a garden or yard with proper and beautiful landscaping is not just refreshing

KEEP YOUR HOME PURCHASE ON TRACK

THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDSCAPING for the eyes, but, also provides an attractive welcome to any home buyer interested in your home. 2. If you think your outdoor area is useless, you are wrong. Try to design that space. Allocate sitting areas. You can have an outdoor dining area or living area. You can even add an outdoor kitchen. Or, simply have a small bench where you can spend time while enjoying the beauty of nature.

You may think fudging your income a little or omitting debts when applying for a mortgage will go unnoticed. Not true. Lenders have become more diligent in verifying information on mortgage applications. If you fib, expect to be found out and denied the loan you need to fund your home purchase. Plus, intentionally lying on a mortgage

Who ya’ gonna call?

3. Landscaped areas will create a cozy and comfy ambiance. It would make you feel more at home and will also make you want to go home! If you have a courtyard that has that “vacation” feel, you would really have that urge to go home so you can relax and feel comfortable in your very home 4. Aside from preserving nature, it can help conserve natural resources not just the soil but even air and water. This happens when you have proper landscaping because the plants and trees are well-taken care of. Healthy plants will greatly affect the entire environment and can even help conserve natural resources especially that these are part of the ecological balance in the Earth’s system. 5. One reason why some homeowners are hesitant to work on their home’s landscaping is due to the expenses it entails. But you

Duane C. Pahl,

REALTOR ®

671.689.7777

duane@guamhome.com DuanePahl.com

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application is a crime.

the inspector immediately.

2. Hold off on big purchases.

5. Consider deadlines immovable.

Lenders double-check buyers’ credit right before the closing to be sure their financial condition hasn’t weakened. If you’ve opened new credit cards, significantly increased the balance on Article From BuyAndSell.HouseLogic.com existing cards, taken out new loans, or depleted your savings, your credit score By: G. M. Filisko may have dropped enough to make your Published: March 30, 2010 lender change its mind on funding your ou’ve found your dream home. home loan. Make sure missteps don’t prevent Although it’s tempting to purchase new a successful closing. furniture and other items for your new A home purchase isn’t complete until home, or even a new car, wait until after you make it to the closing. Until then, the closing. the transaction can fall apart for many reasons. Here are five tips for avoiding 3. Keep your job. mistakes that cause a home sale to The lender may refuse to fund your loan if crater. you quit or change jobs before you close 1. Be truthful on your mortgage the purchase. The time to take either step is after a home closing, not before. application.

don’t really have to spend a lot! You can always landscape your home even if you are on a budget. Just plan it well and make sure that you will design the kind of landscape that fits your needs, your budget and your space.

Get your funds together a week or so before the closing, so you don’t have to ask for a delay. If you’ll need to bring a certified check to closing, get it from the bank the day before, not the day of, your closing. Treat deadlines as sacrosanct. More from HouseLogic How maintenance adds to home values (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/ value-home-maintenance/) Reducing closing stress (http:// buyandsell.houselogic.com/articles/7steps-stress-free-home-closing/)

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and awardwinning writer who wanted a successful closing on a Wisconsin property so bad that she probably made her agent rethink going into real estate. A frequent contributor to many national publications 4. Meet contingencies. including Bankrate.com, REALTOR? Magazine, and the American Bar If your contract requires you to do Association Journal, she specializes in something before the sale, do it. If you’re real estate, business, personal finance, required to secure financing, promptly and legal topics. provide all the information the lender requires. If you must deposit additional Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. funds into escrow, don’t stall. If you have Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of 10 days to get a home inspection, call the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. 5

RECENTLY CLOSED LISTINGS A

A. Summer Palace Townhome Listed: $242,000 • Sold: $242,000

Lovely 3 bedroom 2.5 bath townhouse in the gated community of Summer Palace. This residence has been freshly painted inside and out. New carpeting just installed in the bedrooms and living/dining room. Days on the market: 20

B. Yona Home

Listed: $115,000 • Sold: $86,000

Charming 3 bedroom, 2 bath home that’s priced to sell with tons of potential for the savvy investor or first time home buyer. The home sits atop a corner lot surrounded by mature avocado and mango trees. Days on the market: 66

C. Paradise Estates Home

Listed: $2,450/mo • Rented: $2,450/mo

Enjoy the quiet and comforts of living in a gated community in this 4bd/3ba dwelling. High ceilings, open living room plan, fully fenced yard, & 2-car garage are a few of the amenities included. Days on the market: 16

D. Casa de Serenidad Townhome Listed: $2,200/mo • Rented: $2,200/mo

Partial peek-a-boo ocean view from back yard, the breezes & ambiance of the solitude within this planned unit development is refreshing. One of the largest units within this community. 3bd/2.5ba Days on the market: 21

E. Tumon Bay Residences

Listed: $2,450/mo • Rented: $2,200/mo

This 3bd/2ba features a beautiful kitchen, granite counters, wooden ceramic flooring, & just within walking distance to Tumon beaches, shopping, dining, nightlife, & more! Days on the market: 108

F. Tamuning Home

Listed: $4,000/mo • Rented: $4,000/mo

Awesome 2 story, 4bd/3ba home with 2,350+/-sf of living space. Centrally located, close to schools, beaches, shopping, movie theaters and restaurants. Excellent condition! Days on the market: 109 Entire contents, including but not limited to content, design and concept Copyright ©2015 by LG&G Corporation. All rights reserved. Anthony R. Godwin • Principal Broker

G. Oka Tower Condo

Listed: $1,980/mo • Rented: $1,980/mo

Upgraded 7th floor, 1bd/1ba unit with vast views of northern Guam & incredible evening city light views! Amenities include pool, secured entry, tennis court, playground, & more! Days on the market: 23

H. Tamuning Condo

Listed: $2,450/mo • Rented: $2,200/mo

Lovely open floor plan so entertaining is at its best with this 3 bedroom 2.5 bathroom unit. Featuring ceramic tiles on main living space with floor to ceiling windows to allow all the natural light shine in. Days on the market: 46

I. Agat Home

Listed: $2,450/mo • Rented: $2,450/mo

Nestled in the village of Agat, this 4bd/3ba home is equipped with stainless kitchen appliances, split air conditioning units in every room, ceramic tiles throughout, fully fenced yard, 2 car carport, & more! Days on the market: 126

J. Talofofo Home

Listed: $195,000 • Sold: $180,000

What a great 3bd/2ba home for the budget conscious! A back porch runs the length of the house, ceramic tile throughout, and saloon doors to the laundry room. 1,300+/-sf of living space Days on the market: 47

K. Alupang Cove Condo

Listed: $2,200/mo • Rented: $1,980/mo

Beautifully renovated 1bd/1ba unit on Agana Bay! This is paradise! Secured entry, on-site management, mail delivery, beach access and partial back-up generator are just some of the amenities. Days on the market: 87

L. Santa Rita Home

Listed: $4,400/mo • Rented: $3,000/mo

Executive 3bd/3ba home in a peaceful, country setting. Enjoy gorgeous ocean views, 3,800+/-sf, open floor plan, spacious kitchen, large balcony, & only minutes from Naval Station. Days on the market: 29 Entire contents, including but not limited to content, design and concept Copyright ©2015 by LG&G Corporation. All rights reserved. Anthony R. Godwin • Principal Broker

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FUNDING FRAUD

s a member of the American Land Title Association and as an Agent for Stewart Title and First American Title, our company receives fraud alerts on a regular basis. While interesting, I felt our close-knit community has contributed to insulating us from the sort of fraudulent actions that appear rampant in the mainland US. Was I ever wrong about that! A few weeks ago a very experienced Realtor called me to discuss a transaction. Her instincts were telling her something was just not right. A man contacted her via e-mail and wished to purchase (sight unseen) a condominium she had listed for sale. He signed a purchase agreement and escrow was opened with our office. All communication was via e-mail, without even one telephone call. The buyer asked for wire instructions so that he could wire funds into our trust account. Instead of receiving a wire transfer, the bank

received a check for $99,000 in the mail from a title company in Indianapolis. The bank credited the check to our trust account and sent us a notification of the deposit. The buyer was supposed to provide an additional $40,000 to complete the sale. Less than a week later, we received a notice from the bank that they believed the check to be fraudulent. When we contacted the title company in Indianapolis, they confirmed the following: Their office had not issued the check. The signature on the check does not match the signatory for their Indianapolis office. Standard escrow procedure requires that we include a file number, but none appeared on this check. The buyer has not been a recent party to any escrow in Indianapolis and his name does not appear in the underwriters system at all. It is highly unusual for an escrow company to make a check payable to another title company rather than the owners of the proceeds. The British passport provided by the “buyer” appeared legitimate, but the photo does not

appear to comply with international passport photo requirements. A transmittal letter that accompanied the check referred to Chase Bank, but that was not the bank on the check. If I were to speculate, I would imagine that the fraudster’s plan was be to cancel the transaction and have us “return” the funds to him. Fortunately our close-knit community had some great tools working in our favor! The team at Security Title worked closely with our Realtor and Banking contacts and our combined quick action uncovered the fraud before the internet buyer was able to cause any financial harm.

by Kim Anderson Young PRESIDENT, SECURITY TITLE, INC.

kim@securitytitle.net • 671.647.8100

Finding simple solutions to complex real estate transactions.

FUUSUI INTERIOR Fuusui Interior

by Yumiko Blaisus • 671.688.7791 Is your house Lacking Curb Appeal ? Please try the Fuusui Interior! Have you ever heard of “Fuusui?” Fuusui is a very ancient topology in Asia. In old times it was used by people who believed Fuusui brings you happiness and better luck.

most buyers or renters.

I am not a fortune teller, but I believe that Fuusui has a sense for making your home look warm, comfortable, and attractive. Let me introduce to you the basics of Fuusui Interior for your house. As you know, the first impression will attract

What does your home entrance look like? The key to make a good looking entrance: Step 1: Cleanliness, Step 2: Brightness, & Step 3: Aromatic Step 1: Cleanliness is utmost important Place the entrance mat (for inside house). The entrance mat should be washed as necessary to keep it clean. Don’t kick off shoes at the entrance area. Place the shoes to the shoe cupboard when you come home. Wear a pair of slippers or prepare a set of slippers for your guests. It makes people feel welcome. Make sure that once a day to sweep out the entrance. It takes only 2-3 minutes. Not a big deal if you get used to it… Step 2: Brightness On the average, darkness at the entrance door area is not recommended by Fuusui. If the ceiling light needs to be replaced, please do so. How about your entrance porch? If it looks antique or faded, change to a trendy type of light fixture. It’s not expensive. A table lamp makes a warm atmosphere when you and your guests are coming in. An appropriate sized mirror can make any room appear more spacious and bright. Step 3: Aromatic Good fragrance draws all guests who visit your home. Usually, we don’t notice our own house odor, such as food, pets, clothes, furniture, carpet, and more. No matter if the house looks good and has curb appeal from the outside, you will feel that something is wrong with the home’s odor once you enter and you’re no longer feeling positive. In Japan, traditionally we put a flower arrangement at the side of the entrance door. This means that you are welcoming your guest by providing a peaceful atmosphere when he/ she visits your home. A flower arrangement helps remove odors too. But it’s a little bit of a challenge to prepare a flower arrangement here on Guam, so buy an air freshener. But don’t put it where people easily can see it. Place it in a nicely designed pottery that will become one of your home’s interior items. A little effort on your part makes $5 of air freshener turn the whole house to be much more appealing. Step 4: Extras How about your house entrance door? If the color is fading, repaint the door. If your house number is old or faded, purchase new numbers to spruce up the curb appeal of your house. How about the mailbox? If it’s rusty or outdated, replace it. A small change makes a big difference towards your home’s image. Let me know if you are interested to learn more about changing your home by using the Fuusui interior study. It won’t cost you as much as you may think. 9

JUST LISTED

A. Chalan Tun Jesus Columbus Dededo • $375,000

Feast your eyes on this 4bd/2.5ba Dededo gem. Nestled in a private neighborhood, this home has tons of features including vaulted ceilings, modern kitchen w/stainless steel appliances, & much more. Guamhome.com/15-187

B. Paradise Estates Dededo • $410,000

There is not other 4bd/3ba house like this in Paradise Estates. Features include a pool, large covered patio, landscaped, lovely kitchen, new baths, fully fenced, stainless appliances & tons more! Guamhome.com/15-185

C. Apusento Gardens Condo Ordot-Chalan Pago • $950/mo

Always popular Apusento Gardens! Security,pool, mail delivery, on-site laundry just a few of the amenities available. This 3br/2ba is located on the 3rd floor with 1,224+/-sf of living space. Guamhome.com/15-69

D. South Paulino Heights, Ipan Talofofo • $368,000

It’s hard to locate a beauty like this well-kept, walledin home in the beautiful south-west village of Ipan. A lap pool, and detached mother-in-law or man-cave room, ocean view, & large carport are big pluses! Guamhome.com/15-16

E. Chalan Kareta

Mangilao • $2,400/mo

Newly painted spacious 4 bedroom 3 bathroom home is ready for move in. This home is fully fenced, plenty of parking with two covered carports. Ample amount of storage & perfect for entertaining. Guamhome.com/14-4180

F. Tumon Vista Condo Tumon • $249,900

One of the few Fee Simple condominiums in Tumon bay! This 3rd floor, 3bd/2ba condo has partial ocean views, and overlooks the pool area! Also includes 2 parking spaces and mail delivery. Guamhome.com/15-206

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