Today's Guamhome December 2016 by Todays Realty

Contents 02

MARKET REPORT

MEET OUR AGENTS

GUAM IS OUR HOME

SOLD BY TODAY’S REALTY

Residential Market Snapshot from January 1, 2016 to December 1, 2016

WELCOME TO OUR VILLAGES!

A collection of recent homes sold by Today’s Realty

elcome to the 2017 January issue of Today’s Guamhome newsletter. It is our honor to present this collection of beautiful homes for your review. My team of over 20 agents and associate-brokers are all members of the Guam Association of REALTORS®, the National Association of REALTORS® and the Guam Multiple Listing Service (Guam MLS). Our team at Today’s Realty has ranked #1 for many years running in top sales reported to the Guam MLS. Buyers, Sellers and Renters know when it’s time for real estate... It’s time for Today’s! We are never too busy for your referrals!

ON THE COVER

Majestic Tamuning Residence

THE IMPORTANCE OF PHOTOS

Anthony Godwin Principal Broker / REALTOR®

AND THE PAINT FORECAST IS... GRAY

JUST LISTED

NA’GASGAS I HÅLOM GUMA

Recently listed properties in the market.

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP YOU BUY A HOME PROTECTING PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION

Today’s Realty agents and staff during our holiday luncheon

FOR THOUSANDS OF LISTINGS VISIT

www.guamhome.com

CLOSED BY TODAY’S REALTY

Pago Bay Home • $442,500

Tamuning Home • $588,000

Days on market: 133 | MLS ID# 16-2560

Days on market: 208 | MLS ID# 16-1637

Talofofo Home • $2,000/mo

Yona Townhome • $2,450/mo

Days on market: 35 | MLS ID# 16-3819

Days on market: 11 | MLS ID# 16-3919

Dededo Land • $62,000

Talofofo Home • $399,000

Days on market: 52 | MLS ID# 16-3688

Days on market: 208 | MLS ID# 16-1530

A collection of recent properties closed by our REALTORS®

Yigo Home • $150,000

Tumon Home • $2,200/mo

Days on market: 227 | MLS ID# 16-1401

Days on market: 57 | MLS ID# 16-3592

Pago Bay Unit • $2,450/mo

Yigo Home • $1,300/mo

Days on market: 4 | MLS ID# 16-4185

Days on market: 163 | MLS ID# 16-2159

Ordot-Chalan Pago Home • $4,410/mo

Tamuning Building • $1,800/mo

Days on market: 153 | MLS ID# 16-2324

Days on market: 36 | MLS ID# 16-3740

ON THE COVER

529 Western Boulevard, Tamuning

For Sale $1,595,000 | Guamhome.com/16-4054 Majestic and magnificent are just a few words to describe this custom designed residence along Western Boulevard. Gourment style kitchen was recently updated with new granite countertops, freshly painted cabinetry and an array of new stainless appliances. The master bedroom includes en-suite wardrobe and luxurious bath. Formal entry, dining, and living room round out the interior of this mansion style property. Outside, a refreshing pool is flanked by landscaped gardens and decks. The fully fenced yard also features gated entry, garage and full back up generator and water storage.

LISTED BY TODAY’S REALTY San Roque, Agat For Sale $259,000 | Guamhome.com/16-4414 Finally an affordable 3bd/2ba family house that has an AWESOME OCEAN VIEW! This home has been UPGRADED EVERYWHERE!! *Bonus* This house has additional storage for your family’s growing needs!

619 Kanton Tasi, Umatac

For Rent $4,395/mo | Guamhome.com/17-48 Beach front 3bd/3ba home with ocean views of Cocos Island. Open style kitchen overlooking the ocean vista. 2,500+/-sf of living space. Traffic flow to & from this village is not congested or gridlocked-beautiful travel route.

128 Chalan San Roque, Dededo For Sale $205,000 | Guamhome.com/16-4568

Well-maintained, wonderfully affordable, 3BD, 2BA starter home on CORNER LOT, upgraded a few years ago, in the Santa Ana Subdivision. Fully fenced, w/ 4 split ACs, gas stove, stainless steel fridge & security system. Entire contents, including but not limited to content, design and concept Copyright ©2016 by LG&G Corporation. All rights reserved. Anthony R. Godwin • Principal Broker

A collection of properties featured for Rent or Sale by our REALTORS® 136 Atanacio, Mangilao

Agana Bay Condo

For Rent $2,600/mo | Guamhome.com/16-4421

For Rent $2,800/mo | Guamhome.com/16-4574

Check out this three storey, 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom house on a fenced and gated property in an established neighborhood. Second floor has 4 bedrooms and third floor has the 5th bedroom.

Location, location, location. This beachfront condo is a must see! This truly is beachfront living at its best! 3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, new stainless steel appliances, tile flooring, spectacular views and stunning sunsets.

Sunset Drive, Yona Land

For Sale $299,950 | Guamhome.com/17-47

Enjoy luxury living in one of Guam’s premiere, gated, oceanfront neighborhoods, Pago Bay Resort. Purchase comes with a complete set of building plans for a 2,400 plus sf house. Amenities include park, tennis courts, secured entry & more!

Na’gasgas i hålom guma (Clean the inside of the house)

Islands, it would not be a stretch to property by inheritance as a 50% owner imagine that my “ancient CHamoru” with her sister. The sister sold her 50% ritual has Japanese roots! to the man and his wife (as community property). Imagine his frustration at While cleaning house for the New Year, learning he would need to probate the this is an excellent time to make sure the estate of his wife in order to acquire the title to your properties is also in order. other half interest in the property! Here are a few questions you might ask yourself: Be Confident that your home ownership is as clean as your cupboards! Let the How is title held on your properties? expert title geeks at Security Title confirm Have you experienced a change in your the title to your home and properties are family structure, such as a marriage or in order as we joyfully ring in 2017! divorce? Has a family member passed away? Do you have an estate plan?

In the mid 1980’s I had the good fortune of moving to Saipan where I was introduced to the custom of giving your home a thorough cleaning just before ringing in the New Year. Coming from Alaska, our cleaning ritual was triggered by welcoming the arrival of spring, so I recently questioned some of my CHamoru friends on the origin of the practice. I was surprised to learn that the annual ritual The first question is very important as it was not an ancient tradition, but more of dictates how title transfers in the future. a family practice. For example: The Japanese custom of O-souji (the big cleaning) is both a practical measure and a purification ritual in preparation of transitioning into a new year. Given the Japanese influence in the Mariana

I recently examined the title to a property where a man believed he owned the entire property and was surprised to discover that he only had clear title to half of it. His deceased wife had acquired the

by Kim Anderson Young PRESIDENT, SECURITY TITLE, INC.

kim@securitytitle.net | 671.647.8100

Finding simple solutions to complex real estate transactions.

How Social Media Can Help You Buy a Home By Maria Patterson Home sales are ticking upward with the National Association of REALTORS®’ Pending Home Sales Index now 1.8 percent higher than this time last year. As home prices and interest rates continue to rise, now is the time to seriously consider taking the plunge into buying a home. But many would-be homeowners are intimidated by the process of buying a home and remain on the sidelines, to their own disadvantage. How can you streamline this often overwhelming process? With the help of social media. Utilized these days for way more than sharing personal updates and photos, social media can actually play a key role in making big decisions, like buying a home. Use social media in the following ways before and during your home search: 1. Connect with agents on Facebook. Just about every real estate agent worth his or her salt has a Facebook business page. Search for agents in the towns you’re considering and send a friend request or private message. Start following their feed and you’ll get a good idea of their overall real estate savvy, in addition to a sneak peek at their new listings. You’ll also get a feel for who they are as people, which is important, because good chemistry with your agent leads to a better outcome in terms of finding your dream home. 2. Check out LinkedIn profiles. Once you’ve narrowed down the field of potential agents you might want to work with, look them up on LinkedIn. Here, you’ll be able to learn about the company they currently work for, as well as their career history. You’ll see what networks they’re a part of (networking is key to helping you find the right home), what awards or achievements they’ve received, what skills they excel in, and recommendations from others.

3. Use Twitter for housing and interest rate updates. Twitter is a great way to get quick news updates on what matters most to you right now: interest rates, home values, market trends, and more. Follow a few credible financial and real estate news organizations and become an educated home shopper. 4. Put hashtags to work. Use hashtag searches on Instagram, including the names of neighborhoods and towns you’re interested in. This will give you a view of the communities you’re considering, the restaurants, the culture, the overall lifestyle, and more. If you want to see some actual listings in the towns you’re interested in, add the term ‘real estate’ into your search. 5. Tour homes and towns on YouTube. Nothing gives you a better view of a town or listing than a video. Lots of agents post listing videos, so be sure to check them out. 6. Get organized with Pinterest. Pinterest can serve as your digital scrapbook of the neighborhoods, homes, interior designs and home features you’re interested in. Your Pinterest page can evolve further once you’ve purchased your home, serving as a gateway to décor and home improvement ideas. When it comes to buying a home, social media will not only help you get informed, but it will also go a long way toward helping you make the right connections. So start friending, following and posting and find the home that’s right for you faster. Contact our office today for more tips on using social media to help you buy a home. Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2017. All rights reserved.

Protecting Personally Identifiable Information By Barbara Pronin Identity thieves, like cold germs, seem to be all around us, using stolen Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and other personally identifiable information (PII) in schemes to line their pockets while ruining the victim’s credit and financial standing. When PII falls into the wrong hands, crooks can use that information to open and use new accounts, get medical care or other services, and wreak all kinds of financial havoc on unsuspecting prey. Clearly, protecting our confidential information is as important (if not more so) as protecting ourselves against the common cold. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests several ways to keep confidential data safe: Know whom you share information with: - Lock financial documents and records in a safe place at home. At work, keep your purse or wallet secure. - When you go out, take only the ID and credit or debit cards you need. Leave your Social Security card at home. - Before you share information at your workplace, a business, or your child’s school, ask why they need it and how they will safeguard it. - Shred credit card and bank statements, insurance forms, and any other documents containing PII before trashing them. - Destroy labels on prescription bottles before you throw them out. - Take outgoing mail to post office collection boxes. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox and request vacation holds if you go away. Be alert to impersonators: - Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through mail or over the internet unless you’ve initiated the contact. - If a company that claims to have an account with you sends an email asking for personal data, don’t click on links. Contact them through the customer service on your latest statement and ask whether they really sent a request. Keep passwords private and don’t overshare: - Use strong passwords for your laptop and accounts. Think of a phrase and use the first letter of each word as your password, substituting numbers for some. For example, “I want to see the Pacific Ocean” could become Iw2CtPO. - Don’t post PII on social media. Never share your Social Security number, address, or account numbers on publicly accessible sites. Keep your devices secure: - Use and update anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall. - Avoid ‘phishing’ emails. Don’t open attached files or click on links sent by strangers. - Avoid keeping financial information on your laptop. Don’t use an automatic login feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you’re finished. - Avoid sending PII from your laptop or smartphone on a public wireless network in a public area. Barbara Pronin is an award-winning writer based in Orange County, Calif. A former news editor with more than 30 years of experience in journalism and corporate communications, she has specialized in real estate topics for over a decade. Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2017. All rights reserved.