Today's Guamhome June 2016 by Todays Realty

Contents 02

MARKET REPORT

MEET OUR AGENTS

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

GUAM IS OUR HOME

SOLD BY TODAY’S REALTY

WELCOME TO OUR VILLAGES!

A collection of recent homes sold by Today’s Realty

JUST LISTED

ON THE COVER

SAVE MONEY ON HOME EXPENSES

FUNDING FRAUD

elcome to the 2016 June 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! Anthony Godwin Principal Broker / REALTOR®

Recently listed properties in the market.

Beautiful Ipan-Talofofo Gem

ECO-FRIENDLY KITCHEN FEATURES

WHAT EVERY BUYER WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR HOME BEAT THE HEAT 5 WATER-WISE TIPS

Today’s Realty agents and staff during our holiday luncheon

FOR THOUSANDS OF LISTINGS VISIT

www.guamhome.com

CLOSED BY TODAY’S REALTY

Agao Street, Mangilao • $445,000

Harmon Industrial Park • $2,050,000

Ch. Macajna, Agana Heights • $159,000

Geronimo M. Tainatongo, Merizo • $310,000

Army Drive Rt. 16, Dededo • $1,749/mo

Chalan Enriquen Rosario, Yigo • $2,450/mo

Days on market: 106 | MLS ID# 16-556

Days on market: 217 | MLS ID# 15-3581

Days on market: 263 | MLS ID# 15-2974

Days on market: 222 | MLS ID# 15-3513

Days on market: 100 | MLS ID# 16-624

Days on market: 50 | MLS ID# 16-1305

A collection of recent properties closed by our REALTORS®

Woodland Townhomes • $1,100/mo

Ch. Rosario Liang Tugon, Yigo • $1,100/mo

Villa San Vitores • $1,700/mo

Ch. A’abang, Dededo • $205,000

Bubas Street, Mangilao • $1,000/mo

Mil Flores Lane, Mangilao • $1,300/mo

Days on market: 20 | MLS ID# 16-1632

Days on market: 38 | MLS ID# 16-1420

Days on market: 10 | MLS ID# 16-1798

Days on market: 41 | MLS ID# 16-1375

Days on market: 83 | MLS ID# 16-969

Days on market: 153 | MLS ID# 15-4100

LISTED BY TODAY’S REALTY Turner Road, Piti

For Rent $2,200/mo | Guamhome.com/16-1208 Ocean view of western Guam Philippine Sea from yard and especially 2nd floor. This 2bd/2ba home is located in a quiet & breezy area. Interior/exterior has been repainted, new ceramic rectangular tiled floors plus more.

191 S. Gado Lane, Sinajana For Rent $2,450/mo Guamhome.com/16-1947

Nice, central location! This fully fenced 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with carport is a great place to call home! Spacious bedrooms, over 2,000+/-sf of living space & more. Take a look today!

San Vitores Garden, Tumon For Sale $198,000 | Guamhome.com/16-1776

Lots of extras! Perfect price. Tumon location. 3 bedroom, 2 baths. Ocean View. Extra large balcony. Elevated first floor unit. Ceramic tiled floors. Central a/c. The listing goes on. It may be a sellers market but this a buyer’s dream! 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® 150 Kayen Kadada, Dededo

F9 Alupang Sunset Garden

Luscious greens and view of the fountain from your own backyard inside the Starts Golf Course is this 4bd/3ba home. Open layout, modern kitchen, spacious bedrooms, two-car garage & much more to offer! Minutes to AAFB.

Great location & fee simple 2bd/1.5ba condo with ceramic tiles, split a/c units and an enclosed patio for storage and laundry facility. Nice location which walking distance to the beach, shopping, restaurants and schools.

For Rent $4,400/mo | Guamhome.com/16-1876

For Sale $84,500 | Guamhome.com/16-1335

150 Ch. Tan Maria, Talofofo For Sale $428,000 | Guamhome.com/16-1530

See this beautiful 4 bedroom ocean view home sitting at the end of a hilltop with privacy and lots of breezes. Large bedrooms with nice closet spaces throughout the home. A master suite with a balcony to enjoy the ocean view.

ON THE COVER

101 North Paulino Heights, Ipan-Talofofo For Rent $2,800/mo | Guamhome.com/16-1264

Beautiful 3 story ocean view home in a very nice and quiet neighborhood in the cool breezy southern part of the island! This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath boasts, 2,045+/square feet of living space, plenty of storage, yard space, right across the street from the ocean and just up the road from 2 of Guamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best golf courses! Only about 20 minutes drive from Big Navy. Total island living here!

Funding Fraud

s a member of the American Land Title Association and as an Agent for Stewart Title and Fidelity National 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! Recently 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 A transmittal letter that accompanied the buyer was supposed to provide an additional check referred to Chase Bank, but that was $40,000 to complete the sale. not the bank on the check. 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.

Sellers: What Every Buyer Wants to Know about Your Home By Suzanne De Vita

ome sellers are in an advantageous position this summer, with demand high and sales at their strongest in close to a decade. Planning to list your home in the coming weeks? Get the most for your house before the season’s up by making it accessible to buyers—with information. Every homebuyer wants to know specific aspects of homes they’re considering purchasing—information that may seem premature to advertise initially, but could ultimately be determining factors in their decision to make an offer. This information may include: • How old is the home? When was it last renovated? How old is the roof? • What structures or fixtures are included in the list price? (Appliances, ceiling fans, lighting, shed, swing set, window treatments, etc.) • What are the home’s annual costs? (Electric, municipal water, gas, oil, lawn care, pool maintenance, etc.) • Has the home required asbestos, lead or mold removal? Has the home been tested for radon? • How is the home heated and/or cooled? How old is the heating and/or cooling system? How old is the hot water heater?

• • • • •

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.

How old is the wiring? Is it up to code? Has the well water been tested? Is/was an oil tank buried on the property? Is there a septic system, cesspool or drywell? Are there any outstanding permits or liens on the property? What are the homeowners association fees? What is the move-in fee? What amenities or services are provided by the HOA?

Providing these answers up front not only meets prospective buyers on their terms—they’ll be searching for it online—but also could lead to an offer that much sooner. Work with your real estate agent to compile this information as comprehensively as possible. It will be appreciated! Suzanne De Vita is RISMedia’s Online Associate Editor. This article originally appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall. Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2016. All rights reserved.

Beat the Heat: Tips to Cut Cooling Costs

Your Lawn: 5 Water-Wise Tips

ooling your home is costly—even more so if your system is inefficient. There are several, inexpensive ways to cut back on energy consumption and costs.

The first step is to have the air conditioning unit serviced—preferably before temperatures rise to uncomfortable levels. According to the experts at New Jersey-based Gold Medal Service, the technician will clean the unit’s coils, filters and fins so that the system operates at peak performance throughout the season. “Temperatures are finally starting to heat up, and we want to help homeowners stay comfortable this summer and avoid steep increases in their utility bills,” says Mike Agugliaro, co-owner of Gold Medal Service. “We also want to make sure homeowners have their A/C ready to go when they need it. Now is the best time to schedule your annual air conditioning unit tune-up to ensure fast service and a cool house all summer.” Another way to keeping cooling costs under control is to invest in a programmable thermostat, Gold Medal Service experts say. This prevents unnecessary cooling when you’re not home—and keeps more money in your pocket each month. A ductless mini-split air conditioner is another consideration, particularly for those who do not have an air conditioning system. The experts at Gold Medal Service say these devices can be more energy-efficient than their counterpart due to the absence of ducts. Ceiling fans can save energy, as well, for those with and those without an air conditioning system. Simply turn the thermostat up a few degrees and turn on the fans, Gold Medal Service experts say, to keep your home cool for less. By using these tips to reduce energy consumption, you can beat the heat this summer and save on cooling costs. A win-win! Source: Gold Medal Service Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2016. All rights reserved.

or many homeowners, watering the lawn is a guessing game—sometimes with a losing outcome.

Knowing when and how to water your lawn is a science, says Bryan Ostlund, executive director of Grass Seed USA, a national coalition of grass seed farmers and academic turf specialists. “When it gets hot, the most common mistake people make is to excessively water their lawn,” Ostlund says. “However, your lawn only needs to be watered once or twice a week during the summer months. When done correctly, cutting back on irrigation can actually strengthen your lawn.” Less watering stimulates deep root growth, which can be a boon in drought-prone areas, Ostlund adds. (Not to mention, overwatering can also counter community efforts to curb water consumption!) Water with no more than 2 inches each week, Ostlund recommends. This will compensate for the lack of rainfall in summer without risking over-saturation. The best time to break out the hose is early or late in the day, says Ostlund. This allows for deeper absorption, because the sun will not evaporate the water as rapidly as it would mid-day. Most importantly, be sure to regularly schedule watering times. Lawns thrive with consistent waterings, according to Ostlund. Source: Grass Seed USA Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2016. All rights reserved.