Southern California; Native or Newbie

When you move to Southern California it will not take you long to feel at home. The overwhelming majority of people who live here are from somewhere else (and if they’re not their parents or grandparents usually are). So the definition of a native is far more lenient than it…

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3 tips could save you thousands on your mortgage.

CONGRATULATIONS you’ve bought your dream home. Pretty soon you’ll settle into the routine of making a monthly payment…now it’s time to start thinking about ways to reduce that payment. Here are three strategies you can use to accomplish that goal. To give a little context and offer actual numbers let’s…

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How do I calculate my closing costs (without any math?)

If you take a look at my recent article 6 mistakes often made by the first time home buyer you’ll see that the most common mistakes revolve around underestimating the cost of buying a home. Even for the most experienced buyer some costs are difficult to pin down. Closing costs…

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What is the MLS (and how can I use it?)

If you’ve had any dealings with real estate, whether buying or selling a home, you have probably come across the MLS or Multiple Listing Service. It is an online database of all the homes for sale in your area and it can be a realtor’s most valuable tool. Today the…

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