Dana Graham

Real Estate General Info Category

May, 2013, Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  Onward and upward!  Reasonably-priced homes continue to sell quickly, often with multiple offers.  Interest rates still have not moved upward, remaining at around 4%.  And lenders have begun making 95% loans again (5% down) – I think this is called amnesia.  One of the less-obvious issues we’re having these days is that of appraisals.  This is always a problem when the market is rising, as appraisers use closed sales (which, of course, are lower in a rising market) to determine...Continue Reading!

The Results Are In

In 2012, I ended up being the #1 Prudential agent in Palos Verdes and #4 overall in number of sales (including other brokerages) out of the thousands of agents that do business here. Now, you may say, #4 is no big deal but, if you read my stuff, you know that, unlike the other agents who do my level of business,  I do all this myself -- no assistants, secretaries, sub-agents, no foreclosure contracts with banks -- no nuthin'.  I do this because if you hire...Continue Reading!

Appraisals

This article was originally written in April, 2009, in the wake of the "meltdown", but still holds true today: Much has been written about the causes of the recent economic events as pertains to real estate, from the unqualified buyer, the predatory lender, potential collusion between the various parties, bogus loan ratings, and right on thru to the ultimate trusting investor.  Some have even addressed appraisals, but there is a problem with appraisals I've not seen discussed anywhere: The purpose of the...Continue Reading!

March 2013 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  The real estate market is still jumpin’, with interest rates remaining below 4% for all but the biggest loans or smallest down payments.  There is still very little for sale, and prices have certainly risen during the past 6 months or so.  The feeling on the street is that it’s just a matter of time (and not much time) before rates rise, so my theory (not exactly genius) is that everyone who has been thinking about buying and can,...Continue Reading!

January 2013 Newsletter

The following is the bi-monthly newsletter that went out to my mailing list January, 2013.  Here is a copy of the Contact Form referred to.  If you just want me to hand you a copy, let me know:                                                                                                                                                                                                    January, 2013   Dear Neighbor:  Well, let’s see:  if you’re reading this, the world apparently didn’t end last December 21, tho we have sailed off the much-ballyhooed “Fiscal Cliff”.  Personally, I have the feeling that the results are not going to be as dire as...Continue Reading!

How To Pick Your Agent

I remember about 1979 when I was interviewing agents, before I got into the business.  It was very difficult for me to figure out who was a good agent, as all had eyewitness testimony to their having walked on water.  Such criteria as the number of sales or "sales dollar volume" helped, but I wanted someone who was going to sell my house, and not just throw a bunch of listings against the wall and see how many stuck.  I also...Continue Reading!

November 2012 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  As you can see from the enclosures, things are jumpin’.  As I hinted the last time I wrote, it seems as if everyone who ever thought of buying is attempting to do so now – and who can blame them?  With interest rates at levels we won’t see again in our lifetimes (3.5% 30 year fixed -- well, not in my lifetime -- maybe in yours) and prices still unrecovered from the ridiculous levels of 2007 (don’t hold your breath...Continue Reading!

September 2012 Newsletter

This is the text of my newsletter sent to approximately 1500 people.  If you would like to get on my mailing list, either post a comment here or call me at 310 265-2141.   While the real estate market has slowed slightly in the past few weeks (too small a period to make any judgments), it’s still safe to say that if your house is priced correctly, you won’t have long to wait for a buyer.  The market picked up noticeably a...Continue Reading!

Zillow and the Like

If you haven’t kept up on fast-moving real estate technology, Zillow may be an unfamiliar name to you.  If so, in the last few years, internet websites have sprung up for everything you can imagine, among which are those which purport to give you the value of your house or, perhaps more tantilizing, that of your neighbor.  Zillow is the most prominent of these, with such as Truila and Redfin also in the game. While the subject matter may not be...Continue Reading!

July, 2012, Newsletter

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 July, 2012  Dear Neighbor: Staging has become a hot topic lately, I suppose because with a slower market, sellers are looking for any edge they can get.  Staging, in case you don’t know, can refer to anything from re-arranging the existing furniture in the house, to bringing in a complete house full of new furniture, towels, accessories, dishes, wall hangings, etc, all in an effort to make the place look more attractive to a buyer.  In this case, I’m talking about...Continue Reading!