Kevin Smith Real Estate Podcast
104 episodes - English - Latest episode: 16 days ago -Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
4 Tips to Help You Achieve Your Goals in 2021
February 02, 2021 14:30 VideoThese four tips will help you achieve your goals in 2021. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! If you’re having trouble setting and achieving your goals for 2021, here are four tips I use that can help you too: 1. Have an accountability partner. An accountability partner means having someone to tell your goal...
Should I Fix Up My Home Before Selling?
January 18, 2021 21:34 VideoThese tips will help you decide how to prep your home for the market. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Should you take the time and money to fix up your home before selling or are you better off selling it at a discount and not doing anything? Here are some tips to help: 1. Get an assessment from a real estat...
What Do You Know About Proposition 19?
January 04, 2021 16:20 VideoHere’s everything you need to know about Proposition 19. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Back in November, the “ayes” barely eked out the “nays” as Proposition 19 passed with a margin of 51% to 49%. This directly impacts the tax basis of California homeowners who are in the 55+ age bracket. One of the benef...
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
December 14, 2020 20:33 VideoHave a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! I want to take this opportunity to wish you the happiest of holidays. I know 2020 has been a challenge for all of us, but we made it. We’ve had the pleasure of helping many clients buy and sell homes, and I hope you’ve had a goo...
Why Are So Many People Moving?
November 25, 2020 14:13 VideoMore and more homebuyers are moving across the country. Here’s why. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! What’s behind the increased migration of homebuyers across the country? Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many companies have realized they don’t need all of their employees to physically come to work, whi...
What Are You Most Thankful for in 2020?
November 13, 2020 14:472020’s challenges helped many of us rediscover what truly matters. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! The 2020 holiday season has officially begun! This has been a challenging year for so many of us, and I sincerely hope that, if nothing else, these upcoming holidays offer respite for you and your family. We’d...
When Does Offering Over List Price Make Sense?
November 02, 2020 20:37 VideoHere’s a tool from our pal Dave that can help buyers make better decisions. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! I’m back once again with my good friend Dave Marzinke from Movement Mortgage to talk about a topic that’s been coming up a lot in my conversations. With a lot of homebuyers facing multiple-offer situati...
Does the Federal Funds Rate Affect Interest Rates?
October 16, 2020 16:19 VideoDave Marzinke joined me recently to break down the latest mortgage news. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! I’m back again with Dave Marzinke from Movement Mortgage to talk about what’s going on right now in the mortgage industry. A few weeks back, the Federal Reserve announced that they were going to keep the ...
What Things Differentiate Zillow and Redfin?
October 05, 2020 17:56 VideoHere are basic the differences between Redfin and Zillow you should know. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Usually, one of the first times I’ll ever hear from someone is when they call wanting to know the value of their home. More often than not, these soon-to-be sellers mention estimates they got from Redfin ...
Buyer Closing Costs
September 04, 2020 13:53 VideoThese are the closing costs buyers need to be aware of when purchasing. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! As a buyer, closing costs are a part of doing business when closing a transaction. Here are six such fees to prepare for when buying a home: 1. Title fees. Here in California, title representatives will co...
Protecting Your Assets as an Investor
August 20, 2020 14:42 VideoHere’s what you can do to protect yourself from a potential lawsuit. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! If you’re an investor and own multiple properties, how do you protect yourself from a potential lawsuit? Here are four tips to limit your liability: 1. Be honorable and ethical. Treat your tenants honestly a...
Q: How Should You Prepare Your Home for Sale?
August 04, 2020 20:45 VideoHome preparation has to start somewhere; here are top my five suggestions. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Preparing your home for sale seems simple at first, but can soon unfurl into a daunting campaign. Like most things, home prep becomes easier once you know what to focus on. Here are the top five things y...
Q: What Do I Need to Know About Relocating?
July 22, 2020 15:21 VideoHere are four tips for relocating to a new area or state. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Today I have four tips to share if you’re moving out of the area or state: 1. Talk to your agent. The real estate agent selling your house will have referrals in their database of agents in other areas, both in your sta...
Q: What Home Upgrades Should You Avoid?
July 09, 2020 21:31 VideoWhen adding value to your home, avoid these two costly upgrades. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! If you want to add value to your home before you sell, there are two things you actually shouldn’t add to your house: 1. Windows. I had a client who wanted to replace his windows but was planning on moving in abo...
Q: What 5 Things Should All New Construction Buyers Know?
June 22, 2020 20:20Here are five things you should know before buying a new construction home. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Click here to search our new construction homes. Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Right now, I’m working with a client who is in the process of building a new home. We had been working with them for about four weeks showing resale homes, but they suddenly came across a new constructi...
Q: How Do Buyers View Homes Virtually?
June 01, 2020 19:00 VideoWith fewer in-person showings, virtual showings are more popular than ever. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! If you’re thinking about selling your home, its online presence is more important now than ever. Here are a few tips to help enhance your online listing and ensure that it catches the eyes of homebuyers: 1. Plan ahead. Using your pictures and videos y...
Q: Is It a Good Time to Buy or Sell?
May 14, 2020 18:33 VideoIt’s a strange time, but our real estate market is still active. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! A lot of people have been asking me if it’s a good time to buy or sell a home. Even though we’re still in a global pandemic, I want to reassure you that the real estate market is moving along. Over 2,300 home sales closed in March in Orange County across all pric...
How We’re Helping Clients Buy Virtually
May 07, 2020 18:04 VideoIt may seem like the world’s ground to a halt, but many people still need to buy or sell a home. Here’s how we’re stepping up to help. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Today I’m sharing some of the steps I take to help people who are otherwise unable to buy or sell in this ever-changing market. It all starts with arranging a virtual meeting for us to discuss ...
Buying and Selling Amid COVID-19
April 30, 2020 17:59 VideoThere are many pros and cons to buying or selling a home right now. Here’s what you need to know. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Today I’m discussing the pros and cons of buying or selling a house during this pandemic. People who have lost their jobs may not be able to make their mortgage payments and might not be able to keep their homes. Of course, that’s...
5 Tips That Will Help You Avoid Taking on a Nightmare Tenant
April 16, 2020 15:14 VideoIf you want to avoid having a nightmare tenant move into your property, here are five tips you must remember. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Here are the top five tips you must remember if you want to avoid having a nightmare tenant: 1. Make sure they have a completed application. This way, you’ll be able to follow up with them and find out more about thei...
How Self-Employed Borrowers Get Financing
April 01, 2020 15:11 VideoDavid Marzinke of Movement Mortgage is here to explain a great program for self-employed borrowers. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Self-employed borrowers take a lot of deductions on tax returns to reduce their exposure come tax time, which is right around the corner. So, instead of using their tax returns to come up with their qualifying income, David Ma...
Should You Use an iBuyer?
March 05, 2020 16:18 VideoMore and more homeowners are selling to iBuyers these days. Here’s what they offer and why you might want to think twice before using one. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! For those out there looking to sell their homes, iBuyers (or instant buyers) have become an increasingly popular option over the last few years. In fact, one particular business sold over 1...
How a Cross Collateral Loan Can Help You Buy & Sell Simultaneously
February 20, 2020 19:13 VideoCross collateral loans can help you buy and sell at the same time. Here’s how. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Today I’m joined once again by Dave Marzinke of Movement Mortgage to discuss cross collateral loans. I have a client who’s looking to sell a $1-million house in Mission Viejo that they only still owe $550,000 on. They’re also looking to purchase a...
An Important VA Loan Change
February 06, 2020 16:51 VideoIn 2020, you can use 100% financing for a VA loan even if the house you’re buying is over the loan limit. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! An important change has been applied to the VA loan in 2020, and today I’m joined by Dave Marzinke of Movement Mortgage to discuss this change and why it benefits you. Previously, you had to come up with a down payment if ...
Making Sense of 2019 & Looking Ahead
January 17, 2020 15:39 VideoToday I’m giving you the scoop on how the market performed last year and what we can expect as this new year progresses. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! In 2019, we saw a very strong U.S. economy. Trade wars with China, Brexit, and the Trump impeachment dominated headlines. Unemployment reached a 50-year low, and the GDP delivered on high expectations. The...
Happy Holidays From First Team Real Estate!
December 19, 2019 17:35 VideoWe want to wish you a very happy holiday season from all of us at First Team Real Estate! Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Happy Holidays to you! We hope you enjoy this wonderful time of year and make some fantastic memories with your family and friends. We wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support. We love helping people make their real...
These 7 Tips Will Help You Save Money on Utility Bills This Winter
December 06, 2019 21:00 VideoHere are a few choice tips you can use to make your home more energy-efficient this winter. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Winter is coming! If you want to save money on your heating bill when the cold season strikes in full, here are seven tips to help: 1. Hire a professional to do an energy audit. For between $200 and $600, an energy auditor will come to...
I Want to Wish You a Happy Thanksgiving!
November 14, 2019 20:06 VideoI want to wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving! Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! The Thanksgiving holiday is one of my favorite times of the year. I want to wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for the people in my life: friends, family, and coworkers. I hope you feel the same! If you are interested, there is an enjoyable event coming u...
2 Handy Financing Options for Investment Property Buyers
November 01, 2019 14:07 VideoIf you’re thinking of buying an investment property, here are a couple of handy financing options. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! I have a client who’s looking to buy a duplex in San Clemente that’s priced slightly under $1 million. If you find yourself in a similar situation, what kind of financing should you use to purchase your property? According to Da...
Holding Title in a Trust
October 21, 2019 15:00 VideoAs a buyer, you’re allowed to hold title in a trust, but you’ll need to provide your lender with certain documents. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! A client of mine is in the middle of a home purchase and he wants to put the property in a trust. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, can you hold title in a trust? Today I’m joined by Dave Marzinke...
Everything Sellers Need to Know About Listing This Fall
October 10, 2019 18:19 VideoIs selling this fall a good idea? Actually yes, and today I’ll explain why. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! If you’ve thought about listing this fall but aren’t sure whether it’s a good time to do so, then I’ve got some good news. Not only is buyer demand strong right now, but inventory is low, as well. This translates to lower competition (and the potenti...
Reverse Mortgages Can Be Used in More Ways Than You Think
September 26, 2019 18:38 VideoWhat can reverse mortgages be used for? Finance expert and reverse mortgage specialist Kevin Kaltenbach joined us recently to explain. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Today I’ve brought on finance expert Kevin Kaltenbach to discuss an important topic: reverse mortgages. As it happens, Kevin is a reverse mortgage specialist, so you’ll definitely want to hear ...
Key Advice for Future Real Estate Investors
June 04, 2019 16:46 VideoMany of my clients are looking for investment properties, so today I’ll provide you all some tips about how to be a successful investor. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Since many of my clients are looking to become real estate investors, today I thought I’d share a few tips regarding what it takes to be successful if you make the decision to invest. 1. Kno...
Should You Trust the Real Estate Numbers You Find Online?
May 24, 2019 14:40 VideoIn the information age, accuracy has become increasingly important. Here’s where you can find the most accurate information about your home’s value. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out my YouTube channel here! Homebuyers and home sellers can become very frustrated with some of the numbers that they see online. I get people asking me all the time about homes that actually aren’t available for sale. ...
How to Prepare to Move Out of State (or Out of the Country)
May 03, 2019 15:14Relocation buyers must take a few extra steps when moving from one state (or one country) to the next, and this message will cover just a few of the most important. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out my YouTube channel here! Whenever a client relocates in or out of their current state, the real estate process can seem especially daunting. Thankfully, my team and I have got the resources and the co...
The Fiscal Responsibilities of Owning a Pool
April 22, 2019 15:43Owning a pool may offer some perks, but don’t forget to keep the associated expenses in mind before diving into this decision. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out my YouTube channel here! If owning a pool is one of your homeownership goals, you must be prepared for the associated costs. Buying a home that already has a pool eliminates some expenses, but you’ll still need to budget for upkeep. Chl...
5 Key Points to Know About the Home Inspection Process
April 04, 2019 15:23For any buyer, the home inspection is a vital part of the purchase process. Here are the five points to understand and follow as you progress through it. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out my YouTube channel here! Any buyer in search of a home should be aware of how the inspection process will unfold when the time comes to make a purchase: Here are five key points. 1. Get a home inspection. It’s ...
5 Reasons That Real Estate Transactions Fall Apart
April 02, 2019 14:19Real estate deals fall apart for many different reasons. Here are five of the most common. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Real estate deals can fall apart for many different reasons. Here are a few of the most common: 1. The deal falls apart pre-contract. If a buyer likes a home a lot but lowballs their first offer, a lot of sellers will decide right then and there that they won’t accept the offer. How...
2 Loans That Can Help Buyers Who Need to Sell First in Order to Buy
March 25, 2019 20:24If you think you have to sell your current home in order to buy your next one, a bridge loan or a cross-collateralization loan can help you buy now without going through that process. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Check out my YouTube channel here! Recently, a client of mine who’s getting ready to put their home on the market found the home they want to purchase next. It’s a beautiful home and it’s exa...
How Last Year’s Changes Will Impact This Year’s Tax Season
March 08, 2019 16:46As you know, tax laws changed in 2018. This means there are a few developments you’ll need to account for as you file this year, so we want to share a few key points with you today. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation The holidays are over and we’re now approaching a much less jolly time of year: tax season. As you prepare to file for your refund and pay this year’s taxes, you’ll need to be aware of these d...
What’s in Store for Our Market in 2019?
February 07, 2019 17:36To get a good sense of where our market is headed in 2019, I’ve made a slideshow presentation with all the latest numbers and trends. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation What’s in store for buyers and sellers for the rest of 2019? In the video above, I’ve provided a comprehensive slideshow presentation with all the most important numbers to answer that question. For your convenience, I’ve also provided times...
4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Fear a Market Crash
January 22, 2019 18:35Here’s why you shouldn’t be afraid of a market crash. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Here are the four reasons why you shouldn’t fear a market crash: 1. The economy is getting better. During the market crash of 2008, we found most homes were overleveraged, there was uncertainty in the market, and discounts were causing some neighborhoods to lower too far in price. There were 541,000 foreclosures. Now, w...
Are Homeowners Still Using Their Equity as Their Own Personal ATM?
January 07, 2019 16:41Fortunately for our economy, homeowners aren’t still using their equity as their own personal ATM. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Are people still using the equity in their homes as their own personal ATM? Back in 2006, the total amount of equity people were taking out of their home and using as a cash advance was $326 billion. Nowadays, though, the numbers show that people are more careful with how mu...
The Benefits of Buying a Condo in Southern California
December 07, 2018 20:01Today we’ll cover a few pros and cons of purchasing a condo in Southern California. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation If you’re considering buying a condo, you should be aware of the pros and cons of doing so before you make your final decision. One of the greatest benefits of buying a condo in Southern California is that it affords buyers the chance to live in locations where a single-family home would b...
A Strategy to Help You Find the Right Home at the Right Price
November 26, 2018 15:19If you’re a homebuyer, I have a strategy you can follow that will allow you to take advantage of our current market. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation As a buyer, what kind of strategy should you use to find the right home at the right price in our shifting market? There are a few keys to keep in mind. First, have a number in mind of what you want to spend on a monthly basis for your mortgage. Lending is ...
How Changes to Our Southern California Market Might Impact Your Goals
November 13, 2018 14:45What is going on in our market right now? Let’s find out. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Now that we’ve entered the fourth quarter of the 2018 real estate market, it’s time to reflect on the changes we’ve seen recently and over the course of the year. First off, contrary to past trends, we’ve seen an 11% increase in the number of new listings in the last 30 days. This kind of market activity is much mo...
You Get What You Pay for With Discount Brokerages
October 25, 2018 14:56Discount brokerages are a cheaper alternative when selling a home, but in real estate, you get what you pay for. Here’s why. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation The growing popularity of discount brokerages is a relatively recent development in the real estate market. These brokerages, such as Purplebricks, Rex Real Estate, Zillow, and Redfin Now, typically charge a flat fee or a lower percentage when selling...
How to Increase Your Chances of Qualifying for a Mortgage
October 10, 2018 15:13Qualifying for a mortgage loan is a complicated process. Here are a few tips to make that process easier. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Today we’re joined by a special guest, Jay Rodriguez from New American Funding, to talk about a few ways that homebuyers can increase their chances of securing a home loan. Jay offered some great tips, which we’re going to share with you now. According to Jay, the bigg...
Why Do You Need a Real Estate Professional?
September 28, 2018 13:23Today I want to share five reasons that you need a real estate professional at your side. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Today I want to talk about the five reasons that you need a professional at your side when entering the real estate market. 1. The paperwork. Selling a home involves a lot of paperwork. Therefore, you need to work with a professional who can help guide you through these documents. In...
Pro Advice About Home Buying for First-Timers
September 11, 2018 20:17Today, Jay Rodriguez from New American Funding is here to give new homebuyers a few tips for how to set themselves up for success when entering the market. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Today’s guest is Jay Rodriguez from New American Funding. This past weekend we were talking when I had millennial buyers come in that got me thinking: What are the steps and tips that new homebuyers should know when they...