San Fernando Valley Real Estate Podcast with Scott Himelstein
82 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago -If you are looking to buy or sell a home, get all the information and the latest updates, tips, and tricks from Park Regency Real Estate - your professional San Fernando Valley Real Estate Agents.
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Episodes
What’s Happening in the Market in July?
July 29, 2020 20:04 VideoHere’s a breakdown of exactly what’s happening in our current market. The media is typically four to five months behind what is currently happening in the market. So today I’m sharing the real indicators so you’re properly informed. The first indicator of how a market is doing is how many homes are coming onto the market. That number has decreased by 19%, and there are a few reasons why. There are currently many sellers who don’t want people walking through their houses due to the health...
Are You Planning to Sell Your Home This Year?
July 14, 2020 14:29 VideoThere are three things you need to consider if you’re planning to sell this year. If you’re planning to sell your home in 2020, keep these three things in mind: you’ll need to prepare your home for the market, be flexible with your showings, and make sure you have at least one full weekend of exposure on the market. Here’s what I mean: 1. Prepping your home for sale. You can’t just throw your home on the market; by spending a little time, energy, and effort in making sure your home looks ...
How Do You Make Your Offer Stand Out?
June 30, 2020 14:12 VideoHere are my top three tips to get your offer accepted in a seller’s market. As we’ve mentioned in our last several videos, we’re currently in an extreme, red-hot seller’s market. There’s a lot of competition amongst buyers because our inventory is very low. If you’re in the market to buy a home, what can you do to get your offer more attention and stand out from your competition? I have three tips to help you: 1. Follow the instructions on the MLS. This seems simple enough, but I can’t te...
Are Home Prices Falling in Our Market?
June 17, 2020 15:10 VideoWhat do the latest numbers say about our market? Last May, there were 361 fewer closed escrows and 238 fewer listings than what we saw in May 2019. Additionally, there were 1,041 total properties for sale in the San Fernando Valley—a decrease of over 20% compared to May 2019. What we’re seeing now is the same thing I’ve talked about in previous videos: Sales are rising. From April to May, sales increased 70% across Southern California and 67% in the San Fernando Valley. Here in the North...
What Are the Pros and Cons of Buying and Selling in Today’s Market?
June 03, 2020 20:07 VideoThe decision to get back in the real estate market is a tough one for some. Does it make sense to buy or sell in this market during this crisis? It all comes down to what you feel most comfortable with after weighing all the pros and cons. If you wait on the sidelines and decide that you do not want to buy or sell right now, you have the advantage of being able to observe the market in the coming months to wait and see what happens. If you’re a seller who’s waiting, realize that there are...
How Has Our Market Looked Since the Pandemic Began?
May 21, 2020 14:29 VideoWhat’s going on in the real estate market since the pandemic hit in mid-March? We’re still seeing a lot of multiple-offer situations, and there are several reasons for that. As a result of the lack of liquidity in the mortgage market, interest rates soared up to the mid-fours in March, and now they’re back down into the mid-threes. Currently, many buyers have more certainty regarding their employment than they did in March, which means there are more of them entering the market pool. I li...
Q: What’s Homebuying Like During the Coronavirus?
May 05, 2020 18:32 VideoHere’s everything you need to know about buying a property in a spring market affected by COVID-19. Since real estate is considered an essential business here in Los Angeles County, there are still plenty of ways to view a property. We make sure we create 3D virtual tours for our listings so that buyers online can better understand features and layouts before moving forward with an in-person viewing, which requires extra safety precautions. Gone are the days of bringing your entire famil...
What Happens to Homes that Fall Out of Escrow?
April 28, 2020 18:28 VideoIf your home sale or purchase has fallen out of escrow due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are plenty of ways to still get a deal done. If a home falls out of escrow due to the coronavirus pandemic, what happens next? At the end of March, we had six homes fall out of escrow in a 5-day span. One buyer lost their job, another couldn’t get financing, and others got cold feet. I can now tell you that of those listings that fell out of escrow, four out of six are back in escrow. One of the ...
What Happens to Homes That Fall Out of Escrow?
April 28, 2020 18:28 VideoIf your home sale or purchase has fallen out of escrow due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are plenty of ways to still get a deal done. If a home falls out of escrow due to the coronavirus pandemic, what happens next? At the end of March, we had six homes fall out of escrow within five days. One buyer lost their job, another couldn’t get financing, and others got cold feet. I can now tell you that of those listings that fell out of escrow, four out of six are back in escrow. One of the...
How You Can Show Your Love for the Community
April 22, 2020 14:56 VideoWe’re always looking for ways to lend a helping hand. If you’ve also been aching to help those in need, here are some simple ways to get started. Whether it be through financial donations or volunteering your time, there are so many ways to give back to the community right now. The first step is to identify what cause is dearest to your heart. Look at your neighborhood; what needs are there to be filled? Also, truly assess your talents and abilities. What is the best way for you to help ...
How Has Real Estate Changed During the Pandemic?
April 07, 2020 15:49 VideoHere’s what the real estate process looks like during the coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, you’re all staying safe and healthy during these tumultuous times. Everything has been changing at a breakneck pace these past few weeks, and the same is true for real estate. All in all, real estate transactions will continue, though we’ve had to take certain measures to keep our agents and clients safe, like virtual communication. We already had many of these tools in place before the pandemic, wh...
Let’s Give Our Local Businesses a Hand
March 27, 2020 19:19 VideoToday's message is geared towards giving back to the local community, businesses that might need your support during this time. In light of the chaos and uncertainty that has come with the coronavirus, we at the Scott Himmelstein Group are doing what we can to give back to others in the community who really need our help. Do you know of any local businesses in the San Fernando Valley that are still open right now and could use a boost? Leave a link to their website or their contact inform...
Coronavirus and the Real Estate Market
March 10, 2020 19:44 VideoCoronavirus and the drop in the stock market have affected real estate and mortgage rates. Here’s how. How have the recent Fed rate cut and stock market drop affected the real estate market and interest rates? Due to coronavirus and other factors around the world, the stock market has taken a fairly significant dive in the last month or so. For these reasons, interest rates have dropped a lot. They were already at historic lows in December and January, but now they’ve dropped further. Fo...
Gus’s BBQ Does Southern BBQ Right
February 25, 2020 20:47 VideoHere’s my review of California’s favorite Gus’s BBQ and their amazing menu staples. The recently opened Porter Ranch location of Gus’s BBQ is a prime cut above the competition. I had the pleasure of chowing down on an entree of brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken, complemented by fresh greens and creamy mac n’ cheese. It was a must-have dining experience that I recommend to everyone! Here are some helpful things that potential patrons should know before visiting Gus’s: Happy hour i...
Our Loyalty Concierge Program Can Help You
February 17, 2020 16:55 VideoI’m explaining our new Loyalty Concierge Program and how it can help sellers get top dollar for their home. If you don’t have enough money for repairs, renovations, or updates before your home goes on the market, should you reduce the price of your house? I have great news: There’s a way to be fronted the cost of those home improvement services before your house hits the market without any upfront burden to you. It’s our new Loyalty Concierge Program. This is an opportunity to get top doll...
A Quick Update on the Porter Ranch Real Estate Market
January 21, 2020 21:55 VideoAs a new year begins, a familiar market is taking shape. Here’s what you need to know about our hot real estate market. I’m back today with the latest news and numbers for the Porter Ranch real estate market. In December 2019, we started to see a surge in the market as we saw prices continue to rise. The numbers don’t lie. If you look at the numbers from the end of 2019 in the San Fernando Valley, there were only 770 active listings for sale. In the 91326 ZIP code, there were only 34 act...
Check Out This Great Winter Vacation Destination
January 07, 2020 17:37 VideoDid you know there’s an easily accessible winter wonderland just over an hour away from the San Fernando Valley? Check it out! Especially if you have kids, Pine Mountain Club is a quick place to get to if you and your family are looking for a place to enjoy winter activities like hiking, skiing, camping, equestrianism, and more. I do like Big Bear and all the amenities that it has to offer, but traveling a winding road up the mountain can be laborious, particularly with kids in tow. If you...
Your December 2019 Market Update
December 06, 2019 14:52 VideoSee the latest numbers and data for our San Fernando Valley real estate market. Here is our real estate market update for December 2019. In the last sixty days or so in the San Fernando Valley, we have hit a record high median sales price of $755,000. That’s up 11% from a year ago. Since June, our inventory has continued to trend downward. We had a 1.7-month supply of homes on the market in October. Here we are in December, and it’s a great time to sell because there are still many buyer...
The 3 Reasons Why Winter Is a Great Time to Sell
November 22, 2019 15:41 VideoThe winter months are a great time to sell your home, and there are three reasons why. If you’re thinking of selling your home, the upcoming winter months are a great time to do so, and there are three reasons why: 1. Low inventory. In the entire San Fernando Valley, we currently have about 1.75 months of available inventory. In the 91326 ZIP code, there are 59 homes for sale, which is a 38% drop compared to the summer months. Low inventory equals less competition from other sellers. 2. ...
Have the Recent Wildfires Affected Home Prices?
November 12, 2019 00:00 VideoWith the recent wildfires, many people are worried about the state of our real estate market. I’m here to put your fears to rest. With the recent wildfires in San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley, many people have been asking us whether home prices will be affected by them. The answer is an emphatic no. There are a few reasons for that. One of the main reasons is that, for better or worse, living in California, we’ve become acclimated to the possibility of wildfires. Unlike the major Para...
Where to Trick or Treat in the North Valley
October 14, 2019 21:43 VideoLooking for the best place to take your trick or treaters this coming Halloween? Allow me to share my top pick. Fall has arrived and Halloween is just around the corner. As such, many of you are probably on the hunt for some great local “haunts” to take your little ones trick or treating. Well, here in the North Valley, you’ll find fewer better places to enjoy Halloween night than the neighborhood between San Fernando Mission and Tribune right here in Porter Ranch. The decorations are tru...
Why Schools Play a Major Role to Homebuyers
October 10, 2019 20:24 VideoIf you are in the market to buy a home, you probably already realize how large of a role school districts play in your search. As you’ll see, it’s quite important to most buyers. Did you know that, according to a recent survey, 78% of buyers said that schools were very important to their home search? It’s true, and today we’re going to talk about how to search for homes based on their school district. A majority of our buyers decide where they want to purchase a home based on schools, and...
What’s Been Happening in Our Market This September?
September 24, 2019 19:57 VideoAs we recap our September market, inventory is quite low, as are interest rates. Where’s our market going as we finish out September? As always, we look to the leading indicators to answer this question. First, the number of new listings on the market has dropped 14% since June. Specifically, there were 86 properties for sale at the end of June in the 91326 ZIP code, but there’s only 50 available now. During that same time, our months of supply in the San Fernando Valley dropped from 2.2...
How Should You Respond to Lowball Offers?
September 10, 2019 18:00 VideoHow should you respond if you receive a lowball offer on your home? Today I’ll share my advice. You’re a home seller and you just received a lowball offer for your home—what do you do? First, I always advise my clients to respond to all the offers they receive, even if they’re lower than you wanted or anticipated. That’s a home-selling must for a multitude of reasons. That said, here are a few tips for responding to low offers: 1. Counter their offer, but stay close to your list price. T...
How Will This Revised Condo Rule Affect You?
August 26, 2019 18:10 VideoCondos and townhomes will be much more affordable in California come October 15. Here’s why. Are you looking to buy a condo or townhouse with a really low down payment? If so, I’ve got great news for you today. Condo rules have been revised by the FHA and they’re really going to be able to help buyers with low down payments purchase condos and townhomes. Under the revised guidelines, which take effect on October 15, an individual condo building of 10 units or more will now be eligible fo...
How Many Homes Buyers View Before Choosing
August 12, 2019 15:28 VideoHow many homes will you have to look through before you find “the one?” Stay tuned! On average, how many homes will you look at before you find “the one?” Today I’ll discuss my answer to this question. The obvious answer is that it depends, but I can actually give you a lot more guidance and insight into this topic than that. In general, you’re probably going to look at fewer homes in person than you think. With all the information available out there, 98% of buyers begin hunting for hom...
How Much Do You Know About Earthquake Insurance?
July 23, 2019 08:37 VideoIn light of the recent earthquakes that rocked our state, I’m happy to bring on Zachary Schneiderman from Schneiderman Insurance today to have him address (and shatter) three of the biggest misconceptions about earthquake insurance. The first misconception homeowners fool themselves into believing concerns FEMA. Too often, people are under the false impression that FEMA will cover their home in the event of an earthquake. But here’s a little-known fact: Back in 1994 when the famous No...
Come on Down to the Shepherd Church’s 4th of July Spectacular!
June 28, 2019 20:07 VideoIf you don’t have plans this Fourth of July, I have a family-friendly celebration you might be interested in. If you’re looking for something fun to do with your family this Fourth of July, the Shepherd (of the Hills) Church here in Porter Ranch is holding their 21st annual 4th of July Spectacular, and I’m inviting you to come on down and join the festivities. Their 21-minute fireworks finale after sundown is the main event, but there are plenty of fun activities taking place beforehand ...
Your Latest Update on the San Fernando Valley Market
June 17, 2019 14:26 VideoToday I’m revealing the latest news from our San Fernando Valley market, and speaking of news, it’s good for both buyers and sellers. It’s hard to believe that we’re just weeks away from July, and so much has happened in our San Fernando Valley market between the first of the year and now. Without further ado, let’s dive right into what we’ve been seeing in the market of late: Out of 12,000 single-family units located in the 91326 area zip code, we currently have just 60 properties for s...
Can Discount Brokerages Compete Against Traditional Real Estate Companies?
May 31, 2019 18:37 VideoAre discount brokerages worth the few dollars they supposedly save you? We don’t think so, and today we’ll explain why. Many people in our market are curious about whether working with a discount brokerage is a wise choice to make. After all, if you can meet their real estate goals at a discount, why wouldn’t you go for it? Unfortunately, there’s truth in the saying, “You get what you pay for.” The lower commission fee actually comes at a steep cost. Agents at a traditional brokerage ten...
What’s Coming Soon to the Vineyards Shopping Center?
May 09, 2019 18:40 VideoThe Vineyards Shopping Center is nearly complete. Here’s a quick update on what’s going on and what you can expect in the coming months. Today I’m coming to you from the Vineyards Shopping Center at Porter Ranch. I’m standing in front of Nordstrom Rack, the first store to open here in the area. The next big opening is going to be Whole Foods, which is relocating from a 27,000 sq ft. building to a 44,000 sq ft. right here at the Vineyards Shopping Center on May 22. You can learn more about ...
What You’ll Need to Know Before Buying a Fixer-Upper
April 11, 2019 17:15 VideoThere’s a lot of opportunity to be had with fixing and flipping a home, but it doesn’t come without its share of headaches. While you can turn a handsome profit buy flipping a home, there are a few factors you need to take into consideration before buying a fixer-upper. First, you need to evaluate the price of the property. Make sure it’s priced appropriately for the condition it’s in and what that price will be after all the repairs are done. “Fixing and flipping a home isn’t without it...