Category Archives: Buying a Home

Buying a Home, Home Trends, Investing in Real Estate, Real Estate Trends, Selling a Home

Ventura County Homes Sales: 7/30/16 – 8/6/16

11 homes in Ventura sold in the last week.

Average list price was $759,873 with a sold price average of $736,154 which translates into a 97% list price to sales price ratio.

For properties sold below $500,000, the average sale was 98% of asking.

For properties sold vetween $500,000 and $800,000, the average sale was 96% of asking. read more

Buying a Home, Finances, Home Improvement, Investing in Real Estate, Selling a Home

How Long Should You Keep Financial Records

As a general rule, keep in mind the following:

Taxes; Returns; Cancelled checks/receipts (alimony, charitable contributions, mortgage interest and retirement plan contributions); Records for tax deductions taken: Seven Years

  • The IRS has three years from your filing date to audit your return if it suspects good-faith errors.
  • The three-year deadline also applies if you discover a mistake in your return and decide to file an amended return to claim a refund.
  • The IRS has six years to challenge your return if it thinks you under reported your gross income by 25% or more.
  • There is no time limit if you failed to file your return or filed a fraudulent return.

IRA contribution records: Permanently

If you made a nondeductible contribution to an IRA, keep the record indefinitely to prove that you already paid tax on this money when the time comes to withdraw. read more

Buying a Home

How to Find the List of Open Houses

 

Here are instructions on how to get the list of open houses!

  1. Go to http://vcrdsmls.rapmls.com/
  2. Click on the left side of the screen [Open Houses]
  3. Enter the desired [To] and [From] dates
  4. Type the desired [City] name. (Click on the icon, type a few characters, click [Search], check the desired box, click [OK].)
  5. In the upper right of the screen, click [Search].
  6. You can print the document or ‘print’ as a .pdf file and email it to yourself.

The Ventura County MLS database is merged with other databases that do not have the same fields as we do, so the more ‘vague’ you can make your criteria, the better so as not to miss any properties.

Please let me know if you have questions on any of the above steps and/or on any properties.  Most likely I have already seen the property(ies) you have questions about. read more

Buying a Home, Home Trends, Investing in Real Estate, Real Estate News

CAR Fast Facts for March 2016

California Median Home Price

  • $483,280
  • Highest median home price by region/county: San Francisco, $1,360,580
  • Lowest median home price by region/county: Merced, $189,500

California Pending Home Sales Index: Statewide pending home sales fell in March on an annual basis, with the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) decreasing 1.7 percent from 138 in March 2015 to 135.6 in March 2016, based on signed contracts.

California Traditional Housing Affordability Index: First Quarter 2016: 34 percent read more