On this episode, Tom takes a look at what might be expected from a Trump Presidency with regards to real estate. Because of changing opinions about what type of leadership style Trump will have — along with no specific policy or strategy being disclosed — there is a general, pervasive feeling of uncertainty and powerlessness that is overwhelming many in the country. But nothing could be further from the truth. Many have no idea the power they actually do wield in their lives and how they can take steps to actually get what they want. Tom takes an in-depth look at the American addiction to helplessness and how it is many times used selfishly to avoid the potential of making a mistake. He rounds out the episode by talking about how you can take real, positive steps towards home ownership by picking a team that will support you and protect you along the way — and help you to leave helplessness behind. Hopefully, this episode will get you up and motivated to making real change in your life!

It’s a very important question that happens at the start of just about every home purchase - “How do I find a good home inspector?” To help us with this, on today’s podcast is Ian Mayer, the owner of the IM Home Inspections. Ian is an InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) certified Home Inspector -- and he's a graduate of the American Society of Home Inspectors. He's been working in real estate since 2004 and is incredibly knowledgeable about home inspections and really making sure that buyers know what's going on inside and out prior to when they buy their home. We start off with a little chat about how Ian came to do Home Inspections indirectly from underwriting loans and purchasing his own home. We then discuss that there is no license (at least in California) for Home Inspectors, so you need to take care in who you choose and do your due diligence to look for quality. Ian gives great tips on how to choose a good Home Inspector (technology they use, membership in professional organizations, insurance, etc). He then describes what you should be looking for in a sample report. We then go into several things that a buyer can look for in the house before they even call a Home Inspector. We wrap it all up with his awesome common sense advice for home buyers when it comes to getting over their fear and worries about potential problems with the house. It’s a really informative episode and we were incredibly lucky to have Ian stop by. Take a listen!  

Episode 005 of the podcast is a very important one for anyone who have ever asked the question, "How do I get approved for a loan if I'm a freelancer or go project-to-project?" The process can sometimes be a frustrating one, but doesn't have to be -- with the right strategy and team. Ron and I are joined by Steve Landsman and Vahan Papyan, accountants with the firm Squar Milner LLP and we start off with a quick conversation about the potential tax advantages of buying vs renting and how Steve and Vahan help build the plan to help the freelancer get qualified. We also cover what type of income verification you need, the pros and cons of incorporating, and how having a home office can provide a good deduction on you income tax. All-in-all, it a very informative episode and a great, interesting listen!

Our third and final part of our interview with Ron Bruno (Lender at Guaranteed Rate and co-host) starts off bang! Tom’s starts off with a rant about how Real Estate Agents bend facts to fit whatever narrative they want to tell. He warns everyone that there is a big difference between being guided by a Protector Agent, who is looking out for your best interest, instead of being led by Salesperson Agents (S.A.’s) and Weak Agents (W.A.’s). We go on to talk about why PMI needs to be added to a loan and the potential tax advantages of rolling it into the balance mortgage. We also go over the loan contingency in the California purchase contract — and when it needs to be released. We go over the “know before you owe” guideline — or TRID — and then wrap up by discussing the high likelihood that your loan will be sold to another financial institution. It’s a great way to wrap up our “deep dive” into home lending and mortgages. 

It’s the second part of our interview with Ron Bruno, lender from Guaranteed Rate and, oh yeah — co-host of the Clarified Realty Podcast! In this episode, we look at the life a loan from acceptance of offer, all the way up to the close. We start off by taking a little bit of a step back to discuss A.P.R. (Annual Percentage Rates) and what does A.P.R. actually mean? If used correctly, it can be a very effective tool that helps potential home buyers compare apples-to-apples when choosing their lender. We then move on to discuss certain fees figured through escrow (appraisal fees, pre-paid interest, property taxes, etc.). We then go on to talk about how an interest rate gets locked and how they can get extended should any days need to be added to escrow. We also take a close look at how a loan gets underwritten and ways to make the process run smoother (hint: give the lender everything they ask you for as soon as you can — and nothing more). We finish up by talking about acceptable sources for a down payment that won’t hold up the loan being approved. All-in-all, this episode is chocked full of helpful information to clear up the process — and there’s still a part 3 to go! 

For our second podcast, we’re staying close to home (so to speak) with an interview with our incredibly knowledgable co-host, Ron Bruno, and the first of three episodes where we take a deep dive into the  process of lending and mortgages. We start off the conversation by talking about how the biggest mistake buyers usually make is to get ahead of themselves by shopping and falling in love with a home before they even talk to a lender. If they have found a place that they think is their dream home, it’s usually too late at that point to start the process. The first step is actually to start looking for a lender they can trust, be it a direct lender (the big banks), a mortgage broker, or a third option — a mortgage bank. We go over the benefits (and cons) of each of the options and then talk about the first steps potential buyers need to take in order to get approved prior to shopping. We then wrap up by asking how lenders like Ron should help his clients — and their agents — “tell the story” of their clients and get their offers accepted. Ron provides a lot of great information and a whole lot of clarity to the topic and helps illuminate the first steps of what can be an incredibly exciting journey.