The problem of waiting, is one of the reasons why the real estate and mortgage industry is such a shambles.  If you know what the problems are, take decisive action to fix the problem. Unfortunately, too many people in government, analyst, politicians, (and news media included which exacerbate the problem and prolong the agony without rationalizing what are all the components of the problem.  There are too many people in the leadership position, that sometimes second guess, procrastinate or are opportunist for self purposes, until the problems are so out of control, that eventually everything's comes to a halt, making it worst for everyone.Like in the case of the Federal Reserve, for an example, they always take a wait and see attitude, which is one of the components that was partially ... 01/24/2008

 The Honorable George W. Bush                                                                                                   President of the United States Dear Mr. President,It's with respect for the office of the presidency, I write this letter.  I believe, as well as many others who are in the same opinion, that the stimulus package you propose who a couple of days ago would put the nation in debt without any sizeable contribution to growth to keep us out of recession.It makes no sense to put us in debt, without creating a real stimulus package to put people to work, and grow the economy.  We have far too much debt, that this may create pandemonium throughout the world's economies.  In order for the United States on the growth mode is to provide real teeth in an economic stimulus ... 01/22/2008

A State of Confusion.  The Leadership of our Country is beyond confusion and comprehension.  What Fed. Chairmen Bernake said that the Country needs a stimulas to keep us out of recession, is true, However, the political leadership in office, and the wantabe'e are all opportunist without rationalizing the damage that they would be doing to the country if they gave a rebate to everyone.  Four or Five years ago, President Bush gave a credit of a few hundred dollars to everyone on the tax rolls, all it really did was push us into more debt.  Rebates or credits should be a stimulus for Job Creation and Growth Opportunities for the country. Look at the cost.  Let's say a credit went out of $800. to 150,000,000, thats' 120,000,000,000. that does nothing but put us in debt.  You want a stimulus... 01/18/2008

Hi Dave D, in the San Gabriel Valley & my fellow active rain associates,Wishing you all well for the holiday season and for a better 2008.  In responce to Dave D. of the San Gabriel Valley, that the Sky is falling and what to do?I can not afford to take my house off the market at this time, however I will tell you what I am going to do, however, before I do that, I want to point out a few things, why were here, and the sky is not falling, just correcting itself.For months I have been telling people, that the foreclosure problem is only part of the problem, and not as bad as some people think.  I feel very good about that data I have been assembling to convince some of our law makers that it's not as bad as most people think and that it's more media hype than anything.  This morning I he... 12/20/2007

Unfortunate as it may seem, the news media  is distorting facts again, as with the case of a writer of an article (Alex Viega) from the Associated Press, which posted today from the Associated Press, as reported on AOL finance section.     Partial Story:  The U.S. had one foreclosure filing for every 617 households in November, RealtyTrac said....         ( Rebuttal:  does this mean, out of the entire housing market of the United States, approx. 200 million homeowners, that less than 3% are having financial difficulties, could it be that there may be other attributing factors, such as death, divorce, loss of Job or pure ill responsibility upon the borrower, Come on, give us a break)The filings include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions. Some properties might ha... 12/19/2007

Hedging your Retirement IncomeOne of the Suresh ways to create wealth over time has been the stability in our rental income property.Recently, my spouse found out that she would soon be retiring after 35 years.  Her company, like many others in the private sector, has eliminated retirement pensions by providing 401k plans that the employee contribute to their own pension, taking part of the risk for the ups and downs of the stock market, and so forth.  Recently, she complained to me that she lost $45,000. in a matter of a few days on the roller coaster market.   I take it in stride, because it's her retirement income that she watches every day.  I, on the other hand, look at my long term investments, such as a 4 unit apartment building I bought almost 3 years ago.  I bought at the high ... 12/18/2007

  "The Real Estate Market Magazine", I think it deserves some food for thought.  Don't give up on Print Magazines, you need to read this!!!Most agents have not been in the business long enough to see trends in advertising, yet alone market trends, sellers market, buyers market, changing or correcting challenging markets.Needless, to say, I have seen the days when we had the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on books  instead of what we had when Moses was a child.  The Internet and was been a great source of information at you finger tips, no question about it.Why do I think the Print media is here to stay along with the Internet.  It's a good combination, most people are not on the web 24/7.  They occassionally go to restaurants, coffee shops, shopping stores and malls, convienance stores,... 12/15/2007

TheDon1950@aol.comSenate Votes to Help Strapped HomeownersFor the last 18 months, California has been had press to raise the Conforming loan limits for FannieMae & FreddieMac, as well as FHA.Biggest part of the problems with the subprime debackle has beenin part a combination of several things that led to many of the problems in the financial markets;1.  Raising the federal funds rate 17 months consecutively by .25% without a counter measure to to soften the blow in the real estate and mortgage market.  The Feds, have this wait and see attitude, which in this case, could have moved sooner.2.  Holding the Conforming loan limits to $417,000, without considering high cost states, such as California, whoose median price home is approx. $568,000.  ..... What this did, was essentially killed ... 12/14/2007

Why Real Estate Magazines are vital to your business, It gives you Exposure, when people buy homes, they themselves, think they think it's logical, this is their way of escaping in making a decision to buy.....Without pressure, that's why they look on the internet because of information. However,  what they really want is some one to guide them & romance them, so that they can feel good about their decision to buy.  They will sell themselves, but first they got to get to know you, your name, your face, on a constant basis.  It Takes money, to make money.  Look at all of the top advertisers, Coke a Cola, Budwiser, Kleenix, Pepsi, Marlboros (if you smoke), do you think they stopped in print media, on the contrary, they know it's Exposure, Exposure, Exposure...   Just like Location, Locati... 12/11/2007

This was a Response to a Blog, that was too good to be true.  You got to read this, if you want to increase your business!!!  I franky am amazed at how many people think print advertising is a waist.  I am probably going to catch a lot of slack on this, but I have been around almost 30 years, how long do you think you'll be in business?  While the last few years, from about 2001 to 2005 the market was really hot, most of the real estate agents that came in to the business in the last ten years could put out a sign on the front lawn, and the property sold rather quickly.  You may have put it on the Web, and you thought you were in heaven, you convinced yourselves that the internet was the only way to go, that was a technical point, only because the internet provided information, and dema... 12/07/2007

California is the 3rd highest cost state in the nation.  Survival depends greatly on raising the Conforming Loan Limits. The Federal Reserve should lower the Fed. Funds Rate, however, there is another part of the equation, that many people are not aware of outside of certain circles, Why are so many lenders in trouble?  The sub prime problem may have added a small minute portion to help fuel the fire, but in reality, the federal reserve deserves a good share of the credit of killing the confidence of the American Public.  The Federal Reserve is the direct link to the credit crunch, it has in it's power, and the will to increase the money supply and controls inflation, the Discount Rate and the Federal Funds Rate.  In 2004, the Federal Reserve started their quest to slow down the real es... 12/05/2007

Attention Real Estate Industry and Consumers,and the Financial MarketsMy name is Carlos R. Arvizu Sr.  Hysteria is plaqued by opportunist in the media.  I received a letter from NAR, that I would pass along to anyone who wants to know more about the real problems with respect to the credit crunch.  With most mortgages made to homebuyers, there is generally a 3 to 5% foreclosure rate, examine your history.   "The bigggest part of the credit crunch is that many lenders are having liquidty problems, due the conforming loan limits.  This restricts many of these same lenders who are having pproblems with foreclosures from selling their loans on the secondary market to FannieMae and FreddieMac."  I received from NAR, I would like to add this Comment.  I wrote a Letter to the National Associat... 11/26/2007

Attention Real Estate Industry and Consumers,My name is Carlos R. Arvizu Sr.I wrote a Letter to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) on Novemeber 23, 2007, which I wrote as an open letter as a blog regarding Headlines that paint a Distorion of facts, reported by a local newspaper (Long Beach Press Telegram), that "Home Prices Fall Further", which was totally taken out of context by this news organization at the National Conference held by NAR, in Las Vegas.  NAR economist spoke, telling the attendees that Real Estate Sales will have a modest recovery in 2008.  I also Picteted this News Organization out of Frustration.  I encourage all local realtor boards to respond accordingly.  Here is NAR response to my letter, I encourage you to use it to show that,    "Real Estate is Local". ... 11/26/2007

It's a very difficult to understand all of the pieces that keep the economic system in perfect harmony, with the price of crude oil is cruising the $100-per-barrel mark, the real estate market taking a beating in some areas, the financial market is riddled with bullets caused by the subprime turmoil, Another piece of the puzzle is having it's own share of problems, the dollar has been hammered lately, and continues to stumble lower to other currencies. The result has been a sharp decline in the stock market, causing it to give back almost all of 2007's gains.The Federal Reserve is concerned with Inflation, but in reality, it's deflation, that should be of concerned.Deflation is generally considered to be "falling prices". But there is much more to it than that. Often people confuse defl... 11/25/2007

Buyers Buy, when buyers Buy.  At this moment in time, most buyers are confused with the buying at this time, mostly of misinformation, and media hype.....  All of them want to wait, for a perceived bottomming of the real estate market, so they can get a good deal.                  Question is When?Being in this business, since Moses was a child, I can earnestly say, that most buyers don't have a clue when to buy.  They think they know, but most don't.  Most millionairs have real estate holdings, why?  Because for the most part, there is certainty that it will go up over time.  I own stock, however, since the 1st of November, we've (my wife's 401K) have lost $45,000 just on uncertanties, thats about 10% of her retirement....  My Real Estate investments have far exceeded the $7 million do... 11/23/2007

November 24, 2007 Friday   2:45 pm   Dear Walter,   My name is Carlos R. Arvizu Sr.  I am a Realtor with Prudential California Realty in Pico Rivera, California.  I am fully frustrated what the news media is doing to the homeowners of our nation, especially in my area.     On November 14th, 2007, the Long Beach Press Telegram, a local newspaper that is circulated in the southeast Los Angeles County for the communities surrounding the Long Beach area, is a prime example of what I am writing about.   They took out of context, what Mr... Yum had said during the NAR National Conference in Las Vegas.     Their Headlines read " HOME PRICES FALL FURTHER" in reading into the story, it reported that according to the National Association of Realtors, Economist Yum, had said that a modest recovery... 11/23/2007

November 20, 2007FreddieMac Board of DIrectorsTo whom it may concern,My purpose in writing, is to give my input with regards to the credit crunch.  I believe that both FredieMac and FannieMae, need to put pressure on the powers that can change the conforming loan limits.  What the Federal Reserve need's to do, is a quicker response, instead of playing this wait and see attitude, as far as lowering the Fed Funds Rate. While the U.S. economy faces a higher risk of recession from credit markets, housing and energy prices, and the falling dollar againt other currencies, most likely outcome, the fed funds can expect further cuts, despite what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, in a recent congressional appearance.  He said economic growth would "slow noticeably" in the final quarter... 11/20/2007

While the U.S. economy faces a higher risk of recession from credit markets, housing and energy prices, and the falling dollar againt other currencies, most likely outcome, the fed funds can expect further cuts, despite what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke , in a recent congressional appearance said.  He said economic growth would "slow noticeably" in the final quarter of this year and was seen as "remaining sluggish" during the first part of 2008. Housing weakness, higher energy prices, and the ailing dollar will weaken consumer spending with credit-market tightening, are seen as the most likely recession triggers," the report said. Consumers will cut back sharply, sending the economy into a big hole, which is a very dangerious position to be adding to bigger  problems for the ec... 11/19/2007

When are we as a nation, our political leaders, from the President, Congressmen and Senators, as well as the Federal Reserve, going to stop with the blame game and take bold action to solve the problems that we are facing as a nation in this global world.Why does it take a rocket scientist to figure why we shouldn't be doing something?  The newsmedia, bounces off any angle it can, to grab headlines long enough to capture readership in the quest to sell their advertisers advertising.  (Which by the way, is part of the problem, that is Negative Headlines that perpetuate notarity, spurs long term negativness, which is counter productive.Let's look at the problem that perpetuated the so called credit crunch mess that is not only affecting the real estate market, but many other areas.  To fi... 11/19/2007

On November 14, 2007, The Long Beach Press Telegram reported on the NAR Convention, and literally took out the context of Nar's economist Yon speech.  What was said, that the nation could expect a modest recovery in 2008, (which is around the corner), But the Headlines read in very large Print, "Home Prices Fall Farther"  to paint a picture, the the sky is falling, but in the body of the article, had indicated a modest recovery.I reality, the Headlines should have said  ....   " Modest Recovery in Housing Prices seen for 2008"   but because negative ads sell newspapers, and media attention, they opted to push the negative.Yesterday, November 16, 2008, from 1:30 pm Friday afternoon, I did exactly what I recomended to my fellow Activerain Bloggers......... Boycott the Press.  I actually m... 11/17/2007