The Beauty Around us Thanks to Mother Nature   Staging Tips: Colors-Earthtones are mostly cool colors and very relaxing to live in. If you are staging your home to sell it, buyers appreciate the coolness but of course it is good to add a pop of color to liven it up. I am not a fan of white walls so add some color to the walls, but nothing too bright. If you really want bright or dark color on your walls, just do one wall and tone down the other three walls. Art- If you cannot find the perfect picture for your wall, take some nature photos and have them blown up and frame them. It is an inexpensive but lovely way to add beauty to the walls. De-Clutter-Remove any excess clutter. I have a rule; if I haven’t used it our needed it within a year, I get rid of it. If I buy something new, I mak... 07/17/2012

  ©Hummingbirds Seeing Red©     Since early this spring in the Inland Empire, I have tried everything to attract hummingbirds into my yard. I have this one plant they love, a Mexican Bird of Paradise, but it doesn’t bloom until late June so I figured there must be other ways to attract them.             I went to the nursery and bought plants to attract butterflies and bees. Now that I have a lot of blooming flowers it should make a difference. I did seem to get a few more.     Then I bought a hummingbird feeder. I had read somewhere not to put in the red dye but to make it yourself. I had a few but nothing spectacular. Then I bought another feeder and for a while they liked it until all the flowers started blooming in the area and then the traffic slowed down again.   THEN, we bought a... 07/16/2012

We Are Not Spoiledir   Just Loved©    These photographs taken in Loma Linda, CA.   I sell real estate in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties; Loma Linda,  Redlands, Highland, Colton, Yucaipa, San Bernardino, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, Twin Peaks, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and all other cities in California. I am a trained and experienced Short Sale agent. If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home; both traditional and short sales.   I am waiting for your call! 909-557-6966. Google me at Kristin Hamilton.   My name is Kristin Hamilton and I sell Real Estate. Call me for ... 07/15/2012

  ♪♪My Short Sale Extension Date was Approved This Morning♪♪ I have been in a short sale with Chase Bank since March. We asked for one extension on June 29 and it was finally approved on July 9th. We were asking for 1 week extension from the Trustee Sale Date and they gave us 4 weeks. I am elated and we are closing this Friday…oh happy days!     Both the buyers and the sellers are extremely happy. It was a long 10 days waiting for the extension but the holiday seemed to be the problem and the bank negotiator was happy to approve it when she got back. Short Sales can be long and drawn out and draining on all the parties but typically they move really fast after all the paperwork is in.   Agents: Short Sales are hard and require a lot of paperwork in the beginning. Once this is done, it i... 07/10/2012

Highland California Listing Agents – Sell My House in Highland CA So you’ve decided to sell your house in Highland California. There are many factors to consider when entering into such a transaction. First, in tumultuous times like these, you must first determine what type of sale you will need. Are you selling a Highland property with equity? In another words, do you owe less than what the property is worth? If so you will be conducting a standard Highland real estate sale. This type of sale obviously is the best scenario because you should come out of the deal with a margin between the sales price and any money owed on the Highland CA home, minus the cost of sale. Do you owe more on your Highland House than it’s worth? Like many Americans, the real estate market has put severe strain... 07/02/2012

Polka Dots and Stripes in Nature   I see so many bold colors in nature but also a lot of patterns like polka dots and stripes. I have displayed a few below. Sellers Tip: When staging your home, it will look larger if you stick with 2-3 solid colors but it is nice to add a few accent pieces in patterns such as animal prints, stripes, florals or paisleys. An accent rug or some throw pillows will liven up the room and make buyers remember your home.   But do not make it too busy like keeping your floral couch or wallpaper on the walls. This will stand out way too much and you do not want the buyers to remember the wild looking living room or kitchen. Tone it down, get some solid slipcovers and remove any busy wallpaper.   These photographs taken by Kristin Hamilton. I sell real estate in R... 07/01/2012

Lloyd Cullen Real Estate is a local Highland Short Sale Realtor. As a Highland Short Sale Company that specializes in short sales, you are assured the highest standard of professionalism and can always count on our Highland Short Sale Realtor to help answer any questions you have in regards to Highland Short Sales. Short Sale My Highland Home Lloyd Cullen is a local Highland Short Sale Expert with experienced Highland Short Sale Agents here to assist you.   Short Sale My Highland Home We specialize in Short Sales for Highland and Surrounding Areas If you are looking for a Highland Short Sale Expert, your search is officially over. If you have a home in the Highland area that you are thinking of short selling, Lloyd Cullen Real Estate can assist you with any questions or concerns that yo... 06/06/2012

©Laney's Garden Built with Labor & Love© Last weekend I stopped by my friend's home. Her granddaughter lives there and she wanted me to come and see her garden. Of course I was expecting a 4 X 4 little garden or a whiskey barrel with a few plants. But wow was I ever surprised when I saw Laney's Garden. Oh my gosh, it is made of treated redwood, sides lined with plastic but has a dirt bottom. This was made by Laney's Grandfather and Dad. She told me they bought them at Wild Animal Park in San Diego and that they are solar powered so they do not run at night but keep the birds away from the plants in the day time. Laney has never had any problems with the birds.   Around the perimeter, she has little plants growing and put protectors around so no one would step on them.   All I can say it... 06/04/2012

Lloyd Cullen Real Estate is a local Highland Short Sale Expert. As a Highland Short Sale Company that specializes in short sales, you are assured the highest standard of professionalism and can always count on our Highland Short Sale Realtor to help answer any questions you have in regards to Highland Short Sales. Short Sale Highland CA Lloyd Cullen is a local Highland Short Sale Expert with experienced Highland Short Sale Agents here to assist you.   Short Sale Highland CA We specialize in Short Sales for Highland and Surrounding Areas You may be wondering what a Highland Short Sale Agent with Lloyd Cullen Real Estate can do for you. The answer is everything. We will provide all of the answers to the Highland Short Sale questions that you have and give you the best advice during the pr... 05/31/2012

Lloyd Cullen Real Estate is a local Highland Short Sale Realtor. As a Highland Short Sale Company that specializes in short sales, you are assured the highest standard of professionalism and can always count on our Highland Short Sale Realtor to help answer any questions you have in regards to Highland Short Sales. Highland Short Sale Realtor Lloyd Cullen is a local Highland Short Sale Expert with experienced Highland Short Sale Agents here to assist you.   Highland Short Sale Realtor We specialize in Short Sales for Highland and Surrounding Areas Before a buyer writes a Highland short sale offer, a buyer should ask his or her agent for a list of comparable short sales in the area. Banks shy away from giving homes away at rock bottom prices. They are savvy when it comes to the Highland ... 05/29/2012

Why Do They Call Them Short Sales When They are Long….Plus a Few More Q & A’s Too!   “Why do they call them Short Sales?”   Why do they call them Short Sales when they are long sales? This is the #1 question I get all the time from my sellers, my buyers, and callers. Well, there is a very simple explanation to this question. The type of sale is called a “short sale” because the bank is referring to the loan amount being short at close of escrow. The “short” is not a reference of time but instead the payment of the loan in full. Therefore, the lender is agreeing to accept less money than promised originally when the loan was taken out by the buyers who are now own the property.   “Can a Short Sale” be done in a short time?”   Two years ago, my answer would have been “NO” but in all fairn... 05/29/2012

Can’t I Find My House First…..and then Get Pre-Qualified afterwards?   Buyers ask this question all the time and it does seem like a sensible idea but the answer is NO.   Buyers start looking months ahead of time and this is when they need to make sure they do not have any negative items on their credit report. Because if there is something there, a lender or credit repair company can assist getting it removed or the comments changed.     Items that can cause problems when you try to get a loan. 1. Late payments; 30-60-90 days 2. Too many credit cards-These may be old cards that you have not used in years but they are still open and the credit reports add the maximum amount you qualify for on all the cards. 3. A high debt ratio-This means you have too many bills versus your income. If y... 05/27/2012

  Why Should I Clean my Carpets After Putting my House on the Market?   Why should I clean my carpets after putting my house on the market? You think, there will be people walking through and getting the carpets dirty so why go to the trouble and expense. But that is not the mindset to have.      Your home must be in perfect condition to attract prospective buyers and to get the top price it is worth. Your home should be free of repairs, show well, and be clean & smell good too.         Things that cause your carpets to hold odors: 1.    Urine smells from accidents by your pets. 2.   Kitty Litter Boxes from your cats. 3.   Cooking odors. 4.   Musty smells; Mold, lack of ventilation in bathrooms, closets, basements. 5.   Offensive spots on the carpet. 6.   Old water damage.   These are j... 05/27/2012

  Should I Do a Short Sale or Just Let My Home Go Into FORECLOSURE?   This is a question many homeowners ask and I have some reasons for you NOT to let your home go into foreclosure.   You will always have to disclose that you had a foreclosure on any mortgage application and many jobs applications you submit in the future. Typically this will make your interest rate go up and the points you pay for your loan when you can finally get a new loan many years from now.   Credit Scores (FICO) will be lowered by 300+ points and a foreclosure is the most devastating credit issue in relation to future credit availability.   You have probably heard of credit repair companies. Well, a foreclosure on a credit report is almost impossible to ever have removed or have the wording changed.   If you to... 05/21/2012

  We Were Ready to Close and then it all Fell Apart!   One of my very first buyers worked at a major bank but they had such strict regulations that she could not qualify so she had spoken to one of my in-house lenders and I was assured she could qualify as her credit was clear, her work record was lengthy and the price was right.        She had contacted me and we had found the perfect house within the first day of looking. I thought this would be really easy. Wrong!     I meet the buyer at the office and she signed all the contracts. It was a Saturday and this particular lender came in while we were there. I introduced her and then I asked her to give me a pre-qual letter so I could fax the offer (yes, we faxed everything then).   This lender came out and sheepishly said “Can I talk to... 05/17/2012

  ©Give a Green Gift…©…Flowers for All©   One of my dear friends had a birthday this weekend so I bought her 2 geraniums and put them in a pretty decorated box.   She was thrilled as she loves flowers too.       I was very pleased as I was GREEN today.   These pictures were taken in Loma Linda, CA by Kristin Hamilton. If you are looking for a professional agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home. I am waiting for your call!   04/29/2012

  Beautiful Clouds in the Sky   We had tree trimmers at my house a couple of days ago. Of course, they got there a little late and a mini hurricane showed up for about an hour. Scared me as they were trimming a palm tree way………way………..way up high but luckily no one fell. I was taking pictures and the sky pictures came out fantastic.       Then the storm hit about 9:00 p.m but was over by 9:00 a.m. This is the beauty of living in Southern California.   These pictures were taken in Highland, CA by Kristin Hamilton. If you are looking for a professional agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful. Call me to sell your home. I am waiting for your call!       04/28/2012

Wondering What a Highland CA Short Sale Is and How It Can Help You? Highland Short Sale Are you worried about foreclosure on your Highland CA house? Is your Highland house under-water? Have you missed mortgage payments, or having difficulties paying them? Have you experienced a loss in income, unexpected expenses, divorce or other hardship? Do you just want out of your Highland CA house and it's payments? We can help! Call us today to discuss your Highland real estate options: (888) 9-List-It. That's (888) 954-7848. Get the commitment to quality customer service you deserve. A successful Highland CA short sale transaction requires experience, patience and the ability to find solutions. As your Highland listing agent, we will provide you the following professional services: Determine the... 04/18/2012

  I recently graduated from the CDPE (Certified Distress Property Expert) Charfen Institute. I contemplated over attending this class for several months but finally decided to sign up. It provided me with a lot of information to assist me in closing more short sales and has a great web site to find information, useful forms that most of the banks accept plus they gave us a great reference book for quick look ups. They also have a nice web site to add your profile and to call if you need any assistance. Recently I have taken several CDPE webinars (all free) which were full of new and updated information regarding “Short Sale Updates” and “Short Sale Scams”. This week I am signed up for another webinar entitled “The Coming Short Sale Wave”. For anyone looking to expand their knowledge of ... 04/17/2012

  Does my Easter outfit make me look chunky?   No, definitely not.   No, you are just big boned.   Um……… No you are just fluffy. Well………………………. yes!   HAPPY EASTER to everyone at ActiveRain!   These pictures were taken in Loma Linda, CA by Kristin Hamilton, Realtor. If you are looking for a professional agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate. Homeowners and Buyers both will find my services top notch and successful.       04/08/2012