Albert Lowry The Real Estate Expert

09/05/2016

You bet your life you can own the former Los Angeles home of comedy king Groucho Marx.

The movie and TV funnyman bought the warm and welcoming Cape Cod classic north of the Sunset Strip in 1946, according to the Los Angeles Times. It has been updated to include a chef’s kitchen, twin master suites and a garden pool lanai with a sauna and steam room. All that’s missing is a drop-down toy duck.

You can own the former Los Angeles home of comedy king Groucho Marx. Price: $4.55 million

08/31/2016

Hi-tech trends in the market:

CoStar Group is using a military-grade reconnaissance plane to gather about twice as much construction data as its competitors. Here's how it works.

08/31/2016

What do you think of this?

Cash from China into U.S. real estate is continuing unabated as Chinese investors plow money into some of the highest-profile commercial developments in the U.S.

05/09/2016

Every property owner's nightmare: Renters take off and leave behind 50,000 lbs. of garbage, resulting in $15,000 of damage. (A good lesson here to inspect your properties regularly, as I so often recommend!)

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/rental-home-owner-finds-50-000-lbs-of-garbage-in-house-681695811601

A Portland rental home owner is very upset when he discovers that a home that he'd been renting for several years to two people has been left full of trash- not just some trash, but 50,000 pounds worth. KGW's Katherine Cook reports.

03/18/2016

BREAKING NEWS: BC government to end shadow flipping

Imagine your realtor sold your home for $500,000 more than the price you agreed to, but you didn’t see a penny of that extra cash. That’s the situation for some Vancouverites, and the B.C. Real Estate Council intends to investigate.

03/04/2016

A landlord sent a lease to prospective tenants as an editable Word doc. Here's what happened...

02/29/2016

Shelter dogs rescued from slums and abandoned lots around São Paulo were trained as "ball dogs" for an exhibition tennis match this week at the Brazil Open.

https://youtu.be/WUk4yYvK09k

Four shelter dogs rescued from slums and abandoned lots around Sao Paulo were trained as "ball dogs" for an exhibition match at the Brazil Open tournament.

02/29/2016

Here's a helpful year-round home maintenance checklist that will help you maintain the value of your properties and avoid bad surprises:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mVH1Fn9WVdviKQ4W0Qtl_veGYd7Z_nBphknRP_T75uU/edit?pref=2&pli=1

Winter December ☐ Inspect, and possibly change out HVAC filters ☐ Clean kitchen sink disposal ☐ Clean range hood filters ☐ Inspect your fire extinguisher(s) ☐ _______________________________________ ☐ _______________________________________ ☐ _______________________________________ January ...

01/19/2015

This is how it's done:

"We netted about $30,000 after expenses and commissions. We tracked this house for about 6 months at auction. We never placed a bid because the starting price was too high. The minimum bid was lowered eventually and we bid. I'm guessing the bank, Freddie Mac, got tired of holding this house and let it go for a song.

After some upgrades, the house could have sold for $200,000+, as is, it was on the MLS for $150,000. The day we won the house, we told our agent to get started finding a buyer. One week later we asked what was up and he said he found a cash buyer at $150,000. I was in total shock, we agreed and received the buyers deposit.

We wanted to do a double closing but the buyer needed some time to get organized, we complied and gave him 2 weeks. I wouldn't believe this deal if I didn't do it myself."

*Not my student, but a great example of using the principles I teach people.

01/15/2015

A new report, The Housing Satisfaction Gap: What People Want, but Don’t Have, measured the gap between the home features people want and the features they currently have in their own homes.

Here’s what made the list, and what you can do to close your home’s satisfaction gap so you get top dollar when you’re ready to sell:

1. Energy Efficiency
Have an energy audit done to identify the best investment for your energy-improvement dollars.

2. Renovations
Replace worn flooring and repaint in neutral colors.

3. Updated Kitchen
You can replace your whole kitchen, or if you’re on a budget, paint the cabinets and update lighting and plumbing fixtures.

4. Aging-Friendly Design
Any time you do a major renovation, remodel with aging in mind. Consider adding a first-floor owner’s suite with a roll-in shower in the bath. When possible, replace hallways and any narrow doorways with an open floor plan.

5. Safe Neighborhood
Start a neighborhood watch.

6. Privacy
Plant hedges, put up a fence, or add hardscaping features to increase the privacy of your outdoor spaces.

7. Storage Space
Add large closets when you remodel. Install organizers to maximize the storage space you already have in closets, the garage and outbuildings.

09/08/2014

'Tis the season: Seal the air ducts and holes in your home and rental properties.

As much as 20 to 30 percent of the air moving through your HVAC’s duct system leaks out through poorly sealed ducts and holes. Lower your utility bill by sealing the ducts in your attic, crawlspace, unfinished basement, and garage. Use aluminum foil tape, not duct tape (which won’t last). Seal the ducts at the vents, too, so as much warm air as possible makes it into the rooms of your home.

08/18/2014

This Gallup Poll asks Americans "What is the best long term investment?" (Spoiler: Richer people say real estate; poorer people pick gold.)

http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/04/21/poor-americans-pick-gold-over-stocks-as-the-best-investment/?link=sfmw_fb