What To Expect From Your REALTOR® if You're Buying or Selling An HOA Property

Downtown Long Beach street view

Real estate professionals should encourage prospective home buyers to carefully consider what they’re buying into when they purchase a home in an HOA community. Both condominiums and single family homes/townhouses may be part of an HOA. Many buyers who would like a single family home may find that in the same area, an HOA property may be more affordable for them, so the following should be considered.

Fact: California is one of three states with the most homes under HOAs, 37% of all homes in the state are in HOAs. The other two are Florida (45%) and Texas (20%).

REALTORs® Must Disclose:  Sellers, listing agents and buyer agents should disclose if a home is in an HOA community, as this is considered a “material fact” under the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. Agents who are REALTORS® must ensure that buyers and sellers are aware of any facts that could affect their decision to buy, sell or lease, says Deanne Rymarowicz, senior counsel of legal affairs at the National Association of REALTORS®. During the due diligence period of a real estate transaction, if not before, real estate professionals should advise their buyer clients about the existence of a homeowners association and stress the importance of obtaining and reviewing HOA governing documents, she adds. Listing agents should ask their sellers if an HOA exists in their community, as certain information, like monthly or annual fees, special assessments and shared amenities, can be included in the MLS.

Many times a client expects their agent to review and interpret the HOA governing documents, but that would be considered an “unauthorized practice of law,” which violates Article 13 of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. For example, agents should not interpret an HOA’s CC&Rs, bylaws or budget, Rymarowicz cautions. Instead, agents should advise their clients to consult an attorney with any questions.

An Information source: Real estate professionals can help clients gather HOA documentation and facilitate answers to their questions from sellers, the HOA board or HOA management company. It should be noted that many property management companies respond only to requests from the seller/property owner/Board of Directors, in accordance with contract terms, so that buyers should submit information requests through their own agent, not directly contact the seller or management company. Also, agents should make sure that HOA disclosures and information packets are delivered and received in a timely fashion (in California they are usually provided to the escrow officer for distribution) as some states, such as California, allow buyers to terminate a purchase contract within a certain period. “It’s incumbent on agents to make sure the buyer is aware of any deadline to review information packets so they can make the right determination for them,” Rymarowicz says.

There are many more consideratons about buying into an HOA, including rules about landscaping, monthly fee amounts, security, pets, parking, rental restrictions, insurance, financing, are just some of the features that should be reviewed when considering an HOA purchase. In  California the buyer has a 17-day investigation period in the standard contract to receive and review the governing documents.

 More Information about HOAs:  https://www.doorloop.com/blog/hoa-statistics   - There are now over 363,000 HOAs in the United States, there were about 10,000 in the 1970s.

I have listed and sold many HOA properties, and would be happy to answer your questions, or provide you with additional information about selling or purchasing in an HOA.  Just let me know!

From "Navigating HOA Rules: Considerations for Real Estate Agents, Buyers and Sellers" by Melissa Dittman Tracey, National Association of REALTORS

 

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

Los Angeles Area Cost vs Value for 2024 Remodeling Jobs

Tired of this? Consider some upgrades

The annual report for Cost vs Value for the Los Angeles area is out. This is always a good resource for checking what certain projects might be for resale value.  Bear in mind that such returns are based on area, local supply costs, and local selling market for those improvements.

• One of the highest return items is the installation of a new steel entry door cost approximately $2400 with a resale value, according to this source, of $7210, or 300%. This item has been on the list for a few years as a good investment. 
• Manufactured stone veneer costing $12,000 brings a resale value of over $26,000, or a 220% return.
• Garage door replacement, another key trend for several years, with a cost of $4300 is listed with a resale value of over $12,000, or over 293%. 
• A minor kitchen remodel costing about $28,000 is listed with a resale value of $39,000, or almost 140% increase.
• A composite deck addition costing over $24,000 brings a return of about over 86%, but a wood deck addition cost a few thousand less has an increased resale of over 120%. Maybe people just like wood, but it's susceptible to termite damage.
• Another good investment, in my opinion, are window replacements, and depending on which type you use, wood or vinyl, you may see a value increase between 83-90%.
• Primary suite additions are among the most expense on the list, and the returns are in the 44-61% range.
  

As above, keep in mind that certain improvements may not bring the resale value stated in this report, because the more properties in your area that feature certain improvements, the more they become the standard for the area--your reward may be in a faster offer and a quicker sale depending on the local demand for a particular feature.

To get detailed information on each of the 23 key trends used in this report, go to https://www.remodeling.hw.net to download the report.  

For more resources on job cost, go to my resource page at https://www.abodes.realestate/free--mostly--resources-for-you

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

Long Beach Real Estate Market, October 2024

Long Beach Sales October 2024

 In October, the average sales price of a single family increased by 1.1% since one year ago, to $1,089,651.

The median SFR price for October was $940,000, an increase of 4.2% from one year ago.

For condos, both the median and average prices also increased, by 1.5% and 1.6% respectively, $559,000 and $619,000 respectively. 

 

The inventory of homes for sale increased also, an encouraging sign for buyers, by 3.1%, but at a total of 270 homes for the entire city, that's not such a very large number compared to other cities in some states. 

Note the small print at the bottom, that the sales price showing does not account for down payment assistance or seller concessions.  Many people may not know this, but seller concessions, i.e., repairs, seller contribution to buyer costs, are noted in the MLS separately when the property closes.  So an appraiser notes these concessions and subtracts that figure for the net amount of the sale price of the property.  And, broker compensation has always been calculated into final sales figures, so knowing that amount is of significance to all parties as well.

In the coming 2025 year, increased inventory, lower interest rates and a strong economy will create a more viable real estate market.  Supply and demand are always the key driving factors, so greater supply helps both buyers and sellers.

If you would like to know your home value, even if you're not sure about selling, but perhaps for insurance purposes, or any other reason, just  contact me or use the property search on my website to review the market in your area.  Go to https://www.abodes.realestate/mls-property-search

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

September Sales Data Graphic for Long Beach California

 

Seller Guide Graphic

September 2024 sales data in Long Beach California shows a climbing 3 year price trend using price per square foot for single family homes, an increasing number of days on the market and more homes selling under list price as over list price. Properties on the market longer than 5 weeks amounted to 65% of the listings. Price per square foot is more commonly used in commercial listings, but here it's an additional way of showing the overall price increase in single family homes.

The average price of a single family home in Long Beach in September was $1,105,665 the condo average was $571,828.

Yes, there are homes lower than $1,000,000, and it's even possible to use FHA financing (3.5% down payment) in the higher brackets. Please contact me if you are interested in finding out more! Or go to my website below to use the property search which has the latest information from the MLS.
 

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

Are You Voting on California Ballot? You Should.

If you are not registered to vote, please do so now so you can vote in the upcoming election.  

Did you know:

California is highest in state income tax - over 13%. (some states have no state income tax)

California is highest in sales tax - 7.25%, plus local city taxes on top of that.

California property tax - 19th out of all states.

Propositions affecting our property, aren't we paying enough taxes already?:

Proposition 5 - Allows local government to request bonds for affordable housing and public structure with only a 55% approval, down from 66.66% current requirement. Will raise our property taxes - vote NO.  

Proposition 33 - Expands local government authority to enact rent control on residential property. This is the 3rd attempt by Michael Weinstein and his multi-million dollar special interest group, AIDS Healthcare.  It will revoke the Costa-Hawkins Act which exempts single family homes, townhomes,  condos, the rent can be raised to market level. If Prop. 33 passes, these properties will come under rent control (Current Exemption from rent control: Single-family homes and condominiums, as well as construction after 1995, are exempt from rent control.)  Vacancy decontrol will not be allowed if law passed by municipality, this proposition can tell landlord what to charge for a vacant unit, owner may never be able to catch up to the current market rate by being forced to cap rents at lower amounts, thus causing owner to defer maintenance which now costs more than 10-15 years ago when the tenant moved in. Renters may think they will start getting lower rent if this passes, but first, cities have to pass local laws, and each city may be different. In spite of ads that say 33 will fight corporation takeover of rental properties, in actual fact the majority of rental properties in California are owned by small independent owners, i.e., families who inherited or bought years ago. This proposition is already causing private owners to sell their rental houses which are being bought up by new owner occupants, so that much more rental housing is being taken off the market, further decreasing the rental supply.  Vote NO.   Go to https://votenoprop33.com/

Proposition 34 - Health care providers, see previous paragraph, who get discounted federal money for their healthcare programs are turning around and reselling that program for a profit, and then are spending it on their tenant initiatives (see Proposition 5), not on their health care programs.  Vote YES to require discounted federal money profits to be spent on healthcare, not on special interest groups and their political propositions.

You should have received the booklet explaining all ballot propositions, please read it!

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

New California State Law Requires Buyer Broker Agreement as of January 1, 2025.

 

Craftsman home in Long Beach

As predicted, Governor Newsom has signed into law AB 7229, the new requirement for buyers and their brokers to sign an agreement with each other before making an offer on  a property.  This law applies to both residential and commercial real estate.  There are some differences from the National Association of REALTORS settlement requirements already in practice, including the fact that the NAR settlement concerns residential property only, whereas the new state law (in effect starting January 1, 2025) covers all properties both residential and commercial, and all licensed agents whether or not they are REALTOR members of the National Association of REALTORS.

"Unlike the N.A.R. settlement, which focuses solely on homes listed on an MLS, AB 2992 requires a written buyer representation agreement for any property, residential or commercial, whether it is listed on an MLS or not. This means that all licensed real estate agents, regardless of the type of property they are showing, must have a signed agreement in place before representing a buyer. This is a significant improvement in transparency for consumers, ensuring that they are fully aware of the services their agent will provide and the compensation structure before engaging in any transaction."  from the Santa Barbara Independent, Oct. 3, 2024 .

Contracts may be renewed, and are limited to 3 months for each contract period. While some people may not understand the significance of having such a contract, as a buyer it is important to understand what is to be expected of the agent and the standard of care to be received by the buyer. Buying a property is a large financial and legal commitment, and both agent and buyer need to be actively engaged with each other. According to the NAR settlement, such contracts must be signed before showing a property which will affect REALTORS, and per state law, commercial agents must have a buyer agreement signed before submitting an offer.

It's worth noting that if the state law requirement for a buyer broker agreement is not met, the Department of Real Estate may remove an agent's license.

If you would like more information on working with a Realtor, please contact me for further explanation and consultation before entering into a contract.

See prior post for buyer broker contracts

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Market Forecast for 2025

Summary of Yearly Housing Sale Data

The annual report by the REALTOR trade group was publicly reviewed last Wednesday at the Long Beach meeting at the Convention Center by CAR economist Jordan Levine.

What do people want to know first? How much more will houses cost next year.

Here are 3 main points from the CAR economist report for 2025:

• Existing, single-family home sales are forecast to total 304,400 units in 2025, an increase of 10.5 percent from 2024’s projected pace of 275,400.
  
  
• California’s median home price is forecast to climb 4.6 percent to $909,400 in 2025, following a projected 6.8 percent increase to $869,500 in 2024 from 2023’s $814,000.
  
  
• Housing affordability* is expected to remain stable at 16 percent next year after slipping to a projected 16 percent in 2024 from 17 percent in 2023.

There's much more to this 2025 annual report, which can be shared on request.

If you would like to discuss your home value, please feel free to contact me for conversation.  Or, try out this automated home valuation program which will also send you email updates

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

How Can Two Appraisers Value the Same Property Differently?

House with pool

 A situation to avoid in any market is ending up with a contract price that the appraiser doesn't agree with. Sometimes sellers are willing to lower their selling price, or buyers raise their contract price, or adjust their loan level if possible to meet the new selling criteria.  Sometimes an appraiser is willing to make an adjustment (not very common), or the lender order a new appraisal which is probably going to be an additional expense to the buyer. This is why it's so important to find the right list price and selling price when putting your property on the market--sometimes though, there's just no predicting even when you thought you chose justifiable comparables.  Read the article below about how these disparities can come about.

 How Can Two Appraisers Value the Same Property Differently?: One of the most frustrating things for consumers, agents, and even appraisers involved in a real estate transaction is seeing disparate results in two or more appraisals of a property. A variety of factors—including timing, purpose of the valuation and comparable sales used—can lead to disparities.

Residential Market Prices in Long Beach, August 2024 - Plus Purchasing Power Calculator

 

Residential Market Prices for City of Long Beach

Condo Median:  $526,000 |  Condo Average: $566,963

Single Family House Median: $1,072,500 | SFR Average:  $1,160,406

Downtown Long Beach - 90802

Single Family Median:  $830,000 |  SFR Average: $830,000

Condo Median:  $514,500 |  Condo Average: $575,804

North Long Beach - 90805 

Single Family Median:  $705,000 | SFR Average: $673,875

Condo Median:  $547,400 | Condo Average: $547,400

East Long Beach - 90808

Single Family Median:  $1,116,000 | SFR Average: $1,111,824

Condo Sales:  None

East Long Beach - 90815

Single Family Median:  $1,178,000 | SFR Average: $1,267,962

Condo Median: $547,500   | Condo Average:  $591,000

City of Lakewood

Single Family House Median: $871,000 | SFR Average:  $934,629

Condo Median:  $770,000 |  Condo Average: $770,000

City of Signal Hill

Single Family House Median: $1,050,000 | SFR Average:  $1,050,000

Condo Median:  $625,500 |  Condo Average: $650,833

 

Long Beach Months of Inventory is 2.8 months, an increase from 2.3 months this time last year.

The industry standard for months of inventory is as follows, which shows we are in a seller's market in Long Beach and most other surrounding areas, even though we've seen an increase in listings recently:

Seller’s Market: <= 5.5 months
Balanced Market: >=5.6 and <=6.5 months
Buyer’s Market: >=6.6 months

If I can give you more specific information about your local neighborhood, please contact me.  The above figures are by no means all local information.  

To see how interest rates are impacting purchasing power, both buyers and sellers should find this public interactive tool very helpful:  https://www.car.org/marketdata/interactive/interestrateaffordability

 

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

Mold and Mildew -- Don't Let Them Set Up Camp in Your Home

 Mold and mildew can be intrusive; they let themselves in without knocking, then set up camp in damp corners,  including subflooring areas under your home due to a pipe leak that you may not be aware of until you hire an inspector.

Mold and mildew are two distinct fungi that commonly invade our homes, thriving in wet and humid conditions. While they may look similar to the untrained eye, each has unique characteristics and requires different treatment and prevention. This article delves into the subtle yet significant differences between mold and mildew so you'll know how to identify, remove, and ultimately rule out these unwelcome guests.

 

 The Difference Between Mildew and Mold

Understanding the differences between mildew and mold can help prevent further spread across your home.

 Here's a quick reference guide:

  Mold is typically fuzzy or velvety and can appear in various colors, like green, black, or brown patches. It thrives in damp environments and can cause a musty odor.

  Mildew is usually white or gray and has a powdery texture. Mildew grows on hard surfaces, especially in high-moisture areas like bathrooms.

  Something they both have in common? Potentially causing health issues if not addressed.