Keep your kids safe this Halloween with these tips.

• Test for allergies. Apply any face paint or costume makeup in a small area on your child, at least 24 hours before Halloween to check for allergic reactions. 
• Travel in groups. Adult supervision is ideal for small children. However, if older children are allowed to trick-or-treat on their own, they should travel in groups of four or more. Routes should always be agreed upon with adults and cell phones should be carried to stay in touch.
• See and be seen. Children should wear reflective tape on their flame-retardant costumes and if masks are worn they should not impede vision. Flashlights should be utilized. 
• Never go into a home. Tell your child that candy should be given at the door and there is no need to enter a home.
• Obey traffic laws and curfews. Pedestrian traffic laws should be obeyed and whenever possible, cross within a crosswalk. Town curfews on Halloween are for safety and should be adhered to. 
• Check your candy. Adults should inspect all candy collected. Any suspicious looking or unwrapped candy should be discarded.

Stay safe out there and check back in with us soon as we share the MUST visit neighborhoods this Halloween around the San Gabriel Valley.

Find this spookyfying place on Lemon Avenue in Monrovia, CA

The pros and cons of purchasing a short sale property

Some buyers find themselves contemplating the purchase of a short sale, a property that sells for less than the balance its owner owes on the mortgage, despite the possible added complexities. If this is something that you are considering, please take note:

Pro: A major advantage to purchasing a short sale property is the price. Banks do not want a property to go into foreclosure, which is usually the next step if a short sale property fails to sell. Often buyers can purchase a property for under the market value.

Con: The disadvantage of buying a short sale is that it can be a very lengthy process. Short sales often take significantly longer than normal closings due to the amount of people involved in the transaction. The bank employs negotiators to get the maximum amount for a property and once the negotiator approves, a supervisor must review the package. You may wait for months while your offer is evaluated and the lender may reject your offer, even after having had the paperwork for a long period of time. If you do not have a flexible time frame, a short sale probably isn’t for you.

Recommendation: When shopping short sales, remember to work with a qualified CENTURY 21 real estate agent who has experience with short sales. Short sales can be complex, so it helps to ask about experience and success with short sales and familiarity with the process and lenders.

Consult a qualified REALTOR® to decide if a short sale is right for you. Call us today at 626-358-1858 or 626-963-7621.

How do I know if/when I should lower my home price?

Sellers cannot change the location, layout, or lot size of their property. However, one thing sellers have complete control over is the listing price. Although no seller likes to lower the price, in a buyer’s market, it is often the best catalyst to sell. Here are some indications you may need to lower your price.

Remember, you have the same goal as your REALTOR® to sell your property for the best possible price in a reasonable amount of time. Be open to suggestions and rely on the experience and success of your professional REALTOR®.

1. You have a lot of potential buyers who have come through your home, but you have not received offers. This may be sign that potential buyers are waiting for you to lower your price.
2. Ask your REALTOR® the average time comparables in your area were on the market before selling. If your home has been on the market for significantly longer, and is sufficiently advertised, without generating interest, it may be time to adjust your price.
3. If you are not getting traffic or offers you may have priced yourself out of contention for your target audience. If you have a starter home with two bedrooms and one bath, with the price tag of a five-bedroom three-bath home, potential buyers will not make offers, let alone come for a viewing. Be realistic when pricing your home or be prepared to languish on the market.
4. Your competition wins. Visit open houses in the area that are in the same price point and decide how and if your property compares.

To learn more about our team's pricing strategies, please contact our offices today at 626-358-1858 (Monrovia) or 626-963-7621 (Glendora).