Five ways a home is valued

Shima 0 comments 26.02.2016

The other day my client asked me, “Shima, how much money can I get for my home?”

I told him that when a potential buyer is inspecting the value of a home, several factors come into play. Although the market has a huge impact whether a home will sell quick or slow, there are some indications that are always considered.

First and foremost, LOCATION!

One of the most influential factors a buyer will consider when deciding whether to purchase a home or investment is geographical location. You’ve heard it, seen it and even said it, “Location, Location, Location!” Proximity to attractions, transportation routes, schools, demographics, ocean views, fine dining and freeways are all advantages one may take into consideration when assessing the value of a home or business’ location.

Second, PRICE!

In 1950, Pepsi used the slang, “More bang for the buck” as an advertising method to describe the New Look policy on nuclear weapons. Today, the phrase is used to mean a greater worth for the money used.

We all love a great deal, especially in one of our greatest investments we will ever make. People want to know that they’re getting more than they imagined they could ever have and that happens when they feel like the home was a steal. Well, how does this occur?

When a home is strategically priced, people line up, wanting it before it’s gone. And the way to do that is to make sure it is priced to sell!

Third, knowing who is your COMPETITION.

When pricing your home, it’s vital to look at what is currently active, what is pending, what has a backup offer, and what has closed.  The active listings are who we are competing with. The pending sales are necessary to see how many days something has been on the market until it has gotten an offer. Closed Sales will test us exactly where our comps will come from- which is typically between the lowest and highest sales.

By understanding WHO the competition is, it is easier to focus on what you have to offer that the others don’t- and that is your power.

Fourth, the CONDITION of your home.

Again, a home or business is a huge investment one makes and the condition will either influence or scare some away. What may seem like a potential fixer to some, may seem frightening to others. So, the condition of a home will influence one’s decision in determining if they will get more bang for their buck!

 Last but not least, the CURRENT MARKET.

Current market conditions are gathered from interest rates, stock market, gasoline prices, election-year distractions, global events, and other things going on around us that we basically have no control over.  These factors plus seasonal things such as income tax time, holidays, add an unpredictable element to home sales.  However, over time, the trend is always upward! As my friend and business partner Tim Marshall says, “I have a saying that the best time to buy is now and the best time to sell is now, because in the long run the trend is always upward.”

As previously mentioned, we all love a great deal. To some, a deal may be getting furniture with the home, a free TV or fridge. To others, it’s simply getting more bang for their buck- which is really just getting something better for the same price.

So when deciding what to price your home, remember these determining factors that will ultimately influence a buyer’s decision. Remember, we’re all out to get the most bang for our buck!

Raising High

Shima 0 comments 08.02.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s #MCM title belongs to Aaron Ware who is bringing his discipline and success as an athlete into the workforce all while inspiring kids from the inner city to stick to education.

Aaron Ware, 26, was born in Gardena and raised in Los Angeles. Upon graduating from Bishop Montgomery in 2008, Aaron attended George Washington University on a basketball scholarship from 2008-2012. He chose GW amongst the others because it was the most well-known basketball school and first school that recruited him.

Although initially apprehensive about leaving L.A. to attend college, Aaron’s mother always encouraged him to spend time in another city as well as meet new people. GW began recruiting Aaron in July of 2007 and they stuck with him until he signed his letter of intent to attend the university.  “I attended GWU because it was an opportunity for me to attend college in the nation’s capital, as well as grow as a young adult,” he says.

Playing basketball has given Aaron many opportunities that he says he would have never fathomed. “Traveling around the country, staying in 5-star hotels and getting television exposure is something not too many people that come from my neighborhood get to experience,” he says. Furthermore, he was able to learn the business side of college basketball such as, coaching staff changes, early morning film sessions/practices while balancing it with schoolwork allowed him to prepare for life after basketball, in the workforce.

Going to school in Washington, DC gave Aaron many memorable experiences that he will never forget, such as: taking a white house tour, attending President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009, GW basketball’s marketing campaign and an opportunity to play a basketball game in front of the First Family.

Today, Aaron works as an Order Management Specialist, in which he places orders for K-Swiss Sales Representatives from around the country.  However, in five years, he hopes to be the Sales Representative for the brand for the Southern California and Arizona area.

Aaron’s passion for shoes led him to K-Swiss when his mom’s best friend, John Porter, saw an opportunity for him to have a career in a business he was knowledgeable in. According to Aaron, Porter has been a sales rep for K-Swiss for over 20 years and is responsible for the Southern California and Arizona territory. He finds that the best part of his job is seeing how each department operates, between operations, product, sales & marketing, etc.

K-Swiss has been in existence since 1996 and is best known for producing tennis shoes and a wide range of apparel including shirts, shorts, and bags. Working at K-Swiss and understanding their “Assembly Line” has helped Aaron realize that when everyone commits time to their assignments, the brand will be successful. Aaron believes that what makes K-Swiss so uniqu

e is that it has remained true to court fitness and style, and will continue to influence young consumers with trends for many years to come.

Transitioning from the sports world into the shoe industry is right up Aaron’s alley, since he knows trends and styles that people love on the west coast. “K-Swiss is a brand that was very popular among our parent’s generation. However, the goal within the next 3-5 years is to sell shoes and apparel that resonate more so with people 13-35 years old,” he says.

Aaron’s plan to do so by being a “walking billboard.” He says that people he is around often are always curious as to what shoes he is wearing. He explains that once they realize he is wearing K-Swiss, they are shocked because the shoes are typically known to be basic, all white and black shoes.

Today, Aaron enjoys playing basketball sparingly, sometimes 3-4 times a month. “I have a few friends that play professionally so when they come home in the summer, I play with them on weekends,” he says. However, he remains very active participating in cardio 4-5 times/week.

Aaron pays it forward to his community by speaking to young boys and girls, especially those who come from the inner city. When given the opportunity, Aaron speaks at basketball camps to children aged 7-12 about the game of basketball, but more importantly, life lessons.

When Aaron is not playing basketball or working, he enjoys watching sports and attending games, mainly basketball, baseball and football. He genuinely loves music of all genres, but mainly listens to hip-hop, R&B and Pop. An interesting fact about Aaron is that he owns over 70 pairs of shoes. He still owns some of his shoes from when he was just two-years-old and still wears shoes from over 10+ years ago.

Aaron looks up to his mother, Shirley Warren and her best friend/his Godfather, John Porter who are both of his greatest mentors.  In addition, he admires Doug Mitchell, his high school basketball coach at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance.

Aaron enjoys living in the South Bay mostly for the beach culture, restaurants, beaches, and bars/lounges which he says make it very hip and one of the most underrated areas in the city. He also enjoys going to restaurants around the L.A. area and claims himself to be a huge “foodie.” In addition, he enjoys shopping time to time in the Beverly/Fairfax area of L.A.

Thank you, Aaron, for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community and finding ways to inspire the youth to reach their academic and sport goals.

 “I believe I can inspire young people to achieve their goals and encourage them that school is very important. I have been very fortunate thus far with some of my experiences, and I think if I can share my story with the youth, they can visualize themselves becoming successful.”

– Aaron Ware

Baby, it’s cold outside…

Shima 0 comments 10.11.2015

For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I wanted to share one of favorite ramen spots.

The weather is becoming chillier and for a lot of South Bay natives, that means it is finally cool enough for a big bowl of ramen!

Asa Ramen, located at 18202 S. Western Ave in Gardena is one of my favorite hole-in-the wall restaurants. Like most ramen restaurants, it is not open all day, however, is open until 1 a.m. for the evening hours.

You can pop in between 11:30-2:30 p.m. for the day or in the evening between 6:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. The restaurant, which has 3.5 stars on Yelp from 570 reviews is a favorite for many locals because of its flavorful soups. I personally like to order the pork-flavored noodles with bamboo.

One Yelp reviewer writes, “I used to come to Asa about once a week when I worked in the restaurant business because they are opened late and the ramen is always so comforting.  After a while, it became my go to spot for ramen, which says a lot because the South Bay has a lot of different ramen shops.  This little hole in the wall is normally pretty consistent, flavor wise and it’s so convenient because it’s never too crowded where we can’t get a table.”'

Indeed, there are numerous ramen spots in the South Bay which makes choosing one difficult. Although the restaurant is not very large, I have never had any trouble with being seated in a reasonable amount of time.

What’s your favorite go-to place when it is cold out?