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Women Continue Making Strides, Outpacing Men in Real Estate Until the mid-1970s, a woman could not access a line of credit independently without a man to cosign her application. Today, nearly half a century later, more single woman own homes than single men. What progress has been made! These strides in women's history deserve recognition and celebration—especially during Women's History Month. One demographic, in particular, is leading the forefront in real estate transactions: millennial women. They're making up 48 percent of independent homebuyers, according to a new study. With inflation, the wage gap, climbing mortgage interest rates, and student loan debt among other obstacles for this generation, you may be wondering how? How are single millennial women buying homes? I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing single women in all stages of life: from purchasing a home on their own to selling a property, investing in a rental, or exploring their homeownership opportunities in retirement. Here are 4 reasons single ladies and millennial women are leading the pack in real estate: Education: Millennials are dubbed the most educated generation. How does this impact real estate? "Millennials’ pursuit of higher education is good news for the housing market. . . because education is the key to unlock both greater earning power and, in turn, homeownership.” (Keeping Current Matters). And while the wage gap still exists in some fields, more women than men have college degrees, affording them more buying power. Prioritization: From my experience working with single women, one thing they have in common is their willingness to sacrifice and prioritize homeownership. Whether it's willing to commute further to work or being more diligent with saving for a down payment. Women are taking advantage of real estate's potential to increase their overall wealth. Career Advances: The trend of single women owning more homes than single men started around 2018. Since then, single women have only continued to hit career milestones, generating more income and increasing their ability to afford a home. For many women who have already purchased a home, promotions and income bumps are empowering them to buy a new home or invest in a rental property. The Shrinking Wage Gap:  How big of a role is the wage gap playing in women's wealth? Research shows it's actually shrinking among among Gen Zers and late millennials. "According to a Pew Research Center study, women under 30 made at least as much as their male counterparts in 22 U.S. cities — and outearned them in at least 10." (Moneywise) Now that's some great news! Whether purchasing their first home or selling an existing property, my female clients continue to wow me with their perseverance, focus, and confidence. If you have questions on selling your home or becoming a first-time homeowner—I’m here to help! Contact me any time. –Melissa

Maximize your profit with zero investment Buying a home can be stressful. Selling a home can be even more stressful: choosing an agent, getting it ready for sale, showing your property, dealing with repairs, and more. Everyone wants top dollar when selling—whether it is to secure the down payment for your next home, pay off other debts, or boost your investment. Making the right home updates can make a big difference on the final selling price. Instead of asking you to fix up your home and then call me when it is swipeworthy on Zillow, I give my clients something special. As your realtor, I ask forzeroinvestment on your end to get your house ready to sell. That’s right—I start by asking you for a little elbow grease to pack your unused belongings—and I handle the rest. My client Angelica B. in her newly renovated home in Claremont, Calif. I worked closely with her and her partner David to rent out and sell their homes while purchasing a new home in their dream neighborhood. Could your home benefit from a feature wall? How about a new light fixture? Do those carpets need cleaning? I start by bringing in a professional cleaner to give my interior design partner a clean palette to work with when preparing your home for buyers to walk through. In less than a week, my team and I outline and execute a plan to get your home set up for selling success. With a design eye on your home the entire time, our end result is to maximize the value of the home by providing a visual aesthetic for the potential buyers to feel at home. “Melissa goes to bat for you. She builds relationships; it’s not just a transaction for her,” says my client Angelica B. “I know a lot of people who are realtors. Do I want them to sell my house? No. Melissa sets herself apart with the library of services she can provide.” Angelica is right. There are a lot of realtors out there. With me, you get more for your money! This is how I invest in my business. You, the seller, get to enjoy the rewards. Kick stress to the curb by calling me today!

Meet Rosie Laguna, interior designer and Premier Agent Perez’s new business partner When it comes to selling a house or turning a house into a home, the transformation is more than splashing a one-size-fits-all paint on the walls or swapping out a worn-out sofa. The real transformation occurs when the home dwellers’ energy and style is brought to life. That is just what Interior Designer Rosie Laguna with Laguna’s Interior Design delivers for her clients. “I don’t just buy furnishings; I transform a space,” says Rosie. “If that means knocking down walls, flipping the kitchen to a different side of the room, or even moving the front door, that’s what I do. I never do the same design twice. You get 100 percent design authenticity every time.” Rosie’s passion for interior design started at the young age of 11 when her mother pooled a year’s worth of the savings to redecorate their family’s Coachella Valley home. Nearby Palm Springs wasn’t yet the epicenter for vintage and trendsetting home décor that it is today. The Inland Empire was the place to find more high-end furniture stores in the ‘70s—so that’s where Rosie had her father drive her to find furniture, lighting, wall paper, and other design details. At 16, she started working in the shoe department at GEMCO where her displays caught the attention of customers and managers. The teenager was given a budget and free range to completely transform the shoe space. After realizing high-end furniture and clothing were outside her shoe store budget, Rosie pursued her second love after high school: accounting. Balancing books and balancing rooms and shelves are all a form of problem solving. Soon after establishing her accounting career, she found a new love. Enter Miguel: a skilled wood artisan and carpenter who helped Rosie transform an antique chest into the deep-blue coffee table she envisioned. “Miguel’s carpentry skills opened up a whole new world for me on the design front. Now armed with ideas and a man to make them come to life, I let my creative side take over,” she said. “Combining my designs and Miguel’s carpentry skills, we grew our business into what it is today—30 years later.” Today, Rosie and I have teamed up to offer my home buyers and home sellers the ability to think outside the box (or rooms in their home) and see what their space could be. Whether you need help staging a home to maximize profit on your sale or you need someone to help see the bigger design picture in a walk-through, Rosie and I have you covered. We are offering our clients a free consultation, no strings-attached, no hidden invoice. One of the best parts about working with Rosie is that she starts with you, then looks at the space. She chooses materials and designs that are true to you so that you don’t end up in a house decorated for someone else. You are the one living there. It should bring you joy to come home and dwell there. “I listen to my clients; I observe, and then almost through osmosis, I take on the client’s energy and style. It’s equivalent to submerging myself in their style, then exposing them to a new level or more refined version of what they like.” Interior design and real estate questions? Connect with us today. For more information about Laguna’s Interior Design, visit facebook.com/LagunasDesign.

Downsizing got you feeling down? A complete transformation maximized this home’s space, transcending time with luxury style Moving to your dream neighborhood can come with sacrifice. Decreasing your living space can feel like a big set back, especially if the home’s style doesn’t jive with yours. But what if that “sacrifice” was more of an opportunity? My client’s decided to downsize from a 4,000 square-foot tract home to a 2,000 square-foot, 50+ year old house. Change in space and age was intimidating, but they saw the incredible potential. While the family was accustomed to a sprawling home with new fixtures, they saw an opportunity. With the help of my business partner,Interior Designer Rosie Laguna, they transformed their So. Cal decades old home into a custom, luxury dwelling that captured their lifestyle and aesthetic. The first step to my clients getting into their dream home was helping them get top dollar for their Beaumont property. Selling their Beaumont home enabled them to search and select their dream property in a location better suited for their lifestyle. After finding a home in their dream location—on top of a hill enveloped by trees—I connected them with Rosie to start their renovation. It was clear the home was outdated. Rosie, a master of household transformations, charted a path to melding their Scandinavian and farmhouse styles. “I already knew that a kitchen remodel alone was not going to give them what they needed. I had to go bigger,” Rosie said. “You can only paint over a surface so many times—I needed a blank canvas.” Reconfiguring walls and sheetrock helped tackle two main challenges: maximizing storage to make the home more functional and creating a new-house feel. From repositioning and installing new windows and increasing closet space, to installing new insulation—every step of the renovation aimed to create a more open, airy, and efficient space. Beyond practical transformations was Rosie’s overarching goal of bringing the homeowners’ Swedish and southern roots to the surface of their home. “Part of what makes a house a home is when you inject items that take you back to happy places in your childhood or college days,” Rosie said. “I wanted them to feel comfortable—nostalgic almost—when they moved around the house.”   Transitioning the look and feel from inside the home to outside was another must to make the most of every inch of living space. Rosie carried the same interior paint underneath the eaves on the outside of the home, along with a darker color for the majority of the exterior—highlighting all of the beautiful vegetation. A little pop of color to the windows added a fun, fresh touch. “Creating a custom, updated, and more modern feel to this home involved blending depths like matted black and polished chrome—purposefully adding inconsistent, yet beautiful elements,” said Rosie.   Cutting your living space in half doesn’t have to mean cutting half your enjoyment of your home. A remodel can double the enjoyment you find in your home.While a shiny, newly built home may give you butterflies, keep in mind that homeowners don’t necessarily always need more space. With the right house in the right location—and the right interior designer—you can have a custom home designed with your family’s needs and styles in mind. Now doesn’t that sound dreamy? Call me today to start your house hunt!

It’s Women History Month—a time dedicated to the commemoration and education of what women have achieved throughout history. While it’s important to reflect on key milestones, such as women being able to legally vote or own real estate, there are big things happening today for women, too! According to Redfin, “Despite the fact that the coronavirus-driven recession disproportionately impacted women in 2020, single women purchased 9% more homes in the fourth quarter than a year ago, compared with a 4.5% uptick for single men.” That’s right—even though the recession hit women hardest (especially women of color) and forced them out of the workforce at a greater rate than men, we’re seeing more single women buying homes than single men. Achieving Homeownership With record-low mortgage rates, single women are seizing the opportunity to become homeowners. Redfin reports that most women who were able to afford a home pre-pandemic are likely still able to afford a mortgage. I’ve helped single women sell their homes and achieve their dreams of being an independent homeowner. The first step to achieving this goal: believing that it is possible. “I was intimidated by the fact that housing prices in California sounded like so much money. It didn’t seem possible,” said Upland homeowner and past client Emily Laskey. “The best thing I did for myself was find out what I qualify for, what a payment would look like, and how that would affect my budget. I wish I had actually bought a house sooner and put the misconceptions aside in my mind.”

Becoming a homeowner right now is much different than it was a year or two ago. With a huge inventory gap—there are 46.7% less homes on the market than this time last year—and record-low mortgage rates, potential buyers are finding themselves in a unique and challenging situation. More people want to buy homes than there are people selling homes. It feels like a race to the finish line, and the perception is that the buyer with the most cash wins. As a seasoned Realtor, I’ve never seen anything like this. A home is listed for sale and within days, it is gone. Take one of my most recent listings in Riverside: we listed the home on Thursday, had more than 100 showings over the weekend, and 58 offers by Monday! Adding fuel to the fire, buyers are paying tens of thousands of dollars over list price and waiving inspection or appraisal contingencies. Another one of my listings just closed for $100,000 over list price. Are you thinking: that is insane!? While this is good news for sellers who are cashing in on their home equity, buyers are quickly becoming fatigued and disheartened. Here is a glimmer of hope: although current circumstances feel defeating, it is not impossible to buy a house right now and lock in a low mortgage rate. The key is that you need to prepare to run a marathon and not a sprint. So how can you outpace your competitor and get your offer accepted? Here are some ways to set yourself up for success in today’s seller’s market. Work with a good lender When sorting through a stack of offers, real estate agents prioritize offers by various factors, one being lender type. The seller’s agent is looking for lenders that can pivot quickly or offer an incentive that makes the buyer stand out, such as closing within a short period. Understandably, these are nuances that most buyers aren’t aware of. That’s why it’s so important to work with a trusted agent who can help you find the best lender. Have some money in the bank Let’s say you find THE house. The dream house. The creme de la creme. You’re determined not to let it slip away. Your best chances at coming in at the top is having some cash to waive the appraisal contingency. How does this work? Say a house is worth $400,000 but you bid $420,000. Comparable homes sold for $399,000 recently, so it’s unlikely the home will be appraised for your bid amount. By waiving the appraisal contingency, you’re telling the seller that you will pay the difference between what the home is appraised for and what you’re offering. Be flexible I work with clients with all types of budgets. I tell my clients that if they don’t have a lot of money to worth with, they still have something in their back pocket that makes them competitive: flexibility. Be open to working with what the seller needs. Everyone is having a hard time finding a house, including sellers. If you offer for them to stay in the house for a month or two cost-free, for example, that can give you a huge leg-up on the competition. Putting in the work If you go into the home buying process mentally prepared to run the marathon, then my team and I have you covered. I will help you set realistic expectations within your budget, we’re going to see a lot of houses, and we’re going to put in a lot of offers. Shopping for home’s in today’s market is a marathon, but I promise it’ll be worth it! Ready to get started? Contact me today! –Melissa

New laws and loan processes are making it easier to buy a home The real estate market has been a rollercoaster for home buyers since the pandemic started. Mortgage rates dropped to record lows (down), the number of houses on the market also tanked (down), and homes started selling in record time for record-high prices (up). What a carnival ride! Some home buyers have thrown in the towel searching for their dream home. It has definitely been a sellers’ market. Yet as competitive as the market has been, changes to the loan process and new laws are making it easier for some Americans to buy homes. I know what you’re thinking: it doesn’t feel that way! Take a look at these changes that have boosted your opportunity to become a homeowner and make the move you’ve been dreaming of. Prop 19 Property Tax Changes One of the big advantages of staying in a home for decades is having a low property tax rate. If the home doesn’t meet your needs any more, you can feel stuck. Moving could mean a shock to your finances with a higher tax rate—especially if you’re on a fixed income. That is until Prop 19 passed in California this year. Now seniors, people with severe disabilities, and victims of wildfire have the option to transfer their current property tax rate anywhere in the state! And there’s no cap on the value of the new home. Homeowners who qualify can now buy a new home anywhere in the state, for any price, while transferring the current tax rate up to the value of their old home up to three times. Learn more here: (Insert prop 19 link) Rental History Consideration Got some dings on your credit report? Are you afraid your credit is holding you back from qualifying for a mortgage? I have good news for you. Fannie Mae is now considering rental payment history when underwriting loans for buyers. This means potential homebuyers with insufficient credit will have a better chance of getting approved for a mortgage. Factoring in Accurate Student Loan Debt Are you renting and feel like paying a mortgage in combination with your student loans is impossible? The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is taking steps to make it easier for borrowers with student loan debt to qualify for a federally insured mortgage. With a new policy in place, lenders now calculate a borrower’s student loan month payment based on the actual student loan payment, which is often lower than previous calculations. What does this mean for hopeful homeowners? More people will be able to meet the minimum eligibility requirements for an FHA-insured mortgage. 40 Year Mortgage Option For Americans struggling during the pandemic, mortgage forbearance was a saving grace. But what happens when payments resume? One option being considered right now is allowing homeowners to catch up on payments by refinancing with a 40-year mortgage. As home prices and mortgage rates climb, a 40-year mortgage could also help combat the affordability problem with lower payments for new homeowners. Are you ready to explore some of these options for buying or selling? Contact me anytime with questions. –Melissa

Today’s real estate market is intimidating. For young couples looking to buy their first home, for families who have been working hard to save that down payment, and especially for single moms, dads, and anyone with one income. Solo purchases represented only 28% of the overall market in 2021, but it appears that a change is brewing thanks to millennial women. Millennial women make up the largest demographic in the U.S. who are making independent home purchases. That’s right—48% of independent, first-time homebuyers are single women with a median age of 33, according to a recent study by Hippo. Even though the pandemic recession hit women hardest (especially women of color) and forced them out of the workforce at a greater rate than men, we’re continuing to see more single women buying homes than single men. Women Achieving Homeownership Women are shifting from the traditional path to homeownership. A recent survey from Bank of America reports that 65% of single women prospective homebuyers would rather not wait for marriage to buy. What’s more, 30% of married women purchased their homes with they were single. Whey wait for marriage to start investing in your future? Interestingly, the Hippo survey found that 82% of first-time women homebuyers felt that the pandemic accelerated their decision to buy a home. I’ve helped single women sell their homes and achieve their dreams of being an independent homeowner. The first step to achieving this goal: believing that it is possible. “I was intimidated by the fact that housing prices in California sounded like so much money. It didn’t seem possible,” said millennial homeowner and past client Emily Laskey. “The best thing I did for myself was find out what I qualify for, what a payment would look like, and how that would affect my budget. I wish I had actually bought a house sooner and put the misconceptions aside in my mind.” Tapping into the Market’s Hot Spots Despite the stereotypes, misconceptions, and gender pay gap, not only are millennial women outpacing men in buying homes, they’re also putting down larger down payments. Hippo reports that 41% of millennial women put more than 20% down, while NerdWallet reports the average down payment for a first-time buyer is 7%. What does that tell us? Women are shedding traditional views of owning a home, honing in on saving for a down payment, and taking advantage of the current market. With record-low mortgage rates holding steady, millennial women are seizing the opportunity to cut tens of thousands of dollars off the life of a home loan. Even more advantageous than low interest rates? Cashing in on soaring equity. This year, I’ve worked with several women who jumped into the seller’s market and used their equity to make their next big life move. Yes You Can! How to Start Your Path to Homeownership Are you a single lady who is ready to overcome the intimidation factor and start building equity? Here are some first steps and things to keep in mind as you start the process: Get prequalified. I’ll help point you in the right direction to get pre-approved for a home loan. This will help you find out how much you can afford immediately and set a budget. If the loan amount works for you, preapproval means you can start your home search right away. Don’t limit yourself to the type of home. When most women begin a home search, they automatically think a condo is the best fit. While condos are a great fit for many women, keep in mind that single-family homes gain equity faster. Outsourcing services like gardening and repairs usually equal the same amount as HOA fees. Know your financing options. Another misconception is that you have to put a 20% down payment on a home. I’m here to tell you, that’s not true! Don’t let this misconception make you delay buying a home. You don’t have to drain your savings account and can qualify for as little as 3.5% down or 0% down if you’re a veteran or qualify for a first-time homebuyer’s assistance program. Not right now doesn’t mean never. It might not be your time to buy a home—but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen! If you’re determined to become a homeowner, you can do it. Understanding what’s holding you back is the first step to shaping your future. Whether purchasing their own homes or capitalizing on the seller’s market, my female clients continue to wow me with their perseverance, focus, and confidence. If you’re ready to jump in head first or have some initial questions on selling your home or becoming a first-time homeowner—I’m here to help! Contact me any time. –Melissa

In the midst of the pandemic, an important piece of legislation was passed and put into effect: Proposition 19. The California Association of REALTORS summarizes the benefits of Prop 19 below: "With the passage of Proposition 19, homeowners who are 55+, severely disabled or victims of wildfire or natural disaster may transfer their property tax base of their existing home to a new home anywhere in California without price restriction. Prop 19 new tax benefits for homeowners 55+, severely disabled, or victims of wildfire or natural disaster, as of April 1, 2021 include: Moving anywhere in California: Prop 19 removes location restrictions on property tax transfers allowing the transfer of the property tax base of an existing home to a new home anywhere in California. Moving to any home regardless of price: Prop 19 removes price restrictions on property tax transfers allowing the transfer of the property tax base of an existing home to a new home regardless of price (with an adjustment upward to their tax basis if the replacement property is of greater value). Transferring the low property tax base of your original home to a new home up to THREE times (or more for victims of wildfire or natural hazard)." The question now in March 2022 is whether homeowners have taken advantage of Proposition 19. Part of what needs to happen for Proposition 19 to be utilized is the education side. Not all homeowners are aware of Prop 19 -- and many might confuse it with previous policies like Prop 60/90. "Although official statistics from the State Board of Equalization and from individual county assessors is not expected to be available for some time, there are some preliminary indications that some homeowners are taking advantage of recently enacted changes to move to a new home without losing their Proposition 13-protected property tax base on their current home." Approximately 1 in 3 REALTORS reported that they had worked with a seller who has or will transfer their property tax base to another home.* What was the motivating factor for those sales? What prompted those sellers to put their homes on the market? "For nearly 1 out of 4 of those, the ability to transfer their property tax base was the motivating factor in the sale, which suggests that property tax portability could help to unlock some additional inventory in 2022." (Market Minute) Does the idea of transferring your tax base to another home in California sound attractive to you? Are you curious about whether you could buy a home and then sell the home? Call, text, or email me today and I can provide you with additional information. –Melissa Source: **CAR.org *https://www.car.org/marketdata/marketminute

Not sure what you’re walking into when buying or selling a home? You need a dedicated Real Estate Agent advocating on your behalf. Here are 7 ways your agent should support you. Picture your first time meeting a REALTOR. They unlock the home of your dreams and open the door. You walk in, love the home, and are ready to put in your offer. But do you know what you’re REALLY walking into? Buying or selling your home is complicated, messy, stressful, and downright scary! But as your REALTOR, my job doesn’t just start with opening the front door during a showing, and it definitely doesn’t stop there. It is my job to field all the curveballs and answer your questions to minimize your stress. From your very first home showing until the day you close on your new home. Here are some of the ways a dedicated REALTOR—myself included—should support you throughout the buying and selling process. Strategy: In today’s competitive housing market, having a strategy in place before you step foot into a potential home is key. When working with buyers, I sit down with my clients and review how we’ll play our cards right over the competition. We discuss budget, location, flexibility, and any other factors that offer an advantage. I also help the buyer navigate financial options that they might be unfamiliar with. When selling a home, I perform an in-depth analysis of the local market to ensure we list at the right price. My Interior Design partner develops a vision for prepping a home for the market and we execute our strategy—from cleaning and organizing, to investing in minor upgrades, to staging, and marketing. It’s all hands on deck to put our best face (or front door) forward! Writing a Winning Offer: With an average of five offers per home, writing a competitive offer in today’s market is one of the most valuable resources a REALTOR can provide. It is important to communicate with the client that the highest bid doesn’t necessarily always win. It’s about understanding what could motivate the seller and make your offer shine – as well as being available and professional with the listing agent so that they know that we are reliable. Negotiations: Master Facilitator – that is my nickname. I was fortunate that I entered the real estate business as an established marketing professional. This means you get a REALTOR with a trained eye to spot patterns and trends and who will go to bat for you for price, home improvement, and other contract negotiations. Emotional Support: Even the smoothest of home purchases comes with its bumps. A great REALTOR will prepare you for the potential curveballs when buying or selling and be there for you if things don’t go as planned. Sure it’s business—but emotions can run high on both sides of the transaction. My job is to remain calm and collected as we work through any obstacles. Translate Contract Language: If it is your first time buying a home—or it’s been a while since you did—real estate language can sound a lot like gobbledygook. A REALTOR walks you through the contract and reviews disclosures with you to ensure you clearly understand the buying/selling process. Legal Protection: If you’re considering selling your home, then it may have crossed your mind to go the For Sale By owner route. After all, keeping thousands of dollars in your own pocket that you would typically pay a real estate agent in commission DOES sound appealing. Selling your home without a Real Estate Agent is not only difficult, but risky. There are so many nuanced legal aspects that go into the transfer of real property: ensuring title, escrow, required disclosures, and communicating with the buyer in an objective way. My role as a REALTOR is to guide you through the sale of your property and advocate on your behalf. Trusted Resources: When you work with a trusted REALTOR, you don’t just tap into their knowledge and experience. You also gain access to a rolodex of their trusted resources. Need an amazing lender who can get you prequalified today? Need help transforming the house you just bought into a home? How about movers? I’ve got you covered. Not sure what you’re walking into when buying or selling? I do. I walk the path of real estate every day. I’d love to help. Reach out any time! –Melissa