Imagine you are in the desert. You have no water. No food. The shirt on your back, ripped and tattered, a pair of torn khakis and a pair of worn leather sandals account for all your possessions in your current universe.

Prepared for the inevitable with the sun beating down upon you for now the third day with nothing but sand and blue sky all around you. Off in the distance…could it be? Someone or something seems to be coming toward you. Clearing the dust away from your eyes with your weathered hands, indeed it is not a mirage but a man walking his camel, heading your way. Laden with what seems to be supplies draped across the camel’s back, this man looks very well equipped for the landscape and the associated conditions. His cotton headdress and loose, flowing white clothing protect him from the heat and you can see that he seems to be drinking something from a leather pouch.

Within moments, your paths will cross. Your spirits brighten at the prospect that this man could save your life. Gauging that your savior is within earshot, you strain your parched throat to emit one vital word: “Water.”

The man continues his approach towards you in a dust cloud created by the trudging hooves of his four-legged transport and then stops.

“Water, you say?” His voice clear and strong, with a hint of an English accent.

“Oh, yes. Very thirsty.”

“Hmmm. Certainly a silly place to be without it.”

“Agreed. Can you help me?”

“Perhaps.”

The stranger pauses for a moment and, with a wry smile, continues.

“What do you have to offer me in return?”

Certainly an interesting predicament, and not unlike how buyers and sellers sometimes communicate in a home-for-sale transaction.

It’s important that Realtors have the ability to think on their feet and with confidence, in order to achieve the success that their clients desire. Recently, at our company, we began a 5-week intensive — an advanced-training series called The Partners Trust Negotiation Institute, designed to further enhance the already excellent negotiation skills of our Associates. The intensive includes “break out” sessions into smaller groups, with one additional evening each week during the series.

Associates are encouraged and challenged to expand beyond their comfort zones. There are books involved, role-playing scenarios, high-level strategies, and there is even a final exam!

We ask questions, such as “What would you do and how would you respond if faced with this situation?” and “How creative, in the absence of tangible resources, can you be to achieve your objective?” We face fears, we bond, and we challenge each other to bring out the very best within.

Let’s face it, the vast majority of brokerages are still operating like it’s ten years ago. At the fast pace that the world and its markets are changing, ten years may as well be a hundred years. In my opinion, our Negotiation Institute is exactly the type of training and service that today’s real estate brokerage must provide in order to be stellar in today’s environment.

Here at PT, some might go so far as to plan their day around the best pizza, Caesar salad, Americano, and/or cupcakes.  I am here to add another favorite to our list… the Italian beef sandwich. That’s right, you heard me. Cover your ears, vegans! The Italian beef sandwich is a tasty variation on the French dip. And they are amazingly delicious, in my opinion, but you have to be willing to go to Buena Park!

Like many Angelenos, my husband and I are both transplants to the Los Angeles area.  I am from Arizona while my husband is from Chicago.  Keeping our home states in mind I crave the more traditional Mexican food and he dreams of his childhood favorite, Portillos.

Portillos serves burgers, sandwiches, salads, hotdogs, fries, and yes, the Italian beef sandwich.  Up until a year and a half ago, the only place to sit down and enjoy an Italian beef sandwich would be in Illinois, but now there is a Portillos right here in Southern California.

Located in Buena Park (near Knotts Berry Farm), this Chicago favorite draws from all areas of LA County, Orange County and the Inland Empire.  Decorated with Chicago Mob articles, sports  paraphernalia , and recreations of prohibition scenarios hanging from the ceiling, the inside is essentially a large scale sit down fast food restaurant.  On any given Saturday afternoon you will find Chicago transplants wearing their favorite Chicago sports team gear devouring the most delicious (and sinful)of meals.

At times when we are both craving Portillos we will make a special trip (from Agoura Hills) down to Buena Park just for lunch or even swing by on our way home from a soccer tournament.  Despite our location we have found many excuses that find us sitting down as a family with our favorite menu items.  My personal recommendation, an Italian beef sandwich, thinly sliced beef on an Italian roll, with hot peppers and au jus on the side, share some fries with a friend and an iced cold beverage of your choice.

Hey, if you ask me, it is well worth the drive.  If the drive is just a bit too much, but you are feeling the need to try it out, you can order online.  Delivered with all the condiments one could desire and then you can prepare it in the comforts of your own home.  With the Super Bowl coming up, it is a great time to give it a try.

Where else can you find outstanding restaurants, clothing stores, coffee shops and just great people-watching.  It is located right in the middle of everything and walking-distance to the beach.  There are no “big name” retailers or restaurants.  Instead, it is a quaint street made up of mom-and-pop shops and restaurants.

What attracts a lot of people to live in Venice is this street.  Many people who migrate here love the fact that it is a walking community and you really do not need a car, just your feet and or a bike.  You actually get a lot of New Yorkers who say it reminds them of the East Village or Soho. For more information on this great street and all that it has to offer please check it out here.

The Conforming Loan. What does conforming mean? This simply means the loan conforms to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines. So these giant agencies will buy loans now up to $729,750. But keep in mind that a $417,000 loan or less will get you better interest rates, usually a .25% lower than loan amounts above that and up to $729,750.

So conforming loans are up to $417,000, and then we have the new bracket called conforming jumbo up to $729,750. These are for a single unit only. Loans amounts are higher for 2 to 4 units.

Now what happens once we get over the $729,750 loan amount? Do we drift in space just hoping we find our way home? It’s not that bad, actually it can be great. For example if you have a middle credit score of 760 you can possibly get a $2,000,000 loan with only 20% down. You will need to have 6 months of your monthly housing debt in reserves too. And with 25% down it is possible to get a $3,000,000 loan. Same 760 credit score requirement but now you will need 24 months reserves. And if you need to go as high as a $5,000,000 loan it is possible to get a loan with 30% down. The beauty is that the rate is the same for a loan amount from $729,751 to $4,000,000. No additional rate increase. That’s great. And for loan amounts over $4,000,000 to $5,000,000 there is only an .125% increase to the rate.

As luck would have it, I have two, big listings in Hidden Hills and a few more on the horizon. So, of course, a little shout-out from The Diva never hurts.  I mean, I have always known that Hidden Hills is an exclusive community with it’s smallest property being an acre, and up until recently, you even couldn’t get through the gates for under $3 mil.  Five years ago, H.H. wasn’t exactly on the forefront of luxury real estate in this town: most people with deep pockets like to show off their digs and have a certain zip code that matches the price tag on their Bentleys and Birkins.  But interestingly enough, these same people are leaving Beverly Hills and driving the half hour to this gated community.  So, why is everyone coming into H.H. in droves now?  In one word…

NOSTALGIA.

Let me put it this way: if you can get through the gates, the first thing you see is a cute, little sign that says, “Relax, slow down, your home.”  There are no sidewalks or streetlights.  White, wooden fences surround every home, all of which have great set backs and huge backyards.  The community center looks less like an office building and more like your neighbor’s house.

There are horse facilities for anyone who wishes to use them, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and workout and tennis centers.  To top it all off, they do a rodeo every year and – no joke – there is a little parade with the children in the community that is so charming, you can’t help but get sucked in.  Kids play kickball in the street, ride their ponies to the back gate for their lesson with the Pony Club, and, believe it or not, the phrase “be back by dusk” still exists.

Hidden Hills is like going back to your childhood.  Pure nostalgia, plain and simple.  And it is that feeling that is sending even the most Zip code-conscious people to Hidden Hills.  Believe me when I tell you that they are not regretting it.

Beyond the hyperbole and manipulated confidence, every real estate transaction involving the general public and their real estate agent comes down to one defining factor: what experience did the client have while achieving their objective of buying or selling a home?

Sure, the magnitude of advertising campaigns from established companies over long periods of time brings a degree of comfort — particularly for those looking to get in the game for the first time. Human nature dictates that “tried and true” can look appealing to a new buyer or seller entering the markets. After all, “limiting risk” is often a sound business practice, and to an untrained eye it seems even more sensible. Everyone wants a good night’s sleep, right?

But these kind of assumptions  are disadvantageous, even dangerous, in this new era of transparency, access, and cooperation.  Consider the following:

1.     85% of all real estate transactions take place between cooperating agents within brokerage companies.*

This means that every brokerage must share the vast majority of properties available for sale in order to keep the lights on. Conclusion: when buying or selling a home, individual agents in the field work together to make deals well beyond the company where they hang their license.

2.    The agent defines the experience.

What do you care about the name of the Broker when it is the agent that will be offering you the counsel, strategy and negotiation-implementation throughout the process of your transaction? The agent, far and away, defines the experience, either pleasurable or distasteful, based on their abilities. The brokerage name on the sign in the front yard does little to define the experience (no matter what anyone tells you).

Big brokerages don’t want you to really know this information, by the way. Because they spend inordinate amounts of money promoting their brand, while also supporting a work force in which easily 50% will close less than 2 deals in any given year. Behemoth brokerages must “play to their strengths” of numbers and market share.

I know the initial counter-claim will speak of global outreach and sheer mass to dazzle you back into their fold, and that’s fine, except the problem with that offering is that the internet has leveled that playing field. Now market share will be defined online, through Search Engine Optimization and Google Ranking.

My point in this message is simple: If you are a perspective purchaser or seller of a home, focus more on the individual that will be with you every step of the way and less on the company that they are affiliated with.

*provided by the Multiple Listing Service

What a great week for rates for home loans! On average a drop of .125%! With the government program of buying mortgage backed securities due to end March 31st, this may be the last chance for awhile to see rates under 5%.

If you’ve been considering purchasing a home, now might be the time to call your mortgage professional and get the ball rolling. Have a look at these figures:

John Ciolino First Capital Mortgage 1401 Ocean Ave., Ste. 210 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Phone: (310) 656-8201 Fax: (310) 458-9342 johnciolino@firstcapitalmtg.com www.firstcapitalmtg.com Friday, January 15, 2010 My Real Estate News Conforming Loan Limits 1 Unit: $417,000 2 Units: $533,850 3 Units: $645,300 4 Units: $801,950 Conforming Loan Limits Loan Program Interest Rate Payment per $1000 Points 30 year fixed rate 4.750 5.23 1.00 15 year fixed rate 4.250 7.50 1.00 3.5% Down FHA NEW LIMIT $729,750 5.250 Call for info 1.00 2009 High Balance 30 Year Fixed $417.001-$729,750 4.875 5.29 1.00 5 year fixed 3.750 4.64 1.00 Jumbo Loans from $729,751 – $4,000,000 Loan Program Interest Rate Payment per $1000 Points 10 year fixed interest only 5.375 4.47 1.00 5 year fixed interest only 4.750 3.95 1.00 40 year fixed 2 Step 5.50 5.67 1.00 7 year fixed interest only 5.125 4.27 1.00 5 year fixed ($729,750 Max Loan) 3.875 4.71 1.00 C.A.R. Contract Rates Rate Type Description Rate % ARM Initial Rate 6 FIXED RATE Initial rate 6.5 Money Rates Rate Type Rate % 10 Yr Bond 3.66 Prime 3.25 11th District COFI 1.272 1 year T-Bill 0.350 1 Year Libor 1.091

First Capital MTG. License # 4130713 California Please call for pricing between $1,000,0001 – $10,000,000 • Rates are intended for Real Estate Professionals only

Here’s the other thing: social media makes promoting sellers’ homes easier and more effective than ever.

The days of print advertising are fading, and quickly. Remember the real estate profession before mobile phones? Remember before computers, when all homes were listed on index cards or stuffed into huge binders? The days of dinosaurs, my friend. And I’ve got news for you. Another cultural shift is occurring now. In fact, we’re smack dab in the middle of a paradigm shift — how information is processed and shared.

Don’t be scared. It’s fun! It works!  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Flip cams, smartphones, blog posts, online forums — you name it.  It’s all about where the eyeballs are. In order to showcase a seller’s home, it needs to be seen. Social Media accomplishes this beautifully, placing the best homes in front of the eyeballs that matter most: qualified buyers.

Question: Where are today’s qualified buyers?

Answer: Online.

Question: Where are today’s most beautiful homes being showcased perfectly?

Answer: Online.

The challenge? It’s new. And “new” can seem trendy or even threatening. Real estate professionals who assist Westside buyers and sellers know that they are in a higher-end marketplace and realize (hopefully) the importance of elegance and discretion. This is how it should be. But discretion should enhance a Realtor’s skill set, not interfere with effectively promoting the client’s property.

What all of this means is that, in order to be truly helpful to our clients, we must stay abreast of the newest and best technological tools. That’s easier said then done. Realtors can be like everyone else: fearful of change. But change we must, if we are to continue to provide platinum-level service to LA’s homebuyers and homesellers.

After we educate ourselves about the newest technologies and feel comfortable using them, we are called upon to educate our sellers. They need to know how social media is in their best interest and why. The best Realtors are more than just expert negotiators — they are great educators.

In this short video, I explain more about this new development in how the best agents are advising buyers and sellers of residential real estate. If you happen to be a Realtor, please watch it. If you happen to be a seller, definitely watch it!

Another thing I like about Venice is its history. Venice has such a fascinating past! Founded in 1905 by the real estate guru Abbot Kinney, and inspired by Italy’s Venice, the homes in this area are some of the most eclectic in the country; there are California bungalows, new condominiums, apartments, beachfront property, and tract single-family residences.

Originally, there were sixteen miles of canals in Venice which were used as the main source of transportation. Abbot Kinney had gondolas imported from Italy and hired boatmen to sing as they paddled passengers to and fro. As time passed and cars became more of a hot commodity, residents were frustrated with the lack of roadways; in 1929, construction began on the draining of Coral Canal and it was soon filled with dirt and renamed Main Street. Of all the original canals only six remain today.

As many people know, Venice is the place of the very hip, the very relaxed and the very artistic. And it offers some outrageously delicious cuisine.  One of my favorites is Primitivo Wine Bar and Bistro. It is located just towards the end of Abbot Kinney right before Main Street. Named best wine bar in 2007, it is a place of great food, wine and atmosphere, where you can unwind with friends or take a first date.  The food is influenced by great tapas from Spain, Mexico and Italian flares. They have over 100 wines by the glass from which to choose.

By the way, if you are wondering what exactly comprises the Venice canals area, the boundaries for this community are Venice Boulevard to the north, Pacific Avenue to the west, Washington Boulevard to the south, and Ocean Avenue to the east.  It is situated between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey.

Here is an outstanding short video by TurnHere Films that I believe really encapsulates the Southern Californian lifestyle that is Venice. Have a look, and please tell me in the comment section what your favorite thing about Venice is!