Tag Archives: real estate

Top Ranked Realtor Erika Shinzato

Staff Reports

Inland Empire – In the heart of the Inland Empire, where diverse cultures converge, Erika Shinzato stands out as a prominent figure in the real estate landscape. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Erika’s unique background has paved the way for her multilingual abilities, allowing her to seamlessly communicate in Spanish, Japanese, and English. This linguistic versatility is just one aspect of the exceptional service that Erika brings to her clients.

With over 18 years of real estate experience, Erika has been working hand-in-hand with her partner and husband, Broker Associate David Chung, for more than two decades. Together, they have established themselves as pillars of expertise in the Inland Empire, focusing on areas such as Eastvale, Ontario Ranch, Chino Hills, Chino, and Rancho Cucamonga.

Erika’s commitment to providing top-notch services is reflected in her approach to both home sellers and buyers. For sellers, she employs cutting-edge technology-based marketing strategies while offering affordable discount services. For buyers, Erika aims to deliver the best new home searches in San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire, offering insight into new developments by renowned builders like Pulte Homes, Richmond American Homes, Lennar, K.B. Homes, D.R. Horton, Brookfield Residential, Van Daele Homes, and many others.

Residing in one of the largest new developments in Ontario Ranch, Erika possesses an intimate knowledge of the surrounding neighborhoods, particularly in Eastvale and Ontario Ranch. She and David are well-versed in the residential market and stay abreast of all new emerging construction projects.

Erika’s dedication to excellence is further exemplified by her top ranking on Yelp, having over 150 plus 5-star reviews in the Inland Empire. Prospective clients can explore the multitude of homes Erika and David have successfully sold in Eastvale and Ontario Ranch, accompanied by glowing testimonials on www.ErikaReviews.com.

Fortune Magazine, in its 2023 evaluation, ranked Eastvale as the 7th best place to live for families in the nation. This recognition underscores the allure of the community, adding value to Erika’s expertise as a real estate professional in the area.

The neighboring city of Ontario Ranch is also not to be overlooked. According to Calhomenews.com, Ontario Ranch secured its position as the top-selling master-planned community in the Southern California region and ranked 13th nationally in 2022. Additionally, it claimed the 7th spot as the largest master-planned community in the nation.

Erika Shinzato takes pride in holding a record for one of the highest numbers of home sales in the Inland Empire. Renowned for her technological prowess, she and David offer sellers a suite of cutting-edge marketing tools, including cinematography-quality property videos, 3D floor plans, professional property websites, and staging solutions for vacant and owner-occupied homes.

A glimpse into Erika’s impressive portfolio includes a brief list of her home sales in Eastvale. Notably, these properties saw an average time on the market of just two weeks, with prices consistently surpassing sellers’ asking figures. Erika’s track record speaks volumes:

7167 Silverwood Dr., Eastvale

6872 Song Sparrow Rd., Eastvale

14127 Tiger Lily Ct., Eastvale

5416 Highbury Way., Eastvale

7230 Cottage Grove Dr., Eastvale

13753 Deerpath Circle., Eastvale

12364 Meadowvale St., Eastvale

14074 Tiger Lily Ct., Eastvale

13321 Wooden Gate Way., Eastvale

6360 Hazel St., Eastvale

6569 Amber Sky Way., Eastvale

For those seeking more information, Erika invites you to explore http://www.ErikaShinzato.com and watch a brief 3-minute video on her homepage to gain insight into the exceptional services she provides for home sellers. Erika Shinzato is not just a Realtor; she is a trailblazer in the Inland Empire’s real estate landscape, leading with experience, expertise, and a commitment to excellence.

Rent or Buy?

Nef Cortez

By Nef Cortez

Most people start their independent living when they first move out of their parent’s home by renting.  They either choose to rent a room at another person’s home, or possibly move into a friend’s apartment. Many times they go from that living arrangement to sharing the cost of renting an apartment or house together with a few friends or just someone else.

Although everyone has their own decisions to make, and many different circumstances, across our country, we tend to follow a consumer pattern throughout our lives.  Many financial analysts have studied the consumer cycle, and an established pattern has been the following for our society at large: one first starts working in their early late teens and into the early 20’s, and then family formation follows in the mid-twenties to mid-thirties.  Typically, at the stage of family formation and into the cycle of a young family  is when most of us address the issue of “Buying versus Renting”.  At this stage, there are usually young children in the household, and the provision for a home with a yard for the children to play in becomes a major concern.

Currently, the rental rates are very high, and have been increasing substantially at 5% plus per year over the last 6-7 years. This highlights the need to stabilize the monthly housing cost, and with current interest rates, it is a very good time to lock in a low rate by buying a home. Many economists are predicting interest rates will increase this year.  Just this week, the Federal Reserve approved its second rate hike of the year, increasing its benchmark interest rate by one-quarter percent.  This rate hike eventually gets spread out to consumer interest rates.

There are many other factors that come into making a decision on whether to Rent or Buy. Next week, I will provide in more detail those factors, as well as show a point by point comparison on the options.

This article was written by Nef Cortez, a licensed Real Estate Broker, Ca BRE # 00560181 since 1976. He can be reached via e-mail at nefcortez@gmail.com.  Please feel free to email any questions regarding real estate.

 

A Real Estate Minute

By Gil Rivera

 

This is my first in a series of short articles giving you updates about the local real estate market. We are all busy with our jobs, family and friends so I will make these articles short enough to read in  “A Real Estate Minute”!

As for my background, I’ve been a State Certified Real Estate Appraiser for 25 years and have owned my real estate sales company, SellYourCasa.com, for the past 17 years. I appraise over 250 homes a year for refinances, sales, listings, trusts, bankruptcies, divorces, and estates. I’ve lived in Diamond Bar for the past 26 years. I appraise homes from Los Angeles thru the San Gabriel Valley to the Inland Empire and down thru North Orange County.

As I write this, May 2017 has come upon us and the 2nd financial quarter is almost complete. It is still a SELLER’S market! In the past few weeks, homes have been selling within 7-14 days! Ever since the interest rates went up at the end of March, the market has been booming. Why? Many Buyers who were sitting on the fence decided to take action before the rates rise again. Many buyers equals More offers which in turn yields Higher prices for Sellers!

 

Orange County: Former Fannie Mae Official Sentenced to Federal Prison

STAFF REPORTS

Santa Ana – A former sales associate with the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) was sentenced on Mon., Aug. 4 to 15 months in federal prison for taking kickbacks from a real estate broker who sold properties on behalf of the mortgage agency.

According to the Assistant United States Attorney, Stephen Goorvitch, Armando Granillo, 45, of Huntington Beach, who worked in the Fannie Mae’s Irvine office, was sentenced by United States District Judge, David O. Carter.  In addition to his 15 month sentence in federal prison, Granillo was ordered to spend 6 months in a residential reentry center.

Following a two-day trial in March, Granillo was found guilty of three counts of “honest services” wire fraud for soliciting kickbacks while working for Fannie Mae.

As a “real estate owned foreclosure specialist” for Fannie Mae, Granillo reviewed applications submitted by real estate brokers who wanted to list Fannie Mae foreclosure properties, and he had the authority to approve sale offers presented by the brokers. In late 2012, Granillo asked a real estate broker in Tucson to pay a percentage of the commissions the broker earned for selling Fannie Mae foreclosure properties. The broker brought the matter to the attention of federal law enforcement officials and assisting in the investigation.

During subsequent conversations between Granillo and the broker, Granillo demanded 20 percent of the real estate broker’s commissions in exchange for preferential treatment in the assignment and sales of Fannie Mae properties. In February 2012, Granillo traveled from Orange County to the Phoenix area, where he met with the broker. During the recorded meeting, Granillo stated that the kickback arrangement was a “natural part of business.” Granillo promised to increase the broker’s portfolio and ensure that he always had at least 100 listings, to give the broker the best properties, and to help the broker get offers approved by Fannie Mae. Granillo then arranged to receive the $11,200 payment from the broker.

Granillo was arrested in this case on Mar. 5, 2013 during an undercover operation after accepting an $11,200 payment from the real estate broker.

Granillo “violated Fannie Mae and the public’s trust by engaging in a form of public corruption,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing brief filed with the court. “This crime is akin to those involving governmental officials who solicit bribes in exchange for favorable treatment. The reputational damage is devastating and potentially permanent.”

Fannie Mae is currently under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The investigation into Granillo was conducted by the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General.

 

 

 

Eastvale: Rapper Kendrick Lamar Purchases Home in Eastvale

BY TIANA GOEGEBUER

Eastvale – Rapper Kendrick Lamar recently purchased a modest home in the city of Eastvale.

News of Lamar’s purchase really began circulating in late May. The online buzz stated that Lamar had gone against the typical rapper stereotype and settled down not in Los Angeles or Beverly Hills, but a former dairy community that had only just become a city four years prior. The fast-growing city of Eastvale is home to about 59,000 residents. Crime rates are low, and the houses are cheaper than neighboring coastal areas in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

The home Lamar purchased is said to have been built in 2006. The two-story residence is on an un-gated street, and is a short walk from the local shopping center. The home is 3,529 square feet, and includes three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a pool, and is said to have been purchased for $523,500. In comparison to what many successful rappers spend, Lamar paid a very modest price for his new home in Eastvale. Rapper Drake reportedly paid $9 million for his Southern California mansion; Tyga spent $6.5 million for his residence; and Dr. Dre recently dished out a whopping $40 million on an estate in Brentwood.

A few Eastvale residents have recently tweeted that they have spotted the star cruising around town in a sports car and visiting the city’s Picnic in the Park summer carnival. However, Lamar says that he plans on remaining in his current home in L.A.

 

 

Business Feature: “Sell Your Casa” With Gil Rivera

 By Sarah Armijo

 

gil-rivera

: Gil Rivera offers a 4% Total Commission for Sellers. His current promotion is “We will SELL your house in 6 weeks at highest value!” For more information, go to sellyourcasa.com, call (909) 967-4525. Call today for a free market evaluation!

Southern California – In this day and age, it’s important to know all aspects of your business. For Gil Rivera from sellyourcasa.com, he definitely knows every aspect of buying and selling a home. He is a reliable, experienced, and an affordable Realtor, Broker, and Certified Appraiser.

Rivera sells houses, condos, and 2-4 unit investment properties in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. He also does real estate appraisals for banks, estates, trusts, divorces, attorneys, refinances, home purchases, and upon death of a homeowner for tax purposes. Rivera also has assistants that work with him who are fluent in Spanish and Chinese, which helps him to reach people of different dialects all over Southern California.

Rivera is in his 20th year of business and has SOLD homes in 26 different cities in Southern California, so his coverage area is expansive. Rivera said, “I can do this because I appraise homes in so many different cities and have the knowledge and expertise associated with your marketplace. Give me an opportunity and you will surely be happy you did!” In Feb. 2013, Rivera listed a home in Monterey Park worth $470,000. Rivera received 53 offers in seven days and SOLD it for $515,000!

Rivera’s philosophy is to “treat my clients the way I want to be treated.” In fact, Rivera said that he became a Realtor because he did not like the way his Realtor treated him when he was buying his home. Rivera shows respect for his clients at all times. He listens to what they say, so that he can better serve them.

Rivera also does not push his Buyers into a sale. Rivera said, “I always tell Buyers: ‘You will know right away when we walk into the house that’s meant for you.’ Whether it takes a week or months, my Buyers will always be satisfied with their purchase and never pressured into it.”

Rivera’s Sellers love the fact that he offers a discounted commission, but with full service. Rivera offers a 4% Total Commission for Sellers. This includes 2.5% to the Buyer’s Agent and 1.5% to Rivera’s office. Most Realtors negotiate a 6% commission because they have to split the fees with their brokerage. But, Rivera passes on the savings to the Seller. This will save Sellers thousands of dollars in commission fees. His team offers full service for that discounted rate including high quality flyers, professional photos, open houses (as allowable by Seller), and extended advertising coverage on the Internet and social media.

Rivera’s current promotion is “We will SELL your house in six weeks at highest value! We only request a listing period of six weeks, while most other Realtors ask for six month listings.” Rivera says that “Buyers need to know that they do not need to pay their Realtor any fees for representing them on a purchase. The Buyer’s agent is paid by the Seller, not the Buyer.

Rivera absolutely loves what he does. He loves selling homes to Buyers because he helps fulfill their dreams of home ownership. His favorite part of selling homes to is transferring the keys to excited Buyers. Rivera loves selling homes for Sellers because he enjoys the uniqueness that each property offers and selling the positive attributes of the home. Rivera says, “Many agents spend their time showing houses….I SELL them!”

Check out Rivera’s website at http://www.SellYourCasa.com to see how many different cities Rivera has sold in and for additional information about Rivera’s company. You can also call toll free at (877) 888-SOLD (7653) or cell phone numbers (909) 967-4525 and (626) 340-9950. Call today for a free market evaluation. See the ad on page 12 of this publication.