Live LIke Pamela Anderson...

Her Malibu House is For Rent

June 23, 2012

Pamela Anderson got poor reviews for her t-shirt & lace fashion combo in Basel, Switzerland on June 16. SOURCE: AP

Pamela Anderson has not only traded her signature red swimsuit from her “Baywatch” days, she’s apparently trading in her Malibu digs, too.

The blonde bombshell and mother of two has put her teak-sided beach house up for rent, hoping to fetch $50,000 a month for the remodeled home one block from the Pacific. The house lis located at 23445 Malibu Colony Rd., putting the lucky renter within striking distance of all things Malibu — the epitome of southern California celebrity beach living.

According to property records, Anderson purchased the 1959 house in 2000 for $1.8 million. And according to The Real Estalker, Anderson hit some choppy financial waters in 2009, when she was embroiled in a remodel and was sued by contractors seeking payment. Anderson said her failure to pay wasn’t due to lack of funds, but because she disputed the veracity of the billing.

These days, Anderson can be found in far-flung places like Switzerland, where she recently attended the Art Show in Basel. She also claims to be spending time in her native Canada these days, making it more advantageous to try and turn some profit on her serene Malibu house, which features 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in 2,700 square feet.

The Housing Recovery

The Pieces are There, But the Certainty Isn’t

Pieces are in place for housing to continue on its road to recovery but there remain plenty of uncertainties that can derail the market, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said at a conference earlier this week.

Sales flat.

Yun told more than 800 attendees at the CRE Finance Council annual conference in Washington on Tuesday that for the last four years home sales have been essentially flat, at roughly 4.2 million homes, but NAR is forecasting a solid increase by the end of this year to about 4.6 million sales.

High affordability.

The reason: affordability remains at an all-time high, interest rates remain low, foreign buyers and investors remain interested in residential real estate, and the U.S. economy is strengthening, albeit modestly.

At the same time, corporations continue to sit on strong profits, the stock market is still heading up, and inflation remains relatively subdued. What’s more, pent-up demand continues to build and rentals are getting pricier. Home prices nationally have appeared to stabilize and all major home price trackers show prices going up in many areas, a trend that should help boost confidence among buyers and sellers.

Hefty profits.

All of these are positives, but there remain challenges holding back a more robust recovery in the housing market. Aside from continuing concerns over the financial health of Europe and other parts of the world, the improvement in the U.S. economy remains modest at best, job gains still have a long way to go before the U.S. makes up for the 8 million jobs lost during the recession, home mortgage lending remains tight, and the federal budget deficit continues to weigh down on the country’s prospects.

Risks to growth.

The other area of uncertainty is what Washington will do. Until the real estate industry gets clarity on the rules and legislation coming down the pike in the next year, lenders are unlikely to restore their underwriting standards to something more normal. 

For example, the qualified residential mortgage (QRM) rule: will regulators publish a rule next year with a minimum downpayment requirement on “safe” loans? Will other provisions implementing the massive Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law from two years ago chill lenders’ willingness to lend? What tax law changes, if any, will Congress talk about over the next year?

Then there’s the massive federal tax expenditures expiring at the end of this year. How Congress handles these $4 trillion or so in provisions could have a major impact on how well the economy does.

The bottom line: Despite all the favorable pieces in place for a meaningful housing recovery, the economy continues to be beset by uncertainty, and that’s leaving it an open question how much the housing market can recover in the next year.

Access all of the slides Yun presented at the conference.

A Special Invite to All our Friends...

 Stop by and meet these new Chamber Members!

                    Tuesday, June 19th                 

                                               All-American Realty                                           

                                           9980 S. 300 W. in Sandy                                        

           Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, 11:30 AM   

                      

How Awesome is that...100 Years Paramount Studios

A lot of House to buy

What You Can Buy for $450,000

June 11, 2012 ·

With the national median home value at $147,000, it’s no big surprise that when you jump to a $450,000 price point, there’s a lot of house to be had. At least that’s what we found when we went coast-to-coast (and in between) to compile a list of homes listed for sale just around $450,000.

And, it turns out, you don’t have to be too far off the beaten track to land some pretty grand homes. We tracked down gems near some big cities, meaning you don’t have to forego location to get your fair share of house.

FERRY GOOD LOCATION

23 Beachview Ave, Staten Island, NY 10306 (above)
For sale: $449,900
3 beds, 2.5 baths, 1,860 sq ft
Eat your heart out, Manhattan apartment dwellers! This young Staten Island home provides an open layout, hardwood floors, custom kitchen and baths, a large master bedroom suite plus the most coveted thing for New York drivers: A garage! Just hop on the Staten Island ferry to quadruple your space for half the price of New York City apartment.

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

44 Living Edens Ct, Las Vegas, NV 89148 (above)
For sale: $450,000
6 beds, 4.5 baths, 4,148 sq ft
This pristine Las Vegas home has something for everyone in your family — including mountain views and good highway access. Close to all the famous Vegas attractions, including a golf course, pool, spa, tennis, clubhouse,

 THE MAINE HOUSE

146 Pine Hill Rd, Casco, ME 04015 (above)
For sale: $449,000
3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,733 sq ft
A real log home on over 14 acres of land: This is a little bit of heaven in the great state of Maine. And while the exterior may look rustic, the inside is all about upscale: Stainless gourmet kitchen, huge fieldstone fireplace, newly finished basement with family room and kitchen. Northern New England’s finest!

Pristine Coeur D’Alene

2268 E. Mountain Vista Dr. Coeur D’Alene, ID
For sale: $449,000
4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3058 sq ft
This custom ranch is located at the foot of Canfield Mountain in Coeur D’Alene. The home features hand-scrapped hardwood and slate floors, granite counters, a generous master suite with walk-in closet plus a three-car garage. Best of all, it’s across from a city park.

Someone’s Magic Kingdom

132 Seville Court, Winter Springs, FL 32708 (above)
For sale: $449,000
4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4,195 sq ft
The Orlando area of central Florida is a lot more than just Disney World, but then again, this custom home could become someone’s personal Magic Kingdom. This place has its own pool and bonus room, sits on one-third of an acre in a gated community. You’re as welcome as can be!

LOSING THE MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTION

UPDATE WITH NAR's EFFORTS TO DEFEND HOMEOWNERS CURRENT MID...

Following the release of the Deficit Reduction Commission’s report,  which recommends scaling back the mortgage interest deduction, the National Association of Realtors® is warning Congress of the potentially devastating effects of such change on American families and the economy.

As part of this effort, NAR placed an ad in several prominent Capitol Hill publications, including: Politico, The Hill, and National Journal.
It reads:

The Facts:

• Repealing the mortgage interest deduction (MID) is a form of tax increase. Families with children would bear more than half of the total increase.
• IRS data show that taxpayers in the 35 - 45 age group take the largest MID on average compared to any other age group of taxpayers.
• First time home buyers would be hurt the most if the MID is curtailed.
• Current data from the IRS show that 65% of the taxpayers who have claimed the MID made less than $100,000.
• The housing market has not emerged from the crisis that began in 2007.

Congress: The Facts Speak for Themselves

The 1.1 million members of the National Association of REALTORS® strongly oppose proposals to reduce the mortgage interest deduction (MID). Hard-working American families’ budgets are already stressed. Reducing or eliminating the mortgage interest deduction would pull even more money directly out of their wallets. If this crucial deduction is eliminated or reduced, home values will further erode. That’s something America simply can’t afford in this unstable housing market.

The Facts Ad: Defending the Mortgage Interest Deduction

What's Happening in Utah in June

Weekly Event Update June 5, 2012

EVENT SPOTLIGHT:

Racing to the Stars June 16, 2012 Miller Motorsports Park - Tooele Bring Dad out to Racing to the Stars, on at Miller Motorsports Park for a night of fun racing activities, model rocket launches, delicious dinner, and evening star party. Proceeds benefit Utah students. < More Info

FEATURED EVENTS:

Urban Arts Festival June 9, 2012 The SLC Arts Hub - Salt Lake City This year the festival is moving to the new Utah Arts Alliance - SLC Arts Hub at 663 West 100 South that will allow for the growth of this year's festival to include double the capacity of artists and attendees. It is a full day and evening celebration of Salt Lake's urban and artistic culture for the community, art lovers, and families. The festival features artists, music, dance performance and skateboarding displays as well as art projects created at the festival by youth groups and local artists. < More Info

18th Annual Art in Pilar's Garden June 8-10, 2012 Art Access Gallery - Salt Lake City Enjoy the timeless beauty of art in the fresh, fragrant atmosphere of Pilar's spring garden.  Featuring artwork by: Pilar Pobil Willamarie Huelskamp Tim Little Angelo Maggi Polly Plummer Edie Roberson < More Info

Thrice June 7, 2012 In The Venue - Salt Lake City Catch Thrice live when they bring their tour to In The Venue! The band will be taking a break after this tour, so you don't want to miss out! < More Info