tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42342776591331603322012-03-20T21:58:39.132-07:00Offer real estate consultation, research and comprehensive due diligence to individual and institutional investor, in addition to real estate investment brokerage services.Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-70038189611915987552011-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:002011-01-17T09:00:04.168-08:00

Securities-based loan has gained popularity in today’s economy. It is using the securities as collateral to a loan. If you are one of the investors with solid stock investments such as Apple, Google or Citibank, it makes more sense to borrow against your securities than selling them today. This way, you have access to liquidity without immediately liquidating your securities and still maintain

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-57672221095193670782010-01-25T12:30:00.000-08:002010-01-25T12:39:43.776-08:00

While everyone is debating when home prices will bottom, June last year, MacroMarkets LLC (co-founded by Robert Shiller) launched MacroShares which allowed investors to make a direct bet on housing. MacroShares Major Metro Housing Up (UMM), and MacroShares Major Metro Housing Down (DMM) were possibly the most over-hyped housing ETFs ever introduced. In fact, they aren't even ETFs, because it

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-61791661982787794302010-01-20T11:56:00.000-08:002010-01-20T12:11:53.066-08:00

The Economist compiles House Price Indicator for 19 countries around the world in addition to US Home Price Indices by Case-Shiller and FHFA.

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-66547116428940838132010-01-12T13:15:00.001-08:002010-01-12T13:17:48.411-08:00

Amid Dubai debt meltdown, Burj Dubai is officially open and was renamed after the UAE President, Burj Khalifa, last week on Monday January 4th, 2010. For an earlier post on Burj Dubai, click here: http://wealthaspiration.blogspot.com/2009/03/worlds-tallest-building.htmlDuring construction boom, Dubai borrowed $80 billion debt hoping to transform the economy into a regional tourism and financial

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I am the basis of all wealth, the heritage of the wise, the thrifty and prudent.I am the poor person’s joy and comfort, the rich person’s prize, the right hand of capital, the silent partner of thou¬sands of successful people.I am the solace of the widow, the comfort of old age, the cornerstone of security against misfortune and want. I am handed down through generations, as a possession of great

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-58298393498807100962009-09-28T18:21:00.000-07:002009-09-28T18:22:17.451-07:00

Are you tired of dealing with tenants? Are you stuck with the stocks that have sunk in value in your IRA account? Land is an alternative to diversify your asset, especially for your retirement account. If you are not familiar with this subject, please read my previous posting on self-directed IRA.There are two distinct components of real estate, the land and the building/improvement. As the time

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Core to ShoreDespite economic gloom around the country, two major projects are going on in Oklahoma City. The City of Oklahoma City plans 20+ years Core to Shore project, estimated at over $3 billion of public and private investment. The project will transform the underutilized area between downtown (the “core”) and the Oklahoma River (the “shore”) into a world class design urban neighborhood.

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-75361255087895572562009-08-30T14:02:00.000-07:002009-08-30T21:43:13.858-07:00

Remember my posting about California population? According to US Census Bureau, as of July 1st, 2008, California is the most populated state with 36 million people. Half of Californians reside in the Greater Los Angeles Area (5 counties which are Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura), and 20% reside in San Francisco Bay Area (9 counties, which are Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-54686026375413241572009-08-25T10:46:00.000-07:002009-08-30T21:43:55.855-07:00

Investors who are seriously looking to invest in rental property, should understand well the difference between a tenant’s perspective and a homeowner’s perspective. Tenant is looking for convenience, while homeowner is looking for a nice and peaceful place to settle down or to raise a family. Tenant often prefers a place close to grocery, public transportation or easy access to major highways.

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“Florida? Probably not. The hurricane comes every year.” Some investors shy away from hurricane-prone area like Florida or Texas, but they forget that they life in an earthquake-prone area, California. While tornado and hurricane can be expensive to insured, they are still insurable risk. Earthquake, in my opinion, is almost an uninsurable risk, especially the big ones that attacked San Francisco

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-48757306372419848552009-08-13T14:50:00.000-07:002009-08-13T15:27:56.644-07:00

If California were a country, it would be the eighth largest economy in the world. Look at the two tables below.RankStateGross State Product (US$ billions)1California1,813.02Texas1,142.03New York1,103.04Florida734.55Illinois609.66Pennsylvania531.17Ohio466.38New Jersey465.59North Carolina399.410Georgia396.5RankCountryGross Domestic Product (US$ billions)1United

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-87598181786940285772009-08-12T18:18:00.000-07:002009-08-12T19:58:59.864-07:00

Demand, supply and appreciation have been analyzed. Now look at the income portion, or the rents.CALIFORNIA0-BR1-BR2-BR3-BR4-BRMedian PriceSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$961$1,113$1,338$1,924$2,118$450.0KSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$1,078$1,325$1,658$2,213$2,339$402.0KSan Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos$1,024$1,168$1,418$2,067$2,493$323.2KLos Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana$904$1,090$1,361$1,828$2,199

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-68439750470956385032009-08-05T19:30:00.001-07:002009-08-30T21:49:53.266-07:00

Let’s compare the property value and appreciation between California and states outside California.Here, I put nine states into three groups:1) Group 1: California, Arizona, Florida and Nevada. These are states with high population growth. Properties here have potential of high appreciation. Speculators love these states.2) Group 2: New York, Utah. States with modest growth. The characteristics

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-50330475400324988582009-06-29T18:45:00.000-07:002009-08-30T21:51:12.851-07:00

The last article talked about the population or the demand, this article, we will talk about the supply or the land. Below are the comparison of land area and housing density for the fastest growing states.Source: US Census BureauUnlike the north east region, which is running out of land for low density development, California still has room to grow. Keep in mind, not all land are available for

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-30104090862257626282009-06-03T11:40:00.000-07:002009-08-30T21:55:10.038-07:00

I am often asked this question, “where should I invest in real estate, in California, or out-of-state?” There are pros and cons to either choice. In this article, I want to talk about population and its growth.According to US Census Bureau, as of July 1st, 2008, the US population is estimated at around 304 million. California is the most populated state (36 million), followed by Texas (24 million

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-3527740923083950092009-05-29T12:43:00.000-07:002009-05-29T12:50:45.840-07:00

In order to achieve the independence and accuracy of the appraisal process, effective May 1st, 2009, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have adopted the new regulations governing appraisals. The new rules, known as Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC):• Prohibits lenders from accepting appraisal report where the mortgage broker (or real estate agents) had a role in selecting, retaining, or compensating

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-39421965444111931642009-05-26T15:51:00.000-07:002009-07-11T10:40:24.005-07:00

Foreclosures are coming to affluent neighborhoods. Obviously, the riches are not immune to recession. Few of the foreclosed properties are listed below:75 Tobin Clark Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010450 Middlefield Road, Atherton, CA 94027996 Laurel Glen Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94304151 Giffin Rd, Los Altos, CA 9402212051 Stonebrook Drive, Los Altos Hills, CA 9402215070 Montebello Road, Cupertino, CA

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-49898611696548101222009-05-25T11:18:00.000-07:002009-05-25T15:58:04.142-07:00

Interesting video documentary from Vanguard Journalism:Remember, there are always two sides to a coin. One side is crisis, the other side is opportunity.Copyright © 2009 Wealth Aspiration, Inc. - All Rights Reserved

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-32938125749150582672009-05-21T17:42:00.000-07:002009-07-11T11:02:08.376-07:00

The current edition of Forbes magazine has an intriguing story. It is a wakeup call that the path of homeownership is not always financially wise. The house was purchased for $922,500 in 2004 and now, it is pending at $849,000 price. It is likely that the offer maybe less than the listing price. After 5 years of homeownership, the seller is losing money, not only the equity, but also the $60K

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-55457215607422884302009-05-18T12:54:00.000-07:002009-07-11T10:48:00.108-07:00

That is the promotion! Houses for $26,900 with $450 cash flow per month. That is equal to annual cash-on-cash return of 20%! Sounds too good to be true? The houses were REO properties, which were purchased in bulk, rehabbed and sold to investor. What kind of houses will you get? I checked three of them:House #1Location: IndianaBelow Poverty Line: 41.26%Vacancy rate: 15.14%Ratio of renter-occupied

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-55078954105089616022009-05-13T09:18:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:42:58.518-07:00

Buying at foreclosure auction can be rewarding if you have two things, cash and time. Before you are allowed to bid at trustee sale, you have to show the auctioneer that you have sufficient cash, usually in the form of cashier checks or money orders. Second, it is very time consuming, especially if you have demanding full time job. Let’s say, you have done your rigorous due diligence on the

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-55469176062536912602009-05-11T20:34:00.000-07:002009-05-25T11:10:46.896-07:00

A group of people who bought lands at New Mexico tax auction, later discovered there were demolition and weed cutting liens on the properties, in the amount which was more than the property values. One buyer paid $800 for a property, only to find out a lien of $20,000 (Source: Clovis News Journal).A condominium in Colma, California, was foreclosed by the HOA for $7,000. I was told that a young

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-21396603194929118802009-05-07T12:16:00.000-07:002009-05-18T16:52:01.463-07:00

Jim Sullivan, a real estate broker from New Jersey, bought tax lien from Gloucester County in 1999. The defaulted owner was Accutherm, a thermometer factory. Sullivan foreclosed the property, hired contractor to make building modification, and leased it to Kiddie Kollege Day Care Center in 2004.Apparently, the building was contaminated with mercury and the parents of 94 babies and children sued

Wealth Aspiration, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03014063951941782592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4234277659133160332.post-31076074751235948192009-05-06T13:19:00.000-07:002009-05-18T16:51:45.600-07:00

Compliance to accessibility laws is often overlooked by many people. Apartment buildings that are not accessible to people with disabilities easily invite discrimination lawsuit. Ignorance can lead you to penalty for fair housing laws violation and the cost of correction can be hefty.Some items you have to check during your due diligence period:• Clear floor space to allow wheelchair access and

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This article is to fulfill what I have promised on March 16th, 2009. When you start to play with 5+ unit apartment building, there are various subjects that you have to consider, which don't exist when you are in the 1-4 unit game. Since it is impossible to cover everything in a blog, I will only touch few important subjects.Today, we will talk about valuation method. Unlike 1-4 unit single

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