People buy real estate for many reasons — generating cash flow, a tax write-off, appreciation value. Some of the greatest profits are made when buying real estate in a down market. Seasoned investors and fortunate newcomers who purchased coastal residential property from 2012-2017 are sitting on healthy equity appreciation as well as competitive interest rates in the 3.5-5% range. The traditional path to buy a property is to obtain financing through banks, credit unions or a mortgage company. Following the 2008 housing crisis, traditional lenders implemented more strict guidelines: Stellar credit scores from 740 and above, stable employment, a low debt-to-income ratio, six months or more of liquid reserves. Link to full article

Article On Forbes.com

Have you ever opened your property tax bill and, after looking it over, wondered how they come up with that amount? Or, who ” they” are? Maybe you called the tax collector’s office and complained that your taxes are too high. You were likely directed to the tax assessor next.

California’s unique property tax system treats all property, whether commercial, residential-income or family home, exactly the same — and is a system that any would-be investors or potential buyers would do well to familiarize themselves with. Link to full article

Article On Forbes.com

The retail industry has been experiencing disruption due to technological innovations that have pushed a growing number of consumers to mobile purchases and e-commerce transactions. In 2017, nationwide e-retail sales totaled over $409 billion. Amazon accounted for $54.47 billion and Walmart sold $14 billion in the U.S. alone. By the year 2021, forecasts for global e-retail sales expect the number to reach $603.4 billion (USD).

In tandem, local and national media headlines in the last few years have reported stories of major retail industry giants closing hundreds of brick-and-mortar locations due to steady declines in sales. Among the most notable retailers closing doors or filing for bankruptcy protection are RadioShack, Gap Inc., Kmart, and Toys R Us. Link to full article