Your aim is to do something GREAT and wonderful with your life, and to accomplish extraordinary things.  However, you cannot simply go out and have a great life; you must go out and make a great life!  The word “GREAT” has 5 letters, which stand for the 5 keys to success in your life, and in anything you decide to be, have, do and accomplish:  1.    GOALS:  You must know exactly what you desire to be, ... Read more

During the recent recession, California’s legislature has amended the real estate anti-deficiency laws in the Code of Civil Procedure in three important ways: No Deficiency Judgment for Approved Short Sales: SB 931 added subsection "e" to CCP Section 580, which prohibited any first lender who approved a short sale from obtaining a deficiency judgment against the seller.  Subsequently, the enactment of SB 458 provided that any home mortgage lenders who approved short sale transactions, which ... Read more

Increasing vacancies, decreasing rents, negative cash flows, rising cap rates, imprecise valuations, severely constrained financing, and personal guaranties will continue to put severe pressure on over-leveraged commercial real estate owners during the next few years. As the wave of commercial property loan defaults begins to crest, borrowers should be armed and prepared with practical strategies and solutions for dealing with their under-performing properties and maturing loans. Foresight Analytics recently estimated about two-thirds of the $800 ... Read more

This article will provide a general summary of real property foreclosure procedures, timelines and strategies for borrowers and lenders in California. As a precursor, it helps to understand that the creditor typically has a promissory note evidencing the loan or mortgage, which is secured by a recorded deed of trust. The deed of trust identifies the trustor, trustee and beneficiary, as well as the property securing the note. The truster is the debtor, and the ... Read more

Retail landlord’s everywhere have almost certainly experienced tenant requests for rent reductions during these challenging economic times. When responding to such requests, the landlord should consider doing the following: 1. Require a written confidentiality agreement before discussing any rent or other lease modifications with the tenant, to reduce the risk of opening a Pandora’s Box with other tenants. 2. Ask the tenant to provide a current financial statement, a report of annual sales for the last ... Read more

Almost everyone is familiar with the three cardinal rules of real estate investment: “Location, Location and Location.” Although property well situated certainly has fewer risks, an investor must carefully consider other ways to minimize the risks involved in the purchase of commercial real estate. Focusing the Search Commercial real estate includes apartment, office, industrial, retail and other income properties. Each of these property types has different advantages and disadvantages, risks and opportunities. Most commercial real estate ... Read more

A Title Holding Trust (“THT”), sometimes referred to as a land trust, holding trust or blind trust, can be a simple and inexpensive method for taking and holding title to California real estate or personal property, confidentially and privately . A THT can be established by an individual, partnership, trust, limited liability company or corporation. The person or entity that sets-up the THT, the Trustor, enters into a standardized THT Agreement with the Trustee he or ... Read more