This, this is the Radio Realtors. I sold the house. This is a home. This is a place to live. It's a place to live. Northern California's longest running show on Real Estate. Real Estate is not just buying and selling houses. Who are you? Some kind of real estate agent. Real estate agent. I love Real Estate. I love Real Estate. Have a sweet side of that house. I wanted it. The Radio Realtors. I love every sec. Now, here's your host, Robert Lewis, and Frank Crenwell. Let's go and sell some hugs. All right. Welcome to the Radio Realtors. We are Northern California's number one Real Estate Radio show proudly coming to you live from the equity protect.com studios, and title theft and fraud are a real thing. And we're seeing it all over the United States, where people are getting their property sold out from under them. So if you own your home free and clear, or you have thousands of dollars in equity, you need to be protected. There's only one company that totally stops fraudsters from scamming you, and that is equity protect. You can get a free risk assessment by just going to their website. It is equity protect.com. That's equity protect.com. And they also have a 30% discount for new customers by just going to that website as well. So tell them the Radio Realtors sent you, and that is equity protect.com. That's equity protect.com. I'm Robert Lewis, your Real Estate Professor. And I'm Garrett Rees, your Neighborhood Transformation Specialist. Well, welcome back to the studio. Happy to be back. Thanks for having me. Yeah, we're excited. Now, if you've got a question or a comment, or you're just ready to hire the Radio Realtors to help you buy a home or sell a home, you can reach us so easy. It is at our phone number, and it's a hotline. It is 83332 radio, 83332 radio. Or as always, you can live chat with us 24/7 on our website at radiorealtors.com. That's radiorealtors.com. And we have an excellent show for you today. Let's talk about the topics, Garrett. Seven ways to penny pinch on a kitchen renovation. Right, and then the next one is five ways, first time home buyers ruin their credit scores, and their odds of buying a house. That's terrible. Also, we got a big brother might be watching what to say, and definitely not to say during an open house. That's a crazy one too, because almost everybody has ring doorbells or hidden cameras. You gotta be careful what you say. Yeah, exactly. Learn to do sign language. Yeah, that's a good idea. Or like you're stealing a base or whatever, you know, the code signs. Gives you all the signs, yeah. So once again, you can get ahold of us on the Radio Realtors Hotline anytime at 83332 radio. That's 83332 radio. Or you can live chat us again 24/7 on our website radiorealtors.com. That's radiorealtors.com. Well, Garrett, who doesn't love the idea of a brand spanking new kitchen filled with amazing appliances, flawless cabinets, and pristine countertops. You can't be brand new. Right, and kitchen remodeling is on the top of the homeowner renovation wish list for a good reason. Not only do they make daily living a lot more comfortable, but they increase the resale value of your home. And unfortunately, a full kitchen remodel rings up at a premium. Yeah, you would know that for a fact, because you do a lot of remodels, right? Prices aren't going down, they're going up. All right, but luckily, budget friendly DIYers can shave substantial dollars off kitchen renovations and get a fresh look at a fraction of the cost. So today on the Radio Realtors, we're going to give you some creative ideas for your next project. Way number one is a pretty face. I like this one. We're going to kind of be a little bit eccentric on our ways to do this. But replacing the kitchen cabinets definitely transforms the kitchen. But it's one of the costliest elements of a renovation. Correct, and Rob, instead of replacing your cabinets, you can give them a facelift, remove the doors, then maybe strip and refinish or paint them. Yeah, and if you favor an even more dramatic change, you can get rid of the cabinet doors entirely to create open shelving, then line the back with some decorated wallpaper to put your dinner wear on display. Correct. That's not my favorite thing. No, the wallpaper? Yeah. But you know what, wallpaper's coming back, isn't it? No, it can be. And in some places, it definitely works for sure. So just make sure they put it on right, make sure the lines line up. Oh, yeah, because it sounds like it would sound like the national anthem at the-- They're all around there. Oh, my goodness. Oh, that was brutal. Yeah, that was tough. So what's a way number two? Way number two is light bright. Yep, you know, old light fixtures can make even the best kitchen look dated. In fact, we just recently replaced some lighting fixtures that looked like they were from Little House in the Prairie at our house. But simply switching out those fixtures can change the look of a room. Yeah, so maybe pick up some stylish bendents, lamps, to maybe install over the kitchen island or grab some task lighting to fit under your cabinets. Oh, so this way, you're working on your countertop and you get the lighting from above because it's under your cabinet. Right, and there's no need for you to shell out hundreds of dollars. A simple self-stick light can go a long way to improving the functionality and feel of a kitchen. I really like those task lights under there. I mean, it makes a big difference when you're cooking or whatever. Well, I love the lights. I'm over six feet tall. My wife doesn't love it. She's floating around five feet. Oh, so it's like, it's kind of interfacing in her face and she feels like, does she karaoke in the kitchen? Cause it feels like, you know, floodlights? Exactly, he's got the spotlight right on you for sure. Awesome. All right, what's way number three? Way number three is fashion underfoot. Yeah, you know, if your hardwood kitchen floors have seen better days, you can give them a second light by refinishing them and you can rent a sander and purchase a stain. It's a great alternative to putting in a new floor, but I will tell you that is a job that is not as easy as it may sound easy for sure. Maybe you almost want to grab a sander and have a fun weekend, yeah, exactly. But however, you know, if it isn't an option, consider an affordable flooring material like laminate, vinyl or engineered hardwood. Yeah, or if you're feeling adventurous, you know, you can try peel and stick tiles or even paint to change the look of your floors without having to do a whole new flooring. Or maybe just a rug in the kitchen. A rug? That would work. Unless you got some really nasty floors. Very true, very true. Way number four is accent the positive. Yeah, you know, it's all in the details when you're doing things, you know, in your kitchen. Drawer pools, handles, faucets and towel racks. They might seem like, you know, small potatoes, but they may also help contribute to a kitchen's ambiance and its function. And you can walk into any home improvement store for a variety of options. Yeah, or Garrett, you can try your luck at the local thrift store or Habitat for Humanity Restore to find some reasonably price fixtures and hardware. Right, and how about way number five is sinkhole. Right, I like this one. Let's talk about it. An old shifter stained sink can make the entire kitchen seem dated and dirty. Would you agree with that? Absolutely, you can't make old white look nice. No, you can't. But luckily, if you have the right tools, changing out of sink is a pretty quick fix. Absolutely, and you can find stainless steel or acrylic models for less than $100 or splurge for a porcelain sink, maybe under $500. Exactly, and for an easy install, you can check the directions before you buy. And many sinks simply drop into an existing countertop making it a great project for even that beginner DIYer. And way number six is counterculture. Yeah, you know, changing out the counters can, I like what you did there with the counterculture. But changing out the counters can make a kitchen nearly unrecognizable. But that dramatic reveal comes at a price. It's expensive. And you know, you can cheat your way to better countertops by painting tile with a special kit and enamel paint or invest a little more time and energy by creating your own concrete countertops. Yeah, I've seen those and they're nice. So if you'd rather buy a countertop overlay to cover your existing countertop, there are a variety of those precast slabs of granite or quartz countertop material. You know what's also affordable and gives it a nice look is butcher block countertops. Yep, I like the butcher block. And as long as you have a strong stable counter, you can lay the overlay slabs directly on top. You can also remove your existing counter and maybe lay down a new base of plywood. Right, and so then you could adjust it to something bigger or what have you. Yeah, and you know, nearly any type of counter can be overlaid as long as it's strong enough to support that overlay tile, laminates, stainless steel, granite, quartz, concrete and wood. And then DIY, consider laminates. They're one of the least expensive options and they come in a lot of eye-popping colors now. So it's good. They really do, they really do. Very popular looks. Way number seven is art for art's sake. Yeah, you can freshen up your kitchen with some cheap and easy art pieces and you could try, you know, framing some seed packets or vintage kitchen towels or your child's artwork to maybe add some personality. Or you can hang everyday items as art like decorative cutting boards and, you know, maybe even vintage utensils. Yeah, and a single splashy piece of artwork, a flea market, painting, a poster, a photograph. Those things add instant character to your kitchen. However, we have a trick for getting framed artwork that doesn't blow your budget. My wife is an Etsy person. She buys a lot of like jewelry supplies on there, but you can browse Etsy's printable artwork, much of which is under like $5. Then you can download and print that at a local copy shop and then you can get a frame put on that. And just like that, you have beautiful framed artwork for less than a hundred bucks. I mean, it's pretty amazing what you can do. And, you know, the wrap up here is the average kitchen remodel. It costs a staggering $21,000 and some odd dollars, right? And then the high-end ones, they average nearly $50,000 and above, right? And there are no bones about it. That's a whole lot of cash, right? But you don't need to shell out big bucks to make a big impact in an outdated kitchen. Whether you lived in your home for years or you just got the keys, we just shared with you some cheap and easy ways to update any kitchen. And these quick add-ons and clever refreshes is what we call them are gonna give your space that facelift it needs without spending a ton of money. So we've gotta go to break now, but if you'd like to get ahold of the radio realtors and you're going, hey, you know what? I wanna get my home ready for sale. I'd like to maybe do a few things. Could you come over and give me some ideas for refreshes? And the answer is yes. - Absolutely, all the time. - Yeah, give us a call, 83332 radio. That's 83332 radio or you can live chat with us. Like Garrett said at our website, it's RadioRilters.com. That's RadioRilters.com and don't go anywhere. We'll be back, right after this. - You know, there are some people that believe that all mortgage lenders are the same. But do you believe the diamonds and cubic zirconia are the same? Well, at first glance, they look very similar, but to the trained eye, they are totally different because one's a fake. What's even worse is when you're in the middle of buying a home and you discover that your mortgage lender is a cubic zirconia. This discovery could make you lose your dream home and your hard earned money. And if you want the real thing and not a fake when it comes to buying your next home, you need the diamond of lenders, Jeff Compton with Guild Mortgage. Jeff and his team, they're devoted to helping you get the right loan with the best interest rates and the lowest fees. And Jeff can close fast in many cases in as little as 10 to 21 days. For a quick response, you can call our text Jeff at 916-765-2900. That's 916-765-2900 or apply online at JeffCompton.com. That's JeffCompton.com. NMLS ID number 298-997, equal housing lender. Hi, this is Brandon Tatum, host of The Offside Tatum Show. As a former police officer, I know the importance of trusting the people that you work with. And that's why if you're planning on selling your home in Northern California, you want realtors who got your bag. Call my friends, Rob Lewis and Frank Crandall from the Radio Realtors and EXP Realty. Check this out. Cat and Carl have to sell their home in Roseville and move to Ohio for work. They need it, their home sold quickly to buy their next home. And because Rob and Frank spend thousands of dollars on marketing each month, they have a pool of buyers that are ready to buy. Rob and Frank sold Cat and Carl's home in Roseville for $20,000 over list price. Plus, they refer them to an agent in Ohio through their nationwide network of realtors and help them get a great deal on a home there too. Don't wait, sell your home today for top dollar. Call Rob and Frank, the Radio Realtors with EXP Realty at 832-Radio. That's 833-32-radio. Online at radiorealtors.com. DRE number 0140-6275. This, this is the Radio Realtors. I sold the house. This is a home. This is a place to live. It's a place to live. Northern California's longest running show on Real Estate. Real Estate is not just buying and selling houses. Who are you? Some kind of real estate agent. Real estate agent. I love Real Estate. I love Real Estate. I was saying, I don't know that house. I wanted it. The Radio Realtors. I love every second. Now, here's your host, Robert Lewis and Frank Cremen. Let's go and sell some hugs. [MUSIC PLAYING] All right, welcome back to the Radio Realtors. We are Northern California's number one real estate radio show proudly coming to you live from the equity protect.com studios. And you know, guys, you're hearing it all over the radio, all over the news about people getting their homes stolen from them. They call it house stealing, where someone assumes your identity somehow, they do some sort of ID fraud. And then they put a loan on your property, or your home ends up on MLS. We had a gentleman that listens to our show that called equity protect. Because when he was in Las Vegas, he lost his wallet. And for some reason, he had his social security card in his wallet, which is-- it's not really a good idea to carry that around to have that. But it got into the wrong hands. And some people decided, hey, we're going to drain your bank accounts. This is happening within hours of him losing his wallet. And they also tried to put three of his properties that were non-owner occupied on MLS. It could happen that fast. Now, fortunately, equity protect got involved and was able to stop those properties from being sold out from under him. But if you don't have equity protect, then you're at risk to scammers. So if you have a lot of equity, or you own your home free and clear, you need protection. The only company that stops scammers from doing that is Equity Protect. There's a lot of companies out there that will monitor for you and then tell you after something bad has happened, Equity Protect stops it from happening in the beginning. So go to their website. Get your free risk assessment today at equityprotect.com. That's equityprotect.com. And tell them that the radio realtors sent you. I'm Robert Lewis, your real estate professor. And I'm Garrett Reese, your neighborhood transformation specialist. And Garrett, we are switching gears here. We're going to talk about the five ways, first time home buyers ruin their credit and their odds of buying a house. And when it comes to shopping for a mortgage to buy a house, one critical factor to check is your credit score. You see, lenders use your credit score, also known as the FICO score, to decide whether to loan you money to buy a home and what is going to be your interest rate as well. And Rob, lenders grant credit based on their confidence that you can be trusted to pay back what you've borrowed. And if you're deemed worthy of a lender's financial trust, you are said to be credit worthy, right? Or you have good credit. And building credit is almost like building a reputation with lenders. And credit score has kind of ranged from about $300 to $850 while the definition of good or poor credit varies slightly from creditor to creditor. Right, exactly. And here's a general rundown. An excellent credit score is $750 to $850. I've actually had people I go, hey, do you know what your credit score and they go, yeah, I think it's about $1,000, you know? You know, well, I guess $850 is relatively close to $1,000. But the top is $850. You can't have a better credit score than $850, right? A good credit score is $700 to $749. A fair credit score is $650 to $699. And a poor credit score is $649 and lower. Good to know. I actually didn't know that. And unfortunately, it's easy to make mistakes that lower your credit score and jeopardize your odds of getting a home loan. Yeah, it sure is. So on the Radio Realtors today, we're going to cover the five worst credit mistakes a home buyer can make plus how to turn things around and get your credit back on track. So let's get into it. Mistake number one is a history of late or missing payments. Yeah, whether or not you've paid your bills is a top concern for lenders. Because of this, your payment history makes up 35% of your credit score. Yup, and past due payments, missed payments, and loan defaults take a heavy toll on your credit. Yeah, and even worse, Garrett, if you have not made a payment on your credit card debts for a while, like maybe six months or more, your creditor can charge off your account as uncollectible. And then they can sell it to a collection agency. And nobody wants that. So the obvious fix here is to pay off your debt on time by remembering your monthly payment. Yeah, good point. And generally speaking, what helps build credit is paying your balance on time. So set up an automatic payment for your debts to ensure that you never miss one. And if you have the funds, set up the automatic payments a day or two before the due date. That's always a good idea. And Rob, if auto-paint isn't your thing, set a calendar reminder for each bill's due date to make sure that everything gets paid on time. Good idea. Now mistake number two is high credit balances. Yeah, Rob, your debt load makes up 30% of your credit score. Therefore, carrying a high credit card balance can also drag down your score. Right. And if possible, you want your credit utilization. And that's the amount of debt you have compared to your credit limit to be low. And that's about 30% to 40% of your credit limit. So if you have a 5,000 credit limit using 2,000 a month, rather than maxing out your whole $5,000 will help you build a better credit score. Exactly. And the lower your outstanding balances, the better your credit score. And that's why we recommend setting up credit card alerts so that you can keep up with how much of your credit limit is being used. So mistake number three is a short or spotty credit history. Yeah, the length of your credit history, it makes up 15% of your credit score. And the longer your accounts remain open, the better. And this includes your credit cards, student loans, car loans, or rental history. Yeah, Rob, lenders usually want clients to have more than 24 months of credit history. Right, so here's the deal. If you have old credit cards that are still good but you don't use them, don't close those accounts out. Closing paid off credit cards can actually harm your credit score as it reduces the overall length of your credit history. That's true, it's better to keep a credit card open and use the credit line from time to time than closing the credit card. Absolutely. Now mistake number four is a limited mix of credit. Credit mix is the variety of loans in your credit file such as credit cards, student loans, or car loans. Right, and having a mix of credit is really good because what it does is it demonstrates that you can juggle paying off several different debts at a time. A mix of credit contributes to 10% of your credit score. And so here's the deal, Rob. Having a limited credit mix can drag down your credit score on the flip side, understanding and improving it can give your credit score a boost. Yeah, that is true. However, we should say that you don't want to open extra credit cards or take out new loans for the sake of just having a good mix of credit if you can't handle paying them. Otherwise it's gonna do you more harm than good. Right, and that leads to mistake number five, having too much new credit. Yeah, new credit makes up 10% of your score and what lenders don't wanna see is that you have open numerous low limit credit card accounts or put in multiple applications for new credit within a brief period of time. Yep, they read this as a sign that you have difficulty handling credit. In addition, opening new lines of credit decreases the average length of your credit history which can also hurt your score. And you may have too much credit if you struggle to make your monthly payments and have a high amount of debt, particularly new debt. So to manage your finances better, avoid opening new lines of credit unless it's necessary and you're confident that you can pay that bill each month. So here's a wrap up. How long does it take to repair your credit score? Well, if you've made a credit mistake like one of those we've talked about, it's not the end of the world. You just need to start learning how to build up your credit again. However, it's gonna take some time so you gotta be patient. Repairing your credit involves smaller tasks that can take anywhere from several weeks to several years to complete. That's true, Garrett. And some of the items that can stay on your credit report for years include bankruptcy, that's seven to 10 years foreclosure or mortgage default, seven years, and tax lean which is unpaid property tax up to 10 years for unpaid liens. Wow. So in addition, charged off accounts take seven years as well as lawsuits and judgments even if a judgment has been satisfied. And Garrett passed credit score blemishes. They won't necessarily prevent you from getting a mortgage. However, when we have you speak with one of our trusted mortgage advisors, we prepare to explain what happened in the past and what steps you have taken to correct the issue. And one of the great things that we do with our lenders, our preferred or trusted mortgage lenders is that when you do an application, they run something called a tri-merge. It's all three credit bureaus, right? And it is a mortgage credit report. And a lot of times when you do like something on credit karma or something like that, it is a consumer credit report. And that is totally different than a mortgage credit report. And you might only get one score. Right, yeah, exactly. Or maybe two, but you're not gonna get all three. With this, you get all three with the tri-merge, right? And the great thing is, is that they can look at it and decide which is the best option for you loan wise and they can also give you ideas on how to enhance your credit score to get rid of some of those blemishes along the way. So the best thing that you can do, if you're thinking, hey, I think I might wanna buy a home, well, the best thing is, get a hold of us and let us put you in touch with one of our preferred mortgage lenders and then get the process started. You can give us a call at 83332 radio, that's 83332 radio, or you can live chat with us anytime at RadioRilters.com. And we'll be back right after this. ♪ AC heat ♪ ♪ And plumbing you just call these ♪ ♪ It's easy as calling please, please, AC, please, AC ♪ ♪ Plumbing and heat, yeah ♪ Robert Lewis here from the RadioRilters and the Dog Days of Summer are just around the corner. As luck would have it, my AC system just stopped working. So I called my friends at Lees Air, plumbing and heat, and they sent out one of their top technicians and after a thorough inspection, my worst fears were confirmed. We needed a new system. Truth be told, our system had been limping along for quite some time. But here's the good news. When you install a new HVAC system with Lees, you can qualify for up to $8,500 in rebates, but hurry because these rebates are in limited supply. So if you need a new system or repairs or even just maintenance, there's only one place I trust. Lees Air.com. That's Lees Air.com. ♪ AC heat ♪ ♪ And plumbing you just call these ♪ ♪ It's easy as calling please, please, AC, please, AC ♪ ♪ Plumbing and heat, yeah ♪ ♪ Lees, AC ♪ - Brannitate 'em here, host of The Office of Tatum Show. Have you heard that teamwork makes the dream work? Well, I've been part of some really special teams. I play football, I worked in law enforcement, and even my team here on the radio. And if you're wanting to buy a home anywhere in Northern California, call the dream team Rob Lewis and Frank Crandall, the radio realtors with EXP Realty. Check this out. Royce and Angela were first-time home buyers wanting to buy a home in Lincoln. Rob and Frank met with them, discussed their wants and needs for home, got them pre-approved with one of their preferred mortgage lenders and had them out looking for homes the very same day. Rob and Frank found them the perfect home and negotiated a great price. And in just 21 days, Royce and Angela had the keys to their dream home. As a home buyer, they can help you win too. Even in this shifty market, call the dream team, Rob and Frank, the Radio Realtors with EXP Realty at 833-32 radio. That's 833-32 radio online at radiorealtors.com. That's radiorealtors.com. DRE number 0140-6275. If you've been thinking about buying a home, you know it's a tough housing market right now, but I've got wonderful news. There's a new home community that's a reasonable drive from Lincoln, Roseville, North Natomas and downtown Sacramento, offering brand new three bedroom and four bedroom homes with solar in the low $400,000 range. And they even have five bedroom homes in the low $500,000 range. These homes are beautiful with granite countertops, LVP flooring, spacious floor plans and great amenities nearby. Find out more, call the Radio Realtors with EXP Realty right now at 833-32 radio. That's 833-32 radio. Schedule a private tour today. And if you decide to buy with us, we will save you thousands of dollars with special incentives. All buyers are welcome, FHA, VA, first time buyers and investors too. And you can reserve your home with just a small deposit. Call us now at 833-32 radio. That's 833-32 radio, DRE number 0140 6275. - This, this is a Radio Realtors. - I sold the house. - This is a home. - This is a place to live. - This is a place to live. - Northern California's longest running show on Real Estate. - Real Estate is not just buying and selling houses. - Who are you? Some kind of real estate agent. - Real estate agent. - I love Real Estate. - I love Real Estate. - I was going to say I laid eyes on that house. I wanted it. - The Radio Realtors. - I love every second. - Now, here's your host, Robert Lewis, and Frank Crenshaw. - Let's go to the Sals and Hugs. (upbeat music) - All right, welcome back to the Radio Realtors where Northern California's number one Real Estate radio show proudly coming to you live from the equityprotect.com studios. Tidal, fraud, and theft are on the rise, especially if you own your home free and clear, or have thousands of dollars in equity. And there's a lot of companies out there that will merely monitor your title, but they only will alert you when something bad has happened. You know, one thing that I would like to happen is that something bad doesn't happen to me. It's sort of like if you have an alarm system on your home and you're away and you see someone breaking into your home. Well, you can't really do too much about it if they're breaking in and you're seeing them on your ring doorbell, right? Imagine though, if there was something that had a net or a stun gun or something like that, and it's just completely stopped a burglar from getting into your home. - We stopped them from coming. They've already taken everything. - Right. - Just wanted to let you know. - They neutralize the threat, right? That's what you want. And that's what equityprotect does. They have a patented process that literally will stop this from happening to you at all. So what would happen is, is that if someone tried to do this, they wouldn't be able to do it because you have equityprotect. So it's a total difference between like a tidal lock company and equityprotect. Equityprotect is the only company of its kind that stops scammers from getting your hard earned equity and we don't want that, right? So go to their website, get your free risk assessment on your home today. It's equityprotect.com. That's equityprotect.com. And please tell them that the radio rilters sent you. My name is Robert Lewis, your real estate professor. - And I'm Gary Reese, your neighborhood transformation specialist. - And if you've got a question for us or a comment or you're just ready to hire us because you hear us every week and you're going, you know what? These guys know what they're talking about. You can give us a call at 83332 radio. That's 83332 radio. Or like we said, you can always live chat with us anytime of the day or night by going to our website. It's radiorilters.com. That's radiorilters.com. Now we're gonna wrap up the show with something that is pretty interesting topic. So a lot of people, they go to open houses. Maybe they go out with their rilters to tour a home and they don't realize that most people have ring doorbells. - Right. - They have maybe some sort of surveillance system in their home. I mean, almost everybody does these days. And do you remember when you were a kid, did you ever teepee someone's home when you were a kid? - Oh yeah, teepee, egg, you know. - Okay, well, don't let's not talk about egging. - But so when I was a kid, we used to teepee all the time. And we've even teepee'd with our kids, right? We have adult children and we teepee'd with them. But you know what? I don't think that you can probably teepee someone's house anymore. - I don't think they like it. - Well, I know they don't like they ever did, but maybe it was just funny back in the day, but you wake up in the morning and your tall trees just got totally vaporized. - Oh, right, and then it rains and it's a total mess. But what I'm saying is-- - You're kids, that's the sad thing, right? You walk out of your house and you look at your kid, like, you know, who'd you make mad? - Right, exactly, or it's a girlfriend or a boyfriend, someone that likes you or whatever. But you know what, now almost everybody has cameras. - Right. - And so the chances of you getting away with it are almost impossible. It's like DNA, you know, these days, right? The way this pertains to real estate is that when you're touring your home during an open house or private showing, it's pretty exciting to be there, right? Especially if the home looks even better than the listing photos. And then again, though, you might discover the house smells bad or even has uneven floors. - So however, Rob, good or bad, it's in your best interest to keep a tight lip about your thoughts when you're walking around the house. - I agree, because many homeowners, like we've been saying, they've got doorbell cameras, they've got baby monitors, they've got surveillance cameras, and voice-controlled smart speakers, like Alexa devices. And they could be watching and listening to you as you tour their home. - So be careful if you see like that teddy bear with the eyes moving on the mantle. - Or even like a just a painting? - Exactly, that's scary. - So to be fair, those sellers could be using those cameras and speakers for legitimate safety and security purposes. - Right. - After all, they're allowing strangers into their home. However, the question we should be asking is, is recording buyer's legal? - Well, Garrett, recording or eavesdropping on people without their knowledge or their consent is legal in many, many states. However, California, the golden state is not one of them. California's constitution has language on this subject that has resulted in interpretations designed to protect unknowing people. That would include the home buyers, right? - That's right, and it's right here. The constitution loosely says all people have an inalienable right to, among other things, pursuing safety, happiness, and privacy. - Are you running for office? 'Cause that's not a pretty good. You know, it's like have a pocket constitution. - Let me say my tie here, or I'll answer that question. - Yeah, and this protection does not extend to public spaces, right? Where they can reasonably expect to be overheard or recorded, right? However, in non-public places, people can assume the belief of privacy and confidentiality. - You know, the California Association of Realtors has addressed home buyer concerns regarding privacy in the standard listing agreement used by California Realtors. - Right, and in the agreement, sellers are advised to post a notice to prospective buyers and agents disclosing the presence of security cameras and recording devices. - Still, according to a lending tree survey, about one third of home sellers used hidden cameras when they showed their homes. - Right, and about 50% of those surveyed said they'd used the cameras to gather intel on home buyer feedback. So with that statistic in mind, here's what you should know about spy cams before you go house hunting. - So question number one is, should sellers be using cameras to record buyers? - Well, in California, the answer is definitely no, unless you post a notice. However, while cameras are common in commercial settings, I mean, you see them all the time in commercial settings, some home buyers might be uneasy knowing a camera or listening device is active during a home tour. - And Rob, while cameras and listening devices are common these days, it's crucial to understand that this doesn't automatically grant sellers the right to record video and audio of home buyers while they're touring a home. - Right, and like we said, the laws vary from state to state. So if you're a seller, you wanna consult us, your agents, and possibly an attorney before you activate any device before a showing. Now, we're gonna get a little bit deeper into this where there are last segment, but if you have any questions about this or you're saying, hey, you know what, Rob Garrett, I wanna get out there and start looking at homes. I need somebody on my team that can help me and help me avoid any issues like this. And, you know, we work with buyers every single week, we take them out looking at homes, we work with sellers too, but we wanna make sure you're protected. And a lot of times when we're walking up to the door, we see that ring doorbell or whatever, you know, there's so many different types of them now. - That's when the sign language starts. - Right, that's when you need to, you know, we go, hey, you know, zip it, you know, don't say anything, anything that can be used against them, you know, in the court of law, a lot of times what it is is that you walk up and you go, oh my gosh, this is the perfect house. We have to have this at all costs. - I wanna say that either. - Yeah, you say that and then the sellers are like on, change, change, we don't have to negotiate with these people at all 'cause they told us they have to have this house, right? So anyway, give us a call, we wanna work with you, we work with buyers and sellers every single week, 83332 radios are number, 83332 radio, or you can live chat with us 24/7 @radiorealtors.com, that's radiorealtors.com, and don't go anywhere, we'll be back right after this. (upbeat music) - You know, there are some people that believe that all mortgage lenders are the same, but do you believe that diamonds and cubic zirconia are the same? Well, at first glance, they look very similar, but to the trained eye, they are totally different because one's a fake. What's even worse is when you're in the middle of buying a home and you discover that your mortgage lender is a cubic zirconia. This discovery could make you lose your dream home and your hard earned money, and if you want the real thing and not a fake when it comes to buying your next home, you need the diamond of lenders, Jeff Compton with Guild Mortgage. Jeff and his team, they're devoted to helping you get the right loan with the best interest rates and the lowest fees, and Jeff can close fast in many cases in as little as 10 to 21 days. For a quick response, you can call our text, Jeff, at 916-765-2900, that's 916-765-2900, or apply online at JeffCompton.com, that's JeffCompton.com, and I'm a less ID number 298-997, Equal Housing Lender. - Hi, this is Brandon Tatum, host of The Also Tatum Show. As a former police officer, I know the importance of trusting the people that you work with, and that's why if you're planning on selling your home in Northern California, you want realtors who got your bag. Call my friends, Rob Lewis and Frank Crandall, from the Radio Realtors and EXP Realty. Check this out. Cat and Carl had to sell their home in Roseville and move to Ohio for work. They needed their home so quickly to buy their next home. And because Rob and Frank spend thousands of dollars on marketing each month, they have a pool of buyers that are ready to buy. Rob and Frank sold Cat and Carl's home in Roseville for $20,000 over list price. Plus, they refer them to an agent in Ohio through their nationwide network of Realtors, and help them get a great deal on a home there too. Don't wait, sell your home today for top dollar. Carl Rob and Frank, the Radio Realtors with EXP Realty at 832-Radio. That's 833-32-Radio. Online at RadioRealtors.com, DRE number 0140-6275. - This, this is a Radio Realtors. - I sold the house. - This is a home. - This is a place to live. - It's a place to live. - Northern California's longest running show on real estate. - Real estate is not just buying and selling houses. - Who are you? Some kind of real estate agent. - Real estate agent. - I love real estate. - I love real estate. - I was saying, I'm out of that house. I wanted it. - The Radio Realtors. - I love every second. - Now, here's your host, Robert Lewis and Frank Cremen. - Let's go to the sell some homes. - All right, welcome back to the Radio Realtors. We are Northern California's number one real estate radio show proudly coming to you live from the equityprotect.com studios. I heard this story about a guy who owned a property in Incline Village, and it was just a property that his family had owned for years. He lived in Georgia, but they own this property in Incline Village, and it was just a nice piece of land that they were holding until one day they wanted to sell it and get the profit or maybe build on it or whatever. Well, anyway, a scammer came along and said, "Hey, that looks like a pretty interesting piece "of property," and they looked into it a little bit, got some information on it, found out that this gentleman owned it away from the area, so he was on the other side of the country, and so they contacted a real estate agent and told the real estate agent, "Hey, I'm this person. "I'd like to sell this property." The agent did their due diligence, found out that this person did own the property, so they listed the property, the property sold, and the money got sent to this fictitious seller, and then 30 days later in the mail, the real owner got something from the title company, so congratulations, your property has been sold. Here's your net sheet, yada, yada, yada, and-- - Everything but the money. - Yeah, everything but the money. Well, the gentleman eventually got his property back, but it took a lot of lawsuits and settlements and all these things. If he had equity protect, this would have never happened to him because they would not have been able to record a deed because they have a patented process, and there's companies out there like title lock companies, I'm not gonna say the name, they basically are just a monitoring service. This company's not a monitoring service, they will monitor your title, and they'll do it for free if you're low risk, they will monitor, but they will also stop that from happening to you. So if you wanna have total protection, you need equity protect. Go to their website, equityprotect.com, that's equityprotect.com, and tell 'em that the radio realtor sent you, and then make sure you do that free risk assessment because it's free, and you can do, I think up to five properties, which is really, really cool. So you could do your parents, you could do yours, you could do friends, your grandparents, and see what the risk level is, and it's a great program, equityprotect.com. My name is Robert Lewis, I'm your real estate professor. And I'm Garrett Reese, your neighborhood transformation specialist. And we've been talking about a pretty interesting thing because this day and age, big brother, we're worried about the government watching us, right? Well, when you're touring a home on an open house, or maybe it's just with a realtor and you're looking at homes, you have to probably think that these people have a ring doorbell at the minimum, maybe they have surveillance cameras in their house, and they should, if it's in California, have a sign that says, "We're recording you," right? But I would imagine that not everybody's heard our show, yeah. - Sure, yeah. - Right? So there's a chance that that hasn't happened. - It is coming. - And we're talking surveillance cameras, voice-controlled smart speakers, and eavesdropping and recording on people without their knowledge or consent is legal in a lot of states, but California is not one. You cannot do this. So if you are a seller out there, you wanna make sure if you're doing this right now, that you put a sign in your house that says, surveillance equipment being used or whatever. - You know, truth be told, a little bit off topic. I didn't know it was eavesdropping. I thought it was eavesdropping. - Oh, you did? Well, it's easy. Yeah, so-- - So you thought it was an eavesdropping, you thought it was eavesdropping? Like-- - I thought it was eavesdropping, yeah. - Interesting. - I didn't know it was eavesdropping. - It's interesting. I've known that, but I did years ago, somebody said, "What's black and white and red all over?" And they said, "It's a newspaper." And it took me a long time to figure out that, 'cause I'm like, "Gone, R-E-D all over?" A newspaper is not, and then I realized it meant like to read red all over. Does that make sense to me? - Yes, R-E-E. It's a little disclosure, so don't feel bad. - Okay. - That's what I'm trying to say. But-- - There's something new every day. - Yeah, you know, and it's interesting, that Lending Tree survey that you quoted, one third of home sellers said they use hidden cameras when they show their homes, and about 50% of those said they use the cameras to gather intel, right? That seems smart. I mean, you know, to, you know, you wanna gather intel on what they're saying about your home. - Sure. - I mean, that can make you like, really excited, and it can make you really angry, right? - Yeah, it has some thick skin in case somebody doesn't like your house. - Right, and you know, and so the first thing that we said, question number one was, should sellers use cameras to record buyers? And in California, the answer is actually no. - Right. - Now, unless you have, you posted a notice, right? So it varies from state to state, but if you're a seller and you're getting ready to sell your home, make sure you consult with us to talk about it. And so what is the next question upon her here? - Number two is, legal or not, whether you should watch and listen as prospective buyers, poke, prod, celebrate, or judge your home. - Right. So if you're recording to keep an eye on your valuables or you want to use that drop-in feature on Alexa to get the scoop on what buyers think of your place, we really caution owners to tread lightly here. - Hey, Rob, in one example, one of our buyers said, the use of Alexa devices during their home tour made them pass on a listing. - Yeah, and this happened recently when we were visiting a home that had Alexa devices in each and every room. I mean, they were everywhere, right? And they kept on turning on when we would enter that room. And we were fairly sure that they were monitoring our dialogue here. They were also speaking to us, explaining the benefits of the home. So through the speaker in the room, all of a sudden, a voice came over, popped in. But since us realtors were there, it was kind of needless and redundant because we knew that there was a hot tub in the bedroom, like a jacuzzi tub. We knew that it had outdoor access to the pool. We knew those things. So it was redundant. - Was it maybe in an English accent or just something to be in? - No, it was just their accent of the cellar. - And Rob, it's just downright creepy. It felt like we were in George Orwell's 1984 and our buyers ended up passing on that specific house. - Right, and this is just one example of why we strongly warn sellers with devices to be upfront about their actions. So if the seller wants to watch the activity from a camera, we tell them to make sure the camera or smart home devices prominently displayed so buyers can see they are being filmed. - And make sure you post a warning notice. - Right, so the next part of this is for you buyers. Your first lesson is mums the word when you're touring homes. - Yeah, I agree with this. And while it may be tempting to speak your mind while you're viewing a home as a home buyer, it's not always in your best interest. - Yeah, in fact, it might be best for you just to bite your tongue and tell you hop back into your car. After all, you never know who's listening because maybe the seller is home or has a listening device planted somewhere and maybe the listening agent is there to let you inside the home. The point is that these parties have a vested interest in the home sale and they're curious about what you think and whether you're considering making an offer or not. - And Rob, saying the wrong thing can not only compromise your negotiations but it can also come across as insulting to the seller. - Yeah, exactly. Now here are six things that as a home buyer you should never say during a home tour. I love it, it's perfect. - That decor, furniture, paint, colors, et cetera is awful. - Yeah, this home is overpriced. - Why is the seller moving? - What are the neighbors like? - Will the seller take X price? - Right, all of these statements can and will be used against you if you utter them out loud either because they can be deemed offensive, too personal, too revealing, too needy or just plain judgmental. - You know, sellers are attached to their homes and can take things personally. They don't want to take the chance of losing a deal over something that might be misunderstood. - Right, the bottom line is hold your tongue until you get inside your car as exterior cameras. They could also be watching you. - Lesson number two for buyers is keep your excitement contained. - Yeah, okay, this is super important. When you discover the home you've been drooling over is even better in person than in the photos. It might be hard for you to keep your ooze and oze to yourself. After all, wouldn't the seller be pleased to know that you love their house? Well, maybe, but there's some good reason to dial back your enthusiasm and notch when cameras are watching you. - Yeah, Rob, I remind my buyers that the last thing we want to do is accidentally show our cards to the sellers. If you try to negotiate price or repairs for negotiations later, you might also be giving up some bargaining power. - Yeah, so play it cool also when you're posting on Facebook as well. Sellers have the buyer's names from the contract and they do look at social media. So if you as a buyer post that you found the perfect home and you're super excited about it, well, the seller might see that as well. - I agree, Rob, buying a home is an exciting time, but you have to be careful not to let them excitement hurt your chances of going into contract or staying under contract. - Right, and we should also say there's nothing wrong with sharing opinions, feedback, or asking questions within reason, but less is generally more. - More is less. - Right, and if you'd like a copy of the Radio Realtors home tour checklist for buyers that will help you track and remember information about a house that you tour, then just text us at 833-32 radio. That's 833-32 radio. - And as always, you can live chat with a member of our team at theradialrealtors.com. That's radialrealtors.com. - And unfortunately, Garrett, we're getting notice from Matt that we don't have any time left. So I just want to tell you guys this, stay classy Northern California. - And thanks for stopping by. - You know, there are some people that believe that all mortgage lenders are the same, but do you believe the diamonds in cubic zirconia are the same? Well, at first glance, they look very similar, but to the trained eye, they are totally different because one's a fake. What's even worse is when you're in the middle of buying a home and you discover that your mortgage lender is a cubic zirconia. This discovery could make you lose your dream home and your hard earned money. And if you want the real thing and not a fake when it comes to buying your next home, you need the diamond of lenders, Jeff Compton with Guild Mortgage. Jeff and his team, they're devoted to helping you get the right loan with the best interest rates and the lowest fees. And Jeff can close fast in many cases in as little as 10 to 21 days. For a quick response, you can call our text, Jeff, at 916-765-2900. That's 916-765-2900 or apply online at jeffcompton.com. That's jeffcompton.com. And I'm a less ID number 298-997, equal housing lender. ♪ AC heat and plumbing you just call this ♪ ♪ It's easy as calling, please, please, ♪ ♪ AC, please, AC, plumbing and heat, yeah ♪ Robert Lewis here from the Radio Realtors and just recently, my AC died. And this time there was no fixing it. The good news is I called my friends at Lees Air Plumbing and Heat and these won over all the options with our family and we chose a Bosch 18-seer system. In just one day, that system was installed and our house is now cool, comfortable, and ready for summer and I get it. Nobody likes to replace their system, but sometimes you have to. Right now with Lees, you can qualify for up to $8,500 in rebates, but hurry because these rebates are in limited supply. So if you need a new H-back system, repairs or just to tune up, go to Lees Air.com. That's Lees Air.com. ♪ AC heat and plumbing you just call this ♪ ♪ It's easy as calling, please, please, ♪ ♪ AC, please, AC, plumbing and heat, yeah ♪ ♪ Please, please, AC ♪ - Okay, honey, I'm done with your summertime cleaning list. Wash the windows. - Check. - Power Wash the patio. - Check. - Cleaned the outdoor furniture. - Check. - Now for some me time. - What about cleaning the trash bin? - No, I didn't do that one. - Well, it's got to be done. - But they look and they smell really bad. - Yeah, I agree. You know, I heard on the radio about a local family-owned company called Bin Levin Clean Bins. - Wow, here they are, Bin Levin Clean Bins. It says they use a combination of hot water and high pressure to clean the bins and they sanitize, deodorize, and disinfect them. - That sounds amazing. - And check this out. Bin Levin Clean Bins also has great reviews and their service is really affordable. So babe, can I hire them so I can finish off your summertime cleaning list? - Of course, honey. - Awesome. Summer sale alert, enjoy 50% off your first cleaning with promo code SUMMER 2024. Hurry, limited time only, discount available on all recurring plans, book your cleaning now at binlovincleanbins.com. Robert Lewis here from the Radio Realtors and have you ever heard of the summertime blues? Well, there's even a song about it and they say there ain't no cure. Well, I know a way to beat those summertime blues and that's by calling my friends at zero res to get your carpets cleaned. Why? Summertime brings frequent foot traffic into your house and with it, a host of dirt. Whether people are barefoot or in flip flops, enjoying a deck, patio, or kicking back poolside, or maybe mowing the lawn or gardening, it means dirt will inevitably be tracked onto the floors and carpets in your house. And dirty carpets lead to poor air quality in your home, which will give you the summertime blues. So what should you do? Just call my friends at zero res and ask for the KTKZ special, three rooms clean starting at just $139. Call zero res right now at 916-245-2992. That's 916-245-2992 or book online at zeroressacrameno.com. Tell them you want the KTKZ special. Spell it forward or backwards. It spells the same zero res.
