Home Entertainment • November 9, 2022

4 Easy Entertaining Upgrades That Everyone Will Love!

by Nick Johnson

Changing and upgrading aspects of your home doesn’t mean you always have to be practical. Heck, it’s your right to have a bit of fun! You’ve updated the paint palette throughout the rooms, switched out the countertops for improved durability, and livened up the bathrooms so that they don’t look like they’re from the 1920’s anymore. Now it’s time to make some fun changes for you, your housemates, and your guests to enjoy.

What are some awesome and cool options to consider? We’re glad you asked and we’re here to provide. Keep on reading to learn about some out-of-the-box ideas that you, too, can incorporate into your home.

At-Home Cafe

Purchasing a coffee system may pose an expensive investment, but if you love the caffeinated beverage, the money will not go to waste. Go big or go home! Choose a high-class invention that will cover you in every barista twist and turn – you know, one that offers the choice of espresso, cappuccino, latte, macchiato, and good old fashioned regular coffee.

Don’t worry about space, these nifty little machines don’t take up the entire counter. But if you want to make it look even fancier, grab yourself a stationary cart and position it accordingly. Place the coffee system on top and organize the space so that cups, spoons, and all the other necessities are easily accessible.

At-Home Movie Theater

Stay at home and be comfortable in your favorite pair of PJ’s and slippers while you watch a movie. Why? Because nothing beats curling up with a blanket and actually getting to choose the film you’re about to watch, out of hundreds of thousands of options.

If you have some extra space in the basement, an at-home movie theater will fit perfectly. Be sure to purchase the right receiver, the perfect sound system, and the correct viewing screen. All that’s left to do is grab your favorite snacks from the pantry and best go-to drink from the refrigerator.

Pizza Oven

Nothing is better than warm weather, hot pizza, and cool drinks. Are we right? We would say so. Just imagine yourself outside by the pool, taking in the summer sun, eating a delicious slice of pepperoni pizza. The scene is a vision – and now you’re wishing that was reality and not just something painted up in your mind by our writing.

But it can be real life! You can order it through your local pizzeria or you can one-up the rest of the town and install your personal pizza oven in the backyard. Add some countertops and a clean up station across the way and install a mini fridge underneath the sink. The ultimate setup for any living situation, meant for kids and adults of all ages to enjoy.

Outdoor Fire Pit

We can already smell it, the fresh scent of wood burning with marshmallows and melted chocolate sneaking inside our nostrils. Did anybody say s’mores?

An outdoor fire pit is one of the greatest inventions of all time. It’ll keep you warm throughout the chilly months, allowing you to take in some fresh air and gaze upon some awesome stars up in the sky. While you’re at it, a sweet treat like graham crackers, marshmallows, and Hershey’s chocolate will do you good. Pair it with some hot chocolate or fresh apple cider for the full effect. And make sure you have enough patio furniture so that everyone can join in on the fun, because believe us, you’ll have a lot of willing participants to indulge in this fall favorite activity.

The kids alone will likely be trampling over one another to get the first bite!

Content provided by:

Karl Kennedy
Author of ProjectorTop.com

**************************************************************************************************************************

Having been in Real Estate for nearly 19 years, I have seen over and over again how our homes are our sanctuary, our peace of mind and place to relax. When we invest into our home to make it what we enjoy, it becomes the place we want to come home to.

Need help with finding your dream home or looking to list your property, please contact me to interview with you.

Thank you,

Nick Johnson, Realtor Coldwell Banker | Global Luxury Pacific Heights

CaDRE#01419663

nick.johnson415@gmail.com

www.NickKnowsRealEstate.com

Mortgages • September 21, 2022

NerdWallet’s mortgage rate insight

by Nick Johnson

NerdWallet’s mortgage rate insight

6.446%

30-year fixed-rate

‘On Wednesday, September 21st, 2022, the average APR on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 12 basis points to 6.446%. The average APR on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 3 basis points to 5.433% and the average APR for a 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) fell 4 basis points to 5.393%, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 37 basis points higher than one week ago and 358 basis points higher than one year ago.

A basis point is one one-hundredth of one percent. Rates are expressed as annual percentage rate, or APR.’

An online process with human help as needed.
Makes it easy to see customized mortgage rates.
Offers an “underwriter reviewed” preapproval letter in as little as 24 hours.
Appraisal guarantee promises loan won’t change even if appraisal is lower than expected.

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MORTGAGES

Written by Kate Wood

September 21, 2022

What is a mortgage?

Most people don’t have the cash to simply buy a house. Instead, they use a mortgage, which is a loan to buy a home. After making a down payment of anywhere from 3% to 25%, they get a mortgage to cover the remaining costs of purchasing the home.

A mortgage is set up so you pay off the loan over a specified period called the term. The most popular term is 30 years. Each payment includes a combination of principal and interest, as well as property taxes, and, if needed, mortgage insurance. (Homeowners insurance may be included, or the homeowner may pay the insurer directly.) Principal is the original amount of money you borrowed while interest is what you’re being charged to borrow the money.

» MORE: Estimate your monthly mortgage payment

How do mortgage rates work?

The mortgage rate a lender offers you is determined by a mix of factors that are specific to you and larger forces that are beyond your control.

Lenders will have a base rate that takes the big stuff into account and gives them some profit. They adjust that base rate up or down for individual borrowers depending on perceived risk. If you seem like a safe bet to a lender, you’re more likely to be offered a lower interest rate.

Factors you can change:

Your credit score. Mortgage lenders use credit scores to evaluate risk. Higher scores are seen as safer. In other words, the lender is more confident that you’ll successfully make your mortgage payments.
Your down payment. Paying a larger percentage of the home’s price upfront reduces the amount you’re borrowing and makes you seem less risky to lenders. You can calculate your loan-to-value ratio to check this out. A LTV of 80% or more is considered high.
Your loan type. The kind of loan you’re applying for can influence the mortgage rate you’re offered. For example, jumbo loans tend to have higher interest rates.
How you’re using the home. Mortgages for primary residences — a place you’re actually going to live — generally get lower interest rates than home loans for vacation properties, second homes or investment properties.

Forces you can’t control:

The U.S. economy. Sure, this means Wall Street, but non-market forces (for example, elections) can also influence mortgage rates. Changes in inflation and unemployment rates tend to put pressure on interest rates.
The global economy. What’s happening around the world will influence U.S. markets. Global political worries can move mortgage rates lower. Good news may push rates higher.
The Federal Reserve. The nation’s central bank attempts to guide the economy with the twin goals of encouraging job growth while keeping inflation under control. Decisions made by the Federal Open Market Committee to raise or cut short-term interest rates can sometimes cause lenders to raise or cut mortgage rates.

» MORE: What determines mortgage rates?

How (and why) to compare mortgage rates

Mortgage rates like the ones you see on this page are sample rates. In this case, they’re the averages of rates from multiple lenders, which are provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. They let you know about where mortgage rates stand today, but they might not reflect the rate you’ll be offered.

When you look at an individual lender’s website and see mortgage rates, those are also sample rates. To generate those rates, the lender will use a bunch of assumptions about their “sample” borrower, including credit score, location and down payment amount. Sample rates also sometimes include discount points, which are optional fees borrowers can pay to lower the interest rate. Including discount points will make a lender’s rates appear lower.

To see more personalized rates, you’ll need to provide some information about you and about the home you want to buy. For example, at the top of this page, you can enter your ZIP code to start comparing rates. On the next page, you can adjust your approximate credit score, the amount you’re looking to spend, your down payment amount and the loan term to see rate quotes that better reflect your individual situation.

Whether you’re looking at sample rates on lenders’ websites or comparing personalized rates here, you’ll notice that interest rates vary. This is one reason why it’s important to shop around when you’re looking for a mortgage lender. Fractions of a percentage might not seem like they’d make a big difference, but you aren’t just shaving a few bucks off your monthly mortgage payment, you’re also lowering the total amount of interest you’ll pay over the life of the loan.

It’s a good idea to apply for mortgage preapproval from at least three lenders. With a preapproval, the lenders verify some of the details of your finances, so both the rates offered and the amount you’re able to borrow will be real numbers. Each lender will provide you with a Loan Estimate. These standardized forms make it easy to compare interest rates as well as lender fees.

When you’re comparing rates, you’ll usually see two numbers — the interest rate and the APR. The APR, or annual percentage rate, is usually the higher of the two because it takes into account both the interest rate and the other costs associated with the loan (like those lender fees). Because of this, APR is usually considered a more accurate measure of the cost of borrowing.

MORTGAGE RATES FAQS

The interest rate is the percentage that the lender charges for borrowing the money. The APR, or annual percentage rate, is supposed to reflect a more accurate cost of borrowing. The APR calculation includes fees and discount points, along with the interest rate.

APR is a tool used to compare loan offers, even if they have different interest rates, fees and discount points. APR takes ongoing costs like mortgage insurance into account, which is why it’s usually higher than the interest rate.

Discount points are basically prepaid interest that reduces the interest rate on your mortgage. One discount point costs 1% of the loan amount, and will usually drop the interest rate by 0.25%.

Buying points is optional. Be on the lookout for them, as a lender may add points to a loan offer to make their interest rate seem more competitive. It’s up to you to decide if paying for points as part of your closing costs is worth it.

The impact of a 0.25% change in the interest rate depends on the loan amount, the term and the interest rates. To illustrate, let’s look at a $250,000 mortgage with a 30-year term, and the differences in payment between an interest rate of 4% and a rate of 4.25%.

At 4%, the monthly principal and interest cost $1,193.54. At 4.25%, the monthly principal and interest cost $1,229.85. So, for a $250,000 mortgage with a 30-year term, cutting the interest rate from 4.25% to 4% saves $36.31 a month and $436 a year.

Mortgage rates not only vary from day to day, but hour to hour. In order to know what rate you’ll pay, you need the rate you’re offered to stop changing. A mortgage rate lock is the lender’s guarantee that you’ll pay the agreed-upon interest rate if you close by a certain date. Your locked rate won’t change, no matter what happens to interest rates in the meantime.

It’s a good idea to lock the rate when you’re approved for a mortgage with an interest rate that you’re comfortable with. Consult with your loan officer on the timing of the rate lock. Ideally, your rate lock would extend a few days after the expected closing date, so you’ll get the agreed-upon rate even if the closing is delayed a few days.

About the author: Kate writes about mortgages, homebuying and homeownership for NerdWallet. Previously, she covered topics related to homeownership at This Old House magazine.

Find article: https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates?trk=nw_gn_5.0

Let me know if you need help finding a lender or getting more information on mortgages in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I’m always here to help you accomplish your real estate goals!

Warmest Regards,

Nick

Nick Johnson, CaDRE#01419663

Coldwell Banker | Global Luxury

1560 Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor

San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 264-4789

nick.johnson415@gmail.com

www.NickKnowsRealEstate.com

Luxury Interior Design for Home Marketing • August 9, 2022

Interior Design Upgrades That Will Make Your Home Feel Luxurious

by Nick Johnson

Interior Design Upgrades That Will Make Your Home Feel Luxurious

Sometimes, it takes more than a cheap paint job upgrade for you to re-appreciate your home and the space you’re living in. Truth be told, that’s not a bad thing. As a homeowner, you should be able to splurge every once in a while, on a new addition, whether it be a modern and technological or classic and antique.

In this article, we’re going to focus on the modern and technological upgrades that you can implement to make your surroundings more luxurious. Are you ready to be the new hip and trendy place on the block? You know, the house that all your friends and family are dying to go visit? Say less, here are some more-than-cool options.

Electric Fireplace

Indoor electric fireplaces are super luxurious, and you can have them year-round for aesthetics without the messy cleanup of a traditional fireplace.

Think about it this way: During the cold months, you can have your electric fireplace running for warmth and visuals. During the warm months, you can have the technical, fake fire in the background as a mesmerizing art additive.

The best part about this upgrade option is that it comes in so many styles, you’re sure to find one that fits in with your style theme.

Indoor Grill

No one wants to go outside in the freezing cold when it’s raining or snowing out to grill a steak or cook some tender BBQ chicken. Yet grilled food is among the most liked in comparison to oven baked, stove top, and microwave cooking.

That’s why brands like Ninja have created an indoor grill for year-round use. Another bonus to this invention is that most indoor grills are made with cast iron, meaning they heat up quickly and cook food evenly throughout.

Golf Simulator

You can play some sports indoors whenever you want. Soccer, tennis, and track are good examples. On the other hand, golf, football, and baseball are not-so-good examples. Without the open lands, these sports constrain athletes, encouraging play only during seasonal months.

Golf wiggled its way out of that complicated situation in recent years with the creation of the golf stimulator. Now, if you want to play the sport in the comfort of your home, all you need to do is make sure you have a big enough room to span a projector and your club swing, and you’re good to go.

Finding the right projector for a golf simulator might pose as tricky, but if you start your search here, you’re sure to find something of value.

Heated Flooring

Radiant floor heating is the new popular interior design upgrade for bathrooms – master bathrooms especially. Though they aren’t seen often in warmer climates like southern United States, they do pose useful in northern and New England climates.

Why install heated flooring in your bathrooms? Because it warms everything in the room evenly, including your chilly feet and wet head when you exit the shower. Being cold in the bathroom is not a fun feeling, especially if you’re battling a stomachache – or the winter months!

Outdoor Kitchen

The inner chef in us would die for an outdoor kitchen, countertops, cabinetry, and a wet bar on the patio. Sounds absolutely heavenly.

Outdoor kitchens are great to have, especially in the summer months. Cook outside without sweating nonstop and let the delicious scents intertwine with nature. Not to mention the cleanup always seems easier outdoors; getting the countertops or ground wet is no big deal, it’ll be dry in just a few minutes.

To help prepare your home for the current real estate market, contact me for a list of local design professionals.

If you are looking to buy or sell your property, please call me today for a professional marketing consultation. 415.264.4789

Nicholas Johnson, A Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™

CaDRE#01419663

1560 Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor.

San Francisco, CA 94109

415.264.4789

nick.johnson415@gmail.com

www.NickKnowsRealEstate.com

Residential | Investment | Commercial

Article courtesy of:

Karl Kennedy
Author of ProjectorTop.com

Real Estate News • July 19, 2022

July 2022 Real Estate News

by Nick Johnson

REAL ESTATE NEWS

July 2022

Since the pandemic began, a “Great Resignation” has taken root as people left their jobs. Many of them apparently have shifted careers to real estate. From January 2021 to January 2022, the top trending career search entry was “how to become a real estate agent,” according to Google searches. More people have entered a career in real estate between 2020 and 2021, recording a 60% increase compared to the two years prior, The New York Times reports. With the real estate market booming across the country, job hunters may be drawn to the profession and the opportunity to build their own businesses. “I think many people have gone through the journey over the past number of years now of exploring, I’ll call it self-employment, and perhaps the kind of role that is both flexible and knows no boundaries,” Ryan Gorman, CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, told Fortune. “And there is no more boundary less role than a real estate agent. So, we literally have real estate agents — with the same license that anyone can obtain over the new few months — who enjoy an income of seven and even eight figures, because they’ve realized that they can get out of it what they put into it. There is no telling you what the limit is to your potential.” While the sky may be the limit for a real estate professional’s salary, most agents don’t make six figures, however. The median annual earnings for a real estate sales agent were $48,340 in May 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. People are being drawn to a career in real estate for better work/life balance, increased income potential, and gratitude for having a job, according to a new Coldwell Banker Real Estate survey of 1,405 licensed real estate agents and brokers. The National Association of Realtors®’ latest total membership count, reflecting April data, was at nearly 1.55 million members. Source: Fortune.com

Owning a home is seen as a sign of success and financial stability, while Asian people in the U.S. tend to have higher educational attainment and household income than any other racial and ethnical groups; their homeownership rate at nearly 60% remains lower than the national rate of 65.5%, and the white community rate of 74.4%, according to a new report for Realtor.com. A recent study by CAPACD shows that language barriers in the buying process and the prevalence of multigenerational living, which often coincides with higher housing cost burdens, are among the challenges faced by Asian American household nationwide. The outbreak of the pandemic also changed the trajectories of the Asian American homebuyers. During the first half-year, the buying pace of Asian American homebuyers slowed significantly, ultimately lagging behind their non-Asian counterparts over this period. The average Asian American HSI dropped to 109.5, 8.1% lower than their pre-pandemic levels and 9.5% lower than their non-Asian peers. Although Asian American homebuyers experienced significant challenges, they are the group that had the largest homeownership rate increase in recent years. For example, between Q4 of 2020 and Q4 of 2021, the homeownership rate of Asian American household increased from 59.5% to 61.2% –Up 1.7 percentage points, while all other racial groups saw homeownership rate declines over the same period. Source: DS News

If you are looking to buy or sell your property, please call me today for a professional marketing consultation.

Nick Johnson, A Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™

CaDRE#01419663

Cell: 415.264.4789

nick.johnson415@gmail.com

www.NickKnowsRealEstate.com

Nick Johnson

Awards • February 1, 2022

2021 International President’s Premier

by Nick Johnson

The President of Coldwell Banker awarded me with the 2021 International President’s Premier. This award acknowledges that I am one of the top sales professionals in the network Internationally. What a huge accomplishment! Which signifies that my efforts for each of my clients does not go unnoticed by my company. Moreover, my main objective is to serve my clients and help them achieve their goals. When I accomplish that, then I feel the internal award which is most satisfying. I am very grateful to CB for the kind accolades, awarding my success and hard work. In conclusion, I also would like to say that with your kind referrals and business. Together, Let’s make 2022 the best year ever!

Call me for all your real estate needs, I am happy to help.

Thank you,

Nick

Award given to me for 2021

Awards • February 19, 2021

2020 International President’s Circle

by Nick Johnson

I’m delighted and incredibly honored to receive this achievement the 2020 International President’s Circle. Which represents the top 7% internationally. My hard work ethic and the enjoyment of working with my clients, especially during all the changes that the pandemic has brought to our lives. Above all, most certainly, it is my privilege to help my clients achieve their goals. In short, you all are the heartbeat of my business and what drives me to be successful in my business. Let me know if I may be of any assistance to you or your family in the coming years. I’m always available to help.Thank you,

Nick

Nick Johnson, Luxury Specialist CaDRE#01419663

4 Easy Entertaining Upgrades That Everyone Will Love!

NerdWallet’s mortgage rate insight

NerdWallet’s mortgage rate insight

What is a mortgage?

How do mortgage rates work?

How (and why) to compare mortgage rates

Interior Design Upgrades That Will Make Your Home Feel Luxurious

July 2022 Real Estate News

2021 International President’s Premier

2020 International President’s Circle

Home

Properties

About Me

Blog

Neighborhood News