Showing posts with label real estate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label real estate. Show all posts

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Thinking of Leaving California? Here's Where To Go

 Reprinted from The Orange County Register.

https://ocregister.com

Ready to leave California?


The pandemic era has certainly created tons of buzz about Californians moving to greener pastures, with household pocketbooks in mind. Or maybe they’re seeking redder pastures, politically speaking.

So as a public service, my trusty spreadsheet composed a 2022 quality-of-life scorecard that’s designed for Californians who are considering a new home state.

This ranking’s recipe is a mix of livability factors key to a Californian’s successful out-of-state relocation. It uses benchmarks for wealth, nurturing, livability, foundation and popularity for the 49 other states. The data was taken from state-by-state “best places to live” scorecards, other gradings of key economic factors, plus a dash of government data.


The “happiest potential landing spot” for folks who want out of California sits just up the Pacific coast — Washington state. No. 2 was Virginia, followed by Massachusetts, New Hampshire and a tie for fifth place between Utah and Vermont.


This same math says Californians on the move should avoid Louisiana. Its status at the bottom of this scorecard was just below Mississippi, Alabama, New Mexico and Oklahoma. (Full results can be found by clicking the map above or GO HERE!)

And just so you know, California’s economic arch-rivals had uninspiring results on this scorecard — Texas was the 13th worst place to go and Florida ranked only 20th best.


Recipe for success

So what’s the secret sauce of a great state for a soon-to-be ex-Californian?


ABOVE: THE DARKER THE COLOR ON THE MAP, THE BETTER IT IS TO MOVE THERE FROM CALIFORNIA

Let’s look inside the scorecard to see leaders and laggards in the five elements that created this relocation ranking. Try to ponder these topical gradings as clues as to which states to consider should any of these factors be really important to your move-making decision.

Wealth: Many departing Californians seek “affordability” and/or “opportunity.” You know, “show me the money.” So, the size of paychecks, job prospects, cost of living and overall economic oomph is important.

The spreadsheet says New Hampshire is the best spot for your wallet, then Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa and Virginia. Worst for finances? Wyoming, then New Mexico, Louisiana, Connecticut and Alaska.

Nurturing: The quality of education and healthcare is on the minds of numerous exit-minded Californians. These are critical relocation factors for families and retirees alike.

For people eyeing schools and/or medical care, the spreadsheet says Massachusetts is No. 1, then Connecticut, New York, Vermont and New Jersey. Worst? Louisiana, then Nevada, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Alabama.

Livability: It’s hard to leave the California weather — and its accompanying lifestyle. So climate, natural beauty and attractions must be a relocation consideration.

For those keeping “fun” in their departure formula, the spreadsheet says Hawaii is tops, then Florida, Massachusetts, Washington state and Rhode Island. And playful Golden Staters should be wary of Indiana, then Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky.

Foundation: Some folks say they’re leaving California due to its “progressive” culture and perceived declining social underpinnings. This kind of relocation targets quality infrastructure, limited crime, low taxes and conservative politics.

For what we might call “traditionalists,” the spreadsheet says Idaho is your ideal place followed by Utah, North Dakota, Virginia and Vermont. Avoid Louisiana, then New Mexico, Arkansas, South Carolina and Mississippi.

Popularity: Talk is cheap. Let’s admit rankings are more conjecture than concrete evidence. So I’ve included states and their share of new residents from California, based on last decade’s migration patterns.

The spreadsheet says Nevada has the most ex-Californians in its population, then Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Hawaii. Conversely, it’s hard to find an ex-Golden State resident in Delaware, then New Jersey, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

Realtor Chris Gallatin can help you sell your home here in California and set you up with a powerful Realtor in the state you are thinking of moving to... What do you have to lose, besides a huge mortgage payment?  Contact Chris at 323-447-6989 for details.  CalDRE02057954

Winning formulas

So what do the “winners” of this contest do right?

For No. 1 Washington state, it’s a mix of beauty and money. The state ranked fourth-best for livability and No. 6 for wealth and popularity. The Evergreen State also offers the 16th-best nurturing and 22nd-best foundation to those considering a move.

No. 2 Virginia combines opportunity, traditional values and all-around high grades. It was fourth-best for foundation and No. 5 for wealth. The Old Dominion life ranks No. 14 for livability, No. 15 for nurturing and No. 18 for popularity.

No. 3 Massachusetts’ reputation for top-notch schools and healthcare is a key lure as it was top-ranked for nurturing. It also scored high for livability (third-highest) and foundation (No. 14). The Bay State had mid-range grades for popularity (21st) and wealth (22nd) tied to its high cost of living.

No. 4 New Hampshire’s low cost of living got it a No. 1 for wealth. It also scored No. 7 for nurturing and foundation and No. 10 for livability. But few Californians don’t go to the Granite State — it’s 37th for popularity.

Tied for fifth, Utah is for ex-Californians seeking a “traditional” lifestyle as evidenced by its No. 2 ranking for foundation. Californians like the Beehive State as shown by a No. 8 rank for popularity. It was No. 12 for wealth and 13th for nurturing. It’s flaw, a No. 33 score for livability.


The other No. 5, Vermont, scored high for nurturing (fourth-best), foundation (fifth-best) and livability (eighth-best). But the Green Mountain State is only 23rd for popularity and maybe that’s linked to a No. 28 ranking for wealth.

Caveat

Don’t trust my math? Or simply want a second opinion?

Here are the top states based on the average rankings of four “best states” scorecards from U.S. News & World Report and Top Agency, plus WalletHub’s family-friendly state rankings, and MoneyRates’ top states for retirees grades …


Best? Vermont was No. 1, then Nebraska, Iowa, New Hampshire and North Dakota.

Worst? Louisiana came in dead last, just above New Mexico, Oklahoma, Alaska and Nevada.

Oh, Texas ranked No. 38. And Florida? No. 13.

About the Author:

Jonathan Lansner is business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com



Tuesday, January 6, 2015

10 Years In Business.... Day 1 On Blogger: Here We Go!

Hello,
I hope to inform and entertain anyone who drops by, looking for information about the Santa Clarita Real Estate market (just like they taught me in Journalism School at the University of Colorado).

While The Gallatin Group has been in existence for 10 years, and authored plenty of opinions on Trulia.com as well as Yelp and Zillow, this is my first BLOGGER post...
Below is a quick composite of thoughts first written on the other sites, starting with a simple meek reply back in 2009, from Sona Gallatin, Lead Realtor:

A reader asked about DOM and DCOM on the MLS...

Our simple answer:
DOM = Days On Market
CDOM= Cumulative Days On Market

PLEASE check the stats of your listing with your agent and see just how long and how many times a property has changed status. This is SO important!
Cancelled escrows? Property on and off "Hold".... This is a problem, and if you're trying to do a short sale, this is seriously what you need to be looking at.
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Another post spoke about Realtors in general, back in 2012:

ALL SHOW AND NO GO

There are many RE agents on Trulia who claim to be best-selling agents and top real estate professionals. But what you really have to look at is not the words they say themselves but the words of others who have worked with them. For instance, recommendations are what can really show you who is to be trusted and who is to be avoided. Recommendations are to real estate what Oscars are to actors.

 Dozens of agents in the Santa Clarita Valley are represented here, but how many have garnered any recommendations?

When someone is willing to take their time and create a recommendation on the site it speaks volumes. So, in true Oscar fashion, I'd like to thank those who have made this all possible, such as the professionals at Kingway Properties, Keller Williams and my clients, who have sought to find the home of their dreams
Are you really gonna buy a house using this guy?

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A post from 2013 urged prospective buyers to pick a side: mover or sitter...

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
No one wants to remember much of anything about the year 2008. Those that sold their homes that year certainly don't, and as an agent, I don't either. They stayed on the market for dozens, sometimes HUNDREDS of days. Fast forward to May 2013. They are on the market for dozens, sometimes hundreds of HOURS.


The moral: If you get in, GET IN. Be ready to move, to scramble, to......make offers, accept offers, make counters, accept counters. Sellers, your prospective buyers are bidding on multiple homes: don't take them for granted.
Buyers, your sellers are receiving multiple offers: be ready to make yours, if you want that property. It is a feeding frenzy out there, with sellers purposely listing their homes for bargain prices, and watch the bidding war ensue. You need an agent who moves fast, and you need to be ready when they are.
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A post from a year ago reminded people that we are in a "Golden Age" of interest rates:

Interest Rates Up .005? Who Cares?
We are in a comparative "Golden Age" when it comes to interest rates... The infographic below reminds us that rates actually sat above 12% during our lifetimes! I don't know how buyers were able to pull the trigger on a purchase with rates like that... So if you are one of those who loses it when you see the rate jump around from 3.45 to 3.49... Look at the bigger picture and select something more important to fixate on, such as.... Well... that list would go on and on and on....

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And finally....in March 2014, When I heard about the upcoming merger of Trulia and Zillow, I got on my high horse:

Legwork: The internet only takes you so far.
Business Week has an article about the Trulia-Zillow merger.. It talks about how the combined company will begin to streamline the home-buying process.. the founder of Zillow, Rich Barton, basically demolished the travel agency industry, with his previous site, Expedia. I am sure there are a lot of travel agents who would like to shake his hand... (Not really.)

He realizes that the real estate industry is different-- for now. He hopes to supply so much information online that the need for agents and brokers is eliminated. He has to realize one big thing stands in his way: LEGWORK.

No iPad is going to take the place of an agent who physically goes to a property for you in advance, hears the neighbors next door screaming at their barking dog, while tossing a bag of trash out on their porch to be dealt with later. That iPad won't caution you that the house down the street has been on the market for 180 days because the owner won't sell their house until they find a house that has a 40 foot high oak tree on the property, and they're willing to wait. No iPad can... well, you get the idea... Agents do these things for their clients.. At least the good ones do. A house is part of a NEIGHBORHOOD, and no website yet in existence is capable of digitizing an entire neighborhood.

People who read the article commented that 70% of the listings on Trulia and Zillow are outdated and misleading, while others say that agents are the outdated item. No iPad has to go through hundreds of hours of classes, exams and licensing renewals either...

These are just a few thoughts we've published over the years that we don't want lost when we switch to a brand new website... Hope this post finds you well...
-Chris Gallatin