With interest rates hovering around 7%, this is the worst time to purchase an investment property, right? Of course not! Investors are hyper focusing on interest rates when they should be focusing on opportunity and timing. What makes debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loans exciting is how they act like commercial loans where the purchaser doesn’t qualify for the loan, the property does. Factors such as rental income, easier qualifications, and more make DSCR loans a great program for buyers...

Interest rates are too high! Don’t make any moves with your real estate! If those statements sounded like complete garbage to you, then you know that those are just things the media will say to scare consumers. Longtime listeners of RERL and real estate professionals are aware that there is no wrong or correct time to buy. As host Joe Cucchiara has always said, as long as you have a good team of professionals to help you through the process, the right time to buy is when the time is right for...

Anyone who has tried their hand at becoming a landlord knows that managing rental properties without stress and landing a profit is next to impossible. Fortunately, there’s a new program on the market that could change the way landlords handle their properties. Whether you’ve got single dwelling homes in North Carolina or multi-unit investment properties in California, Next Level Property Management Academy can teach both new landlords and seasoned investors how to be more effective investors...

Big corporations have little in common with small businesses when it comes to how they handle money, and an individual’s financial plan couldn’t be further away from that of a business. Having worked for both small and large financial institutions has given today’s guest, Jeff Yoakum, ample understanding of the many financial situations people may find themselves in since he created his own individual wealth planning business 12 years ago. As a CFP, Jeff handles the wealth of anyone who is...

 The National Association of Realtors found themselves on the wrong end of a landmark decision today. High commissions have long been a point of contention for consumers already paying top dollar for their new home and now future buyers and sellers will finally get a win. Not only will the NAR be forced to pay out millions for artificially inflating commissions, but they will also be forced to make a number of systemic changes that will benefit consumers. Will this class action lawsuit be the...

Q2 is fast approaching, but just one month ago a sudden spike in interest rates froze consumers just as they were getting pumped up to start the season. Of course, the market wasn’t going to stay stagnant for long. Inventory is trickling in and while it is still a sellers’ market, only specific areas are attracting the same hand over fist draw that consumers are used to seeing. So, what are the best home seller strategies when buyers are shackled by higher interest rates? Host Joe Cucchiara...

Years ago, people got in trouble for taking advantage of the elderly by abusing reverse mortgages. Today the reverse mortgage still carries around a lot of that stigma, but that ends now! With interest rates still solidly in the 7% range, a reverse mortgage can be a tremendous benefit to any homeowner aged 62 or older who would describe themselves as house rich and cash poor. Don’t run from the reverse mortgage thinking it's the same product that hurt your grandparents. Host Joe Cucchiara...

How low do rates need to go to make a difference in the marketplace? Just a couple years ago consumers could get 30-year fixed loans with interest as low as 3%. This spurred a huge boom in refinances and home purchases. To no one’s surprise, interest rates jumped up to 8%. The sudden spike paralyzed the consumer and the economy making last year one of the worst years for real estate transactions.  Will the market start to turn around now that interest rates have begun to settle in the 6-7%...

Way back in the early 2000’s, everyone in the mortgage company panicked when a single company decided they would go all in and become the first online mortgage company. It didn’t take long for professionals to figure out how archaic the system was and today, going online for any part of your home buying experience is just part of the process. Now AI is making its big debut in real estate as Zillow announces it will utilize AI in the products for both consumers and professionals. Looking to go...

Despite the recent ups and downs we’ve seen in the market, sellers around the US have been happy with their transactions over the last 10 years; but have they gotten the short end of the stick? The National Association of Realtors and a few major brokers have been found guilty of inflating their commissions in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. Though this only pertains to a few states for now, the rest of the US will likely follow and potentially bankrupt the whole industry or force mass...

When the housing market was strong, nearly everyone either had a part time gig in real estate or they fully switched career paths for easy money. Now that the market has slowed, nearly 40% of loan officers declined the option to renew their license this year. It’s an unfortunate, but necessary cycle that weeds out those who dabbled in the market and leaves only those who are truly committed. Of course, this cycle is not limited to only real estate, all businesses need to experience the same...

The real estate market is slowly leaking air, and it’s not just in residential. The construction of Google’s downtown San Jose mega-campus was put on hold, and it might not be completely due to workers refusing to head back to the office. Google’s campus was expected to create thousands of new jobs and provide housing for several thousand as well, but that was before ChatGPT changed what is possible in the workforce. AI is all set to slash an incredible amount of middle tier jobs from the...

Rolling into a new quarter means new changes are happening in the real estate market. Interest rates are finally starting to trend down after 2-3 years of rate hikes and it’s likely that this summer the Bay Area will see more transactions now that the worst of covid seems to be over. Listen in as host Joe Cucchiara explains why the second quarter might be your best opportunity to buy despite economic concerns.   To learn more, simply visit www.RERadioLive.com. All the information in this...

First time homebuyers finally have a new option to help them achieve the dream of buying their very own place. The Dream For All program which launched Monday will assist first time home buyers in California for the first time by providing 100% financing! Dream For All is a shared appreciation financing program where borrowers will have to meet some incredibly generous qualifications regarding income, repayment appreciation & more. So what other requirements do potential borrowers need to...

It’s been quite a day for Silicon Valley. Stock prices for Silicon Valley Bank plunged from a hearty 260 to a meager 26, a whopping 90% reduction, over the course of just a few days! Solvency and liquidity have become an urgent issue for Silicon Valley bank as it has backed many FinTech startups over the years, many of which were crypto firms that have been going under. First Republic Bank also took a solid hit today signaling that this situation could have national and global ramifications....

While California and New York have always been expensive places to live, the middle US has historically been a reliable area to purchase affordable housing. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case today and the housing market is essentially broken. One of the reasons why housing prices continue to skyrocket across the country is the increasing cost of labor which is something consumers will just have to accept – or will they? The inevitable has happened and computer-based automation is now...

 Not too long ago the silicon valley lifestyle of the constant hustle was something to be glorified. Who didn’t come to California dreaming about being the startup CEO who bikes to work at 4 am and spends 12+ hours building a successful business? Well, it seems the luster of a luxurious workplace has finally started to wear off and having a plethora of creature comforts at the office is no longer attractive enough to supplant an improved quality of life. For the first time in several years,...

Covid and the lockdown did very little in the way of shutting down technology. In fact, it did quite the opposite. The pace at which professionals have come to use technology was forcibly accelerated – unless you work in real estate or lending. Two years have gone by and there has been virtually no progress in assisting consumers with the lending or real estate transaction. Joe Cucchiara and Jack Russo discuss the stagnated transaction process of buying and selling a home and where...

Most of us would be surprised to learn how many people around us are dealing with mental health issues. May is mental health awareness month and even if you are not fighting a mental illness yourself, it’s a good time to learn about the people around us who are. Joining Joe Cucchiara to discuss the importance of mental health is none other than his daughter, Rachel Cucchiara, an advocate of mental wellness for all who started fighting her own mental health battles 14 years ago. The pandemic...

We’re back! The world may seem like it’s getting back to normal, but the real estate market is still changing rapidly. In about a month, interest rates jumped from 3% to 6% and ending the years of all-time low interest rates. Living in Silicon Valley, it’s hard to believe that anything could touch our real estate when its inimitable uniqueness keeps the job market strong – but is Silicon Valley invincible to levels of inflation we have never seen before? Joe Cucchiara explains what drove...

Zillow quickly became the first step for buyers and sellers due to their instant connection to tons of real estate information. However, the disruptor ran into some big issues when it tried to add buying and selling to its repertoire. The issue? Not enough hands to make the purchase and selling process as seamless as they wanted. As a result, the iBuyer program was paused then abandoned shortly after. Joe Cucchiara and Jack Russo discuss if digital buying programs still have promise in our...

Paying off the mortgage early is that goal all homeowners work towards – and why wouldn’t you? Any form of debt is bad and you’re just throwing away money in the form of interest. Well, mortgage rates are crazy low right now with some rates below 3%, but with inflation pressing upon us those rates could easily rise to 4-5%! Joe Cucchiara argues that just about everyone should have a mortgage and homeowners that don’t should go out and get one while the money is still cheap. Tune in and listen...

After many decades of finding talent and reaping success in California, Larry Ellison packed up Oracle and headed for Texas – and he’s not the only one. Charles Schwab followed suit and now Elon Musk has confirmed Tesla will also be finding a new home in Austin. Those are three big blows to California that has others wondering if these moves are more than coincidence. California’s advantages seem to be dissolving around us and the last thing we want to do is wake up one day and ask ourselves...

Ask your financial planner and they will agree that long-term real estate is almost always a good investment as long as the timing is right for you. Even in California where average home prices are notoriously high can real estate be a sound investment; you just need to be more cautious of the type of investment you make. While primary residences are still a hot commodity up and down the state, the pockets of investment areas are quickly shriveling up. Are there any decent areas left to...