J. Scott Coatsworth

Scott Maruri – Salt Lake City Gay Realtor

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Scott Maruri - Salt Lake City Gay Realtor

Scott is a Salt Lake City gay Realtor serving the greater Salt Lake City area. Scott offers first class service with an attention to detail that keeps old clients returning and referring new clients to him too.

He pays careful attention to detail, and is a winning bid strategist, helping you to get the best price. He’s also a great networker and often has the inside track on pre-market opportunities. Plus he’s an investment and remodel specialist.

If you are buying or selling a home in SLC, give Scott a call.

See Scott Maruri’s Expanded Listing on Gay Realty Network Here

Salt Lake City Gay Realtors and Real Estate Professionals

Getting Your House Ready to Rent

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Getting Your House Ready to Rent

Even if you bought your home to live in rather than as an income property, you may end up renting out your house at some point. A contract opportunity on the other side of the country (or the world), a drop in property values that means you want to build up more equity in your home before trying to sell it, or a formal or informal sabbatical might mean you want to rent rather than sell.

Here’s how you can get your house ready to rent. While it may seem like a lot of work and a moderate amount of money, it’s well worth it. Good tenants are attracted to well maintained, trouble-free properties, and good tenants are hopefully the only kind you’ll ever have to deal with.

Start With The Exterior

Make sure all your exterior maintenance is up to date. That includes landscaping, raking, gutter cleaning, roof repairs, and checking, cleaning and replacing exterior lights and/or sensors. Test and repair any exterior railings and make sure pathways are safe. Replace any broken interlock.

Get the screens cleaned and the exterior windows washed.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

See the Full Story at BH

Reduce Your Environmental Impact at Home – The BHGRE Life

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Reduce Your Environmental Impact - Deposit Photos

More people are recognizing the importance of saving the planet, and companies are stepping up with creative ways to reduce our collective environmental impact. From products that promote a sustainable home to electric cars, it’s not hard to find ways to promote greener living while preserving the world’s resources for future generations. Finding ways to reduce your environmental impact can also save you money, particularly if you choose to seek sustainable home ideas.

Recycling is Still Important

Experts claim that the United States produces well over 250 million tons of trash each year. Much of this finds its way to incinerators and landfills, and recycling can redirect waste to better places. Paper, tin and steel cans can still be recycled. Check with your municipality or state to see what kinds of plastic can be recycled in your area. You can also recycle broken electronics, dry cell batteries and car batteries as long as it is done properly.

Recycling also applies to clothing, and there are many organizations that accept gently used goods. Real Simple advises donating to The Vietnam Veterans of America, the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Shelters, hospitals, synagogues and churches can also accept clothing and other goods. When buying new clothes, check out brick-and-mortar and online thrift and consignment shops. These are also great sources for finding children’s toys and other household items that can reduce your environmental impact.

Sustainable Eating

One of the best ways to have a sustainable home is to start the habit of composting. Gardeners like Martha Stewart refer to it as “black gold,” and for good reason. It turns everyday food scraps and other organic materials into soil treatments loaded with nutrients and moisture that boost plant health. You can buy a compost bin or use another large container, and toss in food waste, branches and dry leaves to reduce your environmental impact.

Full Story From The BHGRE Life

Is Irrational Exuberance the New Normal? – Realty Biz News

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real estate trends and irrational exuberance - deposit photos

Sooner or later every real estate boom comes to an end. Real estate has been the poster child for a “V” shaped recovery during the COVID-19 economic recovery. But now, that real estate exuberance is facing an affordability plateau that might finally dampen some of the irrational exuberance.. There are two strong economic forces at work here. Both involve the lack of affordable housing. There can be no denying that the U.S. is experiencing the highest level of demand for affordable housing since millions of servicemen returned from WWII.

The WWII Housing Boom That Reshaped America

The G.I. Bill almost single-handedly built the American middle class by addressing the core social needs of unemployment, education, and health care. And importantly, it did so through government-backed, low-interest, fixed-rate mortgages with zero or low-down payments with up to 30-year terms. In effect, the G.I. Bill put homes within reach of all but the poorest American vets. The American suburb was born.

It was several years earlier when President Roosevelt laid the groundwork when he said, “A nation of homeowners, of people who won a real share in their own land, is unconquerable.” This was an affordable-home revolution from our past. But what does that have to do with today’s need for affordable housing? More than a little. Although the 20-year war in the middle east is ending, there will not be 15 million vets coming home in search of a family home. But there are still millions of Americans in search of an affordable family home.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Brian Kline
See the Full Story at Realty Biz News

House Flipping as a Side Hustle

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Lesbian Renovation - Pixabay

It’s hard to miss the cultural movement of home improvement that has swept the nation in the last decade or so. Countless television shows teach beginners how to DIY everything from bathroom cabinets to renovated basements, and the hosts of such programs have become household names. Learning house flipping for beginners is a bit more complicated than you might expect, however.

Still, now is a great time to learn. Thanks in part to stay-at-home orders and the increasing popularity of telecommuting, there’s never been a better opportunity to put your thinking cap on and acquire skills that can help you invest in properties to flip. Equal parts challenging and rewarding, flipping homes as a side hustle can be a lucrative pursuit. It also requires a great deal of effort and planning.

House Flipping Step One: Consider Your Location

Where you live, or where you plan to purchase your first investment property, matters. Southern Living explains that some cities, like Tampa, Florida or Birmingham, Alabama, are good places to buy a home to flip. Coastal Living echoes this sentiment, saying that Tampa is the best city on the coast to flip a home. Consider cost of living, the activity in the housing market, and the purchase price of an investment property before you move forward. 

Don’t be fooled by low property prices. Sometimes, houses are cheap, but you won’t have much luck reselling them once they’re fixed up. Generally speaking, a lower-priced home in a hot real estate market is a good investment opportunity for house flipping. However, it pays to talk to local real estate agents and contracts for more information before taking the plunge.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

See the Full Story at The BHGRE Life

Most Overvalued Housing Markets in the United States – Fortune

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overvalued housing markets

They say everything’s bigger in Texas, but when it comes to overvalued housing markets, the Lone Star State doesn’t hold a candle to Idaho.

A new survey from Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University looks at the nation’s most overvalued homes, with Boise, Idaho, topping the list. Homes in the Gem State sell for a stunning 80.64% premium, based on a history of past pricing.

The work-from-home trend is largely responsible for that. As people moved out of big markets during the pandemic, they looked for less dense areas that still offered attractive amenities. In addition to Idaho, Utah has been an especially popular destination for buyers, the study found.

Of the 100 cities looked at in the study, 95 showed some level of overvalue. The rapid price appreciation should serve as a warning to buyers, say the study’s authors. If you plan to move soon, you could find yourself later selling property at a loss.

Full Story From Fortune

Realtor.com Forecasts Slow But Strong Fall US Housing Market

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Fall US Housing Market - Deposit Photos

The forecast for the fall US housing market is lower temperatures—and a cooler real estate market, if only by a few degrees. The housing market is expected to shift to something closer to normal this fall, real estate experts say. They anticipate more homes will go up for sale, helping to slow down the unparalleled price increases and bidding wars of the past year.

But real estate is likely to remain highly competitive, as there will still be many more buyers than homes to go around.

“We’re going to exhaust the pool of buyers who are still sitting on a lot of cash looking to buy their next home,” says Realtor.com® Senior Economist George Ratiu. “The market does not have a magical way of sustaining this pace [of price growth], because you’re going to run out of people who can afford it.”

However, that doesn’t mean that home prices, whose national median hit an all-time high of $385,000 in the week ending Aug. 14, will drop in the fall US housing market. In fact, prices increased 8.6% year over year that week. But that’s significantly less than the 17.2% annual rise in April.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Clare Trapasso
See the Full Story at Realtor.com

Every Real Estate Bubble Bursts Eventually

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Real Estate Bubble - Deposit Photos

One of the benefits of a five-decade tenure in an industry is hindsight. There was a real estate bubble! Yes, it’s always crystal clear!

Unfortunately, looking into the future is a bit murkier. Every January, we are festooned with economic forecasts from scholars. Doubt what I say? Simply tune in for the Chapman, Cal State Fullerton, UCLA, Charles Schwab reviews and others. All will give their opinion on what the blossoming year will have in store for our economy. Predicted will be growth in commerce, changes in consumer confidence, outlook for interest rates, stock market trends, inflationary pressures and the impact of all of the above on real estate pricing.

But it’s August, and you may be thinking, why look forward to January? Well, when you see Christmas decorations next month, you’ll understand. These next four months will fly by!

I’ve consumed several of these Nostradamus events over the years. One of the most meaningful was in February of 2020. Featured was a panel of experts assembled by Northwest Mutual. One gentleman, in particular, gave a brilliant narrative on the forces that cause a downturn. From my notes: “Mentioned during the preamble was a check of five factors that cause bear markets — inflation, recessions, commodity shortages, crazy market valuations and uncertainty.”

Full Story From the Whittier Daily News

Buying Your First Home – The Washington Blade

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Buying Your First Home - Deposit Photos

For 24 seasons, HGTV aired a show called “My First Place.” During that time, I also helped a lot of buyers find theirs.

The D.C. metropolitan region is a very transient one, so buying your first home and living in your first place is often an experience of five years or less before moving up or moving on. Nonetheless, those who graduate from renters to property owners will always remember their first place, with all its perks and quirks.

I bought my first home in Warren, Mich., in 1977, an architecturally insignificant two-story house in a typical, blue-collar neighborhood, where my federal law enforcement uniform and sidearm halted conversations when I got home from work and waved to the neighbors before going inside. 

Newly divorced, I wanted none of the “boys club” that had become my married life, where I would come home from work exhausted, fall asleep on the couch, and wake up to a poker party at the dining room table hosted by my unemployed husband.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Valerie Blake
See the Full Story at The Washington Blade

How To Buy a Home Within Your Real Estate Budget

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real estate budget - keys - pixabay

Navigating the home buying process can be exciting, but also financially intimidating. While some of the societal and legal pressures historically faced by the LGBTQ+ community have improved over time, challenges still remain. Knowing how to prepare to enter the market can make the process more manageable for you. Follow these tips to learn how you can smoothly buy your next home while staying within your real estate budget. 

  1. Determine Your Financial Readiness. 

The first step in shopping for a house is knowing how much house you can afford in your real estate budget. To determine what is within financial reach for you, it is important to know your monthly debt-to-income ratio. A general rule of thumb suggests using the 28%/36% rule, meaning you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on home-related costs and 36% on total debts, including your mortgage and credit cards. If you are living in a dual-income household, factor both party’s total earnings into your calculation. 

Knowing your creditworthiness is an equally important factor in the home buying process as a good credit score boosts your chances of qualifying for a mortgage. To obtain a free copy of your credit report, check out some personal finance sites such as The Federal Trade Commission. If you find you have a low credit score, buying a home can be challenging, but not impossible. Resources such as FHA loans, which allow you to obtain a mortgage without some of the more stringent financial requirements associated with conventional loans, may be a good option for you to explore. 

Finally, to determine a realistic price range within your real estate budget and avoid overspending, create a wish list, identifying your home buying wants versus needs. Would you prefer a fixer-upper or something turn-key? How many bedrooms would suit your lifestyle? If you determine that location is a priority for you, consider house hunting in affordable cities such as Pittsburgh, Providence, and Virginia Beach. Creating a wish list will help to define the gap between the home of your dreams and the home you can afford. 

  1. Know Your Relationship Rights.

No matter your current relationship status, it is always a good idea to have all the details ironed out before committing to a major financial decision.  

  • Unmarried or Single

Homeownership may be the next big decision in your life! According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of unmarried couples living together has tripled in the last two decades, reaching 17 million in 2019. If you plan to purchase a home with a partner, you will want to clearly outline who will hold the title. The way the title is worded can impact how ownership is transferred as well as your rights to transfer ownership in the future. Some common options to explore include sole ownership, joint tenancy, and tenants in common. If you are a solo homebuyer, you have the advantage of calling all the shots! But, be aware that with one income and one credit profile, it may be a bit trickier to obtain a mortgage loan. 

  • Married 

Whether you are relocating or purchasing your first home, even as a married couple, there are several reasons you may want to purchase a home under the name of only one spouse. These could include protecting the buyer’s interests, planning the estate, saving money, or even to strengthen the chance of qualifying for a mortgage. For example, mortgage lenders often pay attention to the lowest credit score between the two of you, so if your spouse has a credit score that would prevent you from getting the best possible rates, you may consider leaving them off the mortgage. 

  1. Shop Around For a Mortgage.

When buying a home on a tight real estate budget, it is important to explore all your loan options. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends applying with at least three mortgage lenders to compare their rates. Do not be afraid to negotiate! If Lender A offers a lower rate, but you would feel more comfortable with Lender B, present the competing offer and see if Lender B will match or beat it. The mortgage loan process may be the most confusing part about buying a home, so it is important you feel secure in your decision-making.

Additional insight: Consider hiring a LGBTQ+ friendly realtor. Having a partner to guide you through the lending landscape will help ensure all decisions are truly in your best interest. 

  1. Save, Save, and Save Some More.

If you do not immediately find the perfect home within your price range, or learn that you are not as financially secure as you would like to be, consider waiting and saving. Patience is key and the right home will turn up before long. To come up with extra spending money, consider adjusting your discretionary costs such as canceling unused streaming subscriptions or trading Starbucks runs for fresh coffee brewed at home. 

Buying a home within your real estate budget is a major undertaking that requires the proper planning and preparation, but it is not unattainable. By taking the time to get your finances in order and researching the market thoroughly, buying a new home can be the next exciting step toward your future.