34% of Americans Have No Retirement Savings

These figures are slightly higher than 18 months ago, when 30% had no retirement savings and 22% had no personal savings.

 

Among Baby Boomers, aged 46 to 64, 25% have no retirement savings, and among Matures, those aged 65 and over, 22% have no retirement savings.

Of the Baby Boomers and Matures who have retirement savings, 13% of them have the money invested in stocks and mutual funds, a greater proportion than Gen Xers, who are between the ages of 34 and 45.
 “Current economic conditions seem to be driving somewhat less risky investment behavior by Gen Xers, which goes against the grain of traditional investment advice,” said Barbara Bertner, vice president of financial services research for Harris Interactive. “A combination of trust and education would likely bring these consumers back into alignment with traditional investment thinking.”

To help you with building wealth, contact The Wealth Creation Team at 1-877-APPLYFREE

How To Prevent Forgery!

Real simply, here's what happened during a loan, forgery. But we couldn't prove it in a court of law, even with a handwriting expert. That's when I learned about the importance of using the right pen to sign documents.

Actually is pretty easy to trace someone's signature on to a document. There is only one way to stop someone from doing that and putting YOUR name on an agreement. Always use a felt pen to sign. I learned that if a bad guy, or bad partner or employee, traces your name on to a document with a ball point pen, there is generally no difference in how the signature looks. But if you trace using a felt tip pen, the signature will be fatter because the pen moves more slowly than usual.

The only way to prove this, though, is to always use a felt pen. Then if someone shows up with a forged document, you just need to produce evidence that you always sign with one type of pen.

This tip might sound a little crazy, and like I said, if it hadn't happened to a new client of mine I'd probably never have believed it myself. But it did happen. I don't want this to happen to you.

Pick up a felt tip pen or a fountain pen (something that absorbs into the paper) today and start the habit of always using that pen to sign. I hope you never have to go through what my client did with a previous crook. But if you do, be ready to prove that's not your signature!

The Wealth Creation Team Successful Financing Strategy

We, at The Wealth Creation Team have a unique financing strategy that is the Advil for the pain in this real estate market today, that allow us to market properties different than other REALTORS® in the Los Angeles County.

Our unique financial strategy get double the potential buyers, so we can move the properties twice as fast, which allow our clients to maximize their NET EQUITY.

Mortgage Rates Week February 7th

Conforming 30 year fixed mortgage rates have gradually increased from 4.625% to 4.875% while 15 year have gone from 3.875% to 4.250%

The Smartest Way to Buy and Sell a House in Today's Market

Our Unique Financing Strategy Get Double The Potential Buyers, So We Can Sell Properties Twice as Fast!

Find Out How You Can Get Maximum NET EQUITY, While Buyers Purchase Real Estate at Lowest Cost, GUARANTEED!

Our Unique Financing Strategy Reduces Needed

Price Reduction!

Successfully selling your home in today’s market, requires the right game plan.  Now, more than ever, your selling strategy matters. 

What’s the true value of my home?  How can I Maximize My Net Equity?  How can I sell it without taking a price reduction?  How can I get more buyers’ offers?  If you’ve tried selling your home over the past 18 months, there is no doubt about it; you have serious questions.

My name is Andre Plessis and as an accomplished REALTOR® at Keller Williams® Realty, with a successful reputation for taking a different approach to selling real estate. Our results driven plan provides sellers with the answers they’re in need of.  In this highly challenging and competitive market, my sellers and I cannot afford to lose any opportunity to move their property.  Together we premeditate the best course of action based on market facts and your specific situation. 

With My Team of dedicated Real Estate Professionals, we empower homeowners by showing them “The Smartest Way to Buy and Sell a House”. I am the only REALTOR® in Los Angeles County with a GUARANTEED strategy to bring in more qualified buyers to you and sell your property in half the time. The unique strategy I use will MAXIMIZE your NET Equity.

My Mortgage Planner Tracy Cavanaugh (CMP,CMPS) and I would love to set up a no-obligation appointment with you where we will show you numerous case study examples of exactly how we used that strategy successfully in the past, to benefit both sellers and buyers.

The unique and proven strategy I wrap around each of the listings I agree to sell:

      Dramatically reduces the sale cycle for your home

     Allows your home to easily stand apart from other listed area homes

     Attracts more potential buyers by making it easier for them to qualify

     Lets You Walk Away With the Maximum Amount of Your Equity

     Eliminate or lower the Need For Price Reduction

   

 So, if you're still interested in selling your home or just have questions on your options with this frustrating and confusing market, please call me at (310) 266-9463.  I would love to hear your story and then SHOW you just how we're assisting other home sellers, just like you, in this competitive real estate marketplace and making it stress free.

Why trust me? Why give the car keys to someone who drove homeowners into the ditch? I wouldn’t? Would you? If your house was on fire, would you shoot at the firefighters? I wouldn’t? Would you? I show homeowners how to buy and sell real estate correctly to build wealth. Some Create The Real Estate Malaise, WE SOLVE IT!

Warm Regards,

Andre Luc Plessis

REALTOR®, RCS-D^TM REALTOR®

Keller Williams® Realty

The Wealth Creation Team

CA DRE License # 01856185

Office: (818) 341-2972 - Cell: (310) 266-9463

9 Things to do to Protect Your Wealth

How To Build & Protect Your Wealth

Nine steps that, when performed in order, can help you to generate, and protect, your wealth:

1.    Make a will.

2.    Pay off your credit cards.

3.    Get term life insurance if you have a family to support.

4.    Fund your 401(k) to the maximum.

5.    Fund your IRA to the maximum.

6.    Buy a house if you want to live in a house and can afford it.

7.    Put six months' worth of expenses in a money market account.

8.    Take whatever money is left over and invest 70% in a stock index fund and 30% in a bond fund through any discount broker, and never touch it until retirement.

9.    If any of this confuses you, or if you have something special going on (retirement, college planning, tax issues), hire a fee-based financial planner.

How to Sell a Home Fast in 2011

Price It Right from the Start
Many sellers suffer from attachment bias. They believe that their home is worth more than they'd pay for it. While it's always a bad idea to overprice a home, it's especially dangerous in times like this because there is so much competing inventory in many local markets.


Give yourself a reality check by looking inside comparable homes during open houses. That can help you get a clearer idea of your home's value. Remember that you have to compete with other houses on the market, which includes, REOs and short sales.


The longer something sits on the market, the more price reductions you might have to make and the more potential buyers will assume that there's something wrong with the home.


Get the House Ready
Most sellers need to declutter, paint in neutral colors and stage the home as best as they can to help buyers envision themselves in the home. The closer you can get your home looking like a photo from a catalog, the better off you will be.


Make sure that your cabinets and refrigerators are cleaned out and decluttered, too. You want to have a minimum of  things stuff' in the house and garage. The less stuff you have, the larger the closets, basement and garage will look.

You need to clean out or reorganize your closets and your garage.  I recently had the experience of working with a client who had lived in her home for 42 years.  We found a professional organizer who suggested we have 3 containers.  One box for things to throw away, one box to give away, one box for things to keep.


Having a home inspection done before putting the home on the market to identify any major defects that need to be corrected. You do not want any surprise when the house is in escrow as you will have less chance of negotiating with the buyer.


Be Flexible
Buyers are in the driver's seat these days, and they know they can make all sorts of unusual requests without risking the deal. Be ready to negotiate.