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Article by Margaret Heidenry | Written for Realtor.com Featured opinion from Jason Gelios  Beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek died in November 2020 at the age of 80 after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. And while his memory lives on, changes are afoot with the final home where he lived with his wife for 30 years and raised three kids: Trebek’s heirs have decided to list the gated estate near Los Angeles for $6,995,000.
According to the listing, Trebek paid a mere $2.15 million for the five-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom property in Studio City in 1991. Another fun fact: His daughter, Emily Trebek, is the listing agent for the house, along with Renee Ogiens at Compass. So, will this sprawling 1.45-acre property sell for nearly $7 million? Sure! The Trebeks cut the price on their 30-acre retreat on Lake Nacimiento in Paso Robles, CA, by more than $200,000 in 2019, which just proves that, when it comes to the price of real estate, no one always has the right answer. Click here to read more
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Episode 212 AskJasonGelios Show Guest Writer: Amy Collett  Many non-immigrants don’t understand what it means to be an immigrant. It’s a process that includes a lot of learning and adjustments to get used to the new life. To prepare yourself, you should learn about the immigrant life and understand the things you can do.
Below are the 10 things to keep in mind if you’re in the process of immigrating into the U.S. Isolation From the Main Culture Every country has its own culture, so when you immigrate, you may feel isolated from the culture. This can leave you stressed as many things seem foreign to you when you first immigrate into the country. To embrace the new culture, it’s advisable to study, research, and learn about the country before visiting. Learning a New Language Can Be Hard Among the challenges you must overcome is learning a new language. Many immigrants have a basic understanding of the language in the country they’re immigrating into. While basic knowledge of the language is good to get you started, you can benefit from being fluent. Find online resources to start learning the language early on to ensure transitioning will be easy. Buying a Home Can Be Challenging To buy property, you need connections and referrals. As an immigrant, there’s a chance you don’t know many people in the adopted country. Because getting a job or acquiring property depends on support, you will need to be patient to get some of these accomplishments. Build friendships with people who can assist you to settle. You can get assistance through professionals like Realtor Jason Gelios, who offer extensive experience in the real estate industry. Immigrant Children Can Be Targets of Bullying Because they’re different and don’t blend in with the culture, your children can find it challenging in the first days. This could be more difficult if they have different skin from the majority of the kids at the school. It’s important to advise them to report any cases of bullying to ensure the behavior is stopped immediately. Dealing With Anti-Immigrant Sentiment Another obstacle to keep in mind is the anti-immigrant sentiment that might exist in some parts of the country. Research the organizations you can reach out to whenever you need emotional support to deal with the rejection and abuse. Also, you should always report any cases of bullying and discrimination as these behaviors are against the law. Develop Transferable Skills To ensure your process of getting your first job is easier, you should focus on developing transferable skills. These are skills you can take from one job to another, or from one country to another. Some degrees from your country may not be recognized in the country you’re moving to, so look for what you can do right away without spending years in school. Every Immigrant Experience is Different Don’t use one person’s experience to decide what would happen when you immigrate. Every person goes through a different experience, so don’t come with fixed expectations based on what someone told you about immigrating into the country. You Need to Protect Your Mental Health As a newcomer, you can experience a period of stress, loneliness, and depression. To protect your mental health, express your feelings and keep active. This is the way you can overcome challenges in your new environment. Know if You Need Credential Evaluation Some employers and institutions require candidates to provide proof of their past education or training. This can be done through an equivalency report, so check if you need a credential evaluation for your new job. Prepare for the Expenses It can be expensive being an immigrant. Research all the charges you need to cover and the cost of living to know how much you need for the first months. You need enough to get you through until you start earning an income. Additionally, many immigrants come to America in search of greener pastures. It's presumed that family and friends expect financial support from you. So, consider using a money transfer service when sending funds back home. For example, if you want to send money to your family back home in Nigeria, use a service like Remitly that allows you to send directly to a bank account or for cash pick-up. Conclusion It’s an exciting experience to move to a new country, but you must be prepared for the move to avoid disappointment. Learn the new language and embrace the local culture to blend in and make it easier to get jobs. Article by Erik Martin | The Mortgage Reports Featured Expertise by Jason Gelios  What costs do you pay upfront when buying a house?
Many home buyers only think about the down payment when they’re saving for a house. But you’ll also pay a slate of upfront fees (known as “closing costs”) on your purchase. The actual amounts needed for both the down payment and closing costs can vary by a wide margin. The good news is, you have a lot of control over what you’ll pay. If you understand your options and choose your mortgage wisely, you can seriously minimize your upfront costs when buying a home. Click here to read more Article By Glenda Taylor | BobVila.com Featured Expertise By Jason Gelios  Photo: istockphoto.com Buying a house is the most significant financial purchase many will make, which is why it’s vital to know everything about a home and its neighborhood before signing on the dotted line. The problem is that information associated with homes’ listings may not accurately reflect what’s really going on in a community. What’s more, gathering a listing’s neighborhood crime data from FBI statistics of reported crimes may be misleading and lead to discriminatory practices.
Recently Realtor.com, the official website of the National Association of Realtors, removed all neighborhood crime data from its listings. Other real estate brokerages are following suit. We consulted experts in the real estate industry to get their takes on the trend, and find out how they plan to consider their buyers’ and sellers’ interests without using neighborhood crime data. Click here to read more Article by Terri Williams | BobVila.com Featured Expertise by Jason Gelios  Photo: istockphoto.com Many regions of the United States are in a seller’s market as home prices continue to rise. In fact, December 2021 Zillow data found that the median sale price of a new home increased over 19 percent compared to the previous year, making housing increasingly difficult to afford for many people. In an answer to this problem, many working adults—30 percent, according to a 2017 Zillow survey—have to share living spaces, as opposed to living independently. Some of these potential home buyers might think it’s a good idea to loop in a roommate from the outset as a co-purchaser of a home.
Click here to read more An Interview With Jason Hartman & Authority Magazine  Asa part of my series about the ‘Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry’, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Gelios.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry? Thank you for having me! I had spent years in the mortgage industry prior to becoming a Realtor with many achievements in that space. After the recession of 2008 I decided it was time for a change. I had some great memories offering mortgages, but I had a strong desire to be outside in the trenches and not behind a desk all day. I had circled around the idea of changing my sales role until finally the recession of 2008 Click here to read more Justin Timberlake Made an Insane Profit on His NYC Penthouse, and This Picture Explains Why1/16/2022 Article by Margaret Heidenry | Realtor.com Featured Expertise by Jason Gelios - Realtor  Justin Timberlake is likely feeling the lyrics to his hit tune “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” these days, particularly the part that goes, “‘Cause I got that sunshine in my pocket.” But in Timberlake’s case, his pocket’s filled with an extra $9 million, thanks to the recent sale of his New York City penthouse.
According to property records obtained by the New York Post, Timberlake and his wife, Jessica Biel, sold their swanky four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom apartment in Tribeca just before Christmas for an eye-watering $29 million. They had bought this eighth-floor home for $20.2 million in 2017 (after landing a deep discount on the original $25 million listing). The insane profit after just four years of homeownership is good news for the couple, whose previous “starter penthouse,” located in New York’s SoHo, languished on the market before selling for a loss at $6.35 million in 2017. Click here to read more Article by Perri Ormont Blumberg | Fox Business Featured Expertise by Jason Gelios - Realtor  Things are hot, hot, hot when it comes to buying a home right now.
"A neutral market is six months for a house to be on-market: 180 days," Ryan Ross, realtor at New Jersey-based Weichert, Realtors, tells FOX Business. In New Jersey for example, if the house is in good shape and listed properly, realtors are seeing houses go over-asking in 30 days, Ross says. "This is an extreme seller's market, and has been for almost a year," he adds. But if you’re looking to buy a home, consider this advice before handing over a down payment: "The number one mistake people make in a hot market is waiving an inspection," Ross says. Click here to read more By Courtney Craig  Leftovers gobbling up space in your refrigerator? Here are some tips for keeping things organized, efficient, and tasty.
A well-organized refrigerator keeps food fresh longer and lets you grab and go faster. Before you unpack groceries, spend a second thinking about the right place for everything. Here are common sense ways to declutter and organize your fridge:
By: Jamie Wiebe  A super-easy plan for getting organized without adding to your home-is-school, home-is-work, home-is-everything time burden.
Did you ever notice that your self-improvement pacts with yourself are action oriented? Walk 10,000 steps a day. Fix that leaky faucet. But “get organized”? It’s a goal so broad that just trying to figure out what action to take makes you wonder what you were thinking in the first place. It’s like you need an organizing plan for your organizing. Ta-da! Here it is. Follow these steps, spending less than an hour day (sometimes just a few minutes), to a better organized home: 1. Do That Project “What about your space is making you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed?” asks Amy Trager, a professional organizer in Chicago. Is it the paperwork disaster in your office? The pile of clothes teetering on your dresser? Or that mess that surrounds your doorway? Start with what’s annoying you, she says. One hour on that task will rev up your organizing engine. 2. Create a Go-Away Box Put in it anything you’re planning to donate (or give to a friend or take to recycle). And keep it by the door so you can easily grab it when you’re leaving. 3. Deal With the Decorations Hallelujah — the holidays are over! When you’re putting away your décor, donate anything you didn’t bring out last season and separate decorations by holiday. No need to dig through your St. Paddy’s clovers when you’re searching for a menorah. 4. Create a System for Your Entryway Set up a “command center” so your front door doesn’t become a lawless accessories arena, especially during winter months. Add hooks for coats, bins for shoes, and a mail sorter if you need it. (Remember to keep a place for your go- away box.) 5. Wrangle Your Pet Supplies Minimize the time spent scrambling when your pup is desperate for a walk or eager for a meal. Hang hooks and cubbies near the door and keep leashes, kibble, bowls, and toys in one convenient spot. 6. Organize Your Spices Arrange your herbs and spices alphabetically, by cuisine, or by brand — whatever makes them easier to find when you’re in the middle of your noodle stir fry. 7. Pare Down Your Utensils You’ve accumulated several dozen kitchen utensils in your culinary career: can openers, microplanes, four wine openers (what?!). Cut back the collection and use drawer dividers to keep the rest in order. 8. Reconfigure Your Pots and Pans Stop digging around in your shelves for the oversized, cast-iron skillet. Donate the pots and pans you hardly use and install cupboard organizers to help manage the rest. 9. Throw Away Expired Foods You’ve never used Worcestershire sauce after that one time. Go through your refrigerator and pantry, and ditch or donate anything past its prime or that you won’t use. 10. Stack Your Pantry Staples Make better use of your pantry by sorting through your staple dry goods — think flour, sugar, pasta, oatmeal, dry beans — and put them in airtight, stackable containers. You’ll free up a ton of space, too. 11. Downsize Your Kitchen Gadgets You had noble intentions when you purchased that spiralizer. (Zucchini noodles every night, right?) Give those space hogs to someone else with lofty dreams. 12. Say No to Coffee Mug Overload Every time you lose a sock, a new coffee mug appears. Keep one or two mugs for every coffee or tea drinker, and donate the rest. 13. Sort Your Food Storage Containers No singles allowed. Toss any tops or bottoms that have no mates. 14. Reassess Your Display Shelves Shelves crammed with knickknacks, books you’ll never read, and stuff you somehow accumulated are just a waste of space. Donate books to the library, discard the junk, and arrange what’s left in a way that pleases you. 15. Deal With Your Cables With a Roku, PlayStation, DVD player, and cable box, it’s no surprise your entertainment center is a mess. Use bread tags or cable ties to create ID tags for each plug and bundle the clutter with Velcro strips. 16. Put Clothes on New Hangers Switch your clothes over to the slimmer, grabbier hangers. They use less space and keep your clothes from sliding down to your closet floor. As you do this, discard the clothes you never wear. 17. Corral Your Accessories Belts, scarves, purses, hats — all the accessories that don’t have a drawer or spot in the closet can end up everywhere. Buy an accessories hanger or install a simple series of hooks to give your wardrobe’s smallest members a home. 18. Purge Under the Bed Under-bed storage is ideal for out-of-season clothing. But when out-of-season becomes out-of-sight and out-of-mind, clear out those clothes you’ll never wear again from this precious storage space. 19. Declutter Your Desk When your workspace is swimming with collectibles, staplers, Post-its, and more, paring down can keep you focused when it’s time to hunker down. 20. Shred Old Paperwork Not every form, statement, and tax record needs to stay in your filing cabinet forever. Check out this list to make sure you’re not wasting space. Shred the rest to ward off identity thieves. 21. Tidy Your Files Now that you’ve shredded unnecessary paperwork, tidy up your files by organizing them and labeling them clearly. Colorful folders can help organize by theme (home stuff, tax stuff, work stuff, etc.). 22. Get Rid of Mystery Electronics Admit it. You’ve got a drawer where black mystery cords, chargers, and oddball electronic bits go to die. Free up that drawer for better uses or at least get rid of the items you know for sure are “dead.” 23. Pare Down Your Personal Care Stuff Your intentions were honorable when you bought that curl-enhancing shampoo — but it expired two years ago, and you haven’t used it since. Throw away any expired potions, salves, hair products, and medicines. 24. Tackle Under-the-Sink Storage Clean everything out. You’ll be amazed at what you find (like those Magic Erasers you could never find). Then put everything you’re keeping back into bins you can easily pull out so that nothing gets lost again. 25. Hang a Shelf Wall storage is so often overlooked. Find a spot in your home where a shelf would solve a problem and hang it. Maybe it’s for some toiletries in the bathroom, laundry supplies, or your kid’s stuffed toys. 26. Reduce Your Towels and Linens There are the towels you use — and the stack of towels you never use. Donate them to the animal shelter. Those torn pillowcases? Convert to rags or toss. Same for napkins, dishtowels, potholders, etc. 27. Hang a Shoe Organizer Hanging shoe organizers can solve a ton of storage problems beyond the obvious. They can store scarves, mittens, cleaning supplies, craft supplies. You can even cut them to custom-fit inside a cabinet door. 28. Organize Your Junk Drawer for Good There’s no shame in a junk drawer, but why not organize it? Dump the whole thing on one surface and sort everything into piles. Use drawer dividers to keep each pile in its own space. 29. Store Your Tools the Right Way Finding the right Phillips-head screwdriver to put together that cute IKEA bookshelf shouldn’t be so hard. Track down your hammers and screwdrivers, and arrange them in one easy-to-access spot, like a pegboard. 30. Plan for the Future See how much you’ve accomplished! Take a look around your newly organized home, noting any spaces you missed. Then dream a bit about your next home project. Maybe paint that dining room, finally? By Janet Siroto | Realtor.com Contributor Featured expertise by Jason Gelios  (Getty Images) When you buy a home, there is usually a flurry of things you look forward to experiencing in winter. Watching that first snowfall through the living room window. Snuggling up by the crackling fireplace. Building a snowman or watching your kids make snow angels in the yard.
All of that creates wonderful memories. But some of the things that you discover during your first winter of homeownership can bring you crashing back to reality. In my case, when we bought our 1920s suburban New York home, we had some rude awakenings. For example, the previous homeowners (empty nesters) told us their heating costs were a couple of hundred dollars per month. We moved in with our boys, who left lights on at every level and never shut down their gaming station. That first bill was a biggie, and it remained high no matter how much we tried to tamp down our electricity use (more on why later). Click here to read more   Photo Credit: Kristan Lieb You’ve raised them, cared for them, and watched them grow — your plants have brought you plenty of joy this past year. And as a plant parent, you know that moving them into a new home can be stressful for the both of you. To make sure your plants survive and thrive in a new place, understanding the lighting situation can go a long way toward creating a happy, healthy home.
When you’re embarking on a home search and want to bring your plants along to the new space, there’s one important question you need to ask your real estate agent. But first, here’s a quick astronomy lesson. Click here to read more Episode 209 | AskJasonGelios Real Estate Show Guest Writer: Sally Norton  The process of purchasing real estate is never easy, but it is even less so if you are a foreigner looking to buy in a country you do not call home. Fortunately, the USA doesn't aim to make it needlessly complicated for non-residents to acquire property. Nevertheless, the entire ordeal might seem a bit daunting if you do not know what you are getting yourself into. Sufficient research, planning, and preparation, although always imperative, are indispensable in this case. But what are the basics around which you need to plan your real estate experience? Take a look at these 5 steps for foreigners buying property in the USA to find out. Narrow down your options The USA is a huge country that got its nickname "the land of opportunity" for a very good reason. Still, it is not irrelevant where you choose to put down roots, even when possibilities are lurking behind every corner. You should consider different parts of the country, depending on whether you want to invest, buy a vacation home, or relocate your entire life to the US. What is it that presents itself as your biggest priority? Is it pristine beaches and tourist hotspots? The proximity to essential amenities and conveniences? Or maybe high-quality education and a family-friendly setting? Finding answers to these questions should be your primary focus since dividing your attention to several different real estate markets would only further complicate the process. Moreover, once you narrow down your choices, you should think about the type of property you want to purchase. For instance, buying a condo is somewhat different from buying a house, which is something you need to prepare for and inform yourself about.  Thoroughly research the real estate market in your desired location. Working with professionals is essential for foreigners buying property in the USAAlthough it is possible to execute the entire purchase with minimal assistance, this is a risky game not even seasoned real estate investors dare to play. Along the way, you will likely come across an endless array of question marks and confusion, which are nearly impossible to figure out alone. Luckily, there are many professionals in the real estate industry whose expertise you can and should take advantage of, especially as a foreign buyer.
One thing all real estate transactions have in common is money. There is not much to talk about without it, especially since American properties are not exactly what you would consider affordable. If you are like most foreigners buying property in the USA, you will likely need to take out a loan. To be able to do this and get a favorable amount and interest rate, you will need to establish and earn a good credit score. Since this step requires a few months, make sure to prioritize it and start on time. During this stage, enlisting the help of a financial advisor is vital, as the US system is probably significantly different from what you are used to in your home country.  Sort out your finances before you take out a loan. Familiarize yourself with tax requirements While we are still on the topic of advisors, make sure to look into one for taxes as well! The type and amount of taxes you will be required to pay once you become a property owner in the US differ depending on several factors, which are easy to overlook without enough knowledge and experience. The good news is, you won't need to pay any additional taxes as a non-resident buyer, aside from property taxes! However, income tax might be a thing you will need to look into if you intend to use your property as a source of income. Visit the property at least once before closing the deal The fact that we are still powering through the pandemic certainly complicates the buying process for foreigners, but it does not make it impossible. You might not be able to be physically present during the entire process, but you should still do your best to visit the property at least once before actually signing on the dotted line. This will allow you to see whether you are indeed making the right decision, which is imperative if you want to relocate to the US with your furry friend and family. How else could you prepare your kids and pets for a challenge as big as an international relocation? Fortunately, when it comes to touring properties, attending viewings, inspections, and other events, your realtor should be able to provide you with detailed video materials and even bring you along on video calls so that you don't miss anything important.  It’s wise to visit the property before closing the deal. Final words These 5 steps for foreigners buying property in the USA should help you lay a stable foundation for your real estate transaction. As a key takeaway, try not to be stingy when it comes to enlisting the help of professionals since this will likely be one of the biggest investments of your life. Mistakes along the way can be incredibly costly, but they can also be avoided with the right planning and clear goals in mind!
 Article by Erik Martin | The Mortgage Reports Featured Expertise by Jason Gelios 9 min. read  What’s most important when buying a house?
Everybody has a wish list in mind when shopping for a home. Whether it’s a certain price, size, style, location, or otherwise, preferences are important. But some criteria matter more than others, according to those in the know. For guidance, we asked several experts for their advice on what to look for when buying a house. Here’s what priorities should rank highest and lowest in your search for a new home. Click here to read more |
AuthorJason Gelios is a Husband and Father. After that, a Top Producing REALTOR®, Author of the books 'Think like a REALTOR®' and 'Beating The Force Of Average', Creator of The AskJasonGelios Real Estate Show and Expert Media Contributor to media outlets across the country. Archives
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