DTLA LIFE MAG #4 | APRIL 2014 | Page 8

I love motivational speakers , life coaches , spiritual gurus and other inspirational people . I continue to enjoy reading their books , watching their online videos or heading over to a special event . Whether these seminars include walking across hot coals , sitting in a boring airport hotel , or having a private coaching session with one of these consistently super successful , very persuasive and simply more advanced individuals , I always listen very closely and find myself taking something to heart . Lately , my “ buzz word ” has been visualization . Where am I financially , personally , physically and spiritually and where do I want to be ? The path of discovering your very own personalized “ life vision ” can be self-satisfying , quite interesting , fun and scary too ! Of course , one of the major visions along the path of our grown-up lives usually includes home ownership . Is there a step by step guideline of how to succeed in this vision ? I say , yes there is .

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Once you have your vision in mind , the most important step to start on a forward moving path is the release of FEAR . We are emotional creatures , we make emotional decisions , but as soon as the emotion fades , we are all left to deal with our fears : fear of change , of commitment , of a bad choice , of being taken advantage of , of the unknown . Real estate transactions can be one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make in your life . What if you don ’ t even know the right questions to ask ? Like me , you may need your comfort level super high before you can make big decisions . You certainly don ’ t want to be taken advantage of . Perhaps you have never purchased real estate before and this means that much of your decision lies in great mystery . You may feel apprehensive and ignorant . What if you get the crazy dopamine rush that is associated with anticipation and buy something that is completely wrong for you ?

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How to overcome fear ? As with any important decision we face , unless we prepare ourselves greatly in advance we can make big mistakes that can cost us later . So , the best advice I ’ ve ever heard is “ a good preparation is half the work .’’ The first steps to home ownership should include a clear vision , belief in yourself , considerable preparation in order to conquer your fear-base , the ability to empower yourself and others followed by the ever necessary step , taking action . There is a clear path to success if we just go one step at a time . I have used this advice over and over again in my daily life and very successful real estate company .

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The entire process of buying a home is fairly simply when viewed as a whole . The great thing is there are professional individuals at every turn to help you turn this vision into reality . Since the first step is to determine your official “ buying power ,” it should include recruiting a lender that will take you through all the numbers . Basic information about your income , debt , savings and credit can easily determine your buying power . Lenders that are specialists in your preferred neighborhood can really tell you to the penny what your new monthly responsibilities will be . The biggest fear of your financial situation including misunderstanding mortgages or financing a home can be released and you can move on to the next step of buying your home .

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Once you know how much you can invest , you get to start viewing properties . This is the fun part ! Remember at this point you should be sure to be working with a real estate agent , particularly one that specializes in your preferred areas as they will have the most up to date information on available units , recent sales and comparables . Your professional , licensed real estate agent will be able to help find properties in your budget , investigate homes that suit your needs and make sense in your set parameters . More fears , gone ! They also negotiate on your behalf and provide objective information on the property . They have access to a variety of resources to use during the rest of the transaction . Your agent will advise you as to what to expect during your inspections and due diligence phase such as what is recommended and required . They can help facilitate the process by recommending other qualified professionals to assist like inspectors , escrow agents , title companies and others . Every professional working on your side will talk you through the process and alleviate your fear of the unknown . They will also walk you step by step through the on-going contracts and paperwork to get you from an accepted offer into a successful closing .
Arming yourself the right team will ensure you are prepared to make the right decisions at every signature .

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I am not saying that realizing your vision will be easy but believing in yourself and your ideas is required upfront . Get ready to set your vision with confidence . Look at it as a step by step process beginning with visualizing yourself in your new home , empowering yourself to take action , empowering qualified professionals on your behalf to work with you at every turn , dropping your fear base and moving your dreams into realities . When moving step by step and following your vision and strategy , the goal doesn ’ t seem quite so scary or difficult anymore . The final success will be well worth the effort put forth and the empowerment will certainly give you the confidence to use the strategies in every other facet of your life . What are you waiting for ? I am visualizing my brand new 5000 sq . ft . penthouse loft with floor to ceiling windows and a great view of DTLA . What are you envisioning ?

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Feel free to stop by our office located at the corners of 6th & Spring Streets or email me directly for a personal consultation and downtown tour at Tiffany @ laloftsrealty . com – Let me help you get through the steps of home ownership and soon I will hand you the keys to your perfect home .

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Tiffany Gatto

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LA LOFTS Realty ® 548 S Spring Street # 109 Los Angeles , CA 90013
213 626 5433 tiffany @ laloftsrealty . com www . laloftsrealty . com 6TH STREET BRIDGE