Have you wanted to dip your toes into buying
(or selling), but the waters looked too swampy? Are you thinking it
might be too much trouble? Wondering if there might be a better time?
Not sure where to go first, and next? If questions like these are
holding you in place, you can start getting answers by setting a
no-obligation consultation with me as a first step. Mardin, (408)
210-2073
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If you've heard about the Metaverse, ETFs, cryptocurrency,
and digital investment in artwork and real estate, but aren't sure what
it all means, you're not alone.
In a nutshell, the Metaverse is a collection of invented worlds, like
multiplayer online role playing games. Real people interact as
cartoon-like characters called avatars. Think of it like an immersive
internet, where you can climb a mountain, attend a concert, or visit a
cocktail party and chat with folks you don't know virtually (instead of
suffering the same fate in person). People access these worlds through a
normal computer screen now, but Metaverse builders envision a future of
3D virtual reality.
Mark Zuckerberg sees the Metaverse as the next logical step to social media. (Hence renaming Facebook as Meta.)
Like on Facebook, you'll see ads, but instead of visiting the
advertiser’s website, you'll enter their store to look around at
products in 3D. You'll buy with cryptocurrency.
You can also own part of the architecture of these Metaverse platforms,
called real estate...which may look like actual digital houses, shops,
islands and mountains.
Why would anyone want to buy digital property? For some, it’s just fun.
For others it's about access. If Snoop Dogg buys a digital house, then
the real Dogg is going to pop in and out of that house. If you buy the
digital house next door, you might run into his digital self, and be
able to interact with the real him, wherever he's at.
Investors are also betting on 3D shopping. They buy digital property
where a business might want to open a digital shop on a popular digital
street. Then they rent that property as a digital landlord. Others
are simply speculating. If all the digital real estate gets bought up,
eventually the price of their piece will rise. Don't laugh; it's already
happening to the tune of millions of dollars!
If you're interested in buying virtual property, read this. If you're interested in buying actual property, you know who to call... Mardin at (408) 210-2073
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February Quiz Question
Cupid is the son of which two mythological beings?
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Send your answer for a chance to win a $5 COFFEE CARD. Last month's Q&A: Which is actually larger, a large pizza or two mediums? The large pizza has more area and is a better deal. Congratulations to last month's winner!
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How to WOW your loved one this Valentine's Day
Play a "game" called the 14 Days of Valentine's. Starting on February
1st (or any day you want, really), give a small gift every day, along
with a poem, quote, or love note. Ideally the message connects the gift
to the person in a loving or funny way. The gift can be chocolate, a
bottle of beer, a photo, a teddy bear, a candle, a pack of gum, a
hand-drawn card, etc. It's not about the gift, it's about the note, the
gift and the thought together. Culminate on the 14th with a special
gift. Start now!
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Lock in a Lower Mortgage Rate before Rates Rise
As mortgage rates rise, they reduce home buying budgets. Just a 1% rise
in rate can mean a $40,000 drop in purchase power (in some cases) on a
$400,000 purchase price. While rates aren't expected to jump by 1%
overnight, they are rising, and any loss in purchasing power is hard to
swallow. If you know you'll be buying in the next few months, get
pre-approved and receive a "lock" or guarantee that freezes your
interest rate at today's rates for a limited time (2 to 4 months,
typically). By the time you find a place you like, rates may have risen,
and competing bidders who didn’t get a pre-approved commitment might
have to scale back their price point from what they initially estimated.
A rate lock will cost you some money up-front, but save you a lot more
in the long run. Ask your lender for information.
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Don't Get Skimmed
I thought this tweet was worth sharing.
Do this one thing to (help) avoid having your credit card info swiped at
the gas pump! Simply pull on the card reader. If it's loose or comes
off, you'll have saved yourself a ton of headache. I'm not sure if this
works with all kinds of skimmers, but it's worth trying, right?
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Friends Don't Let Friends Buy Homes Alone
First-time home-buyers are increasingly buying homes with friends.
Teaming up cuts the individual price of a home in half, enabling people
to buy a home without having to save or qualify for as much. There
are complicated factors involved, such as deciding how to share equity
and what to do in the case of a fallout. But many buyers are seeing the
move as a win-win situation: they get a stake in an appreciating real
estate market and get to fulfill a desire for communal living. Do you know any friends who are thinking about this idea? Have them text me for an appointment. (408) 210-2073
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Check Out this Hiking Trail!
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Chinese studio MAD Architects is known for
its ambitious cultural projects featuring sculptural forms inspired by
nature. The firm is working on a new residential project in Denver,
Colorado. One River North is a 16-story tower with a dramatic nature
trail cutting across 10 of the stories into the façade of the building. See more here.
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