A-LISTER MAGAZINE

Just A Thought…

Neil — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 08:28:45 +0000

10. The most popular first name in the world is Muhammad

9. Forest fires move faster uphill than downhill

8. 97% of all Americans don’t have written goals

7. Why do most people pay thousands of dollars for college only to take another job outside of their major?

6. Humans start off as one of the most helpless beings on this planet and end being the most powerful force on earth

5. A lightening bolt produces heat that is 5 times hotter than the sun’s surface

4. A woman is prohibited to drive in a housecoat in California

3. Have you ever swam in Long Beach?

2. If you chew gum while peeling onions, you won’t cry.

1. You will lose weight eating celery because it take more calories to eat it than it contains

NEILESTRADAMOUS!

Neil — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:23:32 +0000

Issue #2

Forecast, Foresight, For Now, For Fun, For You…

10. It will be 100 degrees in Los Angeles sometime in November

9. The Lakers will beat the Heat on Christmas Day.

8. Another Asian group will win America’s Best Dance Crew

7. Far East Movement’s new single Rocketeer will become Billboard’s # 1 song.

6. Hulk Hogan will become the WWE Champion again.

5. A new species of primate will be discovered

4. The new planet Gliese 581g will actually have life

3. Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi will win the 2010 WSOP Main Event

2. Usain bolt will run the 100 meters in 9.50 seconds

1. Oprah will finally tie the knot

Neil Estrada

You Know My Style…You Know My Name… No Mistakes Allowed!!! DJ Melo-D

Neil — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 10:03:55 +0000

Well rounded and well grounded. I’m talking about the one and only DJ Melo-D. A world renowned deejay who’s deeply admired, respected, and followed by the masses; David Mendoza is simply “The Man.” Melo-D’s versatility as deejay along with his work ethic, and desire for perfection have been the keys to his successful career. Melo-D is not just a name; it’s a brand. And he maybe the most well rounded deejay out there today. If you ever catch Melo live in the mix, you’ll know why.

Melo-D, aka David Mendoza, grew up in Cerritos listening to hip hop music. Back in the 80’s he was bobbing his head to such artists as the Sugar Hill Band and Malcolm McLaren. As an avid listener of 1580 “KDAY”, he was inspired by how the mix masters manipulated the turntables and records to create unique sounds. He was also inspired by fellow Beat Junkie, DJ Curse, back in 1988 when he saw Curse cutting up records during lunch time at Whitney High School, where David attended. Back in the days, there really was no real footage of this style of deejaying other than hearing it on mix tapes and K-DAY. So for Melo seeing a prominent DJ live meant the world.

Melo-D’s original equipment went something like this: 1 turntable connected to a Kenwood receiver and also connected to a tape deck. This was his make shift dj set up where David first practiced his mixing and scratching. David joined his first group as a member of Sound Wave Dimensions. Then in 1990, he became a member of Modern Muzique. Back in the high school days he spun at a lot of house parties, weddings, graduations and events of that nature.

In 1992, he became a notable member of the World Famous Beat Junkies founded by J-Rocc and Curse. Other Beat Junkie members include Babu, Rhettmatic, What, Short Kut, Symphony, Havik, Tommy Gunn, Mr Choc, Icy Ice, and D-Styles. Together, the Beat Junkies would take the DJ world by storm and the Beat Junkie Style came upon the scene in huge way.

Melo-D would practice like there was no tomorrow. 6 hours of practice was not unusual. Hours upon hours of practice daily, Melo-D honed his skills and worked on his craft. Soon enough he became the Master Craftsman. Melo-D is known for his super clean style along with his intricate scratching skills, beat juggling, and trick mixing.

His mastery of skill went on full display in first ever dj battle in 93 Represent held by Legend Entertainment and fellow Beat Junkie, DJ Icy Ice. Melo-D mesmerized the audience with his tricks, precise cutting and beat manipulation. As the crowd and the competition watched and listened in awe, Melo-D had put his stamp down in the DJ Battle World as the champion of the event and became a legend in the battle scene ever since.

Melo-D became the first ever Vestax USA and Vestax World Champ in 1995. In 1996, he was part of Vestax US Team Champions consisting of himself, Curse and Rhettmatic. He also sported the ITF Team Championship 2 years in a row in 1997 and in 1998 with J-Rocc, Babu, and Rhetmattic. Melo-D was and is inspired by a multitude of battle DJ’s and crews such as the Beat Junkies themselves, X-Men, Invisible Skratch Piklz, Rectangle, Miz, Cash Money, Jazzy Jeff, Alladin, Julio G, and Tony G just to name a few.

In the radio scene, E-Man had already broken ground for our crowd and our generation when he landed his spot at Power 106FM. Melo-D was the next to follow in 1996 when he began his radio career on 92.3 the Beat as the deejay for Julio G. His mix show had a huge following. Everyone wanted to hear what Melo was going to do live on the air. His successful stint on the Beat went through 2001.

After a 1 year break, Melo-D came back on the airwaves from 2002 to late 2003 at Hot 92 Saturday Night Aqua Boogie. As a prominent radio deejay, Melo-D also enjoyed listening to fellow radio deejays and friends Choc, C-Minus and E-Man.

In late 2004 through 2006, Melo-D and Julio G were back on the air on the new K-DAY. This fueled a lot of excitement in the radio world while Julio and Melo were around. During this time period though, Melo-D became a resident disc jockey at a pretiegious in Las Vegas. It became increasingly challenging for Melo to go back forth from Cerritos to Las Vegas. So Melo-D pursued his next career as a full time Vegas DJ and left radio entirely.

Melo-D brought all of his expertise and skill from what he learned as a battle dj and radio dj to the Hard Rock Hotel from February 2006 through the end of 2009. He spun music at multiple venues and events within the Hard Rock such as Body English and the world famous Rehab pool party. A huge draw to the club, Melo-D let his fingers do the talking. He kept the crowds dancing constantly with his mastery of programming. This is probably the single most important skill in club deejaying in my opinion. It’s not just about playing the hits. It’s about playing the Hit’s/music and knowing how and when to play them. Its the arrangement of the music and the style and manner in which you play it.

In 2010, Melo-D became a resident DJ of Club Jet at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas where he rocked the crowd all night through the morning hours. Some of Melo-D’s favorite club deejays include, AM (rest in peace), Vice, E-Man, Karma, Five, Stone Rock, A-Track, Graham Funky, and Crooked.

Melo-D has also been traveling with notable groups such as LMFAO and the Black Eyed Peas. Although it maybe a tougher game now, Melo still loves what he does and more importantly a whole lot fans love what he does as well. As you can see, Melo-D has evolved to change with the times and the environment of wherever he may be hired to deejay at. What hasn’t changed is Melo being on top of the game no matter what kind of gig he does.

Many people get into deejaying as hobby or as way to earn some part time money while rocking out at a party. Melo-D’s true love for this art form and countless hours of practice have afforded him a great lifestyle. In Melo’s own words, “I feel truly blessed to get to be doing what I love to do and at the same time making a living with it.” Whether its turntablism, radio, or a Vegas style club; DJ Melo-D is one of the best deejays ever. He will always be followed, looked up to and will always attract a crowd. Quoting a Legendary Mix Tape of DJ Melo-D…”You Know My Style…You Know My Name…No Mistakes Allowed!!!”

By: Neil Estrada

A Soldier’s Story

Neil — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 04:05:59 +0000

My name is Lance Corporal David Ferrer. I’ve been proudly serving our country as a Marine for two years now. My recruit training started at Parris Island, South Carolina and continued my school of infantry and light armored vehicle crewmen’s course at Camp Pendleton, California. I am currently stationed at Quantico, Virginia.

Last November 2009, I was deployed to Afghanistan specifically in the Helmand province. I stayed there until May of this year. During my tour of duty, I, along with my unit, spent numerous hours under the hot weather conditions doing vehicle interdictions. As a result, we were able to confiscate huge amounts of drugs and other contrabands. We also helped out the local people by giving them some of their basic and essential needs such as food and water. By doing that, we were hoping that they wouldn’t depend on growing illegal drugs as a means to earn a living. In addition, we also spent countless hours patrolling the area to ensure the safety of the Afghan people and the coalition forces.

People often ask me, what I think about the war in Afghanistan. My usual response is,” it’s hot” or “it’s ok”, but that really does not answer the question. Being at the bottom of the food chain, it doesn’t really matter what you think. All that matters is that you are able to complete the mission. Sometimes there are things that we have to do that may not make sense at all, but being a Marine, we still have to deliver and finish the orders we are given.

I feel that the war in Afghanistan is slowly but surely progressing. People back in the US might not see what we are doing over there. Even I did not see the purpose of our stay in Afghanistan in the very beginning, but we have to look the bigger picture. I can honestly say that our deployment brought a lot of good to the country. The Afghan locals would often approach us seeking assistance with everyday life. What this means is that they are sick and tired of how the Taliban regime treats them. The people of Afghanistan would cooperate with our requests rather than fight against us.

During my stay in Afghanistan, I learned a lot about life. The problems that I use to have back home suddenly seem small in comparison. As cliché as it may sound, there is more to life than meets the eye. I’m not going to say that what we are doing over at Afghanistan is the right thing or ask others to join the military. I’m also not saying that the Afghan people are bad and we should eradicate the country. I personally think that our presence over there is very important. It may not seem like we’ve had an enormous impact yet, but I believe that if we keep on working together we will be able to help the country of Afghanistan.

In summary, I would like to say to all the readers that you don’t necessarily have to support what we do over there. The leaders of our country decide what we need to do, where, and when. What’s important is to support the troops that are over risking their life for our country’s freedom.

Semper Fidelis

Lance Corporal David Ferrer

The 2010 NBA Finals – Revisiting the Redemption Series

Neil — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:23:22 +0000

From the start of this season and continuing into the playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers’ theme was plain and to the point, “Road to Repeat”. But once the defending NBA champions learned their opponent going into the 2010 NBA Finals were the Boston Celtics, that road veered its direction down another path. No longer was repeating as important as redemption. Two seasons prior, the same Lakers team for the most part, fell short of winning the franchise’s 15th NBA title when they lost in a close out game to the Celtics by a margin of 39 points in the 2008 NBA Finals. Because of this embarrassing defeat, it was evident early in this year’s finals the importance of winning the championship would also couple, hand and hand, with winning against the Boston Celtics. Even with the Celtics entering into this year’s post season at the 4th seat of the Eastern Conference, no one ever imagined the dominance and impact they would have throughout the playoffs. A franchise filled with all-star players and led by a rising young point guard may seem like a team not be taken likely. But with the Celtics winning only 27 out of their last 54 regular season games and several of the aging veterans still nursing injuries, it seemed that the rest of the East did just that. Not only did the Celtics make their way pass the first three rounds, but did so through three of the league’s top players in Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard. The Celtics were also a team focused on redemption as the year prior fell short of the finals, due mainly to the absence of Kevin Garnett who sat out of the ’09 playoffs with a knee injury. The Celtics and many Boston believers felt, if Garnett was healthy and suited to play during last year’s playoff run, they would have repeated as champions. With motivation fueled by “what if’s” and “not again’s”, both teams were no longer nostalgic, reveling in the historic rivalry between the two cities. Their interest was not in the blood line, but wanting to draw first blood. Usually, an early prediction of a seven game series going the distance is an unlikely scenario, but with the experience and heart of this Celtics team and the towering length and offensive prowess of the Lakers, a game 7 prediction seemed the only likely outcome. There would be no early knockout for these two heavyweights. At the onset of game one, the Lakers took control early and never allowed Boston to get comfortable through the entire contest. It was clear that the Lakers height and big bodies in the paint presented the Celtics with problems, especially for penetrating point guard Rajon Rondo, who’s Achilles’ heel was basically any shot outside of 15 feet. Rondo ended the night with a forgettable 6-14 from the field. The Lakers were able to our rebound the Celtics 42-31, limiting their second chance points. This gave cynical Celtic fans much to be concerned about. If Boston were to have any hopes of getting into this series offensively, they would have to do so from the perimeter. Lakers finished game one with a win, but more importantly with confidence, knowing if focused, the championship was theirs to take. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the win also sparked a sleeping shooting giant in Ray Allen. During game two, Allen rained on the Staples Center with 8 three point shots, breaking the old NBA record for three pointers made in a single finals game. Though the Lakers stayed within striking distance through most of the game with 22 lead changes, they could not overcome the tenacious defense of the Celtics and a late fourth quarter surge from Rondo. In addition, Kobe continued to check in and out of the line up due to foul troubles, not allowing him to get into any type of offensive groove. These factors ultimately gave Boston the win in game two, tying the series at one a piece. Home court now belonged to the Celtics and with three straight games in Boston, Lakers had to adjust to the C’s outside shooting if they wish to take a game or two in Beantown. Like a great poker player now exposed for his bluffs, Ray Allen’s shooting barrage in game two, caught the attention of Phil Jackson and the rest of the Lakers’ coaching staff. Not only did they want to minimize Ray Allen’s touches, but take him completely out of his comfort zone. But the Celtics were not without their own game plan; get Kevin Garnett involved and get him involved early. A strategy that paid off at the start of game three as Garnett scored the first three field goals for Boston. The Lakers however lived with Garnett getting his numbers offensively and just ensured no other all-star could deliver the second blow. With only sporadic scoring from others, Garnett did not have enough help for the Celtics to ever get a hold of Lakers constant attack of the paint, allowing the Lakers to regain and capture back home court. As the Celtics entered game four down two to one in the series, Boston’s problem became clearer with each day. They just did not have the offensive fire power to match that of the Los Angeles Lakers. With Andrew Bynum showing ill effects of his knee injury, this would have been the perfect time for players like Pierce, Garnett, and Rondo to take advantage of the paint. But as most of this series would go, offensively neither team could get into any scoring consistency. Boston only scored 60 points after three quarters of game four and though the Lakers weren’t fairing much better with a two point lead headed into the last quarter, Bryant was supplying Lakers with three point shots and jumpers whenever Boston started to show signs of life. That was until the Donkey and Shrek show came into town (a self-proclaimed parody by Nate Robinson of himself and Glenn Davis). Doc Rivers started the fourth quarter of game four with Nate Robinson, Tony Allen, Rasheed Wallace, Glenn Davis, and one starter in Ray Allen. This was obviously to give his other starters a quick breather before inserting them back into the line up. But it seemed to be the exact change in line up that Boston needed to disrupt the Lakers’ game plan. With Glenn Davis crashing and attacking the boards offensively and defensively like a “beast”, as he puts it, and Nate Robinson hitting crucial shots with three pointers and drives to the lane, the bench play was enough to lift Boston back to par, tying the series once again at two games each. Even though game five was not a close out game, it was pivotal to both teams. If Lakers were to win, Boston would be returning to Los Angeles facing elimination. And if Boston won, it would mean Lakers would have to push the series to a game seven for them to win the title. This was the game for franchise players to shine and they would not disappoint. As game five started Paul Pierce found his stroke, hitting jumpers in and beyond the arch, allowing the Celtics to control the game for the majority of the first half. But Kobe Bryant would not give up this game without a fight. He poured in 19 points in the third quarter, finishing the game with 38 points. His scoring surge however was not enough as Ron Artest missed two straight crucial free throws that would have brought the Lakers to within 3 points with less than a minute to go. Lakers would have to settle on returning to L.A. down one game and facing elimination. A little home cooking is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Los Angeles Lakers. Losing two straight in Boston, game six had to result in a Lakers win if they wanted to keep their championship hopes alive. Early in the contest, probably the worst case scenario for the Celtics’ defensive structure occurred when Kendrick Perkins went down with a knee injury while attempting to grab an offensive rebound. Perkins was the anchor of Boston’s relentless defense and without his presence in the paint, it would open up the middle to expand the Lakers’ offense to and inside/outside game. Lakers did not waste time in taking advantage of the weakened Celtics defense by attacking the basket and extending their lead by 20 at the half. More importantly, the Lakers played the game with offensive contribution from players other than Kobe Bryant. Lakers went on to win game six in convincing fashion by a margin of 22 point. Game six also shown the resurgence of Ron Artest’s offensive game, hitting his shots early and making his presence felt on the other end of the court. It was a Lakers team running on all cylinders. Boston now had to prepare for a game seven in a hostile Staples Center environment and do so without their starting big man Perkins as it was announced prior to the game that he would be taken out of the line up due to the knee injury he acquired in game six. Because of home court advantage, the Perkins injury, and the offensive showing in game six, many believed (especially Vegas, where the line was as high as 7 ½) that the Lakers were going to run through the Celtics in another blow out game. But if there is one thing this series has shown us, it is that both these teams were not just resilient, but were already champions in their own rite. Giving up was not an option for Boston and Lakers were not expecting for a cake walk as well. At the start of game seven, Lakers look a bit sluggish only scoring 14 points in the first quarter and a total of 34 for the half, but found themselves only down by six after two. The start of the second half had many Angelinos worried as Lakers fell down to a 13 point deficit. It started to look like 2008 all over again, especially with Kobe Bryant only making two field goals up to this point. But Lakers’ supporting cast would not be denied the spotlight. Instead of sitting back and watching Bryant try to shoot them out of the situation, veterans such as Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol contributed with vital offensive possessions. Lakers would cut the deficit as low as one point, but could not seem to tie or regain the lead. It was not until midway through the fourth quarter, with the Lakers down by three, that a timely three point shot from Derek Fisher tied the game at 64 to 64. Lakers then nursed a six to four point lead for the most of the remaining time left in regulation. But with a little over a minute left, Celtics refused to go away. And after a Rasheed Wallace three pointer, Boston was within three points once again. Not to be topped however, on the pursuing possession, Ron Artest hit what is possibly the biggest shot of his career with a three pointer at the one minute mark, putting Lakers back up by six. A shot that could have been the nail in the coffin if Ray Allen wasn’t wearing his green and whites that night, because immediately following Artest’s three, Allen followed it up with one of his own, bringing them back to only three down. After Bryant brought the lead to five with two free throws and only twenty seven seconds left, desperation was the only game plan left for Boston. Then like an actor nailing his lines in a climatic part of a movie, Rajon Rondo hit a three pointer to bring the Celtics within two. As much as the Staples Center fans wanted to begin their celebration, the C’s were going to try and deny them that luxury to the last second. But with two game-sealing free throws from Sasha “The Machine” Vujacic in the last 10 seconds, the Lakers were able to hang on and win the 2010 NBA Championship by a final score of 83-79. Redemption belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers proved to the Boston Celtics that with a full roster, they can not only match the physical play of Boston’s big men, but can exploit their inability to score on a consistent basis. Redemption was now in hand for their loss in 2008. And redemption was theirs from all those who believed if Boston had a healthy Garnett, Lakers would not have won in 2009. Redemption was achieved yes, but not without a price and a cost to both teams. At the end of this game, from the tears coming down many of the players eyes, it was clear the level of the physical and emotional dedication needed to invest for such a game; for such a series. Several players played through injuries, even when surgery was necessary. Some even needed psychiatric help to assist them through these seven games. And the toll was not just on the players, but on the coaches as well. Post NBA Finals has two head coaches, who just completed an epic series for the ages, begin to consider retirement. As basketball fans, and especially for basketball fans in either Boston or Los Angeles, we should look back and relish in this moment now. A rivalry that was sparked many years ago and was relit in 2008 between these two cities may have seen its last face off and may sit dormant again, back into hibernation. With Boston’s roster full of veteran’s in the last stretch of their careers as well as two head coaches questioning their future after signing for just one more season and with the league having a handful of max players consolidating into one franchise, the likelihood that these two teams will meet again after the 2010-2011 season is not only far-fetched, but hard to even imagine or comprehend. Yes, the series win belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers and they are now the 2010 NBA Champions, however in 336 minutes of play, this series was determined in 335 minutes and 50 seconds. Both teams played with reckless abandonment, as if tomorrow did not exist. So if there were ever a time when two teams deserved a title, it would be this year. And in this basketball purist’s eyes, both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics earned their redemption, their respect, and their rightful place in sports history.

By: Peter Tan

The Light Within You

Neil — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:33:02 +0000

Whenever the topic of being a yoga instructor comes up, there are a few common remarks made, often including the following: (1) I heard that yoga makes people fart. (2) I’m not flexible enough to do yoga. To address both of these common misconceptions, I reply with the following: (1) Do you really think people pay $100-a-month memberships to sit around in yoga class and fart with each other? No way! And no, yoga does not cause you to become particularly gassy. If you’re already gassy and you do a pose that requires you to bend over, you might accidentally let one rip. Nonetheless, this doesn’t happen often and shouldn’t discourage you from coming to class. (2) As one of my fellow yoga instructors put it, “Saying that you’re not flexible enough to do yoga is like saying that you’re too dirty to shower.” Yoga is accessible to anyone and everyone!

Just as with any other exercise regimen, people will have developed their own preconceived notions of yoga before even trying it out. Especially in the West, yoga has sometimes come to be more about the physical aspect. It is often seen as a trendy, sweaty workout to achieve a lean physique. However, practicing yoga it is meant to be a connection of the mind, body, and soul.

In The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali—which is the foundational text of yoga, or the “yoga Bible,” if you will—yoga is defined as the cessation of fluctuations in the mind. Learning to quiet the mind and live in the present moment is a true practice of yoga. The practice of asana, or postures, is meant to make the body fit and flexible so that one is able to sit still comfortably while meditating. (Try it for yourself—It is very difficult to sit absolutely still for an extended period of time on a hard floor in a cross-legged position if your body is not limber and you have poor posture.) The physical portion of yoga is but a small part of preparing oneself for meditation and, eventually, enlightenment.

Practicing yoga is beneficial to your health and well-being on many levels. Within the practice, there is a strong focus on breathing and relaxation. Students are encouraged to synchronize movements of their body with mindful inhales and exhales. They work to find the comfort in challenging poses without judging or comparing themselves to fellow students. This is no easy feat! Yoga challenges they physical body as much as it does the mind. But the degree of focus developed from a steady yoga practice definitely pays off.

Learning to relax the mind and body are key aspects to healthy living, especially since most disease is caused by stress in the body. In our bodies, the sympathetic nervous system responds to stress in the following ways:
- blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension increase
- blood flows away from the vital organs and into the muscles in the arms and legs
- digestive system function is inhibited
- fertility and growth are inhibited
- immune system is weakened
This type of bodily response enables us to escape situations of danger, like… if you were being chased by a tiger! You probably won’t be chased by a tiger any time soon, but this example is meant to illustrate the rare and panicked state of stress that these bodily responses are meant for. Your body is meant to react this way only in emergency situations. It is unfortunate that many people’s lifestyles cause their body to react to stress all of the time. Especially in America, it is common for people to be always on-the-go, working overtime, winking for sleep, worrying about the future, and partying their troubles away. Imagine your body constantly functioning as listed above. It becomes obvious why people are so sick and unhealthy. Practicing yoga is one way to help take care of yourself. You will gain more awareness of your body on all levels, and subsequently want to take better care of it.

Yoga classes are often ended with the teacher saying the Sanskrit word, “Namaste,” which means, “The light within me honors the light within you.” It is a reminder of how we are all connected to each other and a method of honoring the spirit that unites us. If you haven’t given yoga a try, you should! It will do wonders for your entire being—mind, body and soul.

By: Lara Estrada

The Home Buying Process

Neil — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:20:51 +0000

Understanding the Steps and Why it’s a Great Time to Buy

By: Phoebe Chiang

One of the questions I get asked often when meeting people for the first time is how I am able to thrive selling real estate in this market. My answer is that the market isn’t bad at all. My buyers and their referrals keep me busy day and night and all throughout the weekends. Fallen prices and low interest rates combined have created a buyer-friendly environment where it makes a lot more financial sense to own a home rather than rent if you can qualify for a loan. That is especially the case for many of my clients who are young professionals (“yuppies” they say) who earn a nice salary and as they are not married are taxed heavily. Having a mortgage allows them major tax breaks. In essence, buying a home can significantly relieve you of your tax burden because nearly every dollar you spend on paying interest on your mortgage, including the “points” paid, can be deducted from your adjusted gross income. Consult a CPA and figure how much you can save in taxes if you made mortgage payments versus just rental payments. About 70% of my clients are under 30 years old and of that number about half of them are First-Time Home Buyers and the other half are young investors looking for homes that would generate enough rental income to sustain a monthly positive cash flow. One of my buyers just bought a 4-unit apartment in Los Angeles for $260k, already fully- rented out for a total rent of $3030/mo. His return on investment is >10% (he paid cash) even if he hires a property manager to look after the units. In addition, when the market climbs up again this 4-plex will also appreciate in value.

No doubt that buying a home is a huge decision as it is likely the single largest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime but it doesn’t have to be a big complicated mystery. Oftentimes in the initial interview with first time buyers I realized that once they understand the process of buying home and what happens in each step of the way, it takes the fear and uncertainty out of the picture and. In fact, the process becomes exciting as prospective buyers can visually map out their journey to making home ownership a reality.

On that note, I’ve outlined the basic process of buying a new home:

1) Consult with a lender to help you get a Prequalification Letter. You will need to gather a few documents for them to review, such as two years W2’s, tax returns, and most recent paystubs. They will review your income documents and run your credit to see not only your credit score but also factor in your total outstanding debts to give you an exact dollar amount you can borrow. Once you submit your application and income documents to the lender, you can get your prequalification letter in 24 to 48 hours. All offers to purchase a home now require this preapproval letter so this step cannot be skipped (unless you’re paying all cash).

2) Select a neighborhood/area where you’d like to live.

3) Decide what type of home you’d like to purchase (a single family? Townhome? Condo?) Determine how many bedrooms or baths you need.

4) Find a real estate agent to help you find home that fit your criteria. There are also numerous user-friendly websites you can use such as Redfin.com, Realtor.com, etc, but your agent can set you up in their system so they you can be the first to see the newest listings on the market or be the first to know when a price has dropped on an existing listing.

5) Let your real estate agent know when you need to move by. If you do not have a lot of time, you may want to stay away from short sales as the transaction can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months or possibly longer for the bank to approve the sale. A short sale is where the proceeds from the sale will not be sufficient to pay off the entire amount owed on the mortgage. For example, a homeowner purchases his home for 500k in 2006 and still owes 450k on the mortgage. Due to financial hardship the homeowner can no longer keep up with the monthly payments and he does not qualify for loan modification. He must sell his home but his property is worth only $350k in today’s market. If you offer to buy his home for $350k, the seller may agree to sell it to you to avoid a foreclosure, but the bank will still need to approve the sale as they will take a loss on the sale. This is why Short Sales can take months to close.

6) Find your home and make an offer!

7) In this market there will likely be more than one offer on the same home and it is not uncommon to find yourself competing with 15 other offers. If, however, your offer gets accepted you will open escrow with your initial deposit and begin to perform your buyer investigations with a licensed home inspector and review various reports and disclosures about the home provided to you by the seller. During this time the bank will send an appraisal to appraise the home and continue to process your loan.

8) If you are happy with the home after doing your inspections, then it is time to finalize the financing and start planning for your new home! This is the part you don’t get to do as renters. Home ownership offers more flexibility to make changes to your living spaces, such as painting your walls or putting in new carpets so have fun with it!

If you have any questions about short sales, buying or selling a home or need a good lender, feel free to email me at phoebechiang@gmail.com or add me on Facebook. Good luck!

Phoebe Chiang

Passing Through…By Regina Lopez

Neil — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 05:04:50 +0000

Extreme Autofest San Diego

Neil — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:08:23 +0000

(Photos by Jason Flores)
Extreme Autofest is celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year and the Allstars were on hand for all the action at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Extreme coverage of vehicles included an assortments of imports, domestics, low riders, trucks, SUVs, luxury cars, motorcycles and even tricked out bikes could be seen throughout the venue. Stationary show cars are always sweet, but my favorite rides are the fast ones. Drifting Gymkhana was a big highlight of the show and our friends at Slide Society and Allstar driver Hiromi kicked it into high gear. On stage we had Funk Master Flex, The New Boys, Curtis Young along with the Allstar DJs. The best part of the show was seeing all of my friends including Bridgestone Tires, Pioneer DJ, 5Zigen, ShiftR, Legend Motorsports, Babe Blvd., Rally Innovations and Footbike USA. Next up for Extreme Autofest is the upcoming Lexani Lifestyle Festival Car Show on July 25, 2010 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. For more information hit up: www.extremeautofest.com

Drifting Gymkhama Footage from Event:

By: Jennifer Angel Ancheta

Team Allstars Drift Car- 2006 Mazda MX-5

Neil — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:42:22 +0000

2006 Mazda MX-5 Drift Car (Photos by ShiftR)

Driver:

Team Allstars / Mazda

Engine Specifications:

Capacity: 2.3L (2261cc)

Bore Size: 87.5mm

Stroke: 94mm

Power: 290BHP @ 8000 rpm

Torque: 200 ft – lb @ 5600 rpm

Fuel: VP 110 Octane Leaded Fuel

Engine Block: Mazda MZR

Cylinder Head: Mazda MZR with Cosworth Port bore modification

Oil system: Cosworth Dry Sump

Induction: Cosworth Barrel Throttle

Pistons: Cosworth Forged 14:1 CR

Connecting Rods: Cosworth Forged

Crankshaft: Cosworth Billet Steel

Camshafts: Cosworth High Lift

Suspension Tuning & Handling:

Eibach Springs

Tires & Wheels:

Team 5Zigen 17″ x 9.5″ Wheels

Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 235/40R17 Tires

Team Clothing Sponsor:

Lexani Lifestyle & Pioneer DJ

Sponsors:

5Zigen, ARP, AWR Racing, Bridgestone Tires, Cosworth, DG Motorsports, Eclipse, Mazda, Mazdaspeed, Motec, Nish Designs, Ron Davis Radiators, Sparco, StopTech, Eibach Springs, Lucas Oil, Super AutoToyz

Media Partners:

Shiftr.com, teamallstars.com

By: Jennifer Angel Ancheta