Contra Costa home prices are are increasing and in some cities the increase is dramatic. Record low interest rates have caused “on the fence” home buyers to come out in droves (30 year fixed mortgages are under 4% at the time of this writing). At the same time, the inventory of homes for sale is [...]
Read MoreThe June 2012 Pleasant Hill Real Estate Market Summary is the story of changing demographics creating new competition for Pleasant Hill homes. Let me start with the numbers. In June, 2011 there were 93 detached homes for sale with an average Absorption Rate based on Pended sales of 32.3% (i.e. the percentage of listed homes [...]
Read MoreThe June 2012 Walnut Creek Real Estate Market Summary is the story of a dramatic change in the market. The best way to demonstrate this is to compare June, 2011 and June, 2012. In June, 2011 there were 177 detached homes for sale with an average Absorption Rate based on Pended sales of 28.2% (i.e. [...]
Read More
A portion of our sprinkler system recently quit working. No warning, no suspicious leaks, it just stopped working. I’m sharing this with you because our journey to find a competent sprinkler repair company was lengthy. I will end this brief story with my recommendation to spare you the same tedious process. As a Realtor, I [...]
Read More Home Maintenance
One of the most frustrating things for a home buyer is to search a national website such as Trulia or Zillow, get excited about a home for sale and discover that the home really ISN’T for sale. It is not my intention to trash the national websites but to give you an option to double [...]
Read More Home buying process, house hunting, Tips for buying a home
The unseen costs of a home purchase are the utility costs. To help buyers make accurate comparisons of the TOTAL cost of home ownership (including utility bills), the California Energy Commission is encouraging sellers or buyers to obtain a Home Energy Rating. Why? Over 50% of homes currently for sale are considered “old stock” as [...]
Read More Energy Efficient Homes, Home buying process, Home improvement, Tips for buying a home
Many buyers believe that buying a foreclosure is the best way to get a bargain price. But are foreclosures really a bargain? Unlike a normal sale, bank-owned foreclosures are exempt from many of the required property disclosures because the bank never occupied the home. It is entirely up to the buyer to investigate the property [...]
Read More FHA 203k Rehabiitation, Foreclosure, Home Inspections, Tips for buying a home
When the mortgage balance is greater than the sales price, it is a short sale and requires the mortgage lender’s approval to proceed with the transaction. Here are 6 tips to protect yourself financially and emotionally when buying a short sale. Get Help From a Short Sale Expert Not all short sales are approved. A [...]
Read More Home buying process, mortgage preapproval, short sale, Tips for buying a home
As you consider purchasing a home, it’s important to know the things a real estate agent can’t tell you. Real estate agents are required to show you all homes that meet your housing criteria (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, style of home, lot size and price range). Real estate agents are not permitted, under [...]
Read More Home buying process, Tips for buying a homeThe neighborhood has a significant impact on the current and future value of any Contra Costa East Bay home you buy so it’s important to know some key characteristics to which you should pay attention. Quality of the schools Crime rate Traffic Sidewalks and street lighting Proximity to parks, employment, public transportation and shopping Future [...]
Read More Home buying process, Neighborhood, Tips for buying a home