san mateo county: Belmont Central Elementary School Awarded "Blue Ribbon" - 12/05/07 03:37 AM
Another affirmation of Belmont’s commitment to academic excellence was demonstrated as Central Elementary school was recognized as a “Blue Ribbon” school--part of the national “No Child Left Behind” program for achieving academic excellence. Belmont’s Central Elementary School was selected out of a possible 120,000 public and private schools nationwide—one of 24 which earned this honor in the state of California. Belmont’s commitment to the finest education is one of the many reasons so many people choose Belmont as their home.
The criteria for such a distinction is:
“The NCLB-Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a 24-year-old program that encourages states to nominate … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: December 14th-Mark you Calendars for the year's best asteroid show! - 12/04/07 03:22 AM
My Brother and I have a long history of watching asteroid showers from our roof top as children. Today, they still excite us as we enjoy the "fireworks" that the heavens offer us so many time a year. This particular show appears to be a good one--though they have promised such before and we've been disappointed,. Yet unlike the Fourth of July fireworks which have been less than spectacular in years past, these folks really have no control over the outcome. Here's to hoping the sky is clear.
Click here for the full story... http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/03dec_asteroidshower.htm?list192695
Happy watching,
Drew
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san mateo county: The Dual Income Trap - 11/19/07 12:19 PM
The Dual Income Trap
Elizabeth Warren, A Harvard Financial Law Professor writes in a very revealing article titled "The Middle Class on the Precipice" wherein she examines the dilemma now facing dual income families as spouses no longer have the added ability to enter the work force if even to temporarily buoy a family's income.
Ms. Warren's assertions can be seen as they apply to this year's increase in foreclosures. In the 1970's many households were single breadwinner families who purchased their home based upon a single income. This of course meant that if the sole money earner lost their job the … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: San MAteo County Posts October 2007 Median Price Increase - 11/16/07 11:16 PM
We've updated the housing data through October of 2007 and there were a few surprises in the month of October.
↑The median single family home price home price rose 7% in San Mateo County, up $75,000 to $1,075,000 over September's $1,000,000 median price and up 13,7% over October a year ago when the median home price was $945,500.
↓Fewer sales mean homes are staying on the market longer. Last October a home sold in 39 days-this year 41.
↑The average home sold for 98% of what a seller asked, up 2% from last October.
↓Total available homes for buyer's to pick from was 1,738 … (2 comments)
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san mateo county: Market Report-Belmont Closed Sales October 2007 - 11/15/07 06:24 PM
While the media is quick to jump on any story which appears sensational, one wonders why the sharp increase in Belmont's median price of over 19% last month wouldn't have raised any eyebrows.
Don't miss this month's article explaining how this data needs to be interpreted.
We publish these graphs each month in order to keep Belmont homeowners apprised of the market. Of course you are always welcome to visit our web site MorganHomes.com for more detailed graphs and of course our blog for insightful analysis.
And if you are a Belmont resident, help us go green and sign-up for monthly reports. We'll take … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Understanding the Medain Price Data Part III - 11/15/07 06:20 PM
This is the continuation of an article on understanding median home values...
This graph illustrates what the median size home sold for in Belmont during the preceding 12 month period. Note this does not take into consideration individual characteristics of the home such as updating or level yards which greatly affect the home's value.
Applying a trend line to the same graph shows us that the median price is approximately representative of current market conditions-prices are not rising at the same rate as they were a year ago and may in fact be on a decline.
Looking at all of … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Belmont's Greeen Market Update - 10/07/07 08:03 PM
Belmont Sales Activity-September 2007
In an effort to cut down on paper generated by our industry, as well as lower our overhead to continue to offer price matching of our services, and hopefully someday reach more customers, we have discontinued the mailing of our monthly sales updates for Belmont, and are posting the information on-line. This will enable us to provide more information than before and we hope this move towards virtual based services will positively impact our environment while allowing more people to contact us.
Please feel free to comment about the new forum we have implemented.
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san mateo county: Professional Advertising & Print Materials - 10/07/07 07:50 PM
Not all agents are as adept at others when it comes to advertising. That's why it's critical for a seller to understand the capabilities of their agent. The seller should ask to see examples of an agent's work prior to enlisting their services.
Virtual agents are quick to denounce any advertising which costs money-printed advertising especially. Instead they'll post your listing on virtual message boards in the hope that everyone is internet savvy and looking in the right place.
Not all agents will provide the same level of advertising. Therefore we have decided to list some of the services we offer as an … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Intimate Local Market Knowledge - 10/02/07 06:37 PM
Intimate Local Market Knowledge
By their own admission, virtual companies cannot compete on a local level against agents specializing in a particular market. Instead they have to rely on volume in an expansive market area. This is problematic for a virtual company who does not have agents working in a specific area of expertise. It's even more problematic for a seller who is replying on local market expertise to gain a competitive edge.
Local market knowledge will benefit sellers in a challenging market. These are some of the advantages in working with a professional full service real state agent:
Having intimate local knowledge … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Networking With Local Agents - 10/02/07 06:24 PM
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san mateo county: Negotiating-Part of a Series - 10/02/07 06:21 PM
Presenting Offers & Negotiating in Person
Anyone who has experience in negotiations will likely confer that to negotiate well one must know their adversary. Local real estate professionals have an upper hand in any negotiation when they have access to this information.
Having experience with how other agents may likely coach their client could be of great value in a particular negotiation.
Virtual agents and on-line companies in an effort to stream-line the process and be able to cut their overhead, have designed elaborate schemes to complete a paperless real estate transactions. And while this contribution to the industry is admirable since the … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Knowing The Competition & The Comparables - 10/02/07 06:18 PM
It's essential to price a home properly. Failing to do so could cost a seller thousands of dollars as they attempt to chase the market.
Knowing a local real estate market can only come with experience-gained by visiting homes first-hand. Weekly real estate tours are designed to allow agents to view new listings and failing to keep up on the inventory of homes can be catastrophic to an agents' career.
Real estate agents have a distinct advantage over home appraisers since agents get a first hand look at homes before they sell. An appraiser is relegated to driving around a list of sold … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Enhancing A Home's Appeal - 10/02/07 06:16 PM
Enhancing A Home's Appeal
A full-service professional agent can offer tips and advice on preparing your home for sale. Since each home is unique, a boiler plate list of recommendations is nice to have and easy to put on-line, but it can hardly replace an agent's first hand look at your home.
A professional full service agent has experience in your local market regarding which enhancements or improvements will provide an acceptable return for an investment in a particular area. An agent who specializes in a particular area will be able to determine what the profile is of the typical buyer for … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Looking After a Seller - 10/02/07 06:13 PM
The success of a full service professional real estate agent relies on repeat business and referrals from satisfied customers. In order to achieve this, agents are constantly enhancing their services. Caring about the client and their needs are of the utmost importance.
Being a local agent allows for a more hands-on approach to an industry that replies heavily on communication and advice.
Looking after a listing means being physically to show it to a prospective client with little notice. Once a buyer drives by your home, if they cannot get in they may never come back-especially if they have mentally moved on, or … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Hosting Broker Tours - 10/02/07 06:11 PM
Hosting a special tour for brokers should be part of every agent's marketing plan. That is of course if your broker knows why they are there and if of course it's a traditional part for the particular market. Sure it's fun to meet colleagues and chat about your weekend, but there are more important things to accomplish-that is if your broker is physically available to hold a broker tour.
These are some of the things you can accomplish:
Serve a catered lunch tour. Giving away food for free makes little sense if you own a restaurant so why would it makes sense for … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Hosting Open Houses-Part of a series - 10/02/07 05:29 PM
Everyone knows open houses don't sell homes, right? Isn't that what virtual brokers want you to believe? In fact they need you to believe that because they won't hold open houses; yet as matter of course they send their buyers to view open houses since they also don't show property. How can they accurately assess the success of open houses without doing them? They rely on a statistic they often quote that less than 1% of all sales resulted from a buyer seeing the home at an open house-perhaps. If a buyer finds a home on-line, but decides to buy it … (3 comments)
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san mateo county: Gaining Exposure For Your Home - 10/02/07 04:57 PM
As the real estate market enters a new phase where homes will take longer to sell and sell for less, sellers will need to have an edge over their competition. Absent just having the lowest price in the neighborhood what else can a seller do?
While pricing your home correctly is fundamental to a successful sale, there are many other factors which play into selling your home.
Getting Maximum Exposure for Your Home
Your home's exposure to the market is critical. The more buyers who know about your home the better the chances are of finding the right one. Buyers have many avenues today … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Examing The Real Estate Model-Part two in a series - 10/02/07 04:51 PM
Examining the Real Estate Model-Part 2
In a strong seller's market it's much easier to sell a home. In recent years many Bay Area homes have been selling over the asking price in a week or two and with multiple offers. With record high median prices, it's not surprising that many would flock to the industry to get a piece of the action. Unfortunately, the market has changed and many of the start-up virtual companies may find it difficult to attract clientele. While the temptation to hire a bargain basement company may be attractive given a decrease in available equity, that's … (0 comments)
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san mateo county: Full Service vs. Limited Service or Virtual Agents—Is There Room for Everyone? - 09/29/07 08:02 PM
The short answer is of course yes. Different sellers have different needs and abilities and some may choose a full service model and others limited or no service at all-the choices have been there all along. Yet the arrival of virtual Internet brokers has spawned a new ideology of it's either "us or them".
The very survival of limited service or virtual Internet brokers relies on two things: The first is they are able to convince everyone that paying a 6% compensation is the only alternative to their "discount" model, and the second is that they must convince their prospects that the … (4 comments)
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san mateo county: Easy Come and Easy Go--Virtual Companies Face Tough Challenges Ahead - 09/27/07 09:53 PM
With the introduction of another new virtual real state company (see Inman News RealUmbrella seeks to shut agents out of transactions), it's appropriate to remind people that the choices they make in who to hire and what type of service they need (or can afford) has consequences.
The real estate industry has been changing for years and thanks to the Internet it is now more transparent and will become more respected as a result. Each segment of the market--whether it's a professional full service agent or a virtual company has its place in the market and will contribute to the industry. … (0 comments)
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