Bill's Blog

Orinda Tree Lighting Ceremony December 8, 2007

2007-12-04T19:44:27Z

The Orinda Chamber of Commerce and Hospice of the East Bay will sponsor the annual tree lighting ceremony at the Orinda Village parking lot beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 8, 2007.

Participants will enjoy choral music before Mayor Steve Glazer turns on the 1,400 lights in the centuries-old oak tree. Each light represents the life of a loved one who is being honored or remembered. Cider, popcorn and cookies will be served. Santa will be on hand for children to discuss their holiday wishes.

Call the Chamber of Commerce for more information at (925) 254-3909.

See you there...

Bay Area Borrowers and Buyers- Does Your Credit Matter?

2007-12-03T00:52:33Z

A low credit score can hinder a buyer's abilty to purchase the home of their dreams or a borrower's chance of saving thousands of dollars. Here are 8 suggestions to help raise your credit score...

1) Don't use more than 50% of your credit limit. Shift high-balances to other cards to bring balances below 50%.

2) Only apply for credit when needed. New credit inquiries can decrease your credit score.

3) Don't close open old and paid off accounts.

4) Use your credit cards sensibly.

5) Pay at least the minimum monthly payment on your credit cards, if possible, pay more to bring down the balances.

6) Pay your bills on time, it is very important.

7) When applying for a mortgage, stop all major spending and don't increase your balances during this time.

8) Visit www.myfico.com to use the credit tools and to gain valuable information.

I hope this information helps you increase your credit score.

Why Does The MEDIA Hype Doom and Gloom?

2007-08-21T01:53:35Z

Am I missing something or is the media pushing bad news? When there is GOOD news the media hides it in the interior pages. STOP advertising in the newspaper and they would not be so BIASED.

985 Dee Court, Walnut Creek, CA, 679 Carroll Drive, Moraga, CA, 240 Miranda Place, Alamo, CA

2007-07-14T21:05:10Z

GREAT SCHOOLS! Homes In Walnut Creek, Moraga and Alamo... CALL NOW!

MLS: 40269790
Price: $875,000

985 Dee Court
Walnut Creek, CA

Walk to BART!! Beautiful and Brand New - This is one of 3 quality new highly upgraded homes just completed in 2007 by highly regarded Hamilton Construction. The lovely 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home has 2320 square feet of living space and Pleasant Hill schools. All landscaping included. Granite, wood floors, stainless, crown moldings, designer colors, high ceilings, tons of windows. A Must See!Please call Bill Duby at (925) 383-1819 for more information.

MLS: 40281786
Price: 1,006,000

679 Carroll Drive
Moraga, CA

Beautiful home - Craftsman theme throughout. Taken down to the studs and completely updated & remodeled . This 3 bedroom, 2 bath with an office has 1770 square feet of living area. Large kitchen with cherry wood cabinets. Raised ceilings. Great lawn and landscaping. Too many upgrades and features to list. Everything is done and there's nothing left! Ready for immediate occupancy. Please call Bill Duby at (925) 383-1819 for information.

MLS: 40273566
Price: 3,950,000

240 Miranda Place
Alamo, CA

This beautiful new 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home has 6400 square feet of unbelievable living space! The Authentic Town & Country Style Home with an impressive floor plan was just completed in 2007. Gorgeous .77 acre flat lot with great creekside setting! The chef style kitchen, wine room, pool and spa are very desirable for entertaining. Built with top quality and to the very highest of standards. Please call Bill Duby at (925) 383-1819 for more information.

BUYERS' BROKERS REALTY
Bill Duby
1330 North Broadway, Suite 212
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-383-1819
Click To Email Me
Bay Area Real Estate and Mortgage Loan Services
Low and Zero Down Mortgage Loans

This Information Is Deeemed Reliable, But Not Guaranteed.

3355 Moretti Drive, Concord, CA 94519

2007-06-14T17:17:57Z

Great Home, Neighborhood and Location!

Property Address:
3355 Moretti Drive
Concord, CA 94519

Price: $439950
MLS:

Great Starter Home
Move In Condition
3 Bedrooms
1 Bath
929 Square Feet
Great Neighborhood
Great Home and Property
Great PRICE!

NO DOWN PAYMENT AVAILABLE ON THIS HOLBROOK HEIGHTS HOME! This charming property has 3 bd, 1 bth, new carpet, custom paint, a large backyard, in fact large enough for a pool, with a great floor plan, very desirable for entertaining. The updated home allows for immediate occupancy. Contact Bill Duby at (925) 383-1819 to schedule an appointment.

BUYERS' BROKERS REALTY
Bill Duby
1330 North Broadway
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-383-1819
Click To Email Me
MLS Home Search
Zero Down Payment Home Loans

This Information Is Deeemed Reliable, But Not Guaranteed.

240 Miranda Place, Alamo, CA 94507

2007-06-14T17:06:57Z

NEW! Custom Luxury Home! You Only Deserve The BEST! Built In 2007!

Property Address:
240 Miranda Place
Alamo, CA 94507

Price: $3950000
MLS: 40273566

5 huge bedrooms
4 full bathrooms and 2 half baths
The huge chef's kitchen great attention to small details
Beautiful pool with Pebble Tech finish, 8-person spa and electric solar cover
Media room
Wine room
Vaulted ceilings
3 fireplaces
Study/library
Creekside setting on cul-de-sac
Very close to top rated schools

Architectural Elegance is just one way to describe the quiet splendor of this spectacular Authentic Town and Country Style residence where privacy and luxury play an intricate part of this stunning masterpiece. Vaulted ceilings and the artistic use of windows and skylights fill the spacious living areas with an abundance of natural light. The dramatic open floor plan offers a lifestyle perfect for indoor/outdoor living and entertaining. Designer features include an exquisite chef style gourmet kitchen, luxurious master suite, media room, wine room, laundry room and study provides easy access and convenience. Ensconced in scenic beauty, this magnificent 6400 square foot home is located in beautiful Alamo, with close proximity to transportation and the vibrant City of San Francisco. Gorgeous .77 acre flat lot with great creekside setting! Top quality Hamilton Construction! Turn key price includes all upgrading to the very highest standards. You must see this outstanding piece of craftsmanship. Hundreds of special features and top appointments throughout.

BUYERS' BROKERS REALTY
Bill Duby
1330 North Broadway, Suite 212
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-383-1819
Click To Email Me
Bay Area Real Estate and California Mortgage Loans

This Information Is Deeemed Reliable, But Not Guaranteed.

105 Melville Terrace, Martinez, CA 94553

2007-05-25T17:02:16Z

BUYERS' BROKERS REALTY
Bill Duby
1330 North Broadway
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-383-1819
Click To Email Me
FREE Reports and More
Zero Down Payment Home Loans and 100% Financing

Executive Style Martinez Home
Ideal for families ready for their first home and anyone that appreciates style!

This 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home measures approximately 2,435 square feet and features a host of creature comforts and plenty of distinctive style. The home is already starting to garner buzz around the market. The home is highlighted by by its open, shared cobblestone courtyard spaces, which promote a friendly, neighborly atmosphere that many are sure to appreciate. The enclosed backyard ensures that there's the opportunity for privacy while outdoors, whether for outdoor dining, entertaining or just getting some relaxing peace under the blue sky. Your entire family will love the space found at every turn and lots of elbow room. There is extra storage neatly tucked under the staircase. The roomy kitchen features spacious countertops that extend to create an island-style work station with eating bar and expansive pantry. The living room has a built in media niche, surround sound and fireplace. The master suite invites you to relax and escape to your personal retreat with a private bath and dual walk in closets. Plus a loft creates additional flex space upstairs. The sheer beauty makes every occasion in this home memorable. The property is near the Pleasant Hill border and boasts top rated schools. Hidden Valley Elementary is across the street. Valley View Middle School and College Park High School in Pleasant Hill are a 5 minute or less drive away. This is a MUST-SEE home. With 16 city parks, a marina and great riding and hiking trails, Martinez is also a great community for families that love recreation and the great outdoors. Bay Area commuters have long appreciated Martinez' close proximity to freeways and its enviable position opposite the bottleneck traffic of Highway 4. Nearby I-680 provides easy access to employment centers in Vallejo and the Solano Valley to the north as well as Concord to the south. Martinez is served by several Amtrak routes to San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and the San Joaquin Valley. Moreover, the North Concord and Pleasant Hill BART stations are a quick 10 minute drive away. Contact Bill Duby at (925) 383-1819 for showing information and more details.

The subdivision is located at the corner of Center Avenue and Glacier Drive in Martinez.

4 bedrooms
2.5 baths
office/den
custom paint

upgraded throughout
1 fireplace
surround sound
entertainers private paradise

Property Address:
105 Melville Terrace
Martinez, CA 94553

MLS:
Price: $799000

Bay Area home sales drop, prices up!

2007-05-16T17:42:00Z

Below you will find the DQNews-Bay Area press release. How will the media spin doom and gloom out of this news? I am looking forward to your responses...

Bay Area home sales drop, prices up

May 16, 2007

La Jolla, CA.----Bay Area homes sold at the slowest pace in 12 years last month, the result of a continued buyer-seller standoff as well as very slow sales in some lower-cost neighborhoods in the East Bay. Prices increased for the third month in a row to a new record, a real estate information service reported.

A total of 7,447 new and resale houses and condos were sold in the nine-county Bay Area last month. That was down 10.5 percent from 8,317 in March, and down 18.4 percent from 9,129 for April last year, according to DataQuick Information Systems.

Sales have decreased on a year-over-year basis the last 27 months. Last month's sales count was the lowest since 5,636 homes were sold in April 1995. The strongest April in DataQuick's statistics, which go back to 1988, was in 2004 when 14,430 homes were sold. The April average is 9,614.

"With sales this slow, prices would decline if there were a huge number of motivated sellers listing their homes. That doesn't appear to be the case. It's likely that potential buyers are biding their time, as are sellers. It's hard to buy a home if you think it might go down in value. Things could pick up this summer as buyers see that values are not dropping," said Marshall Prentice, DataQuick president.

The median price paid for a Bay Area home increased last month to $659,000, a new peak. That was up 3.1 percent from $639,000 for the month before, and up 3.8 percent from $635,000 for April last year. The prior peak was in June of last year at $648,000. Prices have increased the last three months.

Marin County's median for resale houses reached $1,010,000 last month, the first time any California County passed the million-dollar mark.

DataQuick, a subsidiary of Vancouver-based MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, monitors real estate activity nationwide and provides information to consumers, educational institutions, public agencies, lending institutions, title companies and industry analysts. Due to late data availability, the April statistics for Alameda are extrapolated from the first three weeks of the month.

The typical monthly mortgage payment that Bay Area buyers committed themselves to paying was $3,074 last month, up from $2,944 the previous month and down from $3,082 a year ago. Adjusted for inflation, current payments are 19.5 percent above typical payments in the spring of 1989, the peak of the prior real estate cycle. They are 5.8 percent below the current cycle's peak last June.

Indicators of market distress are moving in different directions. Financing with adjustable-rate mortgages is declining significantly. Foreclosure activity is rising but is still in the normal range. Down payment sizes are stable and flipping rates and non-owner occupied buying activity is down, DataQuick reported.

All Homes	No Sold April-06	No Sold April-07	Pct. Chg	Median April-06	Median April-07	Pct. Chg
Alameda	1,786	1,555	-12.9%	$599,000	$586,500	-2.1%
Contra Costa	1,735	1,246	-28.2%	$575,000	$600,000	4.3%
Marin	341	313	-8.2%	$850,000	$925,000	8.8%
Napa	137	109	-20.4%	$610,000	$563,000	-7.7%
Santa Clara	2,424	2,009	-17.1%	$675,000	$709,000	5.0%
San Francisco	591	568	-3.9%	$779,000	$790,000	1.4%
San Mateo	789	681	-13.7%	$755,000	$810,000	7.3%
Solano	701	440	-37.2%	$460,000	$428,000	-7.0%
Sonoma	625	526	-15.8%	$567,500	$519,000	-8.5%
Bay Area	9,129	7,447	-18.4%	$635,000	$659,000	3.8%

Source: DataQuick Information Systems, www.DQNews.com

Bill's Blog

Orinda Tree Lighting Ceremony December 8, 2007

Bay Area Borrowers and Buyers- Does Your Credit Matter?

Why Does The MEDIA Hype Doom and Gloom?

985 Dee Court, Walnut Creek, CA, 679 Carroll Drive, Moraga, CA, 240 Miranda Place, Alamo, CA

3355 Moretti Drive, Concord, CA 94519

Great Home, Neighborhood and Location!

Property Address: 3355 Moretti Drive Concord, CA 94519

Price: $439950 MLS:

240 Miranda Place, Alamo, CA 94507

NEW! Custom Luxury Home! You Only Deserve The BEST! Built In 2007!

Property Address: 240 Miranda Place Alamo, CA 94507

Price: $3950000 MLS: 40273566

105 Melville Terrace, Martinez, CA 94553

Bay Area home sales drop, prices up!

Property Address:
3355 Moretti Drive
Concord, CA 94519

Price: $439950
MLS:

Property Address:
240 Miranda Place
Alamo, CA 94507

Price: $3950000
MLS: 40273566