CJ's Blog

Where in San Francisco can you find a Condo for $299,000?

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:22:46 -0700

Keller Williams is Having a Bay Area Expert speak about affordable housing. This week. Call 510-776-9260 for address and directions Featuring experts who will discuss: • California's 4% loan for first time home buyers with disabilities and their families • Finding accessible real estate • How to improve your credit • Ways to modify a new home to make it more accessible Thursday, October 25, 2007 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.* *Light refreshments will be served We promote a fragrance free environment. Please refrain from wearing scented products (perfume, lotion, hairspray, etc.) to this event. And here is a look at a home available

Accessible Housing can be Affordable

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:46:31 -0700

East Bay Luxury Homes

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:37:39 -0700

oakland rare chance

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:27:58 -0700

Free Recorded Information | call for address and directions | 1-800-789-3874 ext 4011

buena vista, Oakland, CA

Oakland Hills Retreat Like Home

2 Bdrm Single Family House

offered at $549,950

Year Built	Unspecified
Sq Footage	1,289
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	2,300 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Grand sweeping views of the city lights. Have the pampered feeling of a retreat everyday. This 2 bedroom and 1 bath home has unobstructed views, a gourmet kitchen and a spa bathtub. There is even a possible in-law unit. Your own piece of heaven in the heart of the bay area.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Refrigerator

Stove/Oven

Balcony, Deck, or Patio

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Unobstructed views, Traditional architectural details in a comtemporary floor plan

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Free Recorded Information

call for address and directions

1-800-789-3874 ext 4011

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Oct 19, 2007, 2:35am PDT

Oakland Hills Retreat Like Home

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:24:45 -0700

Grand sweeping views of the city. Have the pampered feeling of a retreat everyday. This 2 bedroom and 1 bath home has unobstructed views, a gourmet kitchen and a spa bathtub. There is even a possible in-law unit. Your own piece of heaven in the heart of the bay area. this light airy high-end home has a causal floorplan that invites entertaining.

Renovate Oakland Gem

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:57:08 -0700

Beautiful renovated home nestled under the Oakland hills. Granite countertops. Here is your chance to own a rare find with architectural details that give the roomy floor plan a traditional touch. But the renovations give a contemporary comfort. Indulge yourself in this unique sophisticated bungalow gem. Take the virtual tour and make an appointment to see the beauty up close. A rare find.

A Lender Banking on Doing Good Hooray!

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:47:26 -0700

Some have lost faith in the banking industry, weoll there is a light at the end of tunnel. Some lenders are banking on doing good. Here is one that I heard about. Good news for those left out in the cold. One California Bank - is a new Community Redevelopment Bank.

http://www.onecalbank.com/

Community Development

When people look out for one another and care about the common good, neighborhoods and cities can thrive.

It helps people by working closely with nonprofits and agencies that work with communities to make them stronger. They ma,e partnerships with organizations addressing concerns and needs of small businesses, financial literacy, affordable housing and education. Here is their contact us link to see how they work.

For your information I posted their links. They want to get the word out about their mission.

OneCalifornia Community Development Banking PDF
Receive our press kit
Read about OneCalifornia In the News

Connect to community resources:

Learn about our community partners and other
Bay Area organizations.
Participate in community events.
Discover community development

Rent Control Workshop

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:44:54 -0700

Here's an excellent opportunity.

Free Landlord Workshop by Rental housing Association of Northern Alameda County

Experts in Landlord /Tenant law will be Speaking

Tenant Screening - A credit report alone is not enough

New law, forms and mandatory disclosures for 2007

Free Workshop schedule

Tuesday October 9 & 23 2007; 6 pm-8pm

Monday October 29, 2007 1 pm-3pm

Seating is limited /reservation required

Rental housing Association of Northern Alameda County

360 22^nd Street, Suite 240

Oakland, CA 94612

510-893-9873 x111

http://www.rhanac.org/

bscott@rhanac.org

The Rental Housing Association of Northern Alameda County is a non-profit, trade association for rental property owner established in 1939. RHNAC is not a government agency. The information is not legal advice and RHANAC advises that you consult an attorney for any legal matter or concern.

Cell Phone Charges for Telemarket Calls Are Easy to Avoid

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:49:00 -0700

As real estate agents, where would we be without the cellphone? It is hard for me to imagine what kind of agent I would be without it. So, I want to put out a reminder, because agents phone numbers are publicized everywhere, in fact agents are the ones publicizing them, it is easy for telemarketers to get yours.

Remember cell phones are not immune from telemarketers. This means you can receive many sales calls from telemarketers. To top that, depending on your cell phone plan, you may be charged for these calls. If you wish to prevent this, call the National * Do Not Call Registry* at the following number.

1-888-382-1222

For just a few minutes of your time, you can save time, money, and frustration. Reportedly, this system blocks your number for five (5) years. And remember, you must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked.

In the current market Negotiation skills are a Must

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:18:39 -0700

CJ Walton Receives New Certified Negotiation Expert Designation

Real estate negotiation skills a must for all home buyers/sellers, especially in current market

CJ Walton has been awarded the Certified Negotiation Expert(CNE)designation, achieved by real estate professionals who have successfully completed formal training in the art of negotiation. Agents who receive this certification are in the top 1% of all agents nationally.

With professional negotiation skills, agents will typically obtain better results for their clients. CNE agents have a powerful competitive edge because of their ability to uncover information effectively, get more and give less during sales/purchase negotiations, and retain control over desired outcomes. Bottom line, CNE agents know how to influence and persuade others more effectively than agents without professional negotiation training.

The certification training is provided by Negotiation Expertise, LLC, a national negotiation training and coaching company based in Peoria, AZ. Tom Hayman, the President and owner, is a professional negotiator with 35+ year's experience, including 25 years with Procter and Gamble, a Fortune 50 company. Hayman asserts "Any Buyer or Seller who hires a CNE agent can feel confident that they have the best trained agent in the business. They will get superior results and have better resolution of any issues when hiring a CNE agent."

"Some areas are hit harder than others in the mortgage meltdown", Cj Walton says," So I am glad to offer my clients in Richmond and Oakland a definitive advantage in a market that will eat most sellers alive. This training is helping me live up to my motto--Your friend, in an unfriendly market.'

No Place Like the Home Front Festival In Richmond

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:51:49 -0700

HOME FRONT FESTIVAL. This weekend Sept 29 and 30th at Point Richmond near the famous Kaiser Shipyard 3, and the Historic Ford Assembly Building near the Bay Trail. Tons of activities music, booths and fun. Bring the kids, neighbors and the relatives because this outdoor festival is going to be the talk of the town. See http://rosietheriveter.org/07Sep28.htm and http://www.homefrontfestival.com/ for complete details.

Richmond Does Its Part to Go Green

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:41:52 -0700

Greening Richmond
Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
De Jean Middle School
3400 Mac Donald Avenue
Richmond, CA

Next Month there will be an event to show businesses and residents of Richmond how to have a sustainable and earth friendly city. The education will be welcomed and eye-opening. The event will take place at the modern De Jean Middle School located at 3400 MacDonald Ave. Sponsored by the Green Chamber of Commerce, the event will have Assembly Member Loni Hancock and the mayor of Richmond Gayle MacLaughlin who is Richmond first Green Party mayor.

For more information click http://www.greenchamberofcommerce.net/

Were You on the Nationwide Keller Williams Call Today?

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:07:45 -0700

Wow, I am so excited about the Jackie Kravitz call today. The notes I took are gold. In fact, after the call, I finally called a past client that I was avoiding and, guess what? Another appointment!

Who else was on the call? I might make my notes into a blog. What did you hear and what did you learn?

Part 2 of 3- 5 Real Estate Market Statistics You Need to Know

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:57:11 -0700

How to Price Your Home to Get Its Full Value and Equity

Real Estate Market Statistics can price your home. So from the first installment, - 5 Real Estate Market Statistics You Need to Know we realize that we need to know

How many new homes--How many expired listings--How many actives--How many sold--How many pending

And that each of these has an average price. In a real estate market that is on a downturn, every seller needs to ask-- How many months of inventory is there on the market? If the number is high, then the competition is high. If the number is low, the competition is reduced.

This is how you figure out the months of inventory by dividing the number of active listings by the total number of pending and closed listings in a given amount of time

If the formula were a word problem, it would read like this. Hypothetically, last month 10 houses sold in Richmond CA and 20 went into contract, if there are a total of 300 houses on the market, at that rate, how long would it take to sell them all?

You divide 300 by 30 to come up with 10 months of inventory.

Don't subtract the sold and the pending from the 300 because we are not solving for inventory but for the amount of time to deplete that inventory.

Okay if there are 10 months of inventory of homes about in the same condition, near your location and with similar characteristics as your home, how would you price it? Remember, in the preceding example, only 1 out of 10 houses are selling. Wouldn't you want it to be yours?

Remember the rule:

In a down market price your home a bit lower than the trend. That way, comparison shopper will know that your house is a good value. When you look like a steal, you are more likely to garnish more interest. And-if you are lucky-competition.

Many sellers are concerned about the full value and equity for their property. Of course, everyone wants to protect her investment, but overpricing is not protecting an investment. Overpricing is over exposing the property and denigrating its value. When a property sits too long, potential buyers believe that the property has problems and the majority will pass it by. After awhile, the only offers made on a property will be by investors trying to profit on a seller's desperation.

Keep that in mind and calculate the price you have to list it at to get it sold, and if you can't agree to that price, then ask yourself:

Do I have to sell now or can I wait it out
Can I refinance
Can I rent it out
Can I ask my bank to rework my loan to give me some relief

5 Real Estate Market Statistics You Need to Know and How to Use Them-Part 1 of 3

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:32:18 -0700

You want to buy or sell a house or multi-unit property? Know the local real estate market statistics before you make a move. Knowing the real estate market is a great way to

Determine your price to Sell your Home or Sell your Property
Determine your home improvements before you go on the Market
Determine what price you should buy a home
Determine what repairs you should negotiate for

So to get you started successfully, I am writing this 3 part series

Part One The 5 What Real Estate Market Statistics You should Know
Part Two: How to Price Your Home to Get Its Full Value and Equity
Part Three: Homebuyers How to Negotiate like a Pro

Yes, I know most people aren't crazy about math, but numbers can be informing. And you can be clear by knowing what numbers to look for and what they mean. For my target areas Contra Costa County and Alameda County in Northern California those numbers are kept by Title Companies, County Recorders, but the most comprehensive and accessible are kept on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

The MLS of the East Bay(tm) keeps the following listing statuses:

· Expired- Listings that have expired within the selected time period. Expired listings are those which were listed to sell but didn't.

· Active-Listing that are currently being offered for sale

· Pending- Listings that have gone under contract but have not yet closed within the selected time period.

· Sold- Listings that have sold within the selected time period.

· New- Listings that have been added to the MLS within the selected time period.

When gathering these numbers make sure the geographical area is as small as practical. For example knowing the statistics of Contra Costa County will not help you price a home on Giant Road in Richmond. The area is too big to get a clear picture. You want to hone in like you would look for directions in Google Maps ^TM. Keep going to smaller and smaller areas until you can pinpoint your mark. Even knowing the market statistics for Richmond won't get you to the price of the home on Giant Rd. The City of Richmond, CA is too big because Richmond statistics vary from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Also pare down the type of building; the four-unit building real estate market is different from the single-family residence market. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Each of these categories has an average price. What happens most is that Expired listings are on average higher priced than Sold listings. There are individual exceptions, but the rule is that Expired listings are on average higher in price than Sold listings. For more on that see next weeks blog.

How do you become a featured post

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 17:59:23 -0700

I don't exactly know what the rules are and, in fact, I am not sure of the benefits of each. Who knows the answer? And while you're at it, I know that you can be featured by geographical location, but is there any other type of catagory? If there is a FAQ that I should read, let me know, thanks! I loved that start up guide, but I still have questions

Mike Ferry's 1800 number line

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:20:57 -0700

have any of you used it? how does it compare with Archtelecom?

Exhibit of Childrens Art from WWII this Weekend Sept 22

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:42:58 -0700

This is a jewel. Anyone interested in the history of WWII should come to Richmond, this weekend and see art made by children in the wartime area. Richmond was a hub of wartime manufacturing and houses the Rosie the Riveter Museum. This exhibit will be held at the Richmond Museum of History. This collection will be an opportunity to see the war and everyday life through the eyes of children.

There is an opening reception for the exhibit on Saturday, September 22 at 2:00 p.m. Richmond Museum of History, 400 Nevin Avenue , Richmond , CA 94802 . Phone: (510) 235-7387 or email DonaldBastin@comcast.net. Cost is minimal at only$5.00/Members; $7.50/Non-Members.

Bring the kids. Do you know any children whose family are in Iraq and Afganistan that you can bring? Do you thing that events like this will be helpful to them? Tell me what you think.

Lake Merritt Condo-Needle in the Haystack-Part 2 for Buyers

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:59:20 -0700

But beyond the tragedy of the sellers, there was the tragedy of the perfectly prepared, and perfectly priced condos that are not getting the traffic that they deserve. My client has found a wonderful deal, and yet there is one Lake Merritt Condo that is still out there, that I can't get out of my head.

Imagine coming home to an Italian spa every night. This condo had it all exquisite bathrooms, wonderful kitchen, smart use of light and space and it has sat on the market for over 2 weeks. This beautiful condo is the tragedy of a glut of inventory. It isn't that people don't want to buy, it is that there is so much inventory to get through that it is hard to find that needle in the haystack. By the way, this beautiful condo is not my listing. But if you want the address just email and I will give it to you.

My point is this, of the many condos I visited, this one had most of competition out distanced by a mile. Eventually someone will look at it and buy it. But that person, in the meanwhile is going to have keep sifting and the condo will have to keep waiting. And hoping that the buyer doesn't give up at condo number 7. So, CJ are you saying that I have to look at about 30 places before I find the right one? No!! I am not saying that at all. In fact, if you plan to view 30 places and find out the second one you viewed was the best, by the time you get back to the second one, another buyer may be moving his boxes off the truck into the dream home you could have had.

You can make you shop smarter.

1.Get a personal shopper--a realtor who looks at inventory weekly. Oh let me say that correctly, one who physically looks at inventory, not just browse the internet.

2 Be specific as possible with your Realtor. Tell her what you want in every room. You can save a lot of time by being specific.

3. Stay focused. If you want granite counters, great!! You can get them, but ask yourself if it came between a granite countertop and a view--which is priority one, and which is priority 2? Do you know? Once you know for sure, then tell your realtor your preferences in the order of preference and she can lead you to your best choices.

There are 7 more Tips just email me and I will send the rest, but meanwhile, be straightforward with your realtor and ask her, how many properties does she view per week. Email me and tell me what your real estate pros say.

Lake Merritt Real Estate Hidden Treasure- Needle in the Haystack How to Stick out Like a Sore Thumb

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:52:33 -0700

Lake Merritt Condos in Oakland are so plentiful it they are sitting on the market like fruit rotting off an unharvested tree. There are just so many! But don't let the competition fool you. There are absolute treasures in Lake Merritt. Of course you may have to sort through a lot of hay before you find the needle, but the sifting is worth it!

Last week one of my clients told me that he wanted to find a condo near Oakland's Lake Merritt. Okay, so, like I always do, I scheduled some of my time to physically, not virtually, but physically visit some candidates. I visited 28.

After a while I could tell that many sellers, just didn't get it. They did realize what they were up against. They made the 10 most common Errors Seller make in a Buyers Market. If you want that report email me and I will send it to you.

But here are 2

1. No reports. This is so basic. Make it easy for the buyer to say yes. Get a pest inspection and home inspection. Buyers like to know up front what they are getting into.

2. Too much stuff. Get a storage unit. People don't want to see clutter. Many people associate clutter with poor property condition. That is an illogical conclusion, but one that can be easily avoided with proper cleaning.

Do You Have Credit Score Under 700? Don't worry, there is Good News ACORN

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:09:14 -0700

Yes, the sky is falling and the end is near if you listen to the news. Some people are asking if the American Dream is dead. Some would say yes--and let them. You can be smarter than your neighbors. For people who are willing to give up a few weekends, do a little homework and connect with their local ACORN organization. They could be on the road to ownership and the security of a solid fixed loan at a lower rate.

Since 1987 ACORN has been a formidable advocate for affordable housing. The phrases Grass-roots and nationwide are usually acronyms, but both terms describe ACORN. The mission of ACORN Housing is make housing more accessible to moderate and lower income groups. They do this through mortgage loan counseling first-time homebuyer classes, and leading clients to affordable mortgages through banks who have special partnerships.

According to their website, by joining AHC (ACORN Housing Corporation) a person will receive:

Lower down payments and closing costs.
No Private Mortgage Insurance.
With our program, all steady income counts.

Check them out today and get going on your future.

Near Maxwell Park 3bd/1bths

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:18:24 -0700

$399,000 3bds/1bth beautiful inside

http://www.5633hiltonst.com

Oakland has it's treasures and this is one. This 3 bedroom and 2bath home is complete with Granite countertops in the kitchen, and tile floors. Appliances are stainless steel it has a restful backyard. And a white picket fence in the front yard--the American Dream.

Take a virtual tour by clicking the above link. then take an actual tour by contacting me at 510-899-8117.

Wealth of Information on AR

CJ Walton, CNE (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:29:01 -0700

Hello, my name is CJ Walton and I am a real estate consultant in Alameda and Contra Costa counties of California. I work for Keller Williams Realty in Piedmont and just now discovered AR. I am impressed with the wealth of information and the quality of the posts. I work in residential and commercial real estate because my clients are investors. The diverse information on AR is a big help. I specialize in single-tenant retail and apartments 5-100 units.