Gilroy Real Estate

Own a Home on your own Private Hilltop

Signature Homes & Estates — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:24:07 -0800

Private Hilltop Home

Overview
Maps
Photos
Features
Description
Neighborhood
Market Stats
IDX Search

$848,000

Single Family Home
For Sale

Main Features

4 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
1 Partial Bathroom
1 Unit
Interior: 2893 sqft
Lot: 47,200 sqft

Location

408 Cascades Ct.
Morgan HIll, CA 95037

Gary & Nancy Frimann

EAGLE RIDGE REALTY
(408) 846-8284
gfrimann@charter.net
http://www.eagleridgerealty.net

Listed by: Signature Homes & Estates

Our recent listings

Private Hilltop Home
Beautiful Home For Sale in Eagle Ridge

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See more Morgan HIll, CA real estate for sale

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Garlic City Auction holds Estate Sale auction

Signature Homes & Estates — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:01:48 -0800

408 Cascades Court, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Garlic City Auction will be holding an estate sale today (11/02/2009) on a future listing of ours. There is a lot of stuff for sale. Stop by after 3PM.

REAL ESTATE FOR SENIORS
Seniors (or their adult children/heirs), should use Signature Homes & Estates for their real estate transaction. Proven result!

Nancy Frimann and Gary Frimann are Brokers and Owners of Signature Homes & Estates located in Gilroy, CA. One of our specialties is dealing with Seniors, and both are Seniors Real Estate Specialists as designated by the National Association of Realtors.

To View some of the items to be auctioned off, please click here

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
(408) 846-8284
CA DRE #01309169

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Live in Wonderful Eagle Ridge in Gilroy, CA

Signature Homes & Estates — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:34:30 -0700

Beautiful Home in Eagle Ridge

Overview
Maps
Photos
Features
Description
Neighborhood
Market Stats
IDX Search

$849,500

Single Family Home
For Sale

Main Features

3 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
1 Partial Bathroom
1 Unit
Interior: 2967 sqft
Lot: 7,405 sqft

Location

6770 Eagle Ridge Court
Gilroy, CA 95020

Gary & Nancy Frimann

EAGLE RIDGE REALTY
(408) 846-8284
gfrimann@charter.net
http://www.eagleridgerealty.net

Listed by: NICKI KUZN (408) 482-9806

Our recent listings

Beautiful Home For Sale in Eagle Ridge

Subscribe to our listing feed

See more Gilroy, CA real estate for sale

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Real Estate Agent in Cameron Park / El Dorado Hills

Signature Homes & Estates — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:04:14 -0700

GOOD REALTOR TO USE FOR A REFERRAL!

Recently, I had the pleasure of referring a family friend's parents who were relocating to the El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park area. I htought of an old friend and colleague, Wendi-Mae Davis who has since left Silicon Valley and relocated up thereherself,, escaping the hustle and bustle of Bay Area living.

She did such a fantastic job, I wanted to sing her praises in a public forum.
My clients were extremely happy, and love their new place, which Wendi-Mae had found for them.She never missed a phone call, and was "Extremely informative and helpful" and they are now enjoying their new life in the Sierra foothills.

As one who believes in the axiom to praise publicly and reprimand privately, I just wanted to say "Thank you" to Wendi-Mae.

Wendi-Mae, I am so glad to remember that you were up there. It made me look good.
Wendi-Mae's website is here
All the Best,

Gary Frimann
Broker / Owner
Signature Homes & Estates
Gilroy, CA

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Search for Gilroy and Morgan Hill homes on the Multiple Listing Service

Signature Homes & Estates — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:59:43 -0700

Signature Homes & Estate, and its siter company Eagle Ridge Realty allow you to search for homes in Gilroy and Morgan Hill: SIGNATURE HOMES AND ESTATES (408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy Housing Stats of SOLD homes, April 2009

Signature Homes & Estates — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:40:30 -0700

Gilroy home sales: (total SFRs Sold: 47) Note: It is obvious people are going after the low hanging fruit in Gilroy...

Ave list price: $434,384

Ave. Original List Price: $475,961

Ave. sale price: $419,376

Median List: $399,000

Median Original: $409,000

Median Sales Price: $373,000

Ave. DOM: 64

Ave. CDM: 109

Median DOM: 32

Median CDOM: 45

These statistics are deemed accurate but not guaranteed for their accuracy. Please consult with your real estate professional for more information.
Gary Frimann Signature Homes & Estates
(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Theresa Ta-Tran joins Signature Homes & Estates

Signature Homes & Estates — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:46:54 -0700

Theresa Ta-Tran, REALTOR

Signature Homes & Estates would like to welcome back Theresa Ta-Tran to our Brokerage. Theresa has worked as a loan officer in real estate as well. She resides in the Eagle Ridge Golf Community in Gilroy, CA and sells property in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Jose. Theresa is fluent in both English and Vietnamese. Theresa is also strongly involved in community matters and volunteers quite a bit at her children's school and after school activities. A true professional, we are proud to have her as part of our Realtor staff.

Theresa can be reached by email: Theresa@SignatureHomesAndEstates.com

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Foreclosures in Gilroy and Morgan HIll

Signature Homes & Estates — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:41:22 -0700

Foreclosures in Gilroy and Morgan Hill

We now have Foreclosure information on our website. You can view for free homes that are either in foreclosure or are bank owned. This information is provided for free, as we subscribe to foreclosure radar.

The best way to search is to use the zip codes: Gilroy is 95020 and Morgan Hill is 95037.

Check it out. It is a great way to search for foreclosures in the South County.

Search here for foreclosures in Morgan HIll and Gilroy

There has been a huge increase in the number of homes that have gone into Pending status. Buyers are returning to the market and it shows. Some homes have sold within a week. Buyers that were waiting are now committing, and getting some great deals out there. Gilroy was particularly hit hard with foreclosures (my theory: there wa a lot of martgage fraud in Gilroy), but coupled with historically low interest rates, it truly is a good time to buy. FHA has increased their loan limits, so an FHA loan of up to aboput $729,000 only requires a small down payment.

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy Foreclosures

Signature Homes & Estates — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:01:37 -0700

Foreclosures in Gilroy and Morgan Hill

Search here for foreclosures in Gilroy and Morgan Hill

Two to three times a day, my phone will ring and the caller wants to know about foreclosures in Gilroy, or sometimes, more specifically foreclosures in Eagle Ridge (I also own a brokerage called Eagle Ridge Realty, which specializes in homes for sale in Eagle Ridge).

Currently, besides East San Jose, Gilroy probably has more homes in foreclosure than anywhere else in Santa Clara County. We were hit hard by a lot of mortgage fraud ( how else can one explain it? I know there was a lot of mortgage fraud in Eagle Ridge), and the price of single family homes are relatively cheap in Gilroy, vis-a-vis the rest of Santa Clara County. As the southern gateway to Silicon Valley, Gilroy has nice neighborhoods, and prices that people can afford. This made it a lure for investors (or wannabe "investors") to seek out and buy in Gilroy during the boom of 2003-2006. Let me say a few things about investing not only in foreclosures, but real estate investing in general:

You need staying power. Can you handle vacancies? We're not talking about missing a day of work here, we are talking about months of negative cash flow and the ability to handle THE worse case scenario. You have to rent at market rates, and perhaps take a hit of a few dollars. How about offering move-in incentives to fill the property? Getting people in is the key, they'll usually stay. Moving is a painful, time consuming experience.
Buy (invest) in something that is readily rent-able. Doesn't need a lot of work to make it habitable. Habitability is the measuring stick of a landlord's duty. Yes, tenants do have rights. They know them, or will know them, as there are plenty of services out there as tenant's advocates, for free. Landlords must pay a lawyer, or perhaps consult with their agent.
Considering the present tax laws, real estate investing in single family, or 1-4 units (or more) has tremendous tax benefits. One of the fastest ways to increasing your wealth, for most people, is through real estate ownership.
FACT: California runs a deficit of about 100,000 housing units every year, as the population continues to grow. Vacancy rates are low compared to some other states. Santa Clara County has relatively low vacancy rates, often less than 5%. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two biggest buyers of mortgages, use a vacancy factor of 25% to qualify buyers, just to give you an idea...
Perhaps put more money down, lowering your loan amount and monthly payment, and get a cash flow coming TO you right from the starting gate. Take an increase in equity as a gift.
Qualify your tenants. Easy enough to do with a credit report. Find people who have good credit. Note: some of these good payers may even be under Section 8 government housing, so do not deny Section 8. The government's check is always good, and on time.
You, as landlord, should pay the water bill. Otherwise the lawn WILL turn brown, and the foliage will die. Let the tenant pay the other utilities (except garbage) and they will then use electricity and gas sparingly.
Probably the best site for finding tenants is Craigslist. Don't pay for classified ads, in my opinion, as even the LA Times has just knocked off their real estate section. Also, Craigslist is a good place to determine market rent, in a way. You'll get the hang of it.
Plan NOW for your exit strategy. Capital Gains tax is currently at 15% and the recpture of your depreciation is taxed at 25%. Should real estate investing be good to you and for you, do what the wisest of people do, and use a IRS Section 1031 Exchange to aquire yo9ur replacement property, thus deferring ll your taxes owed at time of sale. Use that money for part of your down payment on your next property acquisition. THAT my friends, is how people get wealthy.

IF you are ready to invest, have the resources and the staying power, Real Estate is a great investment, despite what the media says. Example: Don't you wish the house you are living in that you bought 10 years ago, that you could have bought every house on the block?

Just some things to think about, for starters. I do not specialize in listing foreclosures, I don't want to enter that rat race, where other agents are tripping over each other. I will, however, be more than happy to represent buyers, and make sure they know the ins and outs of what to buy and what they are buying.

Currently, there are two types of "foreclosures" out there- those that have been given a Notice of Default, and perhaps are negotiating a short sale with their lender, and "REO" property, which means the property is post-auction and the bank owns it. Short sales are a pain, despite what others may say. It brings in a third party (the lender) and quite frankly, I don't feel they (the bank's negotiator) knows what they are doing to the fullest. Some do, but most don't. They were basically thrust upon the job, and work within certain guidelines. A buyer needs to be really, really patient, and a lot of buyers do walk due to the time element. IT may take months before you hear that your offer was accepted. If you are an investor, this could be positive, as since YOU personally are not moving, you can make this work to your advantage.

REO property, gets processed much more quickly, and banks are NOT into owning "sticks and bricks". Their product is money, and their service is lending it out, not having it get dusty on their vault's shelves. They want to dump these non performing assets.

One last thing...Sometimes the bst property to buy may not be a foreclosure after all, but rahter a great house in a great neighborhood. You'll never know until you sell! There is risk involved. That's why the government gives you great tax breaks. You, as the investor are handling all the risk. My philosophy, which should be yours as well, is that "money is made over time, not over night."

If you are a buyer looking for foreclosure/investment opportunities in Gilroy, visit us on the web
Signature Homes & Estates

Gary Frimann, Broker
SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy Gardens

Signature Homes & Estates — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:49:15 -0700

I recently visited Gilroy Gardens. It was formerly known as Bonfonte Gardens, until it was purchased by the city of Gilroy. What a great place. I had been there before, for various business related functions, sponsored by the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, but never to just experience what it was truly all about. The park is very "green", and dedicated to trees. There are "Circus Trees" there that will amaze young and old alike. Needless to say, there is plenty of shade for a rest, and the park is truly beautiful. It could take a full day to take it all in. Maybe two days, as there is a lot there. I know I will definitely be back. Admission price includes all the rides. Some rides do have heigth requirements forthe younger members of your family. Your kids will love this place.

I was amazed at how clean and well maintained the park was, and what a great form of family entertainment it had to offer. I can see myself going back, which is probably the strongest recommendation. I also see it as being a great local destination for Bay Area residents who want some safe, clean, educational fun for families. It will produce lasting memories for children, I'm sure, and since it is located so close to Silicon Valley, it can be a day trip without having to spend the night anywhere. A sure treat for the kids, as I observed most of them seem to be smiling, and there is a little water park/sprinkler area for them to cool off.

There are plenty of attractions, as well as rides (most of which are designed for younger children, I would not recommend the roller coaster for those under 10-12 years old.). Hint: take the train ride first, so that you can get an overview of the whole park first, and get a sense of bearings as to what you want to see. The monorail that goes through the Solarium is fantastic as well.

I am glad to see such a great place in Gilroy. I strongly recommend visiting the park soon, if you have not done so already. My old neighbor used to rave about the place, as he had a small child, and he used to go at least two or three times a month, and his daughter loved it.

I've added some pictures here so you can get a feel for their park. I've also included a link to their site, located above.

Presented by Gary and Nancy Frimann SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES EAGLE RIDGE REALTY

(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy is a great place to live

Signature Homes & Estates — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:22:17 -0700

Recently, Money magazine released its annual 100 Best Places to Live list.
This is compiled from throughout the United States.
I have added a link, comparing Gilroy to the top 10.

Gilroy did not do too badly, actually quite well in my opinion, with the possible exception of housing prices. Gilroy being in proximity of Silicon Valley, perhaps that was to be expected. Weather-wise, we've got them all beat.
Gilroy truly is a great place to live.

Click on the link below to see how we stack up:

Gilroy vs. Top 10

If you are contemplating moving to Gilroy, Give us a call or visit us on the web. On our web pages, you can search for homes for sale in Gilroy, CA.

SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES

EAGLE RIDGE REALTY

GARY FRIMANN

Gary Frimann, Broker
(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

What makes us different (better!) at Signature Homes & Estates

Signature Homes & Estates — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:52:24 -0700

Recently, I was asked by a new recruit, and it got me to thinking...
The question was "What makes your company better than all the others?"

Well, I cannot honestly say my company is better than all the others... But, what I can say is that it is Realtor-friendly, at the least and professional at best. After thinking about it, I categorized it as follows:

No desk fees or franchise fees, EVER! Our agents are free to work as hard as they want or as little as they want, with no worry about a slowing market eating up future commissions.
We live by a code that you eat what you kill.
There are no franchise fees--I feel, as do others, that franchise fees, some as high as 6%, should stay in the community, and the money is better spent marketing our clients property if we have the listing. We are in the business of working for our clients, not some national franchise. Most people enter the real estate profession from some other type of work. They don't want to make some out of state holding company wealthy. That is why small offices, not the mega-offices (license mills, as I like to call them) outsell on an agent by agent comparison, the big offices.
Our practice follows the Code of Ethics put forth by the National Association of Realtors. Most of the code is also found in the California Civil Code, so we are held to that standard as well.
Without being "teams" and the silly notion of that, we do play fair amongst ourselves, and we watch out for each other, in the sense that if something is spotted on the MLS to be wrong, we notify our colleague immediately, and we don't tolerate unethical behavior from them as well. We like to be associated with pros.
We cover for each other at open houses, and we discuss post closing new issues that might arise.
All of our agents keep themselves well informed. Collectively, there is no problem, or situation, that cannot be overcome with our group wisdom. Naturally, we all feel lucky at times that the problem is not our problem, but another agents, but we learn not to make the situation appear ever again, if it can be avoided...
The Broker, and his wife, who is also a Broker, can help in any situation.

So, after thinking about these simple little details, and I myself having worked for a large, national franchised company, have tried to create an atmosphere that is Realtor-friendly.

I'm proud to say that many offices cannot say that.

Gary Friman
Broker /Owner
SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy Garlic Festival

Signature Homes & Estates — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:48:17 -0700

Well, the Gilroy Garlic Festival is upon us again!

It will be held in Gilroy from July 25th to July 27th 2008

This is the 30th presentation of this event. Always a good time had by all who attend, and all monies go to local sharties, which is nice, as there are many volunteers that make this possible. You can get more information by visiting GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL.

Hope to see you there!

Gary Frimann
Signature Homes & Estates
Gilroy, CA
(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Homes for sale in Gilroy, CA

Signature Homes & Estates — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:15:47 -0700

Gilroy is located in southern Santa Clara County, and is the Southern Gateway to California's Silicon Valley.
For a long time, it was mainly a small suburb of San Jose, and is located about 20 miles from the heart of San Jose. Lately, since the millenium, it has had a great amount of residential growth and is thriving community with many amenities, all within a close proximity of most residential neighborhoods.
It has managed to maintain it's small town feel, and it certainly has last traffic than its sister cities to the north and up the S.F. Peninsula. People who have discovered Gilroy seem to like it for it's clean air, lack of traffic, and its proximity to other great places in California, such as the Coast, Big Sur, Monterey, Yosemite, Mission San Juan Bautista, Carmel, to name a few.
Gilroy try is a wonderful place to live.

Thinking of moving to Gilroy? Let our area REALTORS help you. (408) 846-8284

SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Homes sale statistics for Gilroy. June 2008

Signature Homes & Estates — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:03:20 -0700

The following information is provided by Signature Homes & Estates. (408) 846-8284

The information was taken from MLSLisings Inc. which is the MLS serving Gilroy, CA.

Signature Homes & Estates did not participate in all of the sales, nor represent that they did, and other brokerages may have procured either buyer and /or seller. This information is provided for the dates of June 1, 2008 through June 30, 2008. Accuracy not warranted.

Number of homes that SOLD (closed Escrow): 61
Average Selling Price: $585,314
Average List Price: $605,760
Average Days on Market: 116 Days
Median Days on Market: 70
Median Sales Price: $505,000

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Congratulations to Claudia Efthimos and Nancy Frimann

Signature Homes & Estates — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:46:37 -0700

Signature Homes & Estates would like to congratulate Claudia Efthimos and Nancy Frimann for recently completing their studies and being awarded their GRI designation.

The GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) Designation is a professional designation awrded by the Professional Realty Institute to those who have complete a course load of 15 classes ranging on a variety of topics. Nothing could possibly help a client more than having their agent have the skill and knowledge to guide them through the home buying or home selling process.

With the addition of these two Realtors earning their GRI designation, that brings a total of three agents in the Signature Homes and Estates office who are GRIs. This is the highest percentage of GRIs in any brokerage in the South Santa Clara County.

Broker Gary Frimann stresses and encourages his agents to constantly be increasing their knowledge and skills. To quote former US Poet Laureate, Maya Angelou, "To know better is to do better."

Again, we send out our congratulations.

SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES

(408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Is it a good time to invest in Gilroy real estate?

Signature Homes & Estates — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:41:08 -0700

Last Thursday, April 3rd, marked my 7th year anniversary of living in Gilroy. It is amazing how time flies, and it is the longest I have lived in one home since I left home for college back in the 70's.

What is amazing to me now, however, is the price of homes in Gilroy. There are some residential homes being offered at prices that seem to me to be below 2001 prices. It's not that Gilroy is a bad place to live, in fact, I think it has improved over the years that I've been here, and is a wonderful community. What has changed is that all the investors that got in on fraudulent loans and investors using 100% financing are now facing the music. Most just seem to want out. Folks, when you drive a new car off the showroom floor, it instantly loses 20% of its value. Do people then pull over and abandon the car because they don't want it any more? Not usually, as they still see some utility in owning the vehicle.
Friday, I attended a seminar by a CA. Assoc of Realtors attorney. He brings his road show to Morgan Hill twice a year, and I hear him three more times each year at the CA Association of Realtors Business meetings, held throughout the state. What he mentioned was missed by most, I think, but not on me. Lenders, in accepting a short sale, are requiring the sellers to sign an affadavit that they will not buy another house for at least a year. Apparently, and I have heard of this, that some sellers are short selling their house and buying the foreclosure down the street. They apply when they have good credit, and acquire the house or start the process rolling. So, investors take the haircut, and the individual avoids a loss (however at this stage it is only a percieved loss, as they have not sold their home yet, but offer it at a loss...) and our pension funds, and other money we have invested with whomever losses out. They have used our money for their own risk, if, say, a non-owner property, and then ask us to bail them out. That is currently what is happening with a lot of properties here in Gilroy.
Now, however, with so much inventory (there are currently over 450 homes on the market- Average price is around $599,000) it does make for some tremendous home buying opportunities... First time homebuyers in Santa Clara County should take note...
ANyway, that's it from me. It's my job to inform and educate, and I personally think that currently the south county has the best opportunities for investors and homeowners in Santa Clara County.

For more information, contact me.

Gary Frimann
BROKER-OWNER
Signature Homes & Estates
Visit us on the web: HOMES FOR SALE IN GILROY

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy Housing Market Update

Signature Homes & Estates — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:59:07 -0700

March, 2008

Well. Gilroy has 432 homes currently on the market. In february, there were 17 closed sales.The Median price of a home in Gilroy went for $691,229 and the Average price opf a home went for $520,000.
The homes that were sold recieved and average of 93.36% of their asking price.
There are currently 39 homes Pendng Sale, with an average List Price of $672,415 and a Median List Price of $595,000.

If you have further questions, please give us a call.

We have installed a new mapping feature on our sister comapny's website, Eagle Ridge Realty

Check it out here: CLICK HERE The feature has a movable map, so you can view any house that is listed on the MLS!!! Just drag your cursor along the map. It is very cool, and as far as I know, we are the only Brokerage in the south county that uses it.

For all your Real Estate needs, contact us:

Gary Frimann and Nancy Frimann
Brokers / REALTORS
SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
(408) 846-8284

Visit us on the Web: HOMES FOR SALE IN GILROY

Check out our neighborhood information for Gilroy on the web: NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION FOR GILROY

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

The thinning of the herd

Signature Homes & Estates — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:31:09 -0800

Well, 3 real estate offices have closed here in the south Santa Clara County, all well known national franchises...

As an independent broker, to me this is rather good news. When push comes to shove, a lot of agents are being forced out of the real estate business. What looked like a golden opportunity a few years back has created an industry of sloth and those who planned poorly, never improved on their education (taking office seminars is not education-they are often taught by trainers who perhaps have never sold real estate) and basked in the glory of being an independent contractor hoping to get leads from their office's presence have found themselves caught flat-footed in the change in the market. The old method of getting listings just doesn't seem to put money in the bank anymore. Those rare leads that did come into the office were hijacked by the office manager and given to top agents who remain on top, as the manager tries to squeeze out a profit. Folks, this is a business where you eat what you kill. Period. You have to make your own business. Success is assured when you recognize that Success is where opportunity intersects with preparation. Period.

Is this the breakdown of the franchised system in real estate? I fear not. they are big, and all the money you have been sending them (usually out of state) is will continue to support the suits that run the company. Ask not what your broker can do for you. What the franchises have managed to do is set up an illusion of success. What their agents have done is continued on the process, taking listings that will not sell due to being overpriced. The sign sits on somebody;'s front lawn for months... What would be interesting is if Sellers actually charged an agent for placing their free advertising there. Even the playing field. I urge mt agents not to take overpriced listings, as it does nobody any good. After being in the biz or a while, one gets to know who takes the overpriced listings. What I think would be fun is to present an offer about 10% less than asking price, and show the history of that agent's listings all selling for exactly 10% less, therefore, your client (the buyer) thinks their offer is a fair price. I would not do this, but would love to! I just don't show the listing, because I know it is overpriced...

So now we are in a time when business is so tough even the unlicensed people are leaving and getting "real jobs" (I love to hear that one, as if we don't have real jobs), but those are the people who did not take anything about the business or their industry seriously... We are in this business to help people get tot where they want to go. Stop BSing the clients and giving them false hope. They need to move on with their life, and get out of their present situation and move.

Just my $.02.

Gary Frimann (408) 846-8284

Signature Homes & Estates

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

Gilroy Market Update

Signature Homes & Estates — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:56:45 -0800

Currently, according to the Multiple Listing Service, there are:

423 Homes on the Market in Gilroy, CA
Average Days on Market: 127
Average List Price: $780,086
Median List Price: $624,750

Those that are currently under contract:
42 Homes that are "Pending"
Average List Price: $712, 675
Median List Price: $603,750
Average Days on Market: 141

For further information, contact:
GARY FRIMANN
SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES
(408) 846-8284

Visit us oin the web: HOMES FOR SALE IN GILROY, CALIFORNIA

Housing information for Gilroy, CA HOMES FOR SALE IN GILROY

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284

60 Minutes story with Steve Croft on January 27,2008

Signature Homes & Estates — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:12:59 -0800

Good story, overall, I thought, but lacking in this regard.

1) He should have asked the homeowners if they received cash back when they bought.
2) He should have asked if they should get tax forgiveness. If their house goes down in value, it is no cash out of their pocket. The money on the short sales and foreclosures is out of someone's pocket.
3) he should have pointed out that CA is a non-recourse state.
4) he should have covered the fraud aspect of it more, I thought. Stockton was a place a lot of Bay Area people could "Drive till they can afford" and there was a tremendous amount of fraud, especially claiming that the property was going to be Owner-Occupied.

Gary Frimann
Signature Homes & Estates
(508) 846-8284
On the web: SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES

Signature Homes & Estates
"Our Performance Will Move You!"
Gilroy, CA 95020
CA DRE #01309169
(408) 846-8284