Holly 's Blog

Willow Glen July 10, 2008 update

Holly Barr (Coldwell Banker) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:23:07 -0500

Highlights of July 10, 2008 Willow Glen Realtor Tour

Picks of the week 1460 Kiner (my listing!) and 656 Palm Haven Ave

Here are July 10 Highlights:

The theme this week seems to be YARDS!! There were some beautiful yards on tour this week! While it was hot and you did not really want to be outside at all, it does help to have something very pretty to look at (and a cool drink in your hand). Realtors on tour often offer cool drinks and food to help us stay longer at a house and to help us remember a house- nothing calls to memory like a yummy snack or a free lunch!

First up was 1018 Carolyn Way for $1,129,000. Cute charming house with lots of fun details throughout. The yard was mostly behind the garage. Once you got to the yard, it was like an English garden. Many of us said how nice it would be to have a small wedding back there! Sorry I did not get a picture for you on that one!

Next up was 656 Palm Haven Ave. for $1,699,000. Gotta love the Palm Haven area being close to downtown and such an exclusive yet community feel… and this jem is in the HEART of it! Nice house with upper end appliances and custom (read expensive) touches throughout. Soapstone counters and titanium appliances. The yard was out of a magazine. It has built in heaters and fans.

Of course the best house on the market right now is my listing at 1460 Kiner Ave. $949,950 between Cherry and Plummer. Talk about a yard… HUGE park-like yard with music, landscape lights and a playground. It is a ranch style house is very family friendly with some nice upgrades on a tree lined WIDE street.

What is your favorite house on the market right now?

Here are some interesting numbers about this past week in Willow Glen’s real estate scene:

· 22 sales last two weeks in area 10 (Mostly 95125)

· 215 active listings in Willow Glen this week 6/28/08

210 active listings is the gold standard for a sign of a healthy market for this area. The fact that we are consistently in the 230-240 range indicates Willow Glen to be a stable market.

Every Thursday I attend a realtor tour of all the new listings in Willow Glen. It’s a great way for realtors like me to stay on top of the market.. The tour is organized by Mike Gains of REMax, and usually includes 25-50 realtors. Every week I’ll report back on highlights from this tour – a summary of what’s going on in the Willow Glen market, exceptional new listings, stuff like that. If you ever have any questions about what I put here, or would like to see me take a different approach with this weekly summary of the tour, please let me know!

San Jose Willow Glen Real Estate Tour June 12, 2008

Holly Barr (Coldwell Banker) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:27:01 -0500

Highlights of June 12 Willow Glen Realtor Tour

Pick of the Week! 1394 Robsheal Dr. AND 1131 Dean Ave

DEAN, James, DEAN (ave)

Here’s June 12 Highlights:

Tricky part about being a realtor in an area you love is that I find houses that I want to BUY all the time. My husband has to pull back the reins or we would be paying for a few more mortgages than there are paychecks coming in. I am so excited about 1131 Dean Ave.! It is an REO property which means the bank repossessed it and hired a realtor to sell it. Pretty good gig for a realtor. REO properties are usually priced very well and are much easier to purchase than a dreaded short sale.

This gem at 1131 Dean Ave. is a stroll to ‘the ave.’ priced at $499,900- Yes, you read that right under $500K (barely). Granted it is small at 1130 sq ft and 2 bed 1.5 bath. However, it has new dual pane windows, hardwood floors, REMODELED Kitchen with Granite slab and NEW cabinets. There is a spa in the tiny yet, usable backyard and sprinklers! PERFECT for a rental or for a single person or even a couple! Great deal, I love this house- can you tell??? Let me know if you want to partner on this one- I am ready to buy it!

My other top pick is 1394 Robsheal Dr. and it has that certain something jennet se qua (or however you spell that…) Great layout, wonderful location (also walk to ‘the ave’), nicely remodeled (the remodeled garage was in Sunset Magazine!). Four bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a backyard that has the perfect blend of grass and patio. This house is a true turnkey and priced to sell at $1,250,000.

What is your favorite house on the market right now?

Here are some interesting numbers about this past week in Willow Glen’s real estate scene:

· 16 sales last week in area 10 (Mostly 95125)

· 231 active listings in Willow Glen this week 6/5/08

· 235 active listings in Willow Glen last week 5/29/08

210 active listings is the gold standard for a sign of a healthy market for this area. The fact that we are consistently in the 230-240 range indicates Willow Glen to be a stable market.

Every Thursday I attend a realtor tour of all the new listings in Willow Glen. It’s a great way for realtors like me to stay on top of the market.. The tour . is organized by Mike Gains of REMax, and usually includes 25-50 realtors. Every week I’ll report back on highlights from this tour – a summary of what’s going on in the Willow Glen market, exceptional new listings, stuff like that. If you ever have any questions about what I put here, or would like to see me take a different approach with this weekly summary of the tour, please let me know!

If it doesn't sell, we'll just rent it (overpriced listing)

Holly Barr (Coldwell Banker) — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:19:44 -0500

I have a client with a newer property in a declining market. The same layout sold two houses away for $969K 10 months ago. We started out at $1,050,000 against my suggestions. We are now at $1,010,000 and we got an offer at in the mid $900K clean, as is, pre approved that I would do both sides on so they would save on commission. They have decided not to take the offer stating that if they do not get what they want, 'we'll just rent it'. Now another larger property has come on market larger and with a VIEW hardwood floors and a hottub for $1,090,000.

The sellers have requested that I do an open house every Sunday and they do one every Saturday and do not have a lockbox on the house. Open houses are slow and those who do come say we are overpriced.

What would you do?

Willow Glen, San Jose real estate highlights for May 22, 2008

Holly Barr (Coldwell Banker) — Sat, 24 May 2008 02:30:44 -0500

Highlights of May 22 Willow Glen Realtor Tour

WOW victorian on CHERRY Ave and huge house on Peregrino

Every Thursday I attend a realtor tour of all the new listings in Willow Glen. It’s a great way for realtors like me to stay on top of the market, and a fantastic way for sellers to get their property seen by all the top local realtors. The tour . is organized by Mike Gains of REMax, and usually includes 25-50 realtors. Every week I’ll report back on highlights from this tour – a summary of what’s going on in the Willow Glen market, exceptional new listings, stuff like that. If you ever have any questions about what I put here, or would like to see me take a different approach with this weekly summary of the tour, please let me know!

Here’s the second installment…

The first home we saw was the most amazing house on market right now. It is 1252 Cherry Ave. This amazing Victorian was built at the end of the Civil War in 1865. You look out the leaded glass windows and you can feel the history, almost hear the horse drawn carriage and picture the view of miles of open land. The house is perfectly restored down to its ornate matching door hinges on every door and mother of pearl light switches. The soaring ceilings are oozing charm and history with period wall paper, stunning curtains and furniture. The current owners did a wonderful addition that make the house even more amazing and useable for entertaining and family. The house is listed for $2,475,000 with 3 bedrooms 2.5 bathrooms and 3814 sq ft on a 13,041 sq ft. lot.

I noticed a dichotomy while on tour this week. On the one hand the smaller homes on tour tended to be tight and I heard several comments about how the owners needed to remove several items to open up the space. Then we went to 1951 Peregrino Way and at 6000 sq ft. the comments were the opposite. The house was staged yet, if felt ‘empty and lacked the wow factor’ were the comments I heard. ‘The staging does not fit the style and scale of the house’ was another comment I heard. The lesson there is you have to find that ‘staging’ balance to appeal to the emotions of a buyer (and the realtor working with those buyers).

From speaking with various agents and lenders, it appears that buyers are starting to be less afraid and are starting to buy. They understand that interest rates are low and prices are low! As I tell my clients, everything is on sale, now is the time to buy!

Here are some interesting numbers about this past week in Willow Glen’s real estate scene:

· 17 sales last week in area 10

· 225 active listings in Willow Glen this week 5/22/08

· 238 active listings in Willow Glen last week 5/15/08

210 active listings is the gold standard for a sign of a healthy market for this area. The fact that we are consistently in the 230-240 range (225 this week!) indicates Willow Glen to be a stable market.

Holly Barr Coldwell Banker San Jose, CA