|
| |
Make a killing on a kilowatt. - 04/28/11 07:37 PM
A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle reports on a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study showing that adding solar panels can raise the resale value of a home by several thousand dollars.
The study looked at the sales of around 2,000 existing homes with solar panels in California from 2000 through mid-2009 and compared the sale prices to those of 70,000 similar homes without solar. On average, a solar system added about $5.50 per watt to a home's resale value; corresponding to an extra $17,000 for a typical installation. At a typical cost of about $5 per watt, a solar … (0 comments)
|
Mortgage Relief Fraud: Will You Be the Next Victim? - 04/25/11 08:26 PM
Not if I have anything to say about it!
The FBI reported a jump of 71% in mortgage relief fraud investigations from 2008-2009, and expects this number to have grown in 2010.
That's why it's my duty to educate homeowners in my community on the cautions they need to take, and what the government has recently done to protect you from unscrupulous individuals and companies who want to take advantage of their desperate situations.
What you need to watch out for if you are looking for mortgage relief assistance:
Upfront fees-just don't pay them! In fact, they are now illegal! A … (4 comments)
|
Can't buy and move? Stay and enjoy! - 04/18/11 09:10 PM
Many homeowners who are unable to purchase a new home because they can't qualify for a new loan due to stricter guidelines or perhaps because their current mortgage is underwater may want to consider remodeling instead. If that's you, consider upgrading/enhancing areas of your present home to make it more of what you want. In today's construction and home remodeling economy, it's not hard to find bargains for items such as kitchen cabinets, granite in the bathroom, and landscaping services.
For example, the costs for custom-made cabinets are down approximately 20% to 30%. Even stock cabinet manufacturers are responding to lower material costs and cabinetmaker discounts. When shopping, … (2 comments)
|
Santa Clara County Homes Sales and Prices Bounce Back in March - 04/14/11 08:21 PM
The April 2011 edition of my Santa Clara County Real Estate Market Trends Report covering San Jose and surrounding communities is now available. This report covers the state of the real estate market thru March 2011, and is a wealth of practical and statistical information about the current state of the real estate market in Santa Clara county. Key headlines from this month's report:
Home sales and prices bounce back in March.Median price for homes was up 7.1% from February, but down 5.4% year-over-year.Foreclosure notices down, but bank-owned properties increase.The report is available to download from http://www.box.net/shared/z27p6gen65.
Feel free to pass … (1 comments)
|
When water is coming through the ceiling, who’s got you covered? - 04/12/11 07:06 PM
If you live in a condo, you know your unit is vulnerable to things that happen in the surrounding units. If water overflows in the bathtub in the unit above, it's coming through the ceiling into yours. A fire happens in the kitchen next door, there could be fire, smoke and/or water damage to yours. Do you have insurance to protect you and your property when that happens?
If you think you are covered under the condo complex's policy, you're probably wrong. Check carefully what kind of coverage your monthly HOA fee is paying for. Chances are very high that it … (2 comments)
|
Another Try for Mortgage Anti-deficiency Protection in California - 04/07/11 08:24 PM
The California Association of REALTORS is once again sponsoring a bill in the California legislature to extend anti-deficiency protections to cover refinanced mortgages. California already has so-called "single action" laws protecting former homeowners from deficiency judgements by lenders who foreclose on residential properties.
Unfortunately, current law only applies to "purchase money" mortgages, meaning loans used to provide funds for the original purchase of a residence. What most people don't realise is that loans that have been refinanced in a "cash out" transaction fall outside the anti-deficiency protection of current law. When you did that refi to pull out cash equity from your home to buy a new … (1 comments)
|
Where’s my stuff!? - 04/04/11 11:27 PM
It was recently brought to my attention that a number of people in the San Jose area and Santa Clara County have been hit by moving scams (http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_17138043
The tip came from Brian Long of Eureka! Quotes, whos company hosts an Internet directory of moving companies at http://www.eurekaquotes.com/; the purpose of which is to help consumers find reputable, local movers so they do not fall prey to Internet moving scams. The site also has a library of useful articles on various move-related topics, including How to Avoid Moving Scams, 14 Things To Know Before You Hire A Mover, Tips for Moving With Children and How to … (0 comments)
|
California Keep Your Home Program Finally Fully Running - 04/01/11 09:58 PM
The Keep Your Home California Initiative of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), about which I've written before (California Wants You to Keep Your Home, Keep Your Home Program Delayed and You Can (finally) Keep Your Home (maybe)), is finally fully implemented on all four of its homeowner assistance programs.
As a reminder, the program can provide financial assistance in the form of:
up to $1,500 per month for at most six months in mortgage payment assistance for unemployed homeowners; up to $15,000 as a one-time grant to reinstate delinquent mortgages for homeowners behind on payments; up to $50,000 to reduce the principle on negative-equity … (1 comments)
|
|
|
|
Jeff Spoelstra
San Jose,
CA
More about me…
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
Address: 5985 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA, 95120
Office Phone: (408) 256-4330
Cell Phone: (408) 838-5820
Email Me
Working the real estate world in San Jose, California.
 Links
Archives
|
|
Connect. Share. Learn.Welcome to ActiveRain, the #1 social community for real estate professionals.
;)
;)
