Folsom's New Bridge Opens Today... - 03/28/09 11:00 PM
As a result of 9/11, one of the main arteries connecting the two sides of Folsom, The Folsom Dam Road, has been closed since 2003. It's been a real drag for those needing to cross the river, as there were only two other bridges to accomodate the 18,000 cars that had crossed the dam daily.The dam road closing also clogged the streets of Historic Old Town Folsom with commuter traffic enroute to picturesque two-lane Rainbow Bridge.
The poor old town shop keepers have been struggling, as shoppers and restaurant patrons have been reluctant to tackle the traffic and parking snafu.Now after … (5 comments)

San Juan High School - Improvements Coming... - 03/28/09 10:06 PM
I just read that San Juan High School in Citrus Heights is breaking ground on some spiffing up projects. Good for them. Not only is it the oldest San Juan District school (built in 1913), but it's my husband, Dave's, alma mater. That was back in the 60's, but it's influence still reaches into our lives. Dave was a top notch athlete, and one of 3 Dunbar boys to grace the halls (classes of '63, '64 and '66, and yeah... they were all pretty cute!). Today, everywhere we go we run into San Juan alums... and I mean EVERYWHERE. I list … (1 comments)

Interest rates and your home... THESE are the "good old days". - 03/23/09 10:07 AM
You've probably heard that interest rates are pretty good now... around 5% for a "30 year fixed".  But check out what that means to you as a buyer. It's pretty shocking!
A $200K loan at 5% costs you $1,073 per month P&I (principle and interest)
If you want to keep that payment, here's the price loan you can afford if interest were higher.
6.25% = $174,000 - (the interest rate in 2002 for a $1073 payment)
8.5% - $139,000 - (2000 interest rate for a $1073 payment)
9.25% - $130,000 - (1994 interest rate for a $1073 payment)
15% - $84,000 -  (1984 interest rate fora $1073 payment)
… (10 comments)

What's Happening with Fair Oaks Home Prices? - 03/22/09 09:19 PM
Sunday, March 22, 2009
 
If you missed buying a Fair Oaks home back in '02, those prices are back! After a high of $250/sf (per square foot) in August of '06, Fair Oaks prices have dropped approximately 38% to a stunning $155/sf. That is lower than the cost to build a home, yet it includes the land! We have not seen such a buying opportunity for a long time.How does that compare to the hit the entire county has taken? Has Fair Oaks done better or worse? Much better, thank you. During the same time period, Sacramento County price per … (5 comments)

Boundaries and being #1... - 03/21/09 09:13 AM
Last night Wife Swap (I admit I watched it... but American Idol wasn't on) had a real estate agent wife swap with a fun-loving wife. The agent put her job first and it looked like the main bonding time was when the young kids cleaned their office ( a hubby/wife team). Her kids were polite, darling, and lonely.  They said they felt like crying inside. They knew her job came before them.
I don't care how busy of an agent you are, there is no excuse for putting your kids second.
When I first had kids, in the mid 80's, I … (11 comments)

Kids these days.... They're AWESOME! - 03/19/09 10:48 PM
"What's this world coming to... kids today don't want to work, they want it handed to them."
Every generation says that... clear back to Plato's time. I bet the cave man said it too, as his cave boy "texted" his pals with smoke signals. But the attitude is idiotic. And here's a case in point.
Every year Fair Oaks has a number of community service events, like an Easter Egg Roll, a Christmas Party, Senior Luau, Mother/Son Dance, Father/Daughter Dance, the famous Chicken Festival and others. And who puts the shindigs on?... a group of 24 teens from Del Campo and … (5 comments)

The Loan Lock Shuffle... Now What Will You Do? - 03/19/09 10:29 AM
I just read that the Fed's actions today may cause mortgage interest rates to drop up to 1/4 or 1/2 point.  Interesting dilemna for those in escrow who have already locked their loan.  Do you stand by what you said, or weazle out because rates have changed?
When you lock your loan, you are gambling that interest rates won't go down any lower.... to protect yourself in case they go higher.  So to be safe, if the current rate is OK with you, you and the lender commit to it... regardless of future rates being higher or lower.  If they go higher, you still have your … (7 comments)

Bummed out?... Focus on your 2020 vision! - 03/17/09 12:43 PM
Brad Paisley has a killer song out called "Letter To Me" where he writes a letter to himself at 17. He tells his young self it's not the end, now that he's been dumped by his girlfriend. Oh, and be sure to fill up the tank for your date with Bridgett... "on second thought that one turns out all right". Be sure and thank Mrs. Bringham for seeing the rough diamond underneath and polishing you til you shined. It's a tear jerker, for sure.
But his capper is the best part.. wait til you see you wife and kids.. you wont believe how great … (5 comments)

How Do You Buy a Short Sale... But First, What is One? - 03/14/09 10:54 PM
Buying a short sale is very different than buying a bank foreclosure or from a regular seller. So first... what is it? A short sale is when the owner is "upside down" or owes more than the home is worth. In order to sell, he would need to bring cash to escrow to sell, or would need the lender's approval that they will accept less than the amount they are owed. In order to accept less (accept a short sale) the lender must convince themselves that the home is actually worth less than they are owed, and that there is no other way … (4 comments)

Should you Inspect New Construction?... HECK YEAH! - 03/14/09 10:04 AM
 
It's tempting to save $400 - $1000 when you buy a brand new home by forgoing an independent inspection.  "Heck, it's brand new... what could be wrong?"... Right?... Wrong!!! A few years ago I sold a 2 million home in Los Lagos, Granite Bay.  Simply beautiful... and built by a well known, outstanding builder.  He was somewhat offended when I had my buyer pay for an independent inspection, but I explained the inspector would be the eyes for all of us, to prevent problems for all of us in the future. Was it worth it?.. spending $750 (in this case) to … (9 comments)

Prep Your Home for Sale - Position Your Furniture - 03/13/09 06:31 PM
You probably have your couch and Lazy Boy positioned perfectly to see your flat screen TV, don't you? Yep, we all do! But that may not be the most inviting position for them if you plan to sell your home. "Why not?" you might ask. Because you want your home to LOOK GOOD when you sell it, which is not the same as WORKING WELL. Sound wierd? Watch the following video... you'll see what I mean. If you are thinking of selling your home, consider your furniture placement to maximize your home's friendliness, openess and attractiveness. Remember, helping your future buyer … (4 comments)

Does the Lender Make a Difference? - 03/13/09 05:59 PM
When a new buyer chooses a lender, what is their choice based on? Interest rate?, the trust of a referral?, who has the prettiest sign? Often it's who seems to have the cheapest interest rate. What a mistake! Consider Captain Sulley. He looked like everyone else who flew. He always landed those planes, so it's hard to say how good he was. But when disaster hit, he was able to pull off the miraculous, and land a giant engineless jet in the cold frigid waters of the Hudson River. He used his years and years of experience, training, drills, and lessons … (7 comments)

Prep Your Home for Sale - Personal Belongings - 03/05/09 04:56 PM
What does "Yo Mama" have to do with preparing your home for sale? Plenty. Take a look at the following video to find out what! (And don't ask me why Youtube selected this most attractive frame to put as the lead-in!) So check out your home from the eyes of a buyer. Do you have a montage of photos on your hallway that will trap the buyer's attention? Get rid of it! And your Mama's wedding picture.... out it goes. At least until you are in your new home and can safely put out all your relatives again... NO MATTER WHAT … (19 comments)

Halfplex vs. Duplex... What's the diff? - 03/04/09 03:22 PM
Halfplex... duplex... they both look the same. But there is a difference. It starts with the dirt. When you own a piece of land, it has a parcel number. Typically each home has it's own parcel number, which is it's lot. A Duplex... has one parcel number.... it is one whole "home", and can only be sold as one unit. So if you bought a duplex, you would get the other half along for the ride! The same owner owns the whole thing... always. There might be only one water meter, or one electrical meter, depending on how it was built. … (5 comments)

Speechless Sunday - In China - Their tourism board should print this! - 03/01/09 04:35 PM

… (6 comments)

A Walk on the American River at Sacramento Bar... in Fair Oaks - 03/01/09 12:11 PM
Sacramento Bar is the area just West of the Sunrise Bridge in Fair Oaks, filled with acres and acres of rock cobble left over from gold mining that ended in the 60's. It's one of my favorite places to walk, right near my home in Fair Oaks. You're in the middle of town, yet within minutes, you are deep in nature. Join me as we stroll the American River at Sacramento Bar on a recent winter Saturday...

And just for the record, Lewis and Clark DID NOT raft this river... I just imagine that I'm back in time to when … (3 comments)

 
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Sally Dunbar, Fair Oaks Realtor - Fair Oaks Homes for Sale

Fair Oaks, CA

More about me…

Lyon Real Estate, Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento Area)

Address: 8814 Madison Avenue, Fair Oaks, CA, 95628

Office Phone: (916) 535-0356

Cell Phone: (916) 524-1548

Email Me

Fair Oaks homes for sale by Realtor Sally Dunbar, who's been hoofin' it through the homes of Fair Oaks and the surrounding areas, matching up eager buyers with ready-to-move sellers, since 1979.

While I sell homes in Fair Oaks, I venture in Sacramento, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Rancho Cordova, Gold River, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Roseville, Rocklin and Granite Bay...(and Chevron loves me!)

How have I survived for so long?... By always doing what's right for my people.... Always!

Now check out my video about why I love Fair Oaks...



Short Sale, REO, foresclosures??? ... find out the difference below...



How do you pick a listing price? See below...



What price should you offer when you've found the home of your dreams??? Find out below...



Prepping your home for sale??? Don't miss the video below...



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