Buying a Home is Much Cheaper Than Renting - 03/30/12 11:32 AM
Home Buying Much Cheaper Than Renting
Why Wait to Buy?
The current state of the market suggests that most renters should switch to owning their own home. The mortgage is sometimes even cheaper than the monthly rent! Today I’m writing on an article from CNN Money titled “Home Buying Much Cheaper Than Renting” by Les Christie. Referring to the title, you might be able to tell what today’s blog is concerning.
In my blog yesterday I mentioned that Real Estate is going through a transition where it’s being looked at on a micro level more and more rather than a … (1 comments)
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Tips for First-Time Home Buyers - 03/30/12 11:08 AM
Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
With the unique position our housing market is in many buyers who have been previously on the side lines are now jumping into the fray trying to purchase a home. Many of those who have been on the sidelines are first time homebuyers and don’t know where to begin when purchasing a home. Today’s helpful tips comes from the article “First-Time Buyer Tips” by Phoebe Chongchua.
Firstly you must know what your credit score is. With all the standards that banks and other lending agencies have you might as well know where you … (2 comments)
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Housing Market Heating Up: Five Contributing Factors - 03/29/12 03:40 PM
Housing Market Heating Up
This Spring Could be the Best Season!
There has been talk cropping up in the media about the housing market picking up speed. It looks like this Spring could be the best home buying season in years. This article by Morgan Brennan in Forbes magazine tells all.
There are several reasons why this Spring is looking to be so good for thehousing market, one of which being the “elevated level of contract offers so far this year”. While February experienced a quick decrease in home sales the numbers are still higher than they were this time last … (0 comments)
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Updating Your Home to Increase its Value - 03/29/12 03:09 PM
Updating Your Home to Increase its Value
What you can do inside a budget
Whether you’re looking to increase the value of your home for sale, looking for a home to renovate and then rent or if you simply want to increase the value of your home for possible later sale, people all over are looking to renovate their home(s). It’s also important for people looking to purchase a home to look for ways they can increase the value of their new home. Here is a list based on Bankrate.com’s Home Buyer’s Guide to help brainstorm ideas:
Update the kitchen:
… (4 comments)
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Foreclosures: Five Common Misconceptions Unveiled - 03/27/12 03:36 PM
Foreclosures
Unraveling the Myths
“Foreclosure” is a word that those keeping track of the market and economy, as well as us Brokers, Agents and Loan Officers have become accustomed to. “Foreclosure” means a lot of different things depending on what viewpoint you’re looking from. But one thing’s for sure: Over the past few years propaganda spread myths and rumors about foreclosures and various misconceptions have come and gone. Below are five foreclosure myths and the counter explanations, from Trulia “5 Foreclosure Myths for 2012” by Carl Medford. I for one hope that #1 “myth” does in fact carry through and … (3 comments)
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Employment and Housing Market in the Bay Area on the Up! - 03/27/12 03:00 PM
Employment and Housing Market in the Bay Area on the Up!
What it says about the market of the future
While I’m always on the look-out for news about today’s market conditions, I’m specifically interested in areas surrounding Sonoma County where I certify “affordable, turn-key, move-in-ready” homes for sale.
This morning’s discovery was the best news I’ve heard all month! The article from Forbes is titled “Bay Area Employment Reaches 3-Year High; Home Prices Soar” by Eric Savitz. The title should give you a pretty good indication as to why I am feeling a bit more hopeful about today’s market and … (2 comments)
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Buying Versus Renting – Buying Now Wins - 03/23/12 11:54 AM
Buying versus renting is a debate for many and earlier on renting was a better bet when it came to determining monthly costs, care and cost of family and especially one’s credit score. However, now buying is winning in majority of the debates.
It’s a good season for home re-sales due to the low housing prices though there is an increase (even if ever so slightly) in the home values which is good for appreciation. See the detailed article below “Ain’t No Lie, It’s Cheaper to Buy”. It includes broken down statistics, graph and city/state … (0 comments)
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The Wave of Foreclosures is Coming. - 03/19/12 03:00 PM
In one of my recent blogs I spoke of foreclosures declining and how this was a blessing for some and for others the lack of homes for sales inventory was a hardship….looks like there’s about to be a “vice versa” on these standings:
This article gives some specifics as to why an increase in foreclosures has been predicted and looks pretty imminent - http://www.thenichereport.com/breaking-news-2/foreclosures-decline-year-over-year-set-to-heat-back-up-with-huge-mortgage-settlement/
The “Niche Report” states the Why is, “The $26 billion settlement between the five big banks and state attorneys general over past foreclosure practices.” This settlement covers the exact proceedings or handlings of foreclosures which … (4 comments)
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Pride of Ownership: How to get your own home! - 03/16/12 11:34 AM
Pride of Ownership
How to attain it
I know many people have been discouraged by the past several years we’ve had in the market, but the truth is that the American Dream is still to own your own home. Having Pride of Ownership is still a prized goal in this country. Sure there will be a couple other goals in between, college, getting a good job, finding that right someone and settling down. But tied up in this mess is the want and need to no longer have to write checks to a landlord, you’re now free to call … (2 comments)
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Foreclosures Fall 8% During Last Month Alone! What this means for the market - 03/16/12 11:08 AM
Foreclosures Fall 8%, New Wave Expected
How it will affect the market
One of the plagues of today’s market continues to be foreclosures. It’s a word that makes many home owners shudder and a feeling of malcontent while to others it’s a “blessing” for they can possibly afford to buy this home for their family. I read an article this morning in Realty Mag with some [encouraging ] news about foreclosures and their percentages falling. First, however, we need to understand why foreclosures are more likely than not worse for the economy than not.
It doesn’t just affect … (5 comments)
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Living in California Ain't Cheap... When You're Renting - 03/15/12 03:23 PM
Living in California Ain't Cheap.... ...When You're Renting
I may start out seeming pessimistic but it’s really just a point I’m trying to make - with the main factors appearing at the middle of this blog, proving it’s not just optimism at work but real statistical figures and rationale in today’s market.
California is one of the most sought after states not just to vacation to, but also to live in. It was a main focus for all the Dharma Bums from the sixties, where the country looks for progressive thinking and economic updates, probably has the most music attached to … (0 comments)
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Homebuying is Accelerating: Where does that leave me as a Listing Agent and you as a buyer? - 03/15/12 02:43 PM
Homebuying is Accelerating Where does that leave me as a Listing Agent and you as a buyer?
The Real Estate market is continuously evolving every day into something new. New market statistics, new deals signed, new percentages of short sales, foreclosure and a change in the median home prices across the board are constantly changing. So where can we expect this tumultuous market to go? Essentially we can’t ever fully predict this, however we can use the information at hand and make the best marketing angles and business steps in the right direction. In the Press Democrat yesterday … (2 comments)
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Genetics: The Breaking Front of Marketing? - 03/13/12 01:13 PM
Breaking Through Scientific Barriers In Marketing DNA Now a Marketing Tool?
What if marketing companies could do a scan of your DNA and figure out all the information they could ever need about a single person? What if you could be made a statistic out of for about $10 and not have to answer a single question about your tastes or your life in general? Well get ready folks cause we’re on the frontier of such technology. Forbes came out with an article two days ago on the eleventh titled “Marketing to Your DNA: The Next Frontier for … (2 comments)
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Maximize Your Networking on Twitter - 03/13/12 01:00 PM
Adding to Your Social Networking
How to Boost Your Twitter Following
How many of you marketers out there are actively using Twitter? What would Twitter even add to your business? Is it a sure way of bringing in new leads or is it just the newest online fad that will eventually die down? From a marketing perspective it almost doesn’t matter what the intended function of Twitter may be, just as long as it gets your brand name out, right? In the article I read this morning titled “How to Boost Your Twitter Following” Katherine Tarbox gives some … (4 comments)
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Success: The Five Steps That Will Get You There - 03/09/12 03:43 PM
Success in Your Business
The Five Steps That Will Get You There
Business owners of today all face the same problem, some better than others. How do you create an effective business plan and measure your success? I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “we’re planning to schedule that” or “it’s on the to-do list”… how do we move from terms like “going to” and “will get done” to “here’s exactly how this is going to work”? I found a great list of a step by step game plan to help you business owners out there … (2 comments)
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Housing Relief Plan and Banks: How they're going to start Helping the Market - 03/09/12 03:18 PM
Housing Relief Plan and Banks
How They’re Going to Start Helping the Market
The good news continues and I’m feeling more and more confident about the housing market by the day. Two fantastic pieces of news fell into my lap this morning that have me feeling very hopeful…
We all know that banks, especially in this past year, have not been doing their due diligence toward their borrowers and potential borrowers. These two articles are the latest updates about banks moving forward to try and fix the problems they’ve caused for many homeowners and first time homebuyers.
The … (0 comments)
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Rising Rent Prices... Time to Buy? - 03/08/12 04:03 PM
Rise in Rent... Time to Buy?
In the past several months the real estate market has been changing dramatically to say the least. The good news is the market is only getting better and will continue to do so. The bad news is that rent for non-homeowners continues to increase with the market. Could this be the sign many renters need to toss in the renting towel and buy a home?
Here in California there are two areas whose rent-to-income ratios will be strongly affected in the upcoming months: Los Angeles and San Francisco. This could lead to many more … (4 comments)
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12 Great Real Estate Tips: Guaranteed to Work! - 03/08/12 03:37 PM
12 Great Real Estate Tips
Guaranteed to Work!
We are well into the first quarter of 2012 and it seems, as predicted, that the market is on the verge of an upward spiral again. There have been numerous signs economically and within the market that point to greener pastures in the real estate business this year – for everyone. As I’ve said before, the market is in a unique and interesting place…
Until now it’s been almost entirely a Buyer’s market; prices are affordable, interest rates are down to rock bottom and competition has been low. However, in recent … (0 comments)
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A Way To Help Improve Housing Market Values - 03/07/12 03:19 PM
With the regularly changing housing market Listing Agents need to be smart about pricing a house for sale. Doing comps within proper radius is important but what if there are no comps within a 1 mile radius?
Every now and then with the Seller/Owner I’ll have to “eat crow” and rapidly correct a price on a home…. for instance, I just made a PRICE REDUCTION to $210,000 on 438 Bosley St in Santa Rosa! It's definitely a fresh opportunity to get into this remodeled 2/1 home with a modern kitchen yet vintage feel & look with a big yard and … (2 comments)
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Fresh Opportunity on this Spring Special! - 03/02/12 02:26 PM
Fresh Opportunity on this Spring Special!
Here we are entering Spring time already, can you believe it? I am so excited to show you my newest listing for this revitalizing season. It’s the perfect house for beginning the Spring and Summer in!
438 Bosley Ave Santa Rosa for just $225,000! The home is a charming vintage bungalow built in 1920 and is central to downtown Santa Rosa area. The home itself is 724 square feet and is sitting on a lot of 6098 square feet. It’s walking distance to Juilliard Park, the beautiful Luther Burbank Gardens and also to Parkside … (0 comments)
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RealtyTimes Offers Good News About the Market - 03/02/12 02:16 PM
The good news about the market just keeps rolling in… 2012 is the year for the housing market and it keeps getting better by the week. According to numerous places on the web, the papers, magazines etc.. the market is on the rise and us realtors and loan officers in the business couldn’t be happier about it. Today’s snippet of good news is coming from RealtyTimes. In the article titled “Housing Reports Show Improvement as Low Mortgage Rates Continue” by Ed Ferrara the current housing market changes are examined.
According to Ferrara, among other sources, “the current housing market conditions … (0 comments)
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Today's Business Quote - 03/01/12 01:20 PM
“Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves – to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today.” From Stewart B. Johnson.
… (4 comments)
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Great news from Forbes: New Home Sales are Exceeding Expectations Great news from Forbes: New Home Sales are Exceeding Expectations - 03/01/12 01:17 PM
This one’s gonna be short and sweet, but I had to share the good news. Forbes published an article titled “New Home Sales Exceeded Expectations” and boy did they! According to this article “Sales hit a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 321,000 in January” and this is up from the December reading in 2011. This is much better than the economists’ forecast, about 6% stronger than the original estimate.
The next piece of information this article offers is both discouraging and encouraging.. I’ll start with the bad news. “The supply of new homes for sale once again fell, the 11th straight month … (2 comments)
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