East Bay REO & Short Sales Statistics - 09/30/08 12:54 AM

Considering Moving to the East Bay?    ~   Do you want to Buy or Sell a home?   
  Do you have clients with needs in the East Bay?   
Search East Bay Area Properties  

Visit my website at http://pamwinterbauer.com
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Autumn Ushers in the Good and the Not So Pleasant..... - 09/29/08 12:24 AM
Fall is in full swing. And that means it's time to celebrate the things we love, like kids returning to school, football season, baseball playoffs, and even the beautiful colors of autumn. But it also means the return of something less fun... the dreaded cold and flu season. And the cost of the season is nothing to sneeze at! Did you know that Americans spend approximately $4 Billion on over the counter cold and flu remedies? That's not even factoring in how much time and productivity is lost on sick-time in the workplace, or co-pays for doctor visits and prescriptions.
To … (1 comments)

Fremont Compromises on Second-Story Additions - 09/26/08 11:34 PM
On Tuesday (9/23), the Fremont City Council reached a compromise position on second-story additions. They scrapped a proposed ordinance that would have allowed individual neighborhoods to ban such additions for a seven-year period and instead will place a temporary and limited moratorium on "monster home" additions.
Responding to months of input from neighborhood groups, individual property owners and the real estate community, the council agreed to place a temporary, six-month moratorium on second-story additions and "tear-down" remodels in the Glenmoor and Mission Ranch neighborhoods. During the moratorium, the city will develop specific design standards for second-story additions - an action suggested by Bay East during earlier testimony … (0 comments)

Freebies by the fives.... - 09/22/08 09:07 PM
These days, many people are looking for new ways to cut costs and save money. Here are five great ideas from the editors of Kiplinger:
Free TV & Movies: Full episodes of more than 300 shows from NBC Universal and Fox stations are available on www.hulu.com. The site also offers over 165 free full-length movies in a variety of genres. In addition, other networks like ABC and CBS are also starting to post full episodes of various shows on their Web sites.
Free College Savings: Sign up at www.Upromise.com and you can turn everyday purchases into college savings. You'll earn cash … (5 comments)

Trick or Treat in Downtown Livermore - 09/22/08 09:03 PM
It's once again time for Livermore Downtown Inc.'s 22nd annual Downtown Trick or Treat Night to be held on Wednesday, October 29th. from 4pm-7pm.  The Livermore Police Department and the City of Livermore have made it very clear that the handing out of the candy on our public sidewalks and streets must stop promptly at 7PM.  Livemore Downtown Inc. staff, board and volunteers will be coming to your areas to assist in the shut down of the candy distribution. Please note the street closure begins at 3PM in order to make sure all cars are removed and event areas are set … (0 comments)

Leadership Training 2009 - 09/19/08 12:01 PM
I am proud to be part of the 2009 Leadership Team at Bay East Association of Realtors!  I have been at our leadership retreat at Bodega Bay for the last two days and it was packed with some informative speakers. The retreat was put on by the Contra Costa and Bay East Association of Realtors.
On day one Carole Rodoni did a presentation on our "Global Economy" and Michael Tchong on "Social Networking and Trends".  On our last day we heard Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist for the California Association of Realtors and John Ansbach on "How to be an Effective Leader".  Both … (3 comments)

Bodega Bay Day! - 09/19/08 11:50 AM
I have been at our leadership retreat at Bodega Bay for the last two days and it was packed with some informative speakers. The retreat was put on by the Contra Costa and Bay East Association of Realtors.
On our last day we heard Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist for the California Association of Realtors and John Ansbach.  Both were packed with so much information to assist us in our leadership over the next few years.
I decided to hang out for another day and toodle around the town.  I am headed home today to put into place some of what I learned.
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36th Annual Art & Wine Festival - 09/16/08 12:58 AM
The community's biggest event of the year has become a block party - a great big quarter-mile long block party. Castro Valley Boulevard will be closed off from Redwood Road to Wilbeam Avenue. The Festival will feature over 100 arts and crafts vendors, along with community booths representing private businesses, governmental agencies, information, displays and services. The Festival will feature a food court with a large variety of foods and treats which will pair nicely with this year's addition of a beer and wine garden. Three stages will supply a variety of entertainment, which will appeal to everyone from the little … (2 comments)

I just can't believe it happend to me .... - 09/15/08 10:10 PM


Today is the day I hit 100,00 points on Active Rain .... whoo hoo!   I have learned a lot playing in the rain, made a few friends along the the way and hopefully contributed something of value for my rain buddies.














Considering Moving to the East Bay?    ~   Do you want to Buy or Sell a home?   
  Do you have clients with needs in the East Bay?   
Search East Bay Area Properties  

Visit my website at http://pamwinterbauer.com
… (5 comments)

Criminals Turn to Shaving - 09/15/08 07:20 PM

We've all heard about high tech online and email scams that are used by criminals to trick consumers out of their money. But now, some scammers are relying on good old low-tech skills to steal money from consumers... sometimes without being detected for months!
Authorities are reporting increased "credit card shaving" activity. Credit card shaving--or resurfacing--occurs when a criminal essentially creates a duplicate credit card using numbers from other cards.
Here's how it works...Criminals obtain valid credit card numbers (either by purchasing a list of numbers from a black market dealer or by stealing numbers from other sources, such as … (8 comments)

How's your grocery shopping going these days? - 09/07/08 09:08 PM
With food prices still soaring, supermarkets are offering many deals and specials to lure in food shoppers. But sometimes, these good deals can actually cause people to spend more than they would have otherwise. Phil Lempert, author of Being the Shopper: Understanding the Buyer's Choice, offers these smart-shopping tips:
Limit Four Per Person: Scarcity can have a powerful impact on shoppers. A buying restriction can tempt people to buy more than they need, which could cause items to either spoil or sit in your pantry for a long time. Tip: In the long run, when you factor in the amount of … (13 comments)

Bank failures and how it effects you..... - 09/06/08 07:37 PM
After the failure of California-based IndyMac Bank, many people have wondered how safe their accounts really are. While the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) guarantees most bank deposits, here are some important details to remember.
What types of accounts are covered?
The FDIC protects checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposits (CDs), Christmas club accounts, and money-market savings accounts. However, Stocks, Bonds, and mutual fund shares...even those purchased through an FDIC bank...are not protected.
What are the limits of FDIC insurance?
Bank accounts that have less than $100,000 in them and certain retirement accounts (IRAs held in CDs and money market … (5 comments)

Is the housing and economic recovery act working for you? - 09/06/08 07:29 PM
Last month, President Bush signed the "Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008" into law. This $300 Billion rescue plan is aimed at helping struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure, as well as boost confidence in the housing market. Although the bill is several hundred pages long and contains a number of far-reaching provisions, here are a few of the major provisions in the legislation that impact homeowners and homebuyers:
1. Tax credits. First-time homebuyers who purchase their primary residence on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009 are eligible for up to $7,500 in tax credit, provided they … (2 comments)

How Prepared are You? - 09/06/08 07:23 PM
The recent hurricane activity in the Gulf Coast demonstrates how important it is to be prepared in the event of an emergency. Take a few minutes and consider whether you and your family are prepared for emergencies ranging from an earthquake or hurricane to a potential terrorist threat or even just that blackout.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wants to make sure you are, and has identified September as National Preparedness Month. Hopefully you'll never be faced with an emergency situation of your own, but if you are, having an emergency kit will help ensure that you and your loved … (5 comments)

Letter from congressman - 09/04/08 11:42 PM
Today I received a letter from my local congressman about HR3221, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act and found it a bit interesting and definately wanted to share it with you all.
September 4, 2008 
Dear Ms. Winterbauer, 
Thank you for contacting me regarding down payment assistance.  It is helpful to learn the views of my friends and neighbors in California, and I value your input. 
As you may know, northern California has been hit particularly hard by the foreclosure crisis.  Thousands of families have lost their homes and become displaced, many more are in danger of facing foreclosure, and our … (1 comments)