For Buyers

May

I have the greatest clients…

Posted In: El Cerrito, For Buyers, For Sellers, For the Heck of It

What I love about my job are the amazing people I meet. This job is very much about relationships. Buying or selling a home is a very intense experience and there is a lot of communication throughout the process. Recently I had the privilege of helping a wonderful family sell their home in El Cerrito. The house had been in the [...]

Apr

New Listing: 7343 Schmidt, El Cerrito

Posted In: El Cerrito, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Listings

I am so excited about my new El Cerrito listing. It isn’t everyday you come across a family who has lived in their house since it was built. It isn’t everyday you come across a person who physically built their retaining wall in the backyard out of rocks from the old El Cerrito rock quarry. It isn’t everyday you sit [...]

Feb

San Francisco Area Home Prices Up In Q4

Posted In: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, For Buyers, For Sellers, General Real Estate News, Local Market Statistics

San Francisco Business Times February 12,2013 San Francisco and San Jose were among the housing markets to see the biggest gains in home prices during the fourth quarter, new data shows. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area saw a gain in home prices of 28.3 percent year over year, while prices in San Jose were up 24.8 percent, according to the National [...]

Jan

Bay Area Median Sales Price

Posted In: Economy, For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures & Short Sales, General Real Estate News

According to DataQuick the median price paid for a home in California last month was $299,000, the highest since it was $301,000 in August 2008. Last month’s median was up 2.7 percent from $291,000 in November and up 21.5 percent from $246,000 in December 2011. December was the 10th consecutive month in which the state’s median sale price rose year-over-year. [...]

Jan

Sean O’toole’s California Forecast for 2013

Posted In: Court and Auctions, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures & Short Sales, General Real Estate News, Local Market Statistics, Mortgage & Finance

Interesting article from www.foreclosuretruth.com http://www.foreclosuretruth.com/blog/sean/california-forecast-for-2013-more-of-the-same-save-the-black-swan/#comments I actually agree with most of this article, with my key thoughts being: In our neck of the woods trustee sale investors (think large suitcases full of cash on the courthouse steps) are seeing more competition but still finding amazing deals. Most are not banking on large ROI’s anymore, just looking to make a few [...]

Nov

Low Inventory Nationwide

Posted In: First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Local Market Statistics

In my last newsletter I talked about the super crazy low inventory, not just here in the Bay, but nationwide. It seems that low inventory is a problem in many areas across the country. We are fortunate here in the Bay Area because we are recovering a lot faster than many of these other areas with appreciation rates averaging 8% [...]

Sep

Today’s Rates – Lowest In One Mortgage Broker’s 15 Year History

Posted In: For Buyers, Mortgage & Finance

This information just came in from a local mortgage broker that I work with: Here’s a quick snapshot of interest rates for today, September 26: 30 year fixed, no prepayment penalty, loans of $417K balance or less with 20% equity in home: 3.125%, 0 points 3.0%, .75 points 15 year fixed, same as above: 2.875% 1 point 3.0% 0 points [...]

Sep

Low Low Inventory!

Posted In: Albany, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Local Market Statistics

Prices up, multiple offers up, buyers up…BUT Inventory is down. Check it: This is why I am no longer just in the business of selling homes, I am now in the business of offer-writing!

Sep

Happy House Hunting Humor

Posted In: First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Good ol' Fashion Humor

Sep

{New Listing} Memories of 2301 Gloria St in El Cerrito

Posted In: El Cerrito, For Buyers, Listings

Check it out! I just listed a great El Cerrito house in the Mira Vista Hills area near Canyon Trail Park. This spacious and sunny home features 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, 2127 square feet and bay views. The sellers lived there for over 37 years, and my good friend grew up in that house. It is always emotional going [...]