Where in the World is Brisbane?
Known as the “City of the Stars”, Brisbane is one of the Bay Area’s best kept secrets. It is a small, close knit community with a population of just under 4,000 people. It offers not only the tranquility of country living, but also offers lots of sunshine and moderate temperatures throughout the year. And, best of all, you can be in the heart of downtown San Francisco within 10 minutes and it’s only about 8 minutes to the airport. There is a free shuttle to Bart as well as a Park & Ride lot for those who want to take the bus or train.
To my mind, Brisbane offers the best of urban living in a country setting. Nestled on the side of San Bruno Mountain, it is surrounded by trees. There are many hiking trails and even hidden staircases throughout the town leading through the canyons up to the mountain. It is a walking town where most daily activities can be accomplished on foot. Read more
Award Winning Real Estate Company!
Prudential California Realty, San Bruno Is part of the Prudential Real Estate family which J.D. Power and Associates has ranked as Highest in Satisfaction for Home Sellers among National Full Service Real Estate Firms, in its 2008 survey. We are proud!
Do Home Sellers Want to Hear the Truth?
On first impulse, most homeowners would say that, of course, they want their agents to tell them “the whole truth and nothing but” when it comes to the sale of their home. But do they really? There is a common mistake that home sellers make: choosing a real estate agent based on the price that the agent says they can get for the home. Don’t make this common mistake!
What is Staging?
Staging is when a home is furnished and decorated before it is put on the market for sale. A staged home that is well done will highlight each room, but not crowd it. The following are several questions that I will attempt to address, like: How much does it cost? How long will it be furnished for? Who pays for it? Will it yield the seller more money at the end of the sale?
Staging a home can cost any where from several hundred dollars to thousands depending on size of home, services provided and the specifics of each contract. The details of the services you expect from your stager must be outlined in the contract before you sign the dotted line. Staging companies will normally have a minimum time period (days/weeks) that a potential client should fully understand. The cost really depends on exactly how many rooms they (stager) are furnishing and for how long. The contract should stipulate several important items like exactly what time and date the furniture will be installed and removed, what would it cost if you wanted to extend or adjust the time period of your contract?, and who is responsible for the furniture while it sits in your home? It is also important to ask, when does the staging company expect to get paid? Read more
Questions! Why so many questions?
You’ve decided to go out and jump into the home buying process. Good for you! You think, this will be fun…driving around neighborhoods, looking for homes, thinking about all the ways you’ll redecorate. What you might not think about is all the questions you are going to be asked and all the personal information you’ll be expected to share. I’ve had one client lament it would feel less vulnerable standing in a room full of strangers with their skivs on than laying out all the details of their life. But like many things, that which isn’t pleasant may still be good for us. Read more
Women – The Importance of Owning Your Own Home
A heroine of mine is a woman by the name of Dee. She has since passed on, but she was my neighbor for a few years after I moved to Brisbane. Like me, she was divorced. She had purchased her home all on her own 40+ years before, during a time when it was very rare for a woman to be divorced, let alone buy her own home, especially in the wild and wooly town that Brisbane was in those days.
Dee was an amazing woman, taking care of herself and her home well into her 90′s and remaining in the home she loved so much until her death. Doing whatever it took, she made darned sure that she was financially secure. Dee was my role model. But, somewhere along the line, I lost sight of her wisdom.
As a single woman who has supported myself for the last 15+ years selling real estate, this recent economic turn of events has been incredibly eye opening and, frankly, terrifying for me. What it has illuminated, is how very important it is to “save for that rainy day” as my Mom was constantly telling me. Boy, has that rainy day come and was I ever not prepared for it! Read more
Mixing Business with Pleasure… does it actually mix?
Have you ever felt obligated to use a family member when it came to a business deal? While most of us have, has it ever left you wondering if that was the best decision? In some cases, it is an ideal circumstance. While in others it may be an uncomfortable situation that you were strong armed into. Read more
Has Daly City Seen the Bottom?
No other city in San Mateo County has seen a greater depreciation in home value in the last year than Daly City. Back in September 2007, the average sales price of Daly City was $730,000, as compared to $565,000 in September 2008. This is a depreciation of almost 23%. The most common question is whether or not this is the bottom of the market. In this blog, I will share with you my expert opinion, as to why the bottom has come to Daly City, and this might be your last chance to get a great value. Read more
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Recent Posts
- Top 5 Reasons to Buy a House in the Bay Area in 2012
- After Christmas Sale, – Bay Area Homes up to 60% off
- San Bruno Eye Sore is about to Go
- What If My Offer Is Rejected?
- It’s a Buyers’ Market for Real Estate Investors, too
- How to choose the “Best” real estate home loan.
- Is it a Good Time to Buy a House in San Mateo County? Part 1
- What’s the difference between inspections and the”final walk-through”?
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