Daly City Annual Spook Parade
Daly City will be holding its Annual Spook Parade on October 30th from 12:30pm-3:30pm. It will be held at the Serramonte Shopping Center Court.
For more information check out the Daly City website here .
Written By Adam Chinn
Adam@Adamchinn.com
Investing: Bay Area Real Estate Vs. The S&P
I personally have been investing in Bay Area real estate since I moved out here from Brooklyn in 1977. I have 75% of my assets invested in Bay Area Real Estate. Most of my remaining assets are invested in the stock market. I was curious which investment has had the best return on my investment over the last 20 years. Bay Area Real Estate has proven to produce an 8% greater return than the S&P over the last 20 years. Quite honestly I was expecting that number to be greater, but I am grateful, that with all of the ups and downs, I have made the right decision.
Let me quickly explain my numbers. I took a $100,000 investment in the S & P in 1990 and compared that to a $500,000 home purchase using the same $100,000, or the standard 20% down payment also in 1990. I am not a statistician so my numbers are rounded off and are deemed reliable, but certainly not guaranteed. These numbers are based on not selling and leaving it invested in an S&P index fund. Let me say if you paid cash for that same $500,000 home you would be substantially better off with investing in the S&P. Read more
Realtor’s are People, Too!
Recently, my colleague, Rommel, wrote an excellent blog on ethics in our business. There is another side to the story, however, and that is the ethics of the clients.
While answering phones in the office this weekend, I received a call from a man who wanted to see one of our listings in San Francisco. I agreed to meet him at the listing at 11:00 a.m. the next day.
That night, I was involved in a relatively minor car crash and when I awoke the next morning I felt exhausted and unwell….still a little in shock from the accident, I guess. Even though I didn’t feel well, I planned to do my job and attend our scheduled showing, as well as doing my open house later that day. Read more
What is the perfect house warming gift…from your Realtor?
I recently had the opportunity to represent two separate couples, no children, who purchased remodeled homes in the Bay Area. It’s been a pretty continuous trend of mine to represent people who are purchasing homes that require a lot of work. Bay Area homes are old, what can I say. This is not the case this time!
There is no need for Home Depot gift cards. Probably not a Lowe’s gift card either. I don’t want to give a basket with cleaning supplies and candy because they have all of that already! Wine and cheese, maybe? Gift certificate to a fancy restaraunt, maybe? I’m just not sure! I’m looking for suggestions! Thank you!
Ethics in Real Estate
Being a nice guy has its perks and its flaws…for my clients, it means working with someone they can trust and depend on. I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I can say I am one of THE BEST when it comes to communication. People don’t like surprises. People don’t like to be left in the dark. People need peace of mind. I know this and cater to it fully and with great compassion.
Of course, there is always the downside in being a nice, dependable realtor. And that is dealing with realtors who, well, just aren’t. Their turnaround time to call you back is 1 to 2 days. They won’t always answer your calls. They might be so busy, they might not even remember who the heck you are when all you are doing is getting confirmation they received the buyer’s offer.
But I digress. Working in whatever industry that focuses on customer service, it is always all about the client and the quality of salesmanship they endure. A good realtor will always be ready to bat for the client and should do so with ethics, integrity and RELIABILITY. It is most likely because of my own bad experiences I place such emphasis on this subject. So for now, it is only fitting that I forward from the National Association of Realtors, the 2010 Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, Duties to Clients and Customers: Read more
Remembering Victims of the San Bruno Explosion
Last Friday, October 24th, I attended a memorial for three members of the one family – Lavonne Bullis, Gregory Bullis, and William James Bullis – who were killed in the San Bruno explosion and fire on September 9th. This tragedy also claimed the life of five other people: Jacqueline and Janessa Greig; Elizabeth Torres, 81; James Franco, 58; and 20-year-old Jessica Morales. Although I didn’t know the Bullis family personally, I attended the memorial to show my sympathy and support, especially as William was a senior at Mills High School in Millbrae, where my older daughter recently graduated from and my younger one currently attends.
I’ve been pondering for awhile what to write in this blog, as putting anything into words would be inadequate and just sound cliché. Still, I can’t blog about anything else until I get this out of the way, and it seems right to at least mention a few thoughts on such a momentous event. Read more
Inflation or Deflation?
Whether a Federal Reserve action is inflationary or deflationary is difficult to gauge, for the simple fact that there isn’t a definitive definition of inflation and deflation. Some economists argue that rising prices are a measure of inflation while falling prices are a measure of deflation. That’s too simple, though, because there are many variables that influence prices – supply and demand, technology and money supply to name the obvious. It’s impossible to gauge which variable has the greatest impact. Read more
Prices Are All Over the Map…Where Are You?
The way you answer that question will depend largely on whether you are the buyer or the seller. A seller may look at the highest comparable and start spending the cash. While the buyer will zoom in on the lowest comparable, add a couple bucks and consider the seller lucky to get that. Trouble arises when the spread between the two is a substantial one. Multiple factors that can influence the price of a home, some having to do with the home itself and others with the market. Figuring out where the subject house sits in the spectrum can go a long way selling a home or getting the one you want. Read more
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