Environmental Issues When Buying A Home
I recently had to renew my real estate license for another 4 years and, as part of that process, had to take 45 hours of continuing education. I’ve been selling real estate for 16 years and, after all of that time, you start to think you know it all. Clearly, I was wrong, because I learned a lot from taking these courses.
The course that covers environmental issues in homes was of particular interest. I thought that some of the things I learned might be of help to my readers, so my next few articles will cover some of the environmental issues people need to be aware of. Today, I’ll talk a little about asbestos. Read more
Have you been to the South San Francisco’s Farmer’s Market!
Have you been to the South San Francisco Farmers’ Market?
Well you dont know what you are missing! It is now open Saturday’s for the summer season until October 31, 2009 from 10am to 2pm! It’s filled with wonderful fruits and vegetables, fresh cut flowers, and much much more!
The South San Francisco Farmers’ Market is currently located at the Plaza of the South San Francisco BART Station
Did you know that The Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association is the state’s largest operator of Certified Farmers’ Markets, with over sixty Certified Farmers’ Markets weekly in the Bay Area during the peak summer months. Certified Farmers’ Markets are locations that offer only California-grown products sold directly to consumers by the farmers that grew, nurtured and harvested the crops.
Hope to see you there! Visit my Website!
Lower Rates Aren’t In The Bag
Last week’s drop in mortgage rates was a welcome relief, and you would think that more relief should be forthcoming. After all, inflation appears to be a dead issue, given recent data on producer and consumer prices. Inflation and interest rates are highly correlated: When one falls, the other usually falls in tandem.
But there is more to the story than inflation. All interest rates are determined relative to risk-free market interest rates, with short-term Treasury bills serving as a proxy. But most interest rates are not risk-free. Mortgages rates are certainly not risk-free, which is why they are higher than Treasury bill rates. What’s more, mortgage rates are heavily influenced by rates on mortgage-backed securities (MBS). MBS rates, in turn, are heavily influenced by yields on Treasury bills, notes, and bonds.
And there is the rub. Treasury securities prices tumbled last week after Read more
5 Tips To Improve Your Odds in a Multiple Offer Situation
“Multiple offers? I thought we were in a Buyer’s Market?” Well, it certainly IS a great time to buy in that we are seeing interest rates that are still at historical lows coupled with housing prices that are more affordable. But on the other hand, here in the San Francisco & Peninsula area, we are seeing an increasing number of multiple offer situations. For example, on the last home my clients submitted an offer for, there were 26 (yes TWENTY-SIX!) offers, all of which were put in within the home’s first two weeks on the market! Whatever the reasons for this, it’s become clear that if a home is well priced or below market value, there’s a good possibility that prospective home buyers will find themselves in a multiple offer situation. Here are five tips to help make your offer stronger:
Homes Are Moving Quickly!
I recently started working with some first time home buyers. We made an appointment to view four homes in Daly City and South San Francisco. They have not had much experience viewing homes and wanted to get their feet wet to see what was offered in the current market.
As always, I do my best to preview the homes I show, as to gain as much knowledge as possible about the homes we are going to view.
What we were surprised to find out is that, out of the four homes we planned on viewing, 3 of them were marked pending or were going to be marked pending soon. All of the homes were vacant and have been on the market less than a month. Read more
What shall it be; Loan Modification? Short Sale? Foreclosure?
You are among the millions underwater and over stressed. What shall you do.
Your credit will be most negatively affected with a Foreclosure, then a short sale. As long as you stay current on your loan, loan modification should not affect your credit. Your credit score weather it is right or wrong is used by potential employers before hiring, landlords before renting, insurance companies before granting insurance and etc. Depending on your individual situation maybe credit is not important.
My client’s father nearing retirement age could live in his son’s rental unit and will not be looking for another job said he might pass away before his home in Las Vegas is worth as much as as his loan. He opted for foreclosure. Read more
The Whole Picture
Yes, mortgages rates have risen substantially over the past three weeks, and we can’t be sure when, or even if, they will come down. Mortgage rates are important, to be sure, but they are only part of the equation. Income and relative home prices matter too. On that front, average hourly wages continue to show incremental increases, while home prices continue to stabilize, and even rise, in many parts of the country.
Distinctions matter as well. Much has been made of the fact that lower interest rates mean more money in the pockets of borrowers. More money in the pockets of borrowers, in turn, means more money to spend to stimulate the economy. But let’s not forget that it’s a two-way street: The lender on the other end receives less income; thus, he has less income to spend. In other words, refinances with no equity extraction are really a wash in terms of aggregate demand for goods and services. Read more
SSF Proposed Sewer Rate Increase
Here is some information that South San Francisco Home Owners may want to know. I found this posting on the City of South San Francisco’s Website @ www.ssf.net & thought it would be useful to pass along..
Proposed Sewer Rate Increase
The City of South San Francisco provides your sanitary sewer service. For a number of years a fee has been collected for sanitary sewer service on your property tax bill. This fee shows on your tax bill as a line item titled SSF SEWER CHARGE.
Notice of Proposed Sewer Rate Increase and of Public Hearing -
This notices provides detailed information on the proposed rate increases and your rights as a property owner to voice your concerns or protests to the City. Please review the legal notice carefully.
The City has scheduled a public informational meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Magnolia Recreation Center, Multi-Use Room, 601 Grand Avenue, So. San Francisco. City staff and project engineers will be available to answer your questions about the proposed sewer rate increases. As this is an information meeting, the City Council will not be presiding over this meeting, and the City will not take any action on the rate increase at this meeting.
The City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed rate increase on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., at the City Council Chambers, Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco, to take public testimony. Your written protests must be delivered to the City Clerk by the close of this public hearing in order to be considered.
Proposed Sewer Rate Increase Q&A -
This handout provides answers to some frequently asked questions about the rate increase, the City’s sewer program and the City’s rate collection methods.
SSF Sewer Rate Protest Procedures –
These procedures set forth the process for the completion, filing and tabulation of written protests for the proposed Sanitary Sewer Rate Increase for the City of South San Francisco (City).
-
Join us on Facebook
-
Join us on Twitter
-
Recent Posts
- What is a reverse mortgage?
- ‘Tis the Season for Tax Breaks
- 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.
-
Categories
-
Archives
