Lee Ginsburg

Are They Comparing Apples to Apples
August 21, 2009 · Lee Ginsburg · 8 Comments

When you and I purchase a new computer we compare the memory, the speed, the screen size: does it come with a camera, DVD player/recorder and more.  A home the largest purchase most of us will ever make often is not reviewed with such detail by the people doing the lending and sometimes by the people doing the spending.  Yes, they look at the square footage, the general condition, and the location.  Appraisers often do not have any idea of the cost of section one termite repairs.  The differential in repair costs could be 3%, 5% even 10% of the purchase price.  Roofs costs could range between $5000 to $25,000.  A home with a two year old roof should be valued higher than one with a 25 year old roof.  Appraisers know roughly how old the roof is on the subject property but they don’t know the age of the comparables.  Same with double paned windows and furnaces.  A home with copper piping through out or or with upgraded electric needs to have additional value added to it.  All this information does not show up in the MLS.  Read more

Karin Cunningham

How to Rock Real Estate Sales in 2009!
December 30, 2008 · Karin Cunningham · 8 Comments

If you are a full time real estate agent in the Bay Area, you may relate to some of what I am saying. It may not work for all “necks of the wood” but I have some strategies that really work. I know from experience. I had a lousy 2006 and 2007 in real estate sales…the worst ever even! Then 2008 came along and to my surprise, it started AND ended with a BANG!    Read more

Karin Cunningham

Can I really buy a house in the Bay Area for less than $200,000?
September 24, 2008 · Karin Cunningham · 1 Comment

Antioch, Ca. 4 BR, 2 BA, 2 car garage, 8,000 sq ft lot…..$176,000

I’m serious!

 

Karin Cunningham

Bay Area real estate “shake up”!
August 30, 2008 · Karin Cunningham · Comment here

Can you shake it up anymore in the East Bay right now? What I mean is, I have been showing property to different sets of clients in Pittsburg, Antioch and Hayward and all the homes have 10-20 offers on them! What the heck is going on?? I thought this was a buyer’s market!

Well, what we have observed is the real estate market in those areas have reached rock bottom! Read more

Karin Cunningham

10 Reasons you should NOT buy a house in 2008!
August 25, 2008 · Karin Cunningham · Comment here

1.  You don’t feel like taking advantage of GREAT opportunities while prices have stabilized.

2.  You enjoy renting over owning your own home.

3.  You believe in buying HIGH and selling LOW rather than what experts suggest which is buy low and sell high. Duh!

4.  Your  accountant told you that you have enough tax write offs.

5.  You don’t believe you can build equity if you buy at the bottom of the market. Read more