Brisbane – Missing the Boat…

August 15, 2010 · Kathy Wall · 4 Comments

Many home buyers and Realtors are missing the boat when it comes to a nearby town that offers great weather, lots of amenities and darned good real estate prices. I’m talking about the little community of Brisbane. It is located 10 minutes (or less, if you drive like me!) from the airport and is only 10 minutes to downtown San Francisco. Yet, hardly anyone even knows of it’s existence.

Brisbane is a hidden gem here on the Peninsula. It is located on the side of San Bruno Mountain between San Francisco and South San Francisco. There are only 3,597 residents, which makes it one of the smallest communities in the area. It is very unlike your typical suburb in that it has a hodgepodge of all types of architecture, from shacks to mansions, with very few ranch style homes. Many of the homes have great views of the Bay and downtown San Francisco.

The people of the community are almost as diverse as the architecture. Living in the town are world renowned film makers, rocket scientists, artists and musicians…all living happily amongst all of us regular folks. Brisbane is known as the “City of the Stars” because for over 65 years the residents have put up stars on their homes during the holiday season and even have a “Festival of Stars” each year. Read more

12 Hidden Costs of Homeownership

July 29, 2010 · Rommel Yema · 3 Comments

Hi everybody! I know, it’s been awhile..but here’s an awesome article I found earlier this year that would benefit first-time home buyers especially!

-via Luke Mullins, USNews.com (April 8, 2010)

As the selling season gets underway, many Americans will be looking to take advantage of the lower real estate prices, attractive mortgage rates, and federal tax credit by purchasing a home. But remember: Not all of the costs associated with homeownership are reflected in the listed price. Indeed, many buyers — particularly first-time buyers — may be surprised by the amount of cash they’ll need to set aside for housing-related expenses that they hadn’t previously considered. These often-overlooked expenses can include everything from title insurance to lawn mowing. To give would-be home buyers a better sense of the budget they’ll need to buy and maintain a home, U.S. News spoke with a handful of real estate experts and compiled a list of 12 hidden costs of homeownership:

1. Home inspection. Since a home purchase is likely to be the largest financial investment of your life, it’s a good idea to have it professionally inspected beforehand. A home inspector can point out areas of the property that may need repairs. Buyers can use this information as leverage during home-price negotiations or simply to determine whether or not the property is worth purchasing. “It’s not required, but certainly I recommend it to buyers,” says Judy Moore of Re/Max Landmark Realtors in Lexington, Mass. “It is actually very helpful in that [buyers] learn about the property and how to maintain it and it also alerts them to any potential issues that may be coming up in the near future or need to be taken care of.” The cost of a home inspection, which can run several hundred dollars or more, is typically incurred by the buyers before they go to closing, Moore says. Read more

What Now?

May 3, 2010 · Dean Rizzi · 1 Comment

It’s an important question, since it appears the homebuyers tax credits won’t be extended. But it’s a question not to be feared. We think it’s time the housing market stood on its own feet anyway. After all, we can’t gauge the health of a market if it’s still supported with taxpayer stanchions.

But that’s okay; we think the housing and mortgage markets are sufficiently healthy to stand alone. Pessimism is the intellectual position, but the fact is the economy is getting better: Despite worries that American consumers might hunker down for years — spooked by debt, lost savings, and unemployment — austerity has given way to shadows of a new shopping spree: households are replacing cars, upgrading home furnishings, and amassing gadgets. What’s more, wealth – at least wealth measured by equity holdings – is booming.

On the mortgage side, private investors are returning. A California firm recently completed the first private-sector sale of a security backed by mortgages in nearly two years, potentially reopening a market slammed shut by the housing crisis. The $238-million deal was of the highest quality, to be sure, with borrowers making an average down payment of 45 percent and mortgage payments comprising less than 30 percent of income. But as the economy continues to improve and investors become less risk adverse, less restrictive mortgages will be securitized.

Bottom line: we see a growing economy, improving employment, stable home prices, and less restrictive (though higher rate) mortgages in our future. In other words, we see a market for buying and refinancing today.

www.deanrizzi.com

Another Tax Credit for First Time Buyers in California?

March 24, 2010 · Jean Joh · 6 Comments

Yes, the Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit will end on April 30, 2010, but there may be some good news on the horizon for first time buyers in California. Bill AB-183 has been passed by both houses of the California legislature by near unanimous votes, and is expected to be signed by Governor Schwarzenegger very soon. This allows for up to $10,000 in tax credits for first time buyers, and the big difference between this and the previous California tax credit is that you can actually use it for the purchase of an existing home (not only for new homes). According to this bill, $100 million will be set aside for sales of existing homes, while another $100 million will be for sales of new homes. It will take effect from May 1st to the end of this year, but as there is a limited amount of funds, it probably wouldn’t be good to wait until November or December. More details will be forthcoming once the bill is signed and confirmed, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to help those who are stressing out over buying a home before the April 30th deadline. Unfortunately, this is only for first-time buyers, so those who are thinking to “move up” (sell their existing home and purchase a bigger and better one) still need to get moving (no pun intended).

Here’s the link to one article about Bill AB-183: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/24/2629239/schwarzenegger-expected-to-sign.html

Jean Joh: Visit my website at www.jeanjoh.com or follow me on twitter as jeanjoh.

Is Housing Still the Leader?

March 1, 2010 · Dean Rizzi · 1 Comment

That appears to be the case, at least according to data released from the Census Bureau. Going back to 1968, the trend in housing starts has portended the trend in the overall economy. Should we be optimistic or pessimistic? That’s difficult to say. Monthly figures on starts are volatile, and housing starts fluctuate more than many indicators. It takes several months for total housing starts to establish a trend. The good news is that going back to October, the trend in starts has been mostly stable and up. The bad news is that January’s free-fall in new-home sales could pressure the trend to change direction. Or maybe not. The problem in vetting the data is that no two periods are exactly alike and history never repeats itself perfectly. For example, Census Bureau data show that housing completions generally lag housing starts, as would be expected, except in the latter half of 2009, where starts have fallen off a cliff compared to completions, creating a wide, unprecedented divergence. So what does it all mean? Economists who believe that housing is the leading economic indicator aren’t very bullish on the economic outlook. We tend to be a little more bullish, because it can be misleading to read too much into historical correlations of two variables – in this case, housing and the economy. What’s more, the more correlations are vetted and become known, the more their predictive value tends to break down.

DeanRizzi
http://www.drlending.com/

San Mateo County Real Estate Wrap up 2009

January 20, 2010 · Nicole Machado · 2 Comments

Below is a chart that compares the San Mateo County Real Estate Market in 2009 to the San Mateo County Real Estate Market in 2008. As you will see the results are comofrting and shed some positive light on what is to come in 2010. Although interest rates are scheduled to rise as early as this Spring and foreclosures loom in the back ground, as long as inventory stays slow and steady the market should remain on a positive steady but upward incline. Now is a great time to take advantage of the low interest rates and tax credits that are currently provided. Please click on the thumbnail below for a full picture.

Nicole Machado- Prudential California Real Estate

5 Advantages for Move-Up Buyers In This Market

November 13, 2009 · Adam Chinn · 3 Comments

moving up Five reasons current home owners should consider upgrading to a new home.

1. Interest rates are at historic lows: Lower interest rates means you can now buy more home then you could have a year or two ago.

2. Prices have come down: Even if your current home may be worth less than the last peak in the market, the next home you are looking for will probably be as well. The percentage decrease will actually help you get more house when buying up to a larger home.

3. There are still a good amount of homes on the market right now, both new construction and existing, giving you lots of choices and negotiating power.

4. You can move in to your new home faster, as many builders either have completed homes in inventory or they can start working right away due to the production slowdown.

5. You may have outgrown your home, but its probably someone else’s ideal starter home. With the $8,000 tax credit just recently being extended and the new $6,500 tax credit for move up buyers, now is the time to market your home to first-time home buyers.

For more information about the tax credit please visit http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

This Real Estate Blog is by Adam Chinn

The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit is Extended!

November 11, 2009 · Kathy Wall · 2 Comments

The $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit that was scheduled to be canceled as of November 30th has been extended, which is absolutely wonderful news for all of those potential home buyers who weren’t able to find their new homes before the deadline. The new credit will be in effect until April 30, 2010. Please note that home buyers will need to be in contract by that date, but will have up until July 1, 2010 to close the escrow (that’s when you actually own the home). And, the new credit is even better than the previous one for the following reasons:

…The income limits have been raised so that now more people will qualify for the credit. Previously, if you were a single person, you could only earn up to $75,000 and, as a married couple you could only earn $150,000. Now, single people will still qualify if they make up to $125,000 and married couples will be able to receive it if they make up to $225,000. And, those earning over these amounts may still qualify a credit, but for a lesser amount. Read more