Calling All CRAB FEEDS!
Yes, crab season is underway, and I’m starting to hear news of CRAB FEEDS all around the San Francisco Peninsula. What a chance to stuff yourselves with crab while supporting great causes. Here’s a little a plug for one in my hometown of Millbrae:
Hosted by Mills High Grad Night, Mills Sports Boosters, & Millbrae Lions Club
Saturday, February 6th from 6:30-9:30pm at the Millbrae Recreation Center
For more information, visit: http://millsgradnight.com/media/Crab_Feast_Flyer.pdf
Know of any others? Add them to this blog via the Comments section, and if there are enough, I’ll come up with a calendar for those who want to have a CRAB FEED MARATHON over the next couple of months. Bon appétit!
www.JeanJoh.com
Jean Joh- Prudential California Realty- Residential real estate
Happy New Year?
As we approach the end of 2009, things seem to be looking more promising in terms of the real estate industry. The California Association of Realtors just released a report with the following “Quick Facts”:
* Existing, single-family home sales increased 4.7 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted rate of 536,720 units on an annualized basis.
* The statewide median price of an existing single-family home increased 2.4 percent in November to $304,520 compared with October 2009.
* C.A.R.’s Unsold Inventory Index fell to 4.5 months in November, compared with 7.1 months in November 2008.
According to the C.A.R.’s President Steve Goddard: “First-time buyers continued to drive the market in November, as many opened escrow to take advantage of the federal tax credit prior to its original Nov. 30 expiration. The extension and expansion of the tax credit until April 30, 2010, along with low interest rates, should continue to positively impact the market in coming months. Read more
Say NO to Extension of the Federal Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers!!! (???)
The deadline for the federal tax credit of up to $8000 for first-time home buyers is fast approaching. In order to take advantage of this credit, escrow must be closed by November 30, 2009. If one were to count backwards from this, allowing for a 45 day close of escrow (not uncommon these days), this means that buyers will need to be in contract, at the very latest, by mid-October which means NOW. Read more
Music on (Millbrae’s) Broadway!
In the mood for some good music & family fun? Join the City of Millbrae for our Summer Concert Series – Music on Broadway! These concerts are scheduled for every Wednesday evening from 6-8pm throughout the month of July. Come and see another reason why Millbrae is a great place to live. For more information regarding activities in Millbrae, visit the Millbrae Parks & Recreation website: www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/recreation
July 8th
The Hot Rods Band
300 Block of Broadway
July 15th
Orquesta Borinquen
Parking lot on the corner of Hillcrest & Magnolia
July 22nd
The Refugees – Tom Petty Tribute Band
400 Block of Broadway
July 29th
Zoo Station – U2 Tribute Band
700 Block of Broadway
Enjoy your summer!
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:
Good News or Bad News?
The other day, I was manning our Prudential kiosk at the Tanforan mall, and a gentleman came up to me and asked how the real estate market is doing. I enthusiastically told him that our office has become quite busy lately and that we’re seeing a lot of activity, especially among first-time home buyers. His response surprised me.
He looked somewhat downcast and said, “Oh, that’s not good…” When I probed a little further, I found that his main reasoning was that he was Read more
Mortgage Protection Program for First-Time Homebuyers!!
Great news for California home buyers! As if the $8000 tax credit, historically low interest rates, and affordable home prices were not enough, the California Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Fund (C.A.R.H.A.F.) is making the pot even sweeter by offering a mortgage protection program for first-time home buyers. Wow!
Back in January, I posted a blog on my personal blogsite (http://budurl.com/5vpd) about the Hyundai Assurance Program (if you lose your job or have another hardship within 12 months, you can give your new car back) and commented that it would be an interesting idea if we could have the same sort of thing for buying homes. The basic idea – buy a new home, and if you lose your job, you can give the home back without penalty. Well, it seems that someone out there was reading my blog…okay, maybe not, but this new program is not too far from the same line of thinking. So what does it entail exactly?
FHA Loans for Distressed Properties?
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that FHA loans are making a huge comeback in the mortage arena. After all, it’s one of the only ways to obtain a loan with a low down payment (only 3.5% which can even be a gift) as well as a less-than-perfect FICO score (currently around 620). One of the main drawbacks, however, has been that the requirements for FHA loans have been a little more stringent regarding the condition of the property. This becomes an even bigger problem when you take into account that many of the more affordable homes now are REOs (bank-owned) or short sales, where the property has not been maintained very well. Well, I just wanted to share with you that THERE’S HOPE! It is possible to get an FHA loan for properties that are in need of some maintenance. How? Read more
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