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Tracy, CA Real Estate News

By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Is a Property COMING SOON when it's been on the Market 210 days? I guess it is in Tracy, CA when the agent is an...... Inept agent? Reo Agent? Out of the Area Agent? Agent's office is 45 miles away... Photo on the MLS is to the right.  Our MLS will take a photo for you for $20 if it's too far to drive..... When do you think the agent last visited this listing? I would have taken a photo, but I didn't want to completely embarrass  this agent.  However, I'm pretty sure that after a Bank Owned Property has been on the market for 210 DAYS it's no longer "Coming Soon". There has been ONE price reduction.... when the agent was "reassigned this property". The bank is Beneficial of California. Here's the real kicker on this property, I wrote an offer 2 months ago.  I made an offer of $195,000 ...
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By Christina ONeal, Realtor - Ripon California
(At Home Real Estate Group)
I remember when... every Friday night, my crazy family would go to dinner here for a few years just to be silly, have our usual waitress & catch up on the week with all ten of us. We tortured that poor waitress with loud stories, making a mess, being picky eaters and late arrivals.  We always gave her a good tip & were so proud when our waitress got promoted to manager.  Selfeshly we missed her.  It wasn't the same without her, she was like family to us.  She even took care of us by telling the sucker new waitress who we were & how to take care of us, what we liked and our favorite private corner.  Little did we realize that promotion was the catalyst that put us not having our weekly dinner there anymore. It's almost gone now. Tracy Orchard Restaurant is closed officially. Black Bear ...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Wordless Wednesday - - - 
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
CHASE is in the foreclosure business, not the modification business.”   I read the article   "INSIDE CHASE and the Perfect Foreclosure" I can't vouch for the accuracy of this article, and it wasn't written by CNN, NewYork Times, Wall Street Journal or the Los Angeles times, however in the article is even 50% accurate it gives great insight on why our short sales and loan modifications are NOT being approved, despite Billions of our Tax Dollars being pumped into big banks to help homeowners. This is an interview with a PREVIOUS CHASE employee who was young, thought he was getting a nice coushy job at a bank. What he discovers is that his bonuses are based on pushing homes through to foreclosure as fast as possible.  Short Sales and Loan Modifications only delayed the process. He states ...
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By Jim Patton, Realtor - Stanislaus ,Merced, San Joaquin Counties
( Aspire Home Real Estate 209-404-0816)
I closed another Central CA short sale today.  This one was in Tracy and was with Wachovia Bank.  This sale took a long and winding road to recording.  We had 3 different buyers in contract before we got there.  The bottom line is that everyone is happy.  The buyer got a brand new roof on a great home and the seller is ecstatic and he also got $3000 in his pocket thanks to Wachovia Bank. This is not the first time that one of my sellers received a check from Wachovia bank upon closing. In fact most of my Wachovia Bank short sale sellers receive a check.  Some as much as $5000. Another great thing about Wachovia bank short sales is that they do NOT require a short sale package.  No bank statements, no tax returns, no pay stubs.  They also usually have an answer to us in 7 -10 days!  If y...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Need I say more?  What is your Dream?
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Short Sale Frustration in California This week has been wrought with short sale frustrations on a national level.  It is even more frustrating in California.  Short Sale Sellers in Tracy and Mountain House listen up. In the past few weeks we've seen the following: Wells Fargo and Wachovia stop granting extensions on short sales  under most circumstances.  Why does this cause frustration?  Frequently a short sale seller has been waiting weeks if not months for the bank to respond to their short sale request.  Finally an approval is given, however, the time line to close the short sale is too short.  The home forecloses because an extension was NOT given.  Yes even IF the home is in escrow. Next we saw the Governor of California NOT SIGN SB 1178 that would make there be no   recourse on ...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Do you work from ANYWHERE?  Do you have TIPS?  Mashable gave some tips for working from home.  1)  Use a room where the door closes.  2) Have a special box of toys for your kids to play with when you are on the phone.  Is your office at home?  What tip do you have? What about if you like to work from your neighborhood Starbucks?  Do you leave your power cord at home so you have limited time?  Do you bribe yourself with a danish after you have worked 45 minutes?  Do you work for from a coffee shop on a regular basis?  What tip do you have? How about your car?  I like this one.  I tend to park, fire up wireless and sit in the peace and quiet.  No one talking to me, no radio, just me sitting in the car.  Of course I can't do this when it's too hot, too cold, too sunny or raining. Read Mas...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
BofA Analysts Recommend Spending BILLIONS .... for RENTALS!   I've been working on Short Sales for 6 years.  I've seen more sellers in Tracy and Mountain House lose their homes due to the economic decline than I care to remember.  I've wondered many times if the TARP money that was so freely given to ailing banks couldn't have been better used by giving it directly to the American Homeowner. Remember them... the people who bought into and believed in the American Dream of Homeownership?  However, the goverment thought it would be better spent in the hands of THE BANKS. NOW THIS.... Read this article - I'd love to know what you think.... excerpt.....  Bank of AMERICA analysts recommend spendng another "$400 billion to encourage property management companies to buy properties and rent the...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Tracy CA Short Sale Mr./Mrs. Seller - Help ME - Help YOU! Sell your home via a Short Sale. I was talking to a short sale seller today and it dawned on me.  I need this Tracy CA short sale sellers to HELP ME, so that I can HELP YOU.  Often I wonder if I want to HELP YOU (the Tracy short sale seller) more than you (the Tracy Short Sale Seller) want to HELP YOU. A short sale is an oxymoron when it pertains to the amount of time it will take to accomplish a successful short sale.  Short sales take more time to complete than any other type of transaction.  I need you the short sale seller to stay committed to the process.  I need you to HELP ME so I can HELP YOU. How can you, the seller of a short sale home in Tracy, CA help me?  I need updated checking account statements monthly, I need upd...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Tracy CA  -- Tracy is the Bean Capital - Come help us celebrate.   It's that time again in Tracy CA.  This weekend, September 11 & 12th is the Tracy Bean Festival.  To Start the Day is the Annual Bean Run....   Located in Downtown Tracy on on Central and 10th Street, it is easily reached from Highway 205.  If you are coming from the Bay Area exit on the 11th Street exit and follow the signs East.... you can't miss the event.  If you are coming from the the West, take the 11th Street Exit off of Highway 5 and follow it into town -- You won't be able to miss all the excitement in downtown Tracy this weekend There are some special events, like BEAN TOWN... Inside Bean Town, families will enjoy the Bean Pavilion,  where you can taste 7 different bean recipes for just $5.00.  Bean tasting re...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
I've posted the entire article put out by HUD.  Short REFI program - really.  Is this really going to work?  I see some issues.... WHO is this REALLY inteded for?  Is it for home owners who haven't been successful in thier loan mods? Is it for "strategic defaulters?"  No, not if you have to prove you "might have a reasonable chance of going into default". Is to more of the same?  Smoke and Mirrors? Will it help your community?  I know a lot of people in Tracy and Mountain House, CA who would be helped substantially by this --- if it will work. HUDNo.10-173/U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  Posted from the HUD website: FHA LAUNCHES SHORT REFI OPPORTUNITY FOR UNDERWATER HOMEOWNERS Effort designed to encourage principal write-downs for responsible borrowers WASHINGTON...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Having 5 kids and a husband who is a teacher has made it easy to get involved in school issues in Tracy, CA.  9 years ago myself and several other parents went up the ranks of the school administration all the way to the school board to get class sets of books for our High School Students.    Our complaint was that frequently backpacks weigh far more than the Academy of Pediatrics says is healthy for young backs.  The Academy of Pediatrics recommends that backpacks never weigh more than 10- 20% of your students body weight.  100# girl - backpack should not weigh more than 10 - 20#.  Get your scale out, let's see how much that backpack weighs. What we got at West High - which was fairly new at the time, was Class Sets of books.  A Class set is a set of books that stays in the class room ...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
How FAR would you go?  Really I mean - HOW FAR _ as in distance..... Today I was reading a blog.. the agent who posted it stated " I can help you buy or sell in San Joaquin, Alameda, Stanislaus, Merced, Sacramento and Contra Costa Counties.  Cities include.... Tracy, Oakland, Sacramento, Mountain House, Brentwood, Merced and Modesto" Here's my issue - this is about 200 square miles from point A to point B.  This was written by a SINGLE agent, not a team, not an office, etc. So this begs my question am I lazy that I won't extend myself to that distance to help buyers or sellers?  Is this agent looking for phone calls that he can refer out to other agents, perhaps, however that is NOT how the blog read. I know how far I can go and keep my sanity.  Have I on exception gone beyond those dis...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Evil or Good?  How do Short Sale Sellers REALLY view their REALTOR.  Tracy and Mountain House Short Sales are what my business is 80% made of. Today as I was talking to a friend, it occurred to me that there is a significant difference between my short sale SELLERS,my first time Home Buyers, my Buyers, Investors and my Equity Sellers. Here is the major difference all except the Short Sale Seller is experiencing an exciting new start in thier world.  Short Sale Sellers are facing depression, feeling of failure, fear, anger, and many other negative emotions.  Short Sale Sellers in Tracy CA may feel relieve when the process is over, yet, or most they are still concerned about what will happen next. This got me to thinking, will the sellers who were so relieved when their short sale was app...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
I am not an Ambulance Chaser.  Yet, what should I do, when I know your home is in default.  You haven't asked ANYONE for help.  One reason may be your are embarrassed, and I talked about that here.  However, don't I have a duty to stop and see if I can help you? Let's pretend that you are in a car accident.  I'm not a doctor, I'm not a paramedic, I'm must me, a friend driving by and I see that you have hit the wall.  I know that if I stop I can probably do something, I can make sure you are all right, I can call for help, I can help you know who to talk to, I can maybe stop the bleeding... there is a lot I can do.  If I DON'T stop and ask if I can help you what kind of friend am I? Yet, as a local Tracy & Mountain House REALTOR who looks at the Notice of Default filings in Tracy and Mou...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Should I sell my house or wait?  You can read reason 1 here...  Now on to REASON 2 If you are facing foreclosure.  The bank has filed a Notice of Default, it is a very good time to sell.  A short sale may protect you in a lot of ways. You have some control on the loss.  A 1099 will be issued, the amount of the 1099 can be significantly more if your property is sold at Auction than if you sell it via a short sale. Inventory is very low, so securing an acceptable offer could happen very quickly. Did you know that by proceeding with a short sale, you may give yourself several more months to live in the property?  Most lenders are postponing foreclosure proceedings when there is a short sale in process.  Check with your REALTOR. Don't let a foreclosure be a regret you have in 1, 2, 3, 4 yea...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
Should I sell my home in Tracy, CA? There are several appropriate answers to this question....I'm only going to give one answer here.... more to come. First - WHY? Why are you wanting to sell? Simple question however your answer can make a difference on the answer. IF you are selling because you have equity and the $800,000 house that you wanted to buy in 2002 is now on the market for $400,000 - yes 50% off.  It might be time to sell.  Yes I know you bought your house 10 years ago, and at one time it was appraised at $500,000... however you didn't refinance or take money out... so now your house will sell for $250,000... a 50% difference -- HOWEVER do the simple math --- the difference is you save $150,000 by buying now, as opposed to buying in 2002.   If you had paid $800,000 -- now ca...
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By Susan Goulding, Northern CA - Tracy & Mountain House Real Estate
(Crown Key Realty, Inc; Tracy & Mountain House Sales and Property Management)
"I have to short sale my house. I am so embarrassed.  I don't want my neighbors to know. I don't want a sign.  Can you keep it out of the MLS?  Do you have to TELL people it's a short sale? I just don't know what to do anymore, Please help me.' WOW _ the above SPILLED out of the mouth of the caller when I answered my phone today.  Not even a breath to ask who was calling, how they reached me, just an over whelmed seller who FINALLY decided to ask for help. As reported by the National Association of Realtors 40 - 60% of homeowners are upside down.  My guess is in parts of California, specifically Northern California,  and more directly Tracy and Mountain House, CA these numbers are probably higher.  In additon to the numbers of people who are upside down the latest studies show that 70-8...
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