Oops it Happened Again in Tracy, CA - Short Sale Sellers in Northern CA - CALL or EMAIL Someone! Opps it happened again in Tracy CA.  Short Sale Sellers in Northern CA, Call or EMAIL SOMEONE before you home goes to foreclosure! REALLY!  REALLY!  If you are NOT making your payments or you don't think you'll be able to make your payments in the FORESEEABLE FUTURE, CALL or EMAIL SOMEONE. I got a call from a seller that lives in Tracy, CA, only because I spoke to a mutual friend who also lives in Tracy, CA.  Scenario:  "Susan, I have not made a payment for 12 months, and I have a $30,000 2nd.  I just need to let my home go to foreclosure because it's too late for any help."    AUGHHHHHHHHHH!!   Don't DO THAT, in MOST CASES, that may not be your wisest decision. Yes I know the path of least... 05/25/2010

The annual Spring Wine Stroll takes place in Tracy, CA, tonight (May 21, 2010) from 6-9pm in the downtown Tracy area.  Residents who are 21 years and older have the opportunity to sample 37 different types of wine during the event.  Participating wine producers include Tracy's own Windmill Ridge, Lockeford's Greek Stama Winery and other wineries from Livermore.  But, wine isn't the only thing you'll be able to enjoy.  DaVinci's Deli will be providing catered food and live music by the Tracy Swing Band, Jeff Bordes and the Jazz Desperados and Jesse Christian Hendricks strumming his Spanish guitar.  The food is available in two separate areas: Tenth Street and Central Avenue.  Instead of purchasing wine glasses to sample wines, as has been the case in the wine strolls of the past, partic... 05/21/2010

Keller Williams Realty Associates may be taking the day off on Thursday, May 13, 2010, but it will hardly be a day of rest.  Over 25,000 associates across the United States and Canada will spend their day off by giving back as part of the company’s community service initiative: RED Day. Short for “Renew, Energize and Donate,” RED Day was created to unite Keller Williams Realty offices and associates in an international day of service.  During RED Day 2009, over 25,000 Keller Williams associates participated in activities ranging from food and blood drives to cleaning up trash in public parks, doing yard work for neighbors in need or revamping gardens at nursing homes.  Last year on RED Day, the company donated over 130,000 hours. As part of the RED Day effort, Keller Williams Realty of... 05/11/2010

  When you live in Mountain House you will hear residence talk about "Over the HILL!"  This is what you see when drive "over the hill" from Mountain House, CA. Altamont Pass separate the Livermore Valley from the Central Valley.  Mountain House is located on the "down side" -- EAST side of the Altamont Pass.  10 years ago Mountain House looked like the photo above, what is now Mountain House, a community of 2500 homes, was home to thousands of dairy cows.  Mountain House is a master planned community in 8 miles from Livermore to the West and Tracy to the East.  Many residence love Mountain House for the community atmosphere, the proximity to the San Francisco Bay area and the affodability of homes. Take a ride to Mountain House, if you want to really see the country side, get off Highwa... 04/29/2010

Do you wonder what utilities to turn on in Tracy, CA?  Have you purchased a new home in Tracy?  Do you know who to contact to turn on the utilities? Tracy Water Tower by City Hall Recently a first time home buyer looking to purchase a home in Tracy, CA asked me some question about the  utilities in Tracy, CA specifically the utility costs and schools.  (Schools will be the next post.) First.... PG & E handles the Gas & Electricity in Tracy CA.  Most homes are in the process of having ‘smart meters' installed.  Gas is used for some stoves and ovens, water heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces, especially in newer homes where wood burning fireplaces are prohibited. Electricity runs the lights in the house, the refrigerator, air conditioners, tvs, etc.  You can sign up for PG&E by visiting the... 04/28/2010

It's Here, it arrived in Tracy, CA - our Wells Fargo Short Sale Approval.     Complete original packet  was sent in April 2, 2010.  We have an approval.  3 weeks, I think that is a record for Wells Fargo. Kudos to Wells Fargo!  hooo hooo! A quick note - the original email I received from the negotiator THIS MORNING asked for $5000 from my sellers.  The email said, "I'm ready to submit this to the investor, however I'm going to need a $5000 contribution from the sellers." I immediately emailed her back to explain AGAIN the EXTREME hardship my sellers have been facing.  These are not sellers who's hardship is that the housing market shifted, no these are responsible sellers, who have always had 700-800 credit scores, who's world through a myriad of circumstances has completely collapsed.... 04/27/2010

Relay for Life in Tracy, CA is May 1 & 2, 2010 at Tracy High School. CANCER  - HELP BEAT THE MONSTER!  Donate $1.00 No pretty photos - just read!  Relay for Life is the largest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society whereby funds raised go towards research and groundbreaking treatment.  It is imperative that we all work together to obliterate the "MONSTER".   Too many of our friends and family have had to endure the words "YOU HAVE CANCER".  As we have discussed many times, "if you put a face to a cause, the money just comes". Who is your Face to the Cause, we all have at least one? Our goal for 2010 is to have 110 teams, 350 survivors and to raise $312,500.   Currently we have 92 teams - 18 SHORT, and we have over 700 people who have agreed to participate as a "relayer'.  A Relayer... 04/26/2010

A picture is worth a Thousand Words - I'm a day late on Wordless Wednesday.  So Deep Thought Thursday it is --- (Anyone remember Deep Thoughts from SNL)   If you've ever wondered if God had a sense of humor, isn't this rainbow ending at the pot of gold?  Black Gold, Texas Tea?  I just happened to get lucky one day while I was driving around Tracy CA.   It's always fun to see what the rain, the sun and the skies do, and when you've got a camera always poised and ready to shoot.  FUN STUFF 04/22/2010

ALL Tracy Properties Showing Active 353 Active Short Sale ONLY 85 Active Short Sale Contingent ONLY 175 Pending 302 Sold Past 30 Days 108 Sold Last 7 Days 19       Median LIST Price $219,900 Median SOLD Price $225,000 Median Days on Market 21         04/19/2010

HEY!  I GOT to PAY taxes again this year. Yes, I GOT to pay taxes since that means I MUST have made money. The Obama's earned $5.5 million and paid $1.25 million in taxes.  Funny I thought the President only got paid $400,000 a year.  How'd he have time to make an additional $4.5 million dollars? If the Obama's were in the 32% tax bracket they would have paid $1.7 million.... What I learned how much I will need to pay when I make $5.5 million in GCI. April 9th - was TAX FREEDOM DAY.  Do you know what that is?   Tax Freedom day -- all money you made up to this date goes to the government.  After that the money is your's to keep.   Parting thought..... When you put the words "The" and "IRS" together, it spells "THEIRS."  Happy Tax Day until NEXT YEAR! 04/15/2010

Quick look at Stats for Tracy CA Real Estate Total ACTIVE Homes For Sale 350 Active w/ short sales non contingent 181 Active short sale contingent ONLY 169 PENDING 302 SOLD PAST 30 DAYS 104 Median LIST Price $229,000 Median SOLD Price $230,000 If you want a video of this data - click here. PR: wait... I: wait... L: wait... LD: wait... I: wait... wait... Rank: wait... Traffic: wait... Price: wait... C: wait...       04/12/2010

What is a Short Sale? A Short Sale is used to describe the sale of a home in which the homeowner owes the bank more than the home is worth. The bank agrees to allow the home to be sold for less than what is owed (AKA “Short Sale”). Short Sale does not in any way indicate the amount of time it may take to close this transaction. Will I qualify for a Short Sale? We don’t decide if you qualify for not. This is the bank’s decision. It is not our job to decide if you have a hardship that is for the lien holder to decide. That being said, most short sale candidates have no equity in their home and owe more on their home than they can sell if for to pay off their debts. If you owe more on your home that it can sold for. If you don’t have assets and can’t or won’t bring cash to the table to ma... 04/11/2010

There are two types of credits which will be available.  The New Home Credit is for buyers of never occupied new construction.  The First-Time Buyer Credit is for first time homebuyers who have not owned a primary residence in the last three years.  Here are the highlights:   New Home Credit ·         Application for the tax credit must be received ON or AFTER May 1, 2010. ·         This credit can be reserved on or after May 1, 2010 by submitting an executed purchase contract and a reservation form. ·         The purchase contract must be entered into prior to December 31, 2010 and must close by August 1, 2010.     First-Time Buyer Credit ·         Application for the tax credit must be received ON or AFTER May 1, 2010. ·         The application must be submitted AFTER escrow closes. ... 03/31/2010

HSBC short sale approval in 5 weeks!!!! my timing documentation to a happy ending soon to come.... 1/29/10...put short sale on the Tracy Real Estate market up for sale. 2/2/10...received 5 good offers on the house & then the seller chose one to send to bank. 3/2/10...we called the winning buyers agent to say, "get ready for an acceptance".  Then buyers backed out & decided against the home.  All backup buyers had secured another home or were not interested anymore. 3/4/10...received another good offer on the house & sent over to bank. 3/16/10...received a short sale approval 9 days later than it was issued (short sale approval was truly issued on 3/8/10) 3/17/10...Buyer is happy, but we have to close escrow by 4/8/10.  Time to make things happen fast.  Thank you HSBC for a fast short sa... 03/20/2010

First Step:  not making your mortgage payment... Second Step:  Notice of Default is filed... Third Step:  111 days later, Trustee sale at local county courthouse Fourth Step:  Time to move out because someone else owns the home. There are so many variables that as your local realtor, this could be a complete book, which I think is where the confusion comes in.  I tried to boil it down to simple terms, because honestly THE PUBLIC needs to know their options & reading a book & interpreting that book takes too long. Are you in between 1st & 2nd step or 2nd & 3rd step?  Do you live in Tracy, Ripon, Manteca or Mountain House, CA? call me for confidential consultation on all the possible in between OPTIONS with foreclosure & timing.   If you are reading this & you know that foreclosure might ... 03/20/2010

I chose this profession, perhaps it chose me, either way Short Sale make me sad. I'm sad that I can't help every seller that truly has a hardship I'm sad that some sellers lie, and take advantage of the current economy. I'm sad that my buyers wait and wait and then the bank denies the short sale. I'm sad that the banks take for ever to get us an answer. I'm sad that a great offer is denied by the bank. I'm sad that it will cost the bank more to foreclose than do a short sale, yet they choose this route. I'm sad that I can't give definitve answers as to how long the process will take, if their short sale will be approved, etc. I'm sad that the lien holders cut our commission, when short sales are more work that any other kind of sale. I'm sad that I can't help everyone. I'm sad that ther... 03/20/2010

Are you interested in what is coming to the city of Tracy in 2010? Buy a ticket for $15 & come hear it first on March 24th, 9am - 11am Where:  715 Central Ave, Tracy, CA When:  Wednesday, March 24th, 9am - 11am Who:  Brent Ives, Mayor What:  become informed of projects and new developments within City that may affect your business! I am looking forward to what will be said.  I just bought my ticket over the phone at 209-831-6858. Any questions about buying or selling a house in Tracy, call me at 209-321-6122 or email christina@christinaoneal.com     03/11/2010

OPEN HOUSE! 4460 Cove Ct Tracy Ca Sunday March 14th, 12pm to 6pm    For More Information and Pictures CLICK HERE Bedrooms: 5Baths: 3Sqft: 3,712Lot Size: .15Style: 2-story   03/11/2010

Can you believe it.  First Time Buyers get their DREAM HOUSE inTracy, CAHere was this list of criteria:South of Schulte3 Bedrooms2 BathsGranite CountersHardWood FloorsPoolTracy School DistrictUNDER $170,000 and before 1st time Home Buyer Credit Expires!My buyers got EVERYTHING on their wish list.  EVERYTHING!Video of their new home is on YouTube, see it here.When you're ready to find your perfect home, all you have to is CALL!See story on Short Sale Success -- yes this home was a SHORT SALE!  PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  C: wait...         02/27/2010

Bank of America Short Sale - SOLD, in Tracy, CA  Why so unique?  The Seller NEVER MISSED A SINGLE PAYMENT. yes, you heard correctly.  The seller paid every payment, and the short sale was approved. One of the reasons was the sellers proactive approach with the bank.  She was not afraid to call and be her own advocate. It is very important if you are considering a short sale that you find a REALTOR who know's how to CLOSE them.  I've been doing short sales for 6 years now, with a 75% success rate, to read the success story on this property click here.  You get to see the house and the first time home buyers who's every wish came true!    PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  C: wait...     02/27/2010