I Don't Need No Stinkin' Realtor A few days ago I was attending a meeting and struck up a conversation with a man who is house hunting to buy a home in Walnut Creek. He does his own research, he knows the school district where he wants his family to live and the individual API scores of those schools, he has driven through every neighborhood in the school district to determine the neighborhoods he likes the most, he's been tracking the average sold prices and days on market and he has signed up for auto-alerts on multiple websites.  He has definitely done his homework and said, "I don't really need a Realtor except to provide access to the homes and write the contract." I stared at him for a moment in shock because this buyer's livelihood depends on the real estate industry so I expecte... 11/12/2011

Disconnect… to terminate a connection.  Ask any home inspector, disconnected heating and cooling ducts in the attics are a common occurrence. Why?  Because standard gray duct tape was used… It says ‘duct tape’ right on the label… It must be the right tape for ducts.  Right? Wrong!  During World War II, before it was called duct tape, the U.S. military bought a cloth-backed, rubber-adhesive tape for making emergency repairs on the battlefield. Sometime after WWII, heating and cooling contractors begin to use the tape to seal the joints in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts. This tape was manufactured in the same way, though to match the metal ducts, it was colored silver rather than the green color of the Army version. Because of this use, it became known informally... 11/11/2011

Just when the seasoned home inspector thinks he’s seen it all… a new photo op presents itself. To connect electrical service to a house...the non-insulated electrical service cable is secured to the house service mast with a wire holder clamped to the mast. In this photo, someone used a rope instead of a wire holder… Not good. The end result (at the time the photo was taken) is that the insulation on the black cable has been damaged by the cables rubbing together in the wind. If the non-insulated cable contacts the metal conductor of the black cable sparks are going to fly... possibly creating a power outage. If the rope breaks first, the other two black cables will probably support the incoming service cables until repairs can be made. I guess whoever installed this electrical service... 11/11/2011

Home inspectors see cracks in concrete surfaces at nearly every home inspection. This backyard concrete patio developed a large crack within a few years of installation. What happened? Cracks of this size are typically caused by a combination of things: -          expansive soil -          poor drainage -          no reinforcing steel -          poor installation Expansive soils contain a lot of adobe/clay and swell when wet… Not good for a concrete patio poured directly on the ground…. A bed of gravel or sand helps ‘float’ the concrete above the expansive soil. If there’s expansive soil and the gutter downspout discharges water onto the patio… the water usually finds its way under the concrete patio… swells the soil and lifts the patio… cracking it. Rebar steel or steel mesh is used i... 11/10/2011

VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION -- LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  If you're interested in honoring Veterans for their devoted and committed service to our country locally, then you must stop by the Lesher Center for the Arts, tomorrow, November 11, at 11am. Enjoy a line up including a welcome address  from Mayor Cindy Silva, a musical performance by The Walnut Creek Concert Band and a demonstration of Civil War Stories.   If you've never experienced a performance at the Lesher Center for the Arts, it's a must see!!  DIRECTIONS TO LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS 11/10/2011

I was reading through may emails this morning deleting the numerous ones that have arrived while I slept and do nothing but clog up Outlook. As I was rapidly clicking delete one caught my eye just in time. It was from GoDaddy.com with the subject line: USMC 236th Birthday Salute...well I am glad I clicked through. Happy Birthday Marines & Thank You For All Have Done And Continue To Do! 11/10/2011

Short sale homes are always a great opportunity for sellers under water as they are asking the lender to forgive a good amount of current debt for the least amount of harm to their credit. Do you own one of the short sale homes in Walnut Creek, CA?  I have seen first hand how overwhelming it can be to face short sale homes.  I understand that it's easy to feel like everything is over your head.  I'm here to tell you that yes, facing short sale homes may be an unfortunate situation but it doesn't have to be a horrible experience.  Not only can a short sale save you from horrible credit, there are people who specialize in short sales specifically to help reduce the stress you hold.  Having someone who has a vast knowledge of short sales will benefit you in retaining some control throughou... 11/08/2011

The following numbers represent the Real Estate Market Review for Walnut Creek, CA  94596, 94597 & 94598 for the month of October 2011. Walnut Creek has 96 homes currently "pending sale" with a high price of $2,750,000 and a low price of $300,000.  There are 122 condo/townhomes "pending sale" with a high price of $700,000 and a low price of $74,000. 11/08/2011

The following numbers represent the Real Estate Market Review of homes sold for the first ten months of 2011 versus the same period in 2010 for Walnut Creek, CA. Keep in mind that real estate markets are local in nature and there will be micro markets in every town. Walnut Creek is holding steady in the year over year comparison with single family home sales showing a similar number while pricing is coming under pressure. Attached home sales have shown a bounce while the lower end sales are dragging down the overall price data which is trend in many of the local cities. Both segments have seen a bit of an increase in average marketing time. 11/02/2011

Mortgage and Market Update for October 28th Economic News: This week’s data was mostly positive and, coupled with the agreement within Europe, we saw worldwide stock markets rocket skyward on Thursday. Let’s just say that there are still some concerns about how the implementation will occur but for now it’s better to sit back and relax after a pretty good week on the economic front. Interest rates held their own against the pressure of rising equity markets. Mortgage Markets: Treasuries and Mortgage Backed Securities bounced bounced back from yesterday’s losses and ended the week basically unchanged. The 10 Year Note closed trading at 2.315% which was up a touch from last week’s closing of 2.219%.Next Week’s Reports: Monday: Chicago PMI Tuesday: ISM Manufacturing Index, Construction Spe... 10/28/2011

  There’s a term used when two electrical wires are connected to a single circuit breaker lug called ‘double-tapping’.    For most home inspectors, double-tapping or double lugging is one of the top observations found in electrical panels.   In the photo, there are 4 pairs of double-tapped electrical wire.   What’s the problem? It’s not allowed. Only 1 wire should be connected to any single circuit breaker lug, Double-tapping can cause one or both wires to have poor contact and/or cause circuit overloading.   What’s the correction? Contact a licensed electrician. The electrician’s options for repair include ‘pig-tailing’ the wires, connecting one of the wires to a spare breaker, installing a new circuit breaker, installing a larger electrical panel.   You can count on the inspectors at ... 10/24/2011

The following numbers represent the current concentration of Short Sales in Pending Sale Status versus Traditional Sales in Pending Sale Status for Walnut Creek, CA as of October 19th 2011. Please keep in mind that this only reflects the market on the specific day quoted.  Walnut Creek Short Sales can take time and may be represented over several months in this data while traditional sales close escrow in the 30-60 day range.  Additional Short Sale Information for Walnut Creek Homeowners 10/19/2011

The following numbers represent the Real Estate Market Review of homes sold for the first nine months of 2011 versus the same period in 2010 for Walnut Creek, CA. Keep in mind that real estate markets are local in nature and there will be micro markets in every town. Walnut Creek is holding steady for the year over year comparison with single family homes showing a slight down-tick in unit sales and median price. Attached home sales have shown a bounce while the lower end sales are dragging down the overall price data. Both segments have seen a bit of an increase in average marketing time. 10/17/2011

The following numbers represent the current Foreclosure Sales inventory data as well as the current "Active" and "Sale Pending" data for Bank Owned (REO) properties in Walnut Creek, CA 94596,94597,94598 for the month of September 2011. There are 16 homes currently active/pending with a high price of $964,900 and a low price of $329,900. 34 attached homes are active/pending with high price of $490,000 and a low price of $75,000. Keep in mind that the Sold Price Data versus the List Price Data does not reflect any price reductions which may have occurred. Please call for more detailed information about the current Foreclosure/REO market in Walnut Creek. PREVIEW CURRENT BANK OWNED HOMES FOR SALE IN WALNUT CREEK 10/10/2011

The following numbers represent the Real Estate Market Review for Walnut Creek, CA  94596, 94597 & 94598 for the month of September 2011. Walnut Creek has 113 homes currently "pending sale" with a high price of $1,750,000 and a low price of $370,000.  There are 107 condo/townhomes "pending sale" with a high price of $625,000 and a low price of $99,000. 10/04/2011

Walk to DowntownPriced to sell$760,000 www.140LancasterRoad.com Walnut Creek country feel, city amenities, walking distance to downtown, hospital and Las Lomas High School… yet serenity all your own in this expanded 2700+ square foot home featuring two bedroom wings, downstairs 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, upstairs two bedrooms and a bath… separation, yet room enough for everyone in the common areas. Dramatic HIGH ceilings in added family room, cook’s delight updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, wood floors. Private fenced yard has outbuildings with electricity for hobbies or office. Double attached garage.       Walnut Creek sought after neighborhood with many upscale homes and tastefully remodeled homes like this one. City amenities yet just a few blocks from the freeway for ea... 09/28/2011

The following numbers represent the current Foreclosure Sales inventory data as well as the current "Active" and "Sale Pending" data for Bank Owned (REO) properties in Walnut Creek, CA 94596,94597,94598 for the month of August 2011. There are 17 homes currently active/pending with a high price of $999,950 and a low price of $349,900. 31 attached homes are active/pending with high price of $490,000 and a low price of $98,900. Keep in mind that the Sold Price Data versus the List Price Data does not reflect any price reductions which may have occurred. Please call for more detailed information about the current Foreclosure/REO market in Walnut Creek. PREVIEW CURRENT BANK OWNED LISTINGS IN WALNUT CREEK 09/28/2011

Daily Housing Market Update for Walnut Creek, CA (09-25-2011) The following report is a breakdown of the DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY Home Sales and Housing Market for Walnut Creek, CA. CURRENT INVENTORY CURRENT ACTIVTY INVENTORY STATS.   Total For Sale 117 Normal Sales 87 (74%) Foreclosures 10 (8%) Short Sales 15 (13%) INVENTORY BREAKDOWN   1-2 Bedrooms 4 3 Bedrooms 45 4 Bedrooms 45 5+ Bedrooms 23 NEW LISTINGS   Listed Today 0 Listed Last 7 Days 4 Listed Last 30 Days 31 SALES MOMEMTUM   Sold Today 0 (0 Pend) Sold Last 7 Days 6 (6 Pend) Sold Last 30 days 54 (51 Pend) Sold Last 60 days 106 (79 Pend) 60 DAY STATISTICS   1-2 Bedrooms 5 3 Bedrooms 51 4 Bedrooms 45 5+ Bedrooms 5 60 DAY SALE TYPE   Regular Sales 66 (62%) REO's 10 (9%) Short Sales 30 (28%) If you are interesting in finding out more ... 09/26/2011

Mortgage and Market Update for September 23rd Economic News:  Another Rock and Roll week is coming to a close. The stresses in Europe combined with the Federal Open Market Committee announcement on Wednesday sent the stock markets into a tailspin. The Fed will be proceeding with what is called “Operation Twist” and the language changed on the economic outlook from “downside risk” to “significant downside risk”. Housing starts were hurt by a large drop in the very volatile multifamily sector while the single family portion of the report saw gains in both the West and Midwest. Existing home sales were very good for August with a month over month gain of 7.7% and a substantial reduction in months inventory. Lastly, Jobless Claims were a touch better than last week.Mortgage Markets: Treasur... 09/23/2011

The following numbers represent the current concentration of Short Sales in Pending Sale Status versus Traditional Sales in Pending Sale Status for Walnut Creek, CA as of September 22nd 2011. Please keep in mind that this only reflects the market on the specific day quoted.  Walnut Creek Short Sales can take time and may be represented over several months in this data while traditional sales close escrow in the 30-60 day range. Please call for more information on Short Sales in Walnut Creek. 09/22/2011