We have heard from many agents Buyers are waiting until after the first of the year to make their purchase.They are trying to time their purchase when the market is at the bottom. This could backfire greatly.When the market bottoms out , Buyers will lose some clout. You will not have Sellers willing to pay closing costs and accept low offers. Interest rates may or may not be where they are today, most likely they will stay low for a bit but if you present your offer to have the seller pay your closings costs and buy down a point you will save greatly. In fact, you would save more on your mortgage vs waiting for the house to drop down another $20,000 or so.With the inventory so great, Buyers can pretty much pick and choose their location , home and price. Unlike a few years back.If you a... 11/06/2007

Rest assured, we'll revisit it again and again.  It's far from over.  Here was the original post from way back in May Saturday in my local paper, (the Contra Costa Times), real estate writer Barbara Hernandez wrote a simple little recap of the foreclosure activity here in the East Bay.  Do the Neighbors know? We have a problem and I'm not talking about Foreclosures.  We have a disconnect.  While the article was well written, and I certainly read every word, I am also very different from the general public.  In talking to a neighbor on Sunday, he had seen the article but to him it was just a bunch of numbers so he skimmed over it.  He's a chemical engineer by trade.  The general public is the embodiment of "Short Attention Span Theater".  They live by Sound Bites and Headlines.  My neigh... 10/29/2007

What I like about Walnut Creek Walnut Creek has an exceptional balance of cosmopolitan residential and suburban living. Open space areas, an active business and commercial community, parks, entertainment and recreation. No age group dominates. It is a comfortable city with apartment complexes, condominiums, Townhouses, single-family dwellings, and multi-acre ranch estates. Offices of large national corporations exist beside professional and retail businesses in downtown Walnut Creek. Walnut Creek is a beautiful oasis located in the presence of Mt. Diablo. Its location is conveniently between HWY 680, 24, Ygnacio Valley Road, and BART. Downtown Walnut Creek touts approximately 87 restaurants and large national retails like Nordstrom, Macy's, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Talbot's a... 10/25/2007

Lo que me gusta de Walnut Creek  Walnut Creek cuenta con un excepcional equilibrio residencial y cosmopolita de vida suburbanos. Abrir el espacio de las zonas, una activa comunidad de negocios y comerciales, parques, lugares de ocio y esparcimiento. Ningún grupo de edad domina. Es una ciudad cómoda con complejos de apartamentos, condominios, casas, en una sola familia viviendas, y varios acres rancho fincas. Oficinas de las grandes empresas nacionales existen junto a profesionales y empresas de venta al detalle en el centro de Walnut Creek. Walnut Creek es un precioso oasis de ubicado en la presencia de Mt. Diablo. Su ubicación está entre HWY 680, 24, Ygnacio Valley Road, y BART. Downtown Walnut Creek vende aproximadamente 87 restaurantes y grandes minoristas nacionales como Nordstrom, ... 10/25/2007

You don't know it yet but this is a discussion about property values, fear, and the advice I didn't take from my Lakewood-area REALTOR® all those years ago.  Today is "Walk To School Wednesday" in our neighborhood-- the day when the 'Mommies' of Indian Valley Elementary School either leave the SUVs in the driveway for a day and walk their kids, en masse, up the block to the schoolyard or they carpool the gas guzzlers to a common meeting point at the neighborhood pool and walk the remaining 500 yards.  It's the one day throughout the school year when the near solo ride to school with junior and his "backpack" in the Suburban will get you at least minimal glares from your otherwise fellow global warmers who, for today anyway, have foregone the bumper-to-bumper grind up my street to the dr... 10/03/2007

I have posted the monthly MLS Statistics for Walnut Creek, California real estate (detached properties). Click on the following link to view the Statistical Report from the Contra Costa Association of Realtors.Easy to read charts and graphs to provide you with accurate up-to-the-minute information for the local Contra Costa County real estate market. 09/28/2007

Are you looking for something to do this weekend. Come to downtown Walnut Creek for the Pacific Fine Arts Festival. It is the 59th Semi-Annual Pacific Fine Arts Festival. There will be about 200 arts and crafts vendors along the streets of down town Walnut Creek. The Pacific Fine Arts Festival has been recognized by Sunshine Artist magazine as one of the top 200 US art shows in the country, this festival includes original paintings, sculptures, jewelry, greeting cards and specialty gift items. If you are an artist interested in showcasing at this event, please contact Pacific Fine Arts at: P.O. Box 280, Pine Grove, CA 95665, Tel: 209.296.1195, Fax: 209.296.4395 Downtown Walnut Creek Main Street, Locust Street, Cypress Walnut Creek, CA Event Time 10:00am to 6:00pm 09-29-2007 - 09-30-200... 09/28/2007

I have posted the monthly MLS Statistics for Walnut Creek, California real estate (attached properties). Click on the following link to view the Statistical Report from the Contra Costa Association of Realtors.Easy to read charts and graphs to provide you with accurate up-to-the-minute information for the local Contra Costa County real estate market. 09/27/2007

This is a National Lenders Division servicing the local Sacramento County area & 49 US states.  If you have clients all over the United States, we are a perfect match for you!  However, if you just do business in the state of CA, remember that we can service all of your Title and Escrow needs in every CA county!Most of our clients choose to use us for all their Attorney State deals; states that their other sources can not service.  We can be an extension of your service to your clients in those States too!Just simply e-mail me your order sheet (or I can provide you with one), and I'll respond with our order number verifying your transaction has been opened.  Fee quotes will be sent to you as quickly as possible for each transaction. We also offer on-line ordering if you are interested i... 09/26/2007

Remember that pets go through many emotional issues and fears with change. Be especially doting to them in the time of your move. Depending on the personality of your pets will determine the stress level they exhibit. Pets pick up on their owners stress and carry that as well.If moving across country, make sure you have your Vet records with you in case of an emergency and have ample pet food and supplies. Crates for travel will protect your pet better than allowing to run loose in the car.There are also seat belts available now for your pets that will protect them in the event of a crash or fender bender. Your pet can become a missile as soon as the brakes are slammed on and can suffer great injury or death.Cats , at least my cats, never like to travel in the car no matter how much I t... 09/15/2007

You have to ask yourself a few questions:1- Can you afford the mortgage payments?2-Can you place money aside for future improvements or repairs?3-Are you planning on living in the home for at least 5 Yrs?4-Have you checked with your CPA or tax person to see exactly how much you would save in taxes?5-Are you purchasing in an area that historically has good resale?6-Do you have pets?7-Have kids? Is the home located in good school district?8-Commute? Where do you work? How long will you be on the road to get to work?I believe there is some excellent deals on homes today in the Bay Area. It is all relevant to how you answered the above questions. Many sellers are paying for closing costs and providing section one clearance as well as taking care of repairs needed found on inspection reports... 09/14/2007

Recently I was made aware of a past client who decided to purchase new construction in St. Elsewhere. Without going into the boring details it came down to the fact he was $40,000 short. He was told to get a family member or friend to open up an account with $40,000 and add his name to it. Keep the money there for about 3 months and then take his name off or close the account.This, today, with all of the foreclosures, short sales going on is happening as we speak. You would think, that common sense would tell one, you are over your head, you cannot afford it.....but No, his agent told him that they have attorneys in their office and this is perfectly legal.I wonder if that agent and his attorneys would sign a deposition stating they were totally aware of this and counseled him to procee... 09/12/2007

With identity theft as it is, have you wondered about how easy it is to google an address or go to zillow and find out about your neighbor? Do you know you can spend a few bucks and find out just about everything you want to know about someone.....Have you wondered about all of those glorious tours we put up on the websites that gives a complete outline of a home and its contents?........With the high tech crime happenings and in our area at open houses the increase of theft of laptops, personal data and prescription meds etc one needs to ponder for a moment and step back and see what we have done. As one who was a victim of credit card fraud back in january by purchasing an item at Marshall's whose computer system was compromised somehow along with a few other merchants and my info was... 09/12/2007

Owning a home helps you establish financial credibility. Owning your own home provides you with independence and more privacy than renting. You are free to paint walls, plant flowers, keep pets and anything else within legal bounds. As you make more payments and own more of your home, you add to its investment value. Most improvements you make will also add to its value. A home reflects its owner's values and lifestyle. Owning a home can provide you with a source of pride, enjoyment and satisfaction. A home can provide security against inflation because the value of your home increases as prices go up. Being established in a community provides a sense of belonging, stability and security. Finally most people find that the interest on your mortgage loan is deductible on your yearly perso... 09/08/2007

If you're like me , you have the occasion to work with relocating buyers and sellers.  Sometimes they come with a large, corporate relocation services company and benefits thru their companies.  Anytime I get a call from a buyer or seller saying they're "relocating" or moving for their job, I ask if there will be a relocation package involved.  Often, there is.  I do work a lot of relocation, and even in this "down" market, there are always people buying and selling due to a relocation of their jobs.A recent survey by JD Powermeasured customer satisfication of the large relocation firms:GMAC Global Relocation ServicesPrudential Real EstateAltair Global RelocationIndustry AverageSIRVA RelocationPrimacy RelocationWeichert RelocationCartusJD Power further notes that "Coordination of Reloca... 08/31/2007

My manager just recently compiled some data, presumably from our Contra Costa board's statistics for this year to date.  Very interesting "buy side" stats.Year to date ending July  07Of the 5090 realtors in Contra Costa, these are the buy-side statistics:59 have had 5 or more transactions (1.2% of all realtors)74 have had 4 transactions (1.5%)179 have had 3 transactions (3.5%)489 have had 2 transactions (9.6%)1800 have had 1 transaction (35.40%)2489 have had 0 transactions (48.90%)84.30% (4,277+/-) of all realtors in Contra Costa have had 0 or 1 transaction year-to-date (accounting for 1800 of the transactions). That equates to an average of less than 1/2 a transaction per agent per year. Could you afford to stay in business at that rate? That means the remaining 2,175 buy-side transact... 08/30/2007

"The Biggest Name In Real Estate!" Eddie Bigness has moved to the Walnut Creek Keller Williams Office. If you are looking to buy or sell a condo or house in Walnut Creek The Bigness Team can help. BUYERS!We have a common goal: Making you a homeowner. Let's make it happen!Ensuring you exceptional service at every step of your home buying process. Search listings from the convenience of your home. Be the first to get new listings that match your criteria. Get real estate market watch updates for listings in your area. "For Buyers" - Your source for the latest tips, checklists and free reports. Personal Consultation - Vast experience and knowledge you can rely on. Financial advice - Loans, Mortgages, interest and tax benefits. Community information and Utilities.Find a knowledgeable agent ... 08/15/2007

I turned 50 in mid-July and just received an invitation to join the AARP, a testament to the data gathering skills of list management firms I'd be proud to have supporting and timing our direct mail offerings here.  The annual check up regimen at 50 is, for the as yet uninitiated, a true delight and worthy of a blog all to itself (which I will NOT write-- some memories, I contend, should simply be repressed as deeply as possible).  Somewhere between the stress test echocardiogram and the colonoscopy there was time for the prostate, the FOBT, the lipids, sugars, and cholesterols and the annual lecture about better diet and more exercise followed by the subtle threat of pills, pills, and more pills if I didn't manage things effectively enough myself 'the natural way'....Which brings me to... 08/15/2007

On the other side of the spectrum, the market conditions are ideal for investors. With the insecurities with the stock market . . . Real Estate is still a better alternative for investors. The promise of return can be greater. I have just been asked to represent a couple of REO's for a couple of large banks. Some of these listings are in areas that might of depreciated some. Grand appeal and location,location,location help to forecast a rebound and appreciation within the next five years. A feel a litmus test for investors is the rental market. If a property can be bought for ten or twenty percent down and rent well  .  .  . thats a good investment. 08/14/2007

En el otro lado del espectro, las condiciones de mercado son ideales para los inversionistas. Con las inseguridades con la bolsa. Las propiedades inmobiliarias siguen siendo un alternativa mejor para los inversionistas. La promesa de la vuelta puede ser mayor. Acabo de pedirse representar un par de REO para un par de los bancos grandes. Algunos de estos listados están en las áreas de las cuales pudo despreció alguno. Súplica y localización , localización, localización para pronosticar un rebote y un aprecio en el plazo de los cinco años próximos. Una sensación una prueba del tornasol para los inversionistas es el mercado de alquiler. Si una característica se puede comprar para diez o veinte por ciento abajo y el pozo del alquiler. Esa es una buena inversión. 08/14/2007