Posts Tagged ‘Business and Economy’

San Francisco healthy?

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As we are getting into the last quarter of the year, San Francisco and the Bay Area have gone through a lot of changes.  They could be good or bad depending on how you look at it.  As I have mentioned on another post, what will the city be like in the next 5 years?  I believe it should be at a point of recovery.  We’ll see.

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How is your house doing?

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In many areas in the nation, there are areas that are cheaper to buy a home then to rent.  You now can find a home for $100,000 in New York and through out the country including Hawaii. 

It may seem like some areas have not been affected by the economy but that is not true.   The properties that sell really quickly are usually the cream of the neighborhood.   

The Bay Area has been hit as well but not as bad as other areas.  It will be a while before we get out of this mess.

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Is the market really turning around?

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In January, pending home sales declined however, the data is based on contracts signed in January not closings.  According to Lawrence Yun, NAR Chief Economist, “The housing market is healing with sales fluctuating at times, depending on the flow of distressed properties coming on the market,” he said.  He expects the recovery will be a straight upward path because there is still an elevated level of shadow inventory of distressed homes and interest rates are still historically low.  

According to the Wall Street Journal, there are plenty of signs that the housing market finally bottoming out.  If investors and buyers continue to take advantage of the most affordable housing in decades, prices will probably bottom out in 2011.   

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5 Myths about foreclosures

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You probably have heard a lot information about foreclosures but don’t know to believe.  Well here is some information about foreclosures.  This should help you understand what foreclosures are all about.

With interest rates moving up, you should consider purchasing a property soon.  There is more pressure for rates to go up then down.  We have seen rates at it’s lowest rates historically and may not see them again. 

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Home sales improving!!!

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Now that we are in the last part of the year, how is the real estate market? Well for the month of September, existing home sales were up by 10% from the month of August.  However, sales are down by 19.1% compared to September 2009.  This is a great opportunity for buyers to take advantage of the market.  It’s no wonder that Americans still think about owning their own home.  80% of Americans believe in buying a home is a good financial decision.

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Long Short Sale process

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Ever wonder why it takes so long to finish a short sale transaction?  It could take 3 to 4 times longer then a regular sale and there is no guarantee that the sale will be completed.  This process is really between the buyer and seller, however there is another party, a lender of record,  that has to cooperate with the purchase.  They have their own proceedures to approve the purchase and could take a long time. 

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CAR home sales report for August

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Are you wondering what your home is worth these days?  The California Association of REALTORS have published the results.  Some areas have experienced some appreciation.  My guess is that the valueshave bottomed out and are starting to go up.  San Francisco and the peninsula home values seem to be doing better then a lot of other areas. 

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The best time ever to buy a home

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Have you been thinking about when it may be the best time to purchase a property? Well, here’s 5 reasons why you might want to make that big step now. Don’t forget, real estate has cycles. We are now in a buyer’s cycle and it’s the best time to take advantage of the market place. Remember, not too long ago, the last seller’s market? Do you remember when prices went through the roof and properties were selling like hot cakes? Does multiple offers to buy a home and  bidding over the asking price sound familiar? Well, it’s better now. If you can get into a property today, you’ll be able to ride the wave of the next seller’s market.

So how are you going to get the money to take advantage of the opportunity? Unless you have lots of cash to make that purchase, you should see your banker or loan agent to see how much you can borrow. If you need to scrape up some money for a down payment, here’s 7 ways that may help. Good Luck!

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Foreclosures are down

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According to Realty Trac, “A total of 340,740 California properties received a foreclosure filing in the first half of 2010, the nation’s highest total but down 15 percent from the previous six months and down nearly 13 percent from the first six months of 2009.”

It is encouraging to know that the foreclosures are on a decline, however is the real estate market going to survive the next wave of REOs? I think it will as long as the interest rates stay at today’s levels, unemployment declines, and the demand for housing remains strong.

The San Francisco market is a great example. Although the hardest hit areas in San Francisco, are in the lower and medium priced homes, the home sales have increased and spurred on the sales of the more expensive areas of the city. It is expected to continue for the rest of the 2010.

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What do you think the market is heading?

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I believe San Francisco and San Mateo counties’ prices have stabilized in most areas and may stay at this level until something happens with the projected increase of interest rates and foreclosures, defaulting homeowners and unemployment. Based on a study by Homegain, it is not surprising to see that homeowners and agents have different views about the market place.

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