Oct

24

Cash Buyers

Posted In: First Time Home Buyers, For Boomers, For Buyers, For Sellers, General Real Estate News, Mortgage & Finance

Dang, 33% of all home sales in California in 2010 were cash.  Cash purchases continue to rise in California, and might exceed last years high. Yes, cash! I just had a listing in Berkeley that received 6 offers, 2 were all cash. My 2-bed El Cerrito listing received 4 offers, 1 was all cash. Another listing of mine in El [...]

Oct

05

Berkeley Hills Realty

Posted In: Berkeley, For Buyers, For Sellers, General Real Estate News, Places

This has been a year of moves for me!  First I moved my family to Albany in July, then I put my El Cerrito house on the market in September, and this month I moved brokerages!  Needless to say it has been a busy summer.  I am so thrilled to be with Berkeley Hills Realty.  With small-compay ethics and big-world [...]

Jun

07

Real Estate’s Double Dip and the Catfish Recovery

Posted In: Economy, For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures & Short Sales, Local Market Statistics

DQ News reported a few days ago about the current status of the double dip, and uses a little humor while doing so. http://www.dsnews.com/articles/double-dip-altos-says-prices-have-been-steadily-rising-since-then-2011-06-02 What I find completely hilarious (and true!) is that the article deems the ebb and flow of home prices as the “Catfish Recovery.” You laugh, but think about it.  As the article references, a catfish is [...]

May

11

Google Announces Big Changes with Commercial Real Estate Advertising

Posted In: Commercial Real Estate, For Buyers, For Sellers, Web/Tech

Google just announced their new release of Business Photos on Google Maps.  It captures the interior of businesses, allowing prospective customers and clients to get a good look inside before seeing it in person. This brand new FREE service is only available in a few select cities currently, which are listed below: Orange County, CA Phoenix, AZ Bay Area, CA [...]

Apr

12

Glen’s Numbers: East Bay Market Statistics for March 2011

Posted In: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, For Buyers, For Sellers, Local Market Statistics

Glen Bell from My East Bay Agent had some interesting things to say about the East Bay Market this month. It seems that inventory and pending sales crept up slightly since last February: pendings were up 3.1% and supply remained steady at 3.3 months (months supply at this time last year was 2.5 months). The pending/active ratio also had a [...]

Apr

12

Freecycle

Posted In: Community, For Buyers, For Sellers, Green Living

Ok, so last week I posted some great resources for recycling your unwanted items.  What I completeley forgot to mention was my FAVORITE reuse website, www.freecycle.org.  You can list items that you want to get rid of for free, as well as items that you are looking for. Example: I bought some shampoo and conditioner that I didn’t really like, [...]

Apr

08

Recycle Your Unwanted Stuff!

Posted In: Community, For Buyers, For Sellers, Green Living, Home Maintenance

I have become a recycling junkie.  It is exhilarating.  Productive.  Cleansing.  Seriously.  For me there is something so refreshing about getting rid of crap. While I was on maternity leave I emptied out my closet (got rid of 8 bags of clothing), cleaned out the kitchen (2 boxes of glassware and vases), cleaned out my office (filled 6 boxes), and [...]

Jun

03

Transfer Taxes for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

Posted In: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, For Buyers, For Sellers, Oakland, Richmond, Taxes

Many cities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties impose a point of sale ordinance on real property.  The chart below will show which cities will impose a transfer tax.  Both Alameda County and Contra Costa County have a county transfer tax of $1.10/$1,000. Example: If the sales price of a house in Berkeley is $500,000 then the seller can expect to pay $500 for [...]

May

26

New Renovation Rule on Older Homes in the East Bay

Posted In: For Sellers, General Real Estate News, Home Improvement, Home Maintenance

It’s the law! Federal law requires contractors that disturb painted surfaces in homes, child care facilities and schools, built before 1978 to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Always ask to see your contractor’s certification. Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a [...]

Mar

24

Bank of America Makes a Huge Move : Principal Forgiveness

Posted In: For Sellers, Foreclosures & Short Sales, General Real Estate News, Mortgage & Finance

Bank of America announced today that it will introduce “principal forgiveness” program designed to help some troubled mortgage borrowers relief from the possibility of foreclosure.  The program will look to reduce loan balances of qualifying distressed homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages or subprime loans in an effort to make their payments more affordable.  The homeowners must be at least 60 [...]