FYI Quick Read (x2)…

It’s the LA Times again, with even more good news for local homeowners — especially those of you who have been thinking about selling. Alejandro Lazo writes today that “home sales in Southern California hit their highest level for an August in six years last month, and the median price for a home in the region rose to a four-year high.” Full article here.

Dataquick reports the story with deeper analysis. For my buyers, I urge you to consider that any good deals out there are going fast. Get in touch with me asap so we can get ahead of this market.

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FYI Quick Read…

E. Scott Reckard of the LA Times reports that “the latest frenzy of mortgage refinancings has benefited millions of Americans.” But he also points out that many haven’t done all they can to secure the very best rate. I work with mortgage brokers almost every day. If you need advice on your loan, refi or any other matters related to your home, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’m happy to assist you in any way I can.

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FYI Quick Read (x2)…

Tiffany Hsu of the LA Times reports today that home prices were up 3.8% in July, their largest year-over-year leap since 2006. “The real estate market is ‘clearly seeing the light at the end of a very long tunnel,’ said CoreLogic Chief Executive Anand Nallathambi.”

 

And Vickie Elmer of the NY Times writes that, with interest rates remaining so low, homeowners have been trading out of their “jumbo” mortgages to refinance into conventional loans. “‘It’s an opportunity not to be missed,’ said Melissa Cohn, the chief executive of the Manhattan Mortgage Company, adding that her customers like the idea of locking in a lower rate.”


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Buy or Rent? Do the Math

 

 

 

 

 

As I’ve written in recent posts, buyers are definitely outnumbering sellers these days, which is driving up the demand for houses — and driving up prices too. Yet the cost to rent has risen as well because, with low vacancy rates, landlords have leverage. So does it make more sense to buy in this climate, given that rents are high and interest rates remain low? Michelle Higgens’ article in the NY Times this past weekend ventures to find out. Four couples are put under the math microscope and for three of them, buying makes more sense from a sheer numbers standpoint. Obviously there are many variables in the own vs. rent equation, and the NY market has its own nuances. But if you see a bit of yourself in that article and would like to crunch your numbers, I can help. Get in touch with me here and we’ll see what’s best for you.

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Photos courtesy of archdaily.com

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More from the Big Picture

Joe Light has an article in the WSJonline today titled “Is the Real Estate Rebound for Real?” Happily his findings are yes, at least according to Warren Buffet and a host of portfolio managers who are bullish for r/e related holdings. The article cites a key indicator in our trade where we look at the inventory of new, single-family homes. Six months is a tipping point — meaning — if the number of available homes could be sold in less than six months, that tells us we’re in a strong market (the opposite being true if it would take more than six months to sell those homes). So the skies in the big housing picture continue to brighten and local inventory remains low. Some of you sellers out there might be waiting to see a bit more “upside” before bringing your property to market. However I will caution that if interest rates rise (as they did this past week, slightly) then the time to sell your house is now, in this market where sellers are rare and buyers plentiful.

To receive new listings by email, or to schedule a viewing click here!

Photo of the Kentfield Hillside Residence courtesy of Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects and Arch Daily

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It’s Getting Better All the Time

Home prices in the nation’s 20 biggest cities improved again in May, strongly in fact, according to the Case-Shiller index and reported here by Alejandro Lazo of the LA Times. The graphic above is a current snapshot of the median price paid in California by county — also an improvement from numbers we’ve seen in previous months.

An uptick over two consecutive months (April, May) is certainly good news. The flipside — i.e. the problem I’m seeing — is our continuing lack of local inventory. Buyers I’m working with are eager to find their house, understandable because they don’t want prices to keep going up. Yet they find themselves in a growing pool, with increased competition for the best homes, many of which are selling in multiple-offer bidding wars.

Sellers: I cannot overstate how good a time this is to get your house on the market!

If you have even considering selling, or would like to simply “test the waters,” get in touch with me here. I have a long, proven track record selling houses, and several instances where I set neighborhood records for price-earned-per-sq.-foot. I will give you a carefully considered, complimentary valuation on your property. If the numbers make sense, you can make an educated decision about what to do next. Believe me, the buyers are out there.

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Graphic courtesy of the California Association of Realtors.

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You Should Know: Overhang

I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal today about the challenges that policy makers face as they spool through the remnants of the housing crisis. Should certain homeowners be granted amnesty on a portion of their mortgage? It’s a tough call for sure, and as journalist Nick Timiraos points out, economists are divided. Granted, our local market was not nearly as distressed as other parts of the country. But this still impacts us because whatever the outcome on the issue of “overhang,” there may well be changes in the way that banks write mortgages in the future.

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Aerial photo of Bonita Springs, FL, courtesy of Boston.com and Google Earth.

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You Should Know: Appraisal

Appraisal, aka the “valuation” of a property, is a critical part of any home purchase or sale that involves a mortgage loan. It can feel arbitrary at times, this magical number that materializes from either A) careful analysis and numbers crunching, or perhaps B) which way the wind was blowing that day. But there are things you can and should do to take control of the process, as this recent segment from the Today Show points out (clip is about halfway down).

Note that in her interview with Savannah Guthrie, financial analyst Vera Gibbons says that a good realtor can be helpful in navigating this make-or-break step in the transaction. Couldn’t agree more. I deal with appraisals every day, I’m a trained, experienced negotiator and job #1 is to look out for the best interest of my clients. If you have any questions about appraisals or any other part of the home buying or selling process, post them below. Or get in touch directly. I’m happy to help in any way I can.

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Clip courtesy of NBC-Universal Television.

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