Why Right Now is a Great Time to Invest in Real Estate…

Times may seem tough right now in many parts of the world but if you focus on the positives, there are many benefits to be had. The real estate industry, for instance, is one sector which offers great opportunities for investors during a financial crisis.

In Australia, the real estate market is showing positive signs for people wanting to purchase property for investment purposes. Read more

What $800K can get you in the Berkeley Hills…

Looking for a “bargain” in one of the most fantastic areas of the East Bay? Then you’ve gotta check out 2564 Buena Vista Way. Described as a romantic Spanish Mediterranean Home in North Berkeley near the campus, it has bay and bridge views, cathedral ceilings, carbed trusses, period details, 2 master suites, 2 fireplaces and a suny and bright enclosed atrium, waterfall and lily pond! At $800K up in the hills this is truly a bargain for the area. Read more

Alameda County Statistics 3/08 to 3/09…

Want to know what’s going on in Alameda County? It’s on FIRE!! Multiple offers are common place. Cash buyers are everywhere and FHA buyers are having a hard time. It’s as if we are back in 2005/2006. If you are looking at property under $400K you better run to that property and put in a bid.

Offers without contingencies are back. Offering 30, 40, 50K over asking is not unusual. Appraisals are a pain in the ass. Not the appraiser but the system itself. Getting an appraiser that is familiar with a local area is a crap shoot, a roll of the dice. Today you need to move fast, be creative and have an agressive offer price with sweet terms. Read more

HUD: Tax Credit Can Be Used on Closing Costs

FHA-approved lenders received the go-ahead to develop bridge-loan products that enable first-time buyers to use the benefits of the federal tax credit upfront, according to eagerly awaited guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on so-called home buyer tax credit loans that was released today.

Under the guidance, FHA-approved lenders can develop bridge loans that home buyers can use to help cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, or put down more than the minimum 3.5 percent. Read more

Marin County Housing Stats…

Marin is an interesting market. There is 8 1/2 months worth of  of inventory on the market right now. A slight decline over the last two months but still a significant amount of inventory for buyers to choose from.  The average days on market is 95 which has been consistent since February 2008.  The median price for a home in Marin County fell between $675K and $780K for the last 5 months. Read more

Bay Area home sales continue climb…

Bay Area home sales continue climb!

The number of homes sold in the Bay Area rose for the seventh month in a row according to DataQuick. A total of 6,325 new and resale houses and condos closed escrow in the nine-county Bay Area last month. That was up 25.7 percent from 5,032 in February and up 29.1 percent from 4,898 in March 2008. Read more

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