'Market Commentary' Category
Don’t Pay For Title Insurance!
January 5th, 2009 categories: Market Commentary, Real Estate Info
The Law Protects Buyers From Sellers
Right now in the Sacramento real estate market, the banks are running the show. Write a contract and, if it’s accepted, you’ll get back a lengthy disclosure/counter offer from the bank with a litany of items not included in the normal California Association of Realtors contracts and much redundant information you’ve already signed.
It will seem as if you don’t have any choice in the matter of what you must agree to in order to buy a home. One of the conditions of every bank owned transaction I’ve particiapted in is that the buyer doesn’t have a choice as to what title company will be used. If the buyer is committed to the home, I don’t care what title company is used as long as the transaction closes and my buyer gets the home.
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Happy New Year!
January 2nd, 2009 categories: Market Commentary
I guess I’m a little late on the bandwagon with holiday wishes but none the less, best wishes for the New Year to you. I hope your holiday season was safe, festive and fun.
May this year be better than last year. I was considering doing a peice on last year but I thought I’d leave “the dead to the dead”, so to speak.
Some Changes
You may have noticed a few changes on my site over the last couple weeks. Since ceasing working on CapitolCityForeclosures, I’ve been working toward making this site better for all who visit.
With that goal in mind, if you have any suggestions as to what you’d like to see that would make your experience here better, provide more resources for you or any suggestion at all, please feel free to comment on this article. Any comments are appreciated.
Once again, Happy New Year to you and yours.
Rob Saxe
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Lease Options in Sacramento
December 28th, 2008 categories: Market Commentary, Real Estate Info
Great Option for Investors and Buyers
As the mortgage markets have gotten tougher and the foreclosure boom is in full stride, bridging the gap between buyers and sellers has become a necessity of moving real estate between parties in the Sacramento market. Buyers who are completely qualified are having difficulty buying homes due in large part to the majority of the market being bank owned and the financing being provided by government backed lenders. (Click here to understand why this is an issue)
While there are pros and cons to lease options, the same can be said for mortgaging a home with a bank. Just ask anyone in the Sacramento region who is $100K, or more, upside down in their homes!
I’ll attempt to touch on what a lease option is and give a few tips for getting one completed. The basic elements of a lease option are:
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Rocklin and Roseville Real Estate
December 26th, 2008 categories: Market Commentary, Rocklin/Roseville Open Homes
Interactive Open House Map for Sunday, 12/27 -12/28
I’ve created a interactive Google map with all of the open houses scheduled in the MLS for Saturday, December 27 and Sunday December 28. Click on the link below to view all the open houses for Sunday. There aren’t many due to the holidays. I’ve also included the lowest price home for each zip code included in the report.
Google Interactive Open House and Lowest Priced Home Map
Every week I’ll be updating this map with all of the open houses for the upcoming weekend. The schedules in the MLS sometimes don’t get posted until the last minute, ie. on Friday mid day or sometimes as early as Thursday. I’ll be creating these every Friday morning while looking for updates throughout the day.
It happens that the agents scheduled to hold any given home open have to cancel at the last minute for whatever reason. If you’re interested in a specific home and would like to see it, why not give me a call for a private showing? This will ensure you get to see the home you’re interested in.
If you’d like a private showing, please click here to contact me.
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Information courtesy of Metrolist, Inc.
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Sacramento Mortgage Rates
December 25th, 2008 categories: Market Commentary, Mortgage Information
Long Term Mortgage Rates Hit All Time Low
According to Mortgage News Daily, mortgage rates have fallen for the 8th straight week with a new low average of 5.14% for a 30 year mortgage with less than a point paid. That’s pretty low and a record since Freddie Mac began tracking this in 1971. A check of the Freddie Mac Mortgage Survey confirms this as of December 24th.
On NPR yesterday morning, it was reported that there has been 48% jump in mortgage applications over the last week alone, the highest level in almost 5 years.
That’s good news for our local market or any market for that matter. After the first of the year, there will be many more homes available for sale since the foreclosure moratoriums have been lifted by various entities both private and public. Lower interest rates will help to keep inventories levels under control DEPENDING on the economy. If the recession deepens into something worse, it won’t matter much what interest rates do as the unemployment situation will have worsened and even fewer people will be able to buy.
The Key
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6031 Valley Hi Dr., Sacramento
December 25th, 2008 categories: Market Commentary
Classic Sacramento Home
This is a great home in the 95823 area code. Now priced at $128,500 with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a pool, it’s also a good deal but it’s been on the market for a while and I think a better price can be had on this one.
It needs a little fix up but beyond that it appears to be a pretty solid home. This floor plan and architecture is very prominent in the south Bay Area homes, something I really appreciate.
With a little cosmetic fixing, from all appearances, this could be a very nice home.
Looking for an agent to help you find a home? Click here to contact me.
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Mapquest of the Location
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Foreclosures In Sacramento
December 24th, 2008 categories: Foreclosure Info, Market Commentary
Are You Worried About Losing Your Home?
I visited the SHRA, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, and they had a load of information regarding foreclosure resources so I thought it might be good to pass it along.
There have been many, as there always seems to be, cases of fraud regarding those attempting to take advantage of others who are in in trouble. This housing market is no exception to that. Here are a couple of things to watch out for:
1. Anyone who calls or comes to your home offering to help unsolicited.
Some areas of the region are more prone to foreclosure than others. The unscrupulous could target these neighborhoods and take advantage of folks having a hard time making their mortgage payments.
2. Anyone who offers to let you stay in your home if you pay them rent.
3. Anyone who asks for a security deposit and first month’s rent in cash for a rental home.
I’ve seen single mothers displaced by this one. It’s a tragedy of the market and it does happen. Never pay anyone who asks for cash upfront in this market or any market for that matter.
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An Experience Every Realtor Should Have
December 22nd, 2008 categories: Market Commentary
“My Grandmother is Locked in the Bathroom!”
Well, what a day it was.
In the real estate industry, they say that every home sale is a little different. I’ve found that to be a very true statement. Having said that, nothing quite compares to a recent experience I had while showing a home in Sacramento. I hope I can write it as funny as it transpired. It might turn out to be a “you just had to be there” story but I’ll do the best I can.
I was showing property to a guy from San Diego last week. He just graduated from school and wants to buy a home and move to Sacramento. I sent him a pile of homes to go through and one of them was in the south area, a foreclosed home. He brought his Grandparents with him for support and guidance.
When we pulled up, it was raining. The exterior looked better in the pictures than in person, not uncommon these days. The lockbox was on a water bib to the left of the door. It was turned around facing the house so I had to contort my wrist to get to the key. I finally got it, stepped in some mud on my way to the door and stuck the key in the lock.
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