Sacramento Real Estate Views

It’s All About Mindset

I’ve been struggling with the thought of blogging about one of my passions, personal development, here as I wanted to the core focus of this site to be real estate related. I think I’ve realized that blogging, by it’s very nature, makes us somewhat transparent and that if I continued to avoid this topic, it might come through in my writing about anything. Resistance, away! So what the heck, here it goes.

I participate in a master mind call every Tuesday morning with my good friend Don. We have learned so much about ourselves that I just can’t imagine not being involved in the process indefinitely. The Master Mind process help those who participate to draw guidance from, well, God, the Source, Nature..whatever your perception refers to the “all that is”. Initially, my intent was to draw more abundance toward me and realized during this process that what it was that brought abundance to some and not to others.

What I found was that abundance is no different than anything else and the path I embarked changed to enriching my entire being rather than chasing abundance.

Pretty lofty talk, aye? It gets better.

Works throughout history began coming toward me as my interest in becoming a better person to myself, a more successful person, became my focus. Coaching programs, Master Mind calls and people seemingly came from out of “no where” into the “now here”. But nothing changed, well that’s not exactly true, things got worse!

 

I created a business failure, notice my choice of words, not intentionally (who wishes for that, right?) and that forced me to take a very hard look at what I was….thinking, not what I was doing but who I was being.

Yes, it was about who I was being. I’m not talking about being nicer to others or more respectful to others or more diligent in my actions. It was about who I was being to me. Many of us are nice people and want the best but so few actually get it. For me, it was about who I was being to myself, how I was treating myself on the inside, what was in my heart of hearts.

It took many hours of meditation to come to the realization that I wasn’t very nice to me. I constantly beat myself up for the most seemingly insignificant tasks. I mean being brutal to myself saying things to me that I wouldn’t dare say to anyone else. This had to change and has.

I opened myself up to coaching others to help them to see whatever it was they were needing to see in themselves without a personal agenda. I was being of service to myself and that truly lead to me being of service to others in an unselfish way. Talk about a satisfying feeling.

My elders, whoever they may have been, have said that “you can’t be (blank) to someone else until you are (blank) to yourself”. In my youth I always wondered what they were talking about as if to think “why wouldn’t you be (blank) to yourself”. I found out the answer to that question thanks to a years worth of coaching from Bob Proctor. It’s about your conditioning but that’ll have to wait for another post.

The point? Listen to yourself for answers to the questions that you’ve got. We all have them. The answers are all there waiting for you to pay attention to them. Get your “self” out of the way and listen.

No amount of anything outside yourself will create happiness. Happiness and joy are internal and to be created and given out. You’ve heard that before, right?

Tags: meditation, personal development, the secret, the source

Listen to your Grandma! News from the trenches..

The Sacramento real estate market over the last few years has left much to be desired but the signs are there that this nightmare is coming to an end…the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” is appearing, the angels are singing on high…Oh the Rapture! aahem! Sorry, it’s been a good month for us so far and I’m excited.

With all of the negative media talk, it’s hard to hear through the shrieking to get to what’s going on out there right now.

In the new homes market, builders are generally the last to feel the market pinch and the first to see the signs of recovery. One of the reasons for this is that the larger builders are publicly held companies that have boards of directors and stock holders to answer to. They will do everything they can to get homes sold, meet goals and that means they price their homes right, some offer incentives or give things away to motivate people to buy.

This last weekend, the builder I work for, Pulte Homes, Inc., had a sale. It was a nationwide event where we offered 4 free options, this primarily was directed at homes that are “out front” or yet to be built or six months with no payments, closing costs paid, directed toward inventory or 30 day escrows.

Our national goal for this event was 60 homes sold for our division. We shattered that goal, shattered I tell you!

Of the homes sold that weekend about 45% were sold in the active adult communities of which there are 2 in the division. This is significant. Why, you ask? The active adult buyer is one of the most savvy buyers in the market. Typically they have bought and sold many homes. They have been through many downturns and know what the signs of recovery look like.

While they may have years of equity in their current homes, they are generally on fixed or limited incomes and don’t often like to take risks unless the risk is minimal.

Traffic at our communities is up 39% since the first of the year and cancellation rates are down 8%. More people are looking and less people are canceling. If fewer people are canceling and most who are buying have homes to sell, the resale market must be picking up as well.

Mike Lyon from Lyon Real Estate is quoted as saying recently that the pending sale number doubled from December to January. I spoke to a Coldwell Banker agent today who told me he lost an all cash offer he made for a client on a property recently. Why?

Because there were 8 other offers on the same property. Multiple offers? In this market?

45% of sales in the active adult communities. Are your grandparents trying to teach you something? Something that even the SacBee doesn’t want you to know? I think so.

Ignore the headlines…this is an awesome article by a nationally known money guru…take it to heart. Your Grandparents have!

Tags: New homes in Sacramento, Sacramento homes, Sacramento real estate market

Fencing…a different perspective

I got an email today and while I haven’t heard this a lot lately, I guess it can be taken as a good sign. It read like this:

“Rob, We understand that the housing industry is suppose to continue to fall into next year……. We are holding off to see what the market will bring.”

There is a lot of fence sitting going on out there right now, here’s what I think.

“Last year about this time, just prior to the mortgage crisis, the NAR and others stated that they foresaw that 2007 would be a flattening year with a nice recovery, or soft landing, occurring in 2008. As we saw, that wasn’t exactly how it went!

I guess the short answer is that no one really knows what the market will do. It could get worse or it could begin to flatten or it could get better. Based on history over the last 30 years, this is one of the worst downturns of them all. (If I think about this honestly, I feel very comfortable about the future!)

We are at 2003 level prices currently in the resale market and new home builders, traditional and active adult, are generally in a better position than resale. They are the last to feel it and the first to rebound. This is due to many factors.

The following link will take you to a couple of articles in favor of buying now and I’m sure you don’t need any information resources against buying now.

Will prices descend below 2003 levels? If I could answer that question, I’d be a bazillionaire.

Buying California real estate has always been a good investment if held for the long term. The general rule of thumb is that it doubles in value every 10 years. So I would say that if you’re planning on buying and then selling in the next couple years, then analyzing the market on a micro level is definately the strategy.

However, if that isn’t the plan, I believe its a great time to buy. I don’t personally believe that prices will go that much lower but you never know. I could be wrong. Many were wrong about 2007.

I do know this: 10 years or even 5 years from today, there will be many people who will be kicking themselves for not buying this year. Do you want to be one of those folks?” (I even think in 2 years, there will be A LOT of kicking going on!)

So how’d I do? I’m almost afraid of asking what you’d say…I’ve seen some of the nasty press out there lately. Be gentle…aside from what your reading, there are some bright sides. Things are getting better, it’s a great time to buy.

Why don’t you come down off that fence, aye? I think even Chicken Little just bought a home! (or two!)

Tags: home buying, housing, market commentary, Sacramento New Homes

Glenbrooke by Del Webb – Premier Active Adult Living

Glenbrooke by Del Webb

Glenbrooke by Del Webb is a beautiful community of 631 homes located in the southern most part of the City of Elk Grove.

Glenbrooke features 6 models ranging in size from 1257 to 2252 sq. ft. two and three bedroom detached single family homes, all single story. Standard features include granite counters, with choice of color, 18″ tile floors, stainless steel appliances and much, much more.

The entire community is surrounded by walking and bike trails that weave through the Madeira Master Planned Community.

The Arbour Lodge

The Glenbrooke Community Center and will host indoor activities rooms, big screen television, a fitness center and a full time lifestyle director who will develop clubs and activities for the residents of the community. Outside are tennis courts, a swimming pool/spa and bocce ball. The Arbour Lodge will be opening sometime in the mid March to mid April time frame.

The Del Webb Lifestyle

Since 1960, Del Webb has developed communities specifically for people 55 years old or better. This means that the things that you would usually see in an average, everyday community will be absent at a Del Webb community. That is the reason people choose the active adult lifestyle. You’re surrounded by people who share your interest and life experiences.

To experience the Del Webb Lifestyle, please feel free to contact me. Click here.  If you’re already registered with Del Webb and Pulte Homes, I won’t be able to help you get the best deal on a new home.  In any case, please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Tags: active adult lifestyle, Del Webb homes, Glenbrooke, Sacramento New Homes

Are you FED up?

Who the heck can figure out what’s going on with interest rates right now? The FED lowers the prime rate which, in the past, has brought down the cost of borrowing. But not this time. So what’s the problem?

The credit/mortgage crunch that started in 2007, and now with inflationary concerns, is still and will continue to affect the real estate market for some time to come.

While FreddieMac.com is reporting an average interest rate of 5.72% for a conforming 30 year fixed, lending rates are up. Two rate decreases in the last 2.5 weeks, FreddieMac reporting well under 6% yet getting a fixed rate below 6% without paying points is next to impossible. To say this reflects a lack of confidence in the economy is an understatement.

While the FED is considering another rate cut, the concerns over inflation are pushing mortgage rates higher. The bond data is good but inflation is the real concern at the moment. Until the concern over inflation subsides, don’t expect a decrease in mortgage rates.

The rule of thumb? FED rate cuts do not always mean that mortgage rates with follow suit. There are many more economic factors that enter in to the mix that determine what lenders will charge for their money. For more on this, check out this article from MortgageNewsDaily.com. Great place for “truth in lending”.

Tags: interest rates, mortgage rates, the fed

Bubble Bursts In Elk Grove = Unbalanced Media Coverage!

According to a friend of mine in the resale side of the industry, Lyon Real Estate pulled their corporate advertising from the Sacramento Bee a year or so ago. Correspondingly, I noticed at least, there was a decrease in the amount of articles about how bad our real estate market has been. Funny, money talks and (beep!) walks..I guess the sacbee was walking. (do you smell that? smells familiar, but I can’t place it.)

Recently, the SacBee ran an article about the “implosion” in the Elk Grove real estate market and it’s true, Elk Grove has been hard hit this time around. One of this city’s neighbors, Stockton, Ca has also had a rough go of it being named the “Foreclosure Capitol of the Nation”. Man, I’d hate to run for re-election in that town.

As there always is two sides to EVERY story, I thought I’d share a bright spot about the Elk Grove real estate market that you may not know. Although the SacBee also ran an article about the top selling new home communities in the Sacramento Region, it was buried under a pile of….well, you get the picture… and went largely unnoticed.

Glenbrooke, A Del Webb Community: Just under a year ago, Pulte Homes and Del Webb opened Glenbrooke on Bruceville Road between Elk Grove Blvd. & Whitelock Pkwy. The community offers six models ranging in size from the mid 1200′s to the mid 2200′s sq. ft., two and three bedroom single family detached homes. Last year, as reported by the SacBee, Glenbrooke was the #2 sellling community in the ENTIRE Sacramento region. The community features a 9000 sq. ft. community center with a full time Lifestyle Manager whose job it is to ensure that anyone looking for a good time, an awesome social experience with other like minded folks finds just that. Active Adult living, 55+ and better, at it’s finest.

The bright side about our market currently is that it’s a great time to buy; opportunity is everywhere. It’s unfortunate that so many are struggling to hold on but if they do, the market will reward them. It always has. Good times in our market are coming back soon. Hopefully with a bit more sanity than the last time things took off. I don’t know about you but I’d rather not see this type of market for many years to come!

A little balance in the media is needed. Let’s change the mindset and we can collectively change our results.

Tags: Del Webb, elk grove, Glenbrooke, New Homes, sacramento bee

Shots? We don’t need no stinkin SHOTS!

About 3 years ago, I became a father for the second time. My kids, Sarah and Ryan are a bit over 20 years apart. To say my experience the second time around was different was just a flat understatement.

Both my kids are handsome but Mr. Ryan is scary cute. (I’m not sure how that happened. Milkman?) The picture to right was an outfit my wife made him for Halloween this year. Little paper surfboard, Hawaiian outfit my mother in law brought back from the islands and a cookie he as given from someone who said for the 500,000th time in his short 3 year life “what a cutie”. Do I get tired of hearing it? Not on your life. He’s not only cute…he’s just awesome. I’m gushing now, I’ll stop.

Last night, we had to take Mr. Ryan to the doctor to get him some antibiotics. You see, we have him in daycare twice a week and he picked up a little strep infection and promptly gave it to my wife and me. She’s on them too and I’m just too damn stubborn to go to the doctor. (wife says I’m going tomorrow )

Well, you see, Mr. Ryan doesn’t like to take oral medicine. Spits it up, it’s a whole scene I won’t describe..pink throw up..just not pretty..

Anyway, so we go and my wife opts for the single shot, once and were done, penicillin dose. So we hold Mr. Ryan down and the Nurse Practitioner pulls out a 2″ needle, pinches the crap out of his little leg and jams it in. Mr. Ryan is now screaming that scream that usually results in my pulling out my Uzi and clearing the room of the mess that’s assembled there.

But, alas, I’m working on my emotional control and trying my best not to make a scene with someone who either doesn’t have kids and/or lacks the compassion of an Al-Quida member while Mr. Ryan is going through his “Daddy, hold me” repetitions…it was just more than I could handle. It was more traumatic for me than it was for him. I’m such a wimp for this kid!

In the end, he’s fine and I need therapy! Isn’t this supposed to be the other way around? Thank goodness my wife is patient to a point!

He’ll probably be a bit sore tomorrow but we’ll go play in the park tomorrow, maybe go to the snow and he’ll have a great time. I’ll make sure of that.

Nothing a little Jamba Juice won’t cure! Oh how easy it used to be..

Tags: , robert saxe, ryan saxe