Mortgage Rates Are Still Going Down
December 7th, 2009 categories: Sacramento Mortgage Information
How Long Can This Last?
Honestly, I thought we’d seen the last of rate declines in 2006. This is making that look ridiculous!
Rates are now the lowest that they’ve ever been or at worst are tied for the lowest rates have ever been.
On Thursday, FreddieMac.com came out with a report citing the interest rates averaged about 4.68% down from 4.71% the week prior. That is SO low!
I had a potential client of mine tell me on Saturday that he got a quote for a conventional 30 year fixed rate mortgage, 20% down, at 5.5% and his credit scores were very good. This seems as if it too high and I advised him to get a second opinion as you should if your quoted interest rate seems too high.
As of just now, rates are at 4.68% for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. That will change so follow up with your lending resource for an update on rates. If you don’t have a lending resource, please let me know and I’ll be happy to refer you one of mine.
From FreddieMac.com
1) Interest rates have never been this low since they started tracking it in 1971. (Wow!)
2) Last year at this time the rates for the 30 year product was 5.53%
3) Low mortgage rates and low housing prices are producing highly affordable housing conditions nationwide.
4) New and existing home sales were 36% higher than in January and pending sales have gone up every month for the last 9 months. 7 of those months were THE MOST AFFORABLE HOUSING MARKETS ON RECORD SINCE 1971.
Now that’s news!
From Our Local Lenders
Pat Murphy, Guild Mortgage, 916-212-9451
“Rates are starting to creep up a bit but are still under 5% at 4.875% this morning! Yes, funds are available for many loans. Yes, opportunities to buy have never been better. Yes, you can often refinance. Yes, you can! Let’s find out exactly what you are entitled to!
Contact me for Free Advice – Honest Loans”
As always, please keep in mind that rates are subject to change in any moment. They are very liquid and change moment by moment. For the most up to date rates, please give Pat a call.
Thanks for visiting and Happy Holidays to all!
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William Lyon Homes Throwing In Everything!
December 6th, 2009 categories: Rocklin & Roseville New Homes
Twin Oaks, Whitney Ranch, Rocklin
I just got an email from William Lyon homes, Twin Oaks in Whitney Ranch, Rocklin. They giving away appliances*, landscaping AND window coverings on any new home purchase between now and 
the end of the year.
This is amounts up to a $16,000 savings on your move in costs into one of these homes.
Whitney Ranch is located in the middle of everything in Rocklin. It’s very close to shopping at the Galleria, close to the new high school off Wildcat Road and golf is everywhere. The courses at Lincoln Hills as well as Turkey Creek and Whitney Oaks are just a short drive away.
Quick Move In Specials
They sent me 4 quick move in specials in the email but I’m having trouble getting the easily embedded into this article. If you’re interested, let me know and I can get you the email they sent me.
Also, yesterday I stopped by Brighton Place, the new Centex community in Westpark, Roseville and spoke to my friends there. Great community designed for the entry level buyer. Single stories up to about 2000 square feet. I’ll post an article on that later on today.
Wishing you joy and abundance for the New Year…
Thanks for visiting!
*Appliances include washer, dryer, refrigerator and dishwasher, GE stainless steel. (Ooooo preetttyy!) LOL
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What’s Your Home Worth?
November 28th, 2009 categories: Market Commentary
Values Have Declined Dramatically
Over the past several years, home values all over the Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado Counties area have declined sharply. While the declines are now slowing into single digits, we’re still losing value especially in the above $300,000 communities.
This fact makes it difficult to know what your home is currently worth. We’re here to help.
Professional Home Valuation
We provide a professional home valuation reports based on the most recent comparable sales of homes within a 1 mile radius of your home within the shortest time frame possible. Only the most recent comparable home sales, generally within the last 60 days, are relevant to the value of your home.
Accuracy
We make every effort to be as accurate as possible. It makes no difference if you’re planning on selling or are just curious about the value of your home, the report will be identical.
Our home valuation reports are only valid the day they are produced as our market is constantly fluctuating. (We’re required to include this “disclaimer”.)
What you will not get from us is an inflated estimate of the value of your home. All reports we create will be substantiated by hard numbers with the high value and the low value removed to obtain a solid, average value of your home.
We have nothing to gain by reporting your home value higher than it actually is.
Help Us Help You
For valuations beyond the average value described above, we need as much information as possible to make the most accurate assessment of the value of your home. Please include:
1) Pools and spas
2) Flooring; tile, laminate, hardwood, carpet
3) Large lot sizes
4) Location description
5) Unique amenities
This information will help us to get as close as possible to the most accurate value of your home.
A visual inspection of condition / amenities are available upon your request and would be best to ascertain the closest value range possible.
Email or Written Report?
We deliver our reports within 24 hours*. Please indicate in the form below if you’d like an email delivery or a written report delivered to your home.
Information Privacy
We will not under any circumstances:
1) Sell your information to 3rd parties.
2) Solicit you beyond a follow up call to insure that you received your report and to answer any questions unless you request to be included in our newsletter.
We respect that you may not want to hear from us and that’s ok! 
All that we request is that if you do plan to sell your home, please give us an opportunity to earn your business if you don’t currently have a Realtor to refer to.
Please fill out the form below and we’ll be back to you in 24 hours*.
Thanks for visiting!
*24 hour response times don’t include holidays. Requests received during holidays will be processed the very next business day.
cforms contact form by delicious:days
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Short Sales in Sacramento
October 28th, 2009 categories: Short Sale Information
Banks Becoming Easier to Work With
Over the last couple of years, short sales have been nothing short of a complete pain in the butt.
Getting a response out of the bank was difficult and it seemed that they would rather foreclose on a seller than to sell short and make more money in the process.
That seems to be changing throughout the Sacramento and Placer county area.
While that’s not typical, it has and can be done.
Selling Short vs. Foreclosure
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Rocklin & Roseville Open Houses This Weekend!
May 15th, 2009 categories: Rocklin & Roseville Open Houses
Google Interactive Map for Open Houses This Weekend!
(Click on the category to the left “Open Houses In Rocklin & Roseville for the most current map. Thanks!)
I’ve created a interactive Google map with all of the open houses scheduled in the MLS for this weekend. If there is a house you’d like to see, getting directions is EASY!
The schedule in the MLS sometimes doesn’t get posted until the last minute, ie. on Friday mid day or sometimes early Saturday. Check back for updates.
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 and minimize frustration.
The weather forecast for this weekend looks beautiful. Give us a call to see any home in the South Placer County or Sacramento County areas.
For a private showing of any property on the map, please click here to contact me. For a larger version of this map, click the link “view larger map” at the bottom center of the map.
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“REO? Foreclosure? They’re The Same, Right?”
May 15th, 2009 categories: Local Real Estate Info, Market Commentary, Sacramento Foreclosure Statistics, Your Questions Answered!
Well, No They Aren’t!
As I’ve said before, I get many real estate related questions every week from people who are trying to 
sort out this market. Admittedly, it’s a very complex thing. Some markets are harder than others especially when you’re dealing with financial institutions.
Just a few short years ago, no one was worried about foreclosure, short sales, declining values or losing their incomes. The market was good, property was appreciating and everything looked very rosy. As Paul Harvey used to say, “now you (we) know the REST of the story”.
Things will get better, they always do. It’s the natural ebb and flow of life. I hope it happens sooner than later.
What’s a Foreclosure?
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FHA Buyers! Great News!
May 13th, 2009 categories: Local Real Estate Info, Sacramento Mortgage Information
UPDATE: According to HUD, this program has been suspended until further notice. It is unclear if this is just to give them time to create a policy governing how it will be implemented or if they have rescinded their decision to allow the credit to be used at the time of purchase. I will update this as news becomes available. Thanks! RS
Use The Tax Credit As A Down Payment On Your Purchase!
I prematurely scooped this a couple months back but it’s finally here and it’s great news for first time home buyers everywhere.
The FHA has approved a plan for their lenders to monetize the $8000 tax credit so that it can be used as a down payment toward the purchase of a home. Shaun Donovan from HUD announced this yesterday at a National Association of Realtors legislative summit. Details are slated for release next week.
So far, this looks like an awesome development for the first time home buyer. If they allow the lenders to credit the $8000 toward the down payment on a home without the home buyer coming out of pocket for the money then filing for it’s return on next years taxes, it will facilitate many more people to get into the market. As I’ve said in previous articles, now is the time to buy if you’re in the market to do so ESPECIALLY for a primary residence.
The National Association of Realtors has been leading the charge on this to spur buying activity nationwide. This is great news across the board for first time home buyers in the Sacramento real estate market.
This tax credit is only going to be here until December 1, 2009. If you’re planning to purchase this year, you’ve got to act quickly. Let us know if we can help you.
Stay tuned for more details on this.
Thanks for visiting!
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