Realty World – BLUE | Property Group, Inc.

HELLLOOOO My Beautiful Wonderful Bay Area!… Its a bright sunny day in our neck of the woods today…  I know many of you out there are searching and searching the awesome world of the internet for the best “deals” available in your chosen areas, including # of bedrooms, # of baths, square feet, space for parking your cars, space for play and gardening and the best absolute best (most rock bottom) list price possible!!… Tell the truth… you are right??  Of course you are!!… In this “down” market we’re in… why wouldnt you?… if you’ve spend any decent amount of searching online… you must also be wondering why those doggone listings at places like Trulia, Zillow etc… always have properties posted that are no longer available, have gone pending, have sold and not just sold but sold perhaps years ago, or perhaps they’re not actually on the market at all… the following is a partial explanation…

Trulia: Problems with real estate listings info are pervasive (INFOGRAPHIC) | Inman News
Source: inman.com
Survey shows accuracy is key priority for consumers, industry pros. A real estate data-quality study released by online portal Trulia found that about 69 percent of errors in online real estate listings information were directly related to third-party syndication of information by non-multiple listing service sources. The company reviewed about 1.2 million listings from about 250 data sources during the third quarter and found about 120,000 inaccuracies in listings information. More than half (51 percent) of those inaccurate listings had errors in price, 41 percent had status errors, and 8 percent had errors in both price and status.


My Beautiful Wonderful Bay Area… please keep the above in mind as you search the internet … when you’re ready to make that “decision to purchase”… please do yourself a major favor and enlist the help of a Licensed Realtor who can assist you every step of the way and provide you with bonafide “real time properties for sale” … properties that best fit your parameters…
Trust me… Licensed Realtors are here to guide you and assist you in everyway possible to help you get that home you’re looking for…  you can be assured they abide by the Code of Ethics… if they belong to the NAR (National Association of Realtors)… If you dont know how to find a good licensed realtor I’ll be happy to help you find one…


Cheers to you and Happy Searching…

Happy Belated New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday and may you have a healthy 2012!  After an enjoyable Christmas, I caught a bionic cold, and it is great to be back at the computer and seeing the sunshine. 
There were 69 homes SOLD in Summerset in 2011 and homes SOLD for 97% of List Price! The highest sale was $500K (list price of $536K) and the lowest price sale was $180K (list price of $179,900).  The average days on market (DOM) was 61 days and the average sales price in Summerset was $291,900! 
Comparing 2011 to 2010 Sales, the DOM went up 16 days, from 43 days in 2010.  The average sales price for 2011 went down $15,000! ($306K average of 2010)  This is only -5% vs. YAG!  The number of homes SOLD in Summerset for 2011 went down to 69 homes, vs. the 74 homes that sold in 2011.  This shows a market that is still desirable for those over 55, wanting to live near a large city and have medical facilities less than 10 minutes away!  The average price per square foot cost went down -6%.
Here is a link to homes SOLD in Summerset in 2011…..
Summerset (an over 55 community) is located in Brentwood (50 miles east of San Francisco) and made up of 4 communities and just over 2,000 homes that were built from 1994-2003.  Each community has its own recreation center, pool/hot tub, and work out area.  The Brentwood golf course runs throughout all four communities; it is a public course and no fees are paid by Summerset residents for its upkeep.  Once you are a resident of Summerset, you will receive a monthly activity calendar, and can attend activities at any of the four Summerset locations.
If you would like more information, please give me a call.  I live in Summerset!

Currently there are 2 single family homes on the market in West San Jose-Lynbrook High school area, and 4 pending. Since November of 2011, 5 homes closed transaction in the area. Most of them were sold over asking price.  
Lynbrook area  continues to be highly desirable  area.
If you are looking to buy a home in this area, you have to be prepared and be ready before you start looking.  Contact your loan officer and get your pre-approval.  Be sure to talk to your loan officer in detail so you won’t have any unpleasant surprises later.  Please contact me for more detail.

Is This Home Buying Spree Just Another Bubble? Let me start by saying this is my opinion & I have learned more in the last years about markets than I did my first 33 years. You must be tired of hearing the ‘experts’ saying that NOW is the best time ever to get into the buying spree. And I must tell you that the statistics generally tend to support this statement. Just by looking at the rise in short sales and foreclosures it’s obvious that investors have more opportunities flowing in as loan delinquencies increase. Let’s check the stats for the first two quarters of this year. A Federal Housing Finance Agency report suggests that short sales rose by 45 percent between April and June 2009. In 2008, the total number of short sales was reported at 15,704. In just the first two quarters of 2009 the number of short sales has reached to 19,759, an increase of about 25 percent. The causes are easy to identify. The rise in short sales is primarily because of the rise in unpaid mortgage loans. The one month delinquent loans increased by 11 percent while the over two month delinquent loans saw a rise of 21 percent in the second quarter of 2009. In addition, foreclosures increased by 23 percent in the second quarter of 2009 with a rise in over three month unpaid loans. A logical conclusion would be that the numbers mentioned in the Federal Housing Finance Agency report clearly indicate that buyers will be flooded with opportunities from short sales and foreclosures. But there are many skeptical people that are describing these phenomena as ‘just another bubble’ and frankly speaking the previous period has taught us to be at least more cautious. Why do I still think that indeed it is the best time to buy? The answer is simple: merely because the processes of short sales have been accelerated. And that is not shown only by their increased number but also by the average period that is nowadays required to close the process and also by the increased level of authority for servicers to participate in short sales. You see, homes on the verge of foreclosure seem to be everywhere and I agree that it looks like another bubble ready to burst if there’s not a strong base to facilitate and accelerate the process of moving these properties from the market to the buyer. And in my perspective the release of the official failing of our banking system followed by the relsease of the shadow inventory will be the perfect storm to truely be the buyers market we’ve all hoped for. Look the $8000 buyers credit was not designed to give homebuyers an oppurtunity to buy homes it was designed to create another bubble giving banks who we’ve already bailed out more money for homes & create a buying frenzy. When Obama was elected he said he wanted to keep home prices stable, however government involvement in free market is a recipe for desaster. You think homebuyers are upset now, wait until all this inventory is released & the home they just closed on after months of searching drops by 20%. For this along with our Treasurers support by propping up failed banks we will be in recession longer as opposed to shorter time period. Washington is Wall Street & Wall Street is Washington, if you really want to know who runs our country check out how many ex- Goldman Sacs employees sit in high ranking governement jobs. When this round od fraud by our government & Wall Street is done expect there to be quite a few of these people serving time for fraud ala Bernie Madoff. Our political system, monetary system, social security, medical & economy are all Ponzi Schemes. In a few months the stock, credit card & real estate markets (residential & commercial) will fall, have you noticed the raising prices of Gold & Silver? As these go up the value of the dollar decreases & so does your buying power, think $7 to $8 for a gallon of gas is far fecthed in a few short years you’ll be wishing for the days of $3.50 a gallon gas. Also this will all come to a head when the Fed (another croked agency privatley owned that supplies our money) is forced to increase interest rates which ar currently at 0%. Currently the Fed loans its owners Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sacs & Chase money at 0%, they intern put a trillion dollars of our tax money into a London bank making 5% then loan it back to us at 10%. You be the judge, in my opinion sometime in 2011 or 2012 this house of cards will all come tumbling down. Historically salaries go up 1% yearly & so did housing, however in the last bubble homes when up lets say 35% & salaries went up 5%, so in order for our market to truely be corrected housing must com down another 25 to 30%. So all the talk about stabalizing the housing prices is just holding off the enevitable of eventual market correction, if your house was worth $200,000 in 2002 today its true value is $205,0000 to $215,000 max. Will housing every rebound & did you lose equity from 2005 to now, no becasue the money never exsisted unless you sold your home. Mark my words your home won’t be worth the 2005 values for another 25 to 30 years, regardless of how much government intervention & printing of money they do. Current trend produce future results, read alternative media to form a true opinion of the markets, not the government make you feel good by leaving out portions of statistics to make you consume. The economy will not stabalize until jobs stabalize no new jobs no stable economy. Governments job is to grow government, however as Americans we need to remember the famous words of Ronald Reagan”Government is not the solution. Government is the problem”. Until next time seasons greetings. P.S. Most homes if they quailify for a modification are being lost after the modifications are done, because people are still unable to make their payments. P.S.S. If you have any questions about the FED an how they’ve manipulated our markets & enslave us contact me, this is a long conversation. P.S.S.S. Borrowing money to get out of debt just gets you in more debt.

San Jose, 95124 Summary

The median sales price for homes in ZIP code 95124 for Sep 11 to Nov 11 was $575,000. This represents an increase of 6.9%, or $36,957, compared to the prior quarter and a decrease of 5.4% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have depreciated 19.7% over the last 5 years in 95124, San [...]

Since the beginning of the house-price crash in 2007 almost every analyst has predicted that “the bottom” in house prices is just around the corner.  As you know they were wrong every time. But maybe now, finally, it looks as though house prices may actually be nearing a bottom.
Why you ask?
Well it is being reported that [...]

30-year mortgage rates are still averaging a rock-bottom 4%. The applications to purchase homes rose after Thanksgiving to the highest level in four months.
With Freddie Mac’s weekly report on home lender offerings released Thursday it showed the typical rate for a 30-yearloan at 3.99%, the sixth straight week at or slightly below 4%.  Last year at [...]

HELLLLOOOO My Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area… Those of you who have enjoyed taking certain deductions yearly… be forewarned… certain tax benefits will be going up up and away… (the article below comes from Inman News)… please make your notes and be sure to take what you can before they disappear…
Real Estate Tax Talk. There are several tax credits and deductions set to expire at the end of the year, and given the federal deficit problem, there’s a good chance they won’t be extended. If you want to take advantage of them, you need to act before Jan. 1, 2012. Mortgage insurance premium deduction If you itemize deductions, you may deduct the premiums you pay for mortgage insurance, just like you do mortgage interest. However, this deduction is phased out if your income exceeds certain levels. To qualify for the full deduction, a couple or a single taxpayer must have an adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less. The deduction is phased out completely if AGI exceeds $109,000. For further details go ahead and check out the full article…click open the hyperlink below…
http://shar.es/oh6zE

It has been reported that more than one in five American home mortgages are underwater.
The estimate is that 10.7-million households, or 22.1% of all homes with mortgages, had more debt on the properties than they were worth in the third quarter. The report was released by the  firm CoreLogic. This is a slight decline [...]

A closely watched survey reported Tuesday that U.S. single-family home prices declined in September. This report  highlight’s  the fragility of a market as it struggles to get back on its feet.
As reported by The S&P/Case Shiller composite index, 20 metropolitan areas fell 0.6 percent from August on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Prices in August were also revised to show [...]

The holiday spirit is in the air at Summerset in Brentwood.  Residents are decorating their yards and their homes; as well as filling grocery bags with food for needy Brentwood families.  Each year, Summersetters donate non-perishable food for “Feed the Children” and purchase gifts for needy Brentwood children via the angel gift giving tree and toys for tot drive. 
Each community hosts its own Christmas party, but other holiday events are open to all Summerset residents. Each Summerset resident receives a monthly activity calendar, allowing you to partake in the activities at any of the four Summerset locations.
Currently, there are 27 homes for sale in Summerset, a 30% increase from last year.  Prices range from $200,000 for 1300 sq. feet in Summerset 1 to $549,950 for 2857 sq ft home in Summerset 3.  (A third of these homes have been on the market more than 100 days.)  Most homes in Summerset are gently used, but are missing the updates that today’s buyers seek.  Homes priced under $300K tend to move quickly.  Here is a link to current homes on the market.
Not sure that you want to live in a retirement community?  Try renting!  Rents start about $1250/month for a duet (attached unit with a 1 car garage), but rental units under $1500 go quickly!  Here is a link to current Summerset rentals.

HELLLOOOOO My Wonderful, Beeeeauuutiful Bay Area… Tis the Season!!…

No matter how you look at it…there are legions of consumers getting ready for their annual “holiday shopping”… O Joy!! Personally have been there many times, done that many times and am finally very comfortable at my very comfortable age not participating in all the planning, crush of traffic, lack of parking, stress of finding the right gift or not, staying within a reasonable budget or not, skipping meals to get all the shopping done, sore feet and body aches, bundling up to stay warm from the chill outside but oooops peel off once inside to stay cooool… too much stuff to carry…
Life is so much simpler and happier these days not participating… but that’s just me…

For all of you who love all of the trappings and traditions the holidays bring… who truly enjoy “holiday shopping”… hitting the malls everywhere… please beware of the 8 Germiest Places in the Mall…
http://bit.ly/rQJBXb
There’s really some true advantages to “Online Shopping”!!… LOL
Take Care – Stay Well – Enjoy The Season with Happiness and Love!!

The Date: The first Thanksgiving was on September 8, 1565 near St. Augustine, Florida. Thanksgiving was a traditional New England holiday that celebrated family and community and descended from Puritan days of fasting and festive rejoicing. Abraham Lincoln, spurred on by the lobbying efforts of writer Sarah Josepha Hale, proclaimed an annual national day of thanks in 1863 for the many blessings enjoyed by Americans. 
It wasn’t till later in the 19th century, though, that the popular image of the “First Thanksgiving” took root. Earlier, while the Indian wars were still raging, scenes of settlers and natives engaging in a joint gathering seemed inconceivable.
In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt modified Lincoln’s chosen date of the last Thursday of November to the second-to-last Thursday of November in order to extend the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas shopping season. J Then in 1942 FDR signed a law making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November, a law which is still in effect today.
Why a Turkey?  One story tells of Queen Elizabeth (16th century England eating a roast goose at a harvest festival, and upon hearing that the Spanish Armada had sunk on its way to attack England, the queen ordered up a second goose to celebrate the great news.  Thus, the goose became the favorite bird at harvest time in England. When the Pilgrims arrived in America from England, roasted turkey replaced roasted goose as the main cuisine because wild turkeys were more abundant and easier to find than geese.
Why Pumpkin Pie?   In 1621, at the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, they ate pumpkin custard flavored with maple syrup and spices, baked in pumpkin shells.  In 1796, an American cookbook by Amelia Simmons was published. It was the first cook book that developed recipes for foods native to America.  Her pumpkin puddings were baked in a crust and similar to present day pumpkin pies.
Wishing you…  sincere Thanksgiving wishes for a day spent with loving friends and family enjoying great food.  I personally give thanks for my health, the abundance of America, for family & friends, and for the day we set-aside to give gratitude.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Hello & Happy “Almost” Thanksgiving!
I have a new feature added to my website, which enables you to search directly for all currently listed homes, with parameters that suit YOUR needs, such as number of bedrooms, price range, location, size, etc., regardless of listing agent.  The listing information is coming straight from the MLS system, which was previously available only to card-carrying, fee-paying Realtors!  The search page can be found on the “Homes for Sale” tab above or in the “Search for Homes” bar at right.  I’m pleased we can offer this to our clients:  by expanding your selections, and by giving you the most up-to-date information.  I hope it will help you in your search for the home of your dreams!
Once you locate a property, feel free to contact me for the next step.  Whether buying or selling, it’s important to have an agent looking out for YOUR needs – not just a sale.  I pride myself on offering superior & thorough personal service before, during and AFTER your transaction -  especially for such an important decision in your life.
On behalf of Realty World Blue Property, our “Blue Crew”, we wish you a holiday filled with many thanks and joy for the blessings that surround us all.
Sheryl M. Lipari              Mobile: 510.220.3777
Castro Valley, CA Fax:877.550.9615                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Email: smlipari@realtyworld-blue.com   or   YourNeighborhoodProfessional@yahoo.com                                                                                                                                                                                Website:  http://SherylsHomePage.com                Office:  888.880.7708 x 547

Hannah Nicole Vineyards is offering its acoustic weekend afternoons for your enjoyment.  Come out to Brentwood and enjoy a bottle of wine from their tasting room and grab some cheese, salami and crackers from their gift shop or bring your own picnic! 
Artists are scheduled to perform between 1 and 4 PM. Tickets are not required to enjoy the music and it is open to all ages! If the weather gets cold or wet, the music will be moved inside; so you can enjoy the tunes while you’re warming up with a glass of your favorite red!  
Below is a schedule of Acoustic Afternoons performances… 
November 19 – Chris Ahlman
Country influenced vocalist.
November 20 – Owen Plant
 Encore appearance by this eclectic artist who fuses island, classic and rock styles
November 26- Steve Marvel
Crowd favorite! Always a good afternoon of entertainment and music with Mr. Marvel!
November 27 – Toree McGee is Back!
A talented emerging voice with a strong set list and a great guitarist!

November is here and the leaves are just starting to fall in Summerset, an over 55 “active adult” community located in Brentwood.  This past weekend, was a yearly craft fair benefitting the Summerset 2 Social Club.  Now, plans for food drives, parties and charity donations are on the calendar.  Holiday tours of San Francisco, Santana Row, and the Dickens Christmas Faire are just some of the plans on the upcoming calendar.  One thing for sure, you can definitely fill your calendar when you live here at Summerset!  Each community has its own home owner’s association (HOA), recreation center, pool/hot tub, tennis court, bocce court, workout room, pool table and activity director.  Once you are a resident of Summerset, you will receive a monthly activity calendar, and can attend activities at any of the four Summerset locations.
Currently, the number of homes available in Summerset has been reduced to 26; that is a great statistic, as it represents less than 2% of all homes in the development.  Prices currently range from $250-$550K.  Smaller sized homes move quickly, especially those priced under $250K!  Here is a link to current homes in Summerset!
Homes for rent in Summerset have also been snatched up quickly these past few months.  Renting is a great option if you are not quite sure you are ready to live in a retirement community; while enjoying all the benefits of an owner.  Rents start at $1250 for a duet; however, currently the lowest price rental is going for $1625.
Should you have any questions about Summerset, call me.   I live in and enjoy sharing the opportunity to tell others about Summerset.  Wishing you a Happy Autumn Season!

Yesterday, I attended “The BIG EVENT”, hosted by Contra Costa  at the Lesher Theatre in Walnut Creek.  Two main speakers were there speaking: Robert Kleinhenz PHD, Deputy Chief Economist for Calif. Assoc of Realtors (CAR) and Gov Hutchinson, asst. general counsel & VP of  CAR.  This once-yearly meeting talks trends/forecasts and new laws coming into effect on January 1st.  The event is open to members of the Contra Costa Assoc. of Realtors. Below are some highlights of the talk:

Unemployment for California remains around 12%. (10% in Contra Costa.)  The non-farm recession job losses are about 1 million jobs; however, since Jan 2010, 222,400 jobs have been added to the state. 
The economy is recovering, but moving slow.  GDP for 3rd quarter 2011 was 2.5% for the same time last year, it was 2.7%. 
Consumers are not spending, and also DRAINING down their savings.  This will be a slow healing process, as consumer spending is needed to improve the economy.
Interest rates are historically LOW, and this makes it a great time to buy.
The California median home price is $287,400, down 8.3%.
2012 is predicted to mirror 2011 in the California housing market.  We are close to record affordability.  34% of buyers are first time buyers.
Tax credits helped sales in 2010; they say this is a transition year and sales have to move forward by themselves.   Equity sales rose in 2011.
There will continue to be foreclosure thru 2014!
Current inventory in CA is 5 months; down from 7 months.  Homes over $1 million have a 10 month inventory and those under $300K have a 4.7 month inventory.  Broken down by inventory type, in California there is a 2.6 month inventory for REO’s. A 5.9 month inventory for regular sales and ad 7.9 month inventory for short sales.
Most buyers shop for 4 months before contacting an agent; 80% of buyers used an agent.
Financing continues to be a challenge.
Some new laws going into effect 1/1/12: Landlords can prohibit smoking and it must be written in the lease.  Tenants can display political signs.  HOA transfer CANNOT be more than $250, and HOA MUST discloses if unit cannot be rented out.  If a home is listed for less than the liens, than it MUST be listed as a short sale.
If a DRE member is on the Top 500 tax delinquent list, they will lose their license. WOW!
For a link to this speech go to: www.car.org/marketdata and then click the speech section on the left hand side.

 
 HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL BAY AREA!!… We’re going into that time change thing again…  —MOVE your CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR this Saturday night… That’s an extra hour of sleep for everyone! 

 13 THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU … 
 1.      Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2.      Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
 3.      Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste… and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
 4.      Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..
5.      If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house.. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
6.      If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.
 7.      A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom – and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
 8.      It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
9.      I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)
10.  Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11.  Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.
12.  You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.
13.  A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television.   (Find it athttp://www.faketv/.com/) 

Happy Halloween!  Here are some spooky& sweet housing stats….

43% of all sales in California are REO’s or Short Sales.  Since these sellers will be credit-challenged, does that mean we lost 43% of these owners to non-ownership? 
33% of all loans are in foreclosure; some homeowners have not made a payment in 2 yrs.
30% of all mortgages in California are upside down; an additional 5% are very close. 
Some CA cities have numbers higher (example: Hesperia is 76.9% underwater – WOW) 

How about a sweet-as-candy housing stat?  Real estate is going for half-price or more of 2006 prices and interest rates are 4%  – This is great news, so WHY NOT BUY NOW?