Podcasts about bay area home

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Bay Area Market Update – October 2024 | Price & Sales IncreaseIn this month's Bay Area market update, we're seeing further gains in both prices and also listings in most counties. San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Marin County have outperformed the other counties likely due to the strong RTO mandates from many companies including Amazon.

Housing Market Trends: Millennials, Rates, and Real Estate Insights In this episode, we delve into the challenges millennials face in buying homes due to high interest rates and cost of living. Despite these barriers, housing inventory and sales continue to rise across the U.S., particularly in regions like Florida, Texas, and the Midwest. The video also provides a detailed look at the California real estate market, with specific insights into areas like Silicon Valley and Napa. Additionally, it covers the impact of credit card debt on purchasing power and offers practical advice on securing loans and preparing homes for sale. Mortgage Rates this week 10% of California credit card debt is late, the 12th-highest delinquency rate in the US Home Inspection CHECKLIST HERE What you get for $2MM Santa Clara County AIDA Attract, Interest, Desire, Action What you get for $1MM in SILICON VALLEY FREE HOME BUYER CHECKLIST HERE Inventory And Supply Charts 0:00 (July 25, 2024 16_16)nqJ5oL31NEr9-kfilqA3aUSR7CxgPlbEVQKFRSjIYHgFr6A7i 00:22 Current Inventory Trends 00:50 Challenges of Home Buying 01:59 Interest Rates and Loan Options 02:22 Credit Card Debt Issues 02:52 Home Inspection Checklist 03:04 Real Estate Listings Overview 04:39 Market Trends and Predictions 05:49 Summary and Closing Remarks

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Prices of New Houses Drop Below Prices of “Used” Houses for First Time since 2005. Sales Languish, Inventories Sky-High https://wolfstreet.com/2023/07/26/prices-of-new-houses-drop-below-prices-of-used-houses-for-first-time-since-2005-sales-languish-inventories-sky-high/ Housing market institutional freeze: Invitation homes—the largest owner of U.S. homes—was a net seller for the third straight quarter https://calculatedrisk.substack.com/p/lawler-invitation-homes-net-seller Take action for your life, emotional, professional, fitness, relationship, HOMEBOT https://hmbt.co/bT7qRJ Homebuyer Workshop https://event.webinarjam.com/register/6/8oz4kcg http://blog.abitano.com/ https://www.onereal.com/vito-scarnecchia-1 http://blog.abitano.com/2023/07/home-sales-continue-to-slow-prices.html --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/siliconvalleyliving/message

Stay up-to-date on the Bay Area housing market with our latest update for July 2023. Watch to get insights on current trends, average home prices, and tips for buying or selling in the area. Don't miss out on crucial information affecting the housing market in the Bay Area. Stay tuned for more market updates in the future.-Spencer Hsu is a Bay Area Real Estate Agent, a Residential, New Home Construction and Relocations specialist with eXp Realty LLC. Serving the entire Bay Area. He aims to help busy professionals in the Bay Area tech industry find their dream homes by leveraging tech, data and local insights.CONTACT ME:Call / Text: (408) 547- 4590DRE 02077253Email: spencer@spencerhsu.comwww.homesbyspencerhsu.com

Are you a Bay Area homeowner thinking about selling your home in 2023? Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the top regrets of Bay Area home sellers. In this video, we'll share key insights and practical tips to help you maximize your home sale and avoid common pitfalls. Don't miss out on this valuable advice from experienced sellers. Watch now to ensure a successful home sale in 2023.-Spencer Hsu is a Bay Area Real Estate Agent, a Residential, New Home Construction and Relocations specialist with eXp Realty LLC. Serving the entire Bay Area. He aims to help busy professionals in the Bay Area tech industry find their dream homes by leveraging tech, data and local insights.CONTACT ME: Call / Text: (408) 547- 4590Email: spencer@spencerhsu.com www.homesbyspencerhsu.com

In this shifting real estate market, there are excellent opportunities for both home buyers and sellers to take advantage of the current market conditions. Also, the number of con artists looking to take advantage of unwary homeowners, especially seniors, is at or near an all-time high. I will talk about those opportunities and discuss some ways to protect yourself from falling prey to a scammer. Dale has lived his entire life in the bay area. Working as an Industrial Engineer and Engineering Manager at a variety of tech firms after graduating from San Jose State University, Dale made the career transition to becoming a full-time Real Estate Consultant in 2004. After becoming a top-selling Realtor at Keller Williams Realty, Dale and his business partner, Helen Gardin, started a new business, Pulse Real Estate, in 2020. Together, Dale and Helen work alongside their clients to ensure outstanding results. Their motto is "Keeping Your Best Interests at Heart". That is the way they work and the way they live! 1. Home Buyers: Take advantage of the slower buyer activity to get more houses for less money. Be serious, look for opportunities, and be financially prepared to win. 2. Home Sellers: Just because the market has slowed down, that is no excuse to not prepare your home to attract your ideal buyer. 3. Investors: It is common for novice investors to pay too much for a property. Determine your strategy, understand the financials, have a team, and be willing to walk away from a bad deal. 4. Seniors: Your home has likely been a place where you raised your family and/or made many lifelong memories. If you are thinking of making a move, you need to consider all your options. Your property is your nest egg and likely a legacy for others. Making the right move is critical as you won't likely get another opportunity. Everyone's life is full of challenges, mine was too, but I got a break in my life. I could learn success principles and better my life. Now the main goal I have in my life is to share this information with others so that they can better their lives. When the foundation of your life is spirituality and success principles; you can achieve great heights of success by serving others, and helping others achieve their dreams and goals. Taking charge of your life should be easy and anyone who decides to take charge of their life should be able to do so. For that reason, we are providing eCourses to help you start and grow your businesses. We are accepting guests on our podcasts where we promote you, your products, and your services. We also have blogs, vlogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels to provide you with resources. The MynuBeginning digital products like invites, planners, and social media templates are designed to save time and increase your productivity. Join our free JV group if you are looking for collaborations: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jvcollaboration Check out the free products and resources available to you. https://mynubeginning.com/services/free-digital-products/ https://nubeginning.com/category/free-resources/ We are dedicated to providing you with various resources; your input is very valuable to us. Please give us feedback on what kind of resources you are looking for. To your health, wealth & happiness! From the Team of MynuBeginning.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sue-pats/message

What is happening with Bay Area real estate? Why are home values in the Bay Area are falling faster than in the rest of the US, and why have US home values just fallen for the first time since 2012 while the job market remains good and homes are still selling? Plus, which Northern California city was recently named the "happiest in the US"?I'll answer these questions and more LIVE this Saturday at 10 am PT. Ask me anything!Text or call us today at 408-547-4590. You can also visit us at https://www.homesbyspencerhsu.com/

Bay Area home sellers are DEFINITELY in the driver's seat!

Every week at 12 PM PST, I analyze the news and data that can affect the Bay Area Real Estate Market. Tune in weekly and email me anytime if I can help! spencer@spencerhsu.com.

Every week at 12 PM PST, I analyze the news and data that can affect the Bay Area Real Estate Market. Tune in weekly and email me anytime if I can help! spencer@spencerhsu.com.

Men and their cats...how do we feel about it?Several Bay Area 4th of July celebrations are happening this year! Bay Area home prices and sales are skyrocketing. Woman pays for a birthday cake to honor her late son and the note goes viral. This is the most annoying drink you can order on a plane according to flight attendants!

Every week at 12 PM PST, I analyze the news and data that can affect the Bay Area Real Estate Market. Tune in weekly and email me anytime if I can help! spencer@spencerhsu.com. Topics covered for the week: Intro(0:00) Bay Area home prices just hit a record high. Will the buying spree last? ( https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Bay-Area-home-prices-just-hit-a-record-high-Will-16186890.php ) (0:35) Uber co-founder CloudKitchens venture pushes ahead in downtown San Jose ( https://www.siliconvalley.com/2021/05/18/uber-travis-kalanick-cloudkitchens-downtown-san-jose-real-estate-tech/ ) (5:55) Development plans for nearly 1,000 condos, apartments headed to Union City council ( https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/18/development-plans-for-nearly-1000-condos-apartments-headed-to-union-city-council/ ) (8:13) Investors are buying up single-family homes across the US ( https://www.housingwire.com/articles/investors-are-buying-up-single-family-homes-across-the-us/ ) (11:31) *Latest Market Data for all counties in the Bay Area* https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P5T3T4doU9vutLotcKnZ0WCZahU0nvKn1khR-QQsrTI/edit?usp=sharingTI/edit?usp=sharing ( https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P5T3T4doU9vutLotcKnZ0WCZahU0nvKn1khR-QQsrTI/edit?fbclid=IwAR0Ngy8wJ3Y0QsFHPFFGxO2w_aYq28gvOaYttdFGtnjHn3P6Ygsd9cb8xl0&usp=sharing ) San Mateo County 14:43 Santa Clara County 15:43 Alameda County 17:02 Contra Costa County 17:55 San Francisco County 19:03

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Every week, I go over news that can affect Bay Area Real Estate. I look into news and data that can affect the Silicon Valley Real Estate Market. Tune in weekly and ask me anything! https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/networth/article/Bay-Area-home-prices-hit-another-record-and-sales-15734562.php Huge industrial center eyed in south San Jose https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/11/12/real-estate-huge-industrial-center-south-san-jose-tech-develop-amazon/ One of the Bay Area's largest biotech landlords puts 1 million-square-foot Peninsula project together https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/11/12/healthpeak-properties-peak-genentech-cove.html Airbnb IPO could generate billions for the Bay Area. How will housing prices react? https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Airbnb-IPO-could-generate-billions-for-the-Bay-15731893.php Mortgage applications see slight decrease, despite purchase gain https://www.housingwire.com/articles/mortgage-applications-see-overall-decrease-even-with-3-gain-for-purchase-apps/ Builder confidence reaches 35-year high in November https://www.housingwire.com/articles/builder-confidence-reaches-35-year-high-in-november/ Latest Market Data for all counties in the Bay Area https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P5T3T4doU9vutLotcKnZ0WCZahU0nvKn1khR-QQsrTI/edit?usp=sharing -- If you are tired of renting in the Bay Area, are a homeowner looking to do a trade up for a bigger home, or are wanting to sell your home for top dollar, I would love to connect!

Every Tuesday, I go into detail a question I frequently get asked. This week, I'm going to walk you through what to do when your house refuses to sell. -- Want to talk about your real estate goals? Find a time on my calendar! Looking for a real estate agent in your city? I have a network of top producing agents around the country. Email me and I can put you in contact with an agent in your area. Spencer@SpencerHsu.com

Every Tuesday, I go into detail a question I frequently get asked. Question of the week! Should you sell your Bay Area Home before you buy? -- If you are tired of renting in the Bay Area, are a home owner looking to do a tradeup for a bigger home, or are thinking about selling your home, I would love to connect! Click on the link and let's set up a time to talk!

Every Tuesday, I go into detail a question I frequently get asked. Should you use a local bank vs online bank for bay area home loans. While interest rates are always very important, there is one piece you need to be most aware of. Online banks have gained significant market share over the years claiming to be very customer centric and streamlining the process. They even advertise some of the lowest rates you will see! Check this latest ad out from Quicken Mortgage. They are offering loans for under 2% for a 15 year fixed rate! And they are not the only ones. They are clearly doing very well as their parent company, Rocket Mortgage just IPOed last week making Dan Gilbert the 28th richest person in the world. But, should you use them for your home loans here in the Bay Area? It depends. Let's talk about home purchases first. While these online banks are commonly used in a lot of markets across the country, they don't do many purchases here in the Bay Area for several reasons. Because of how fast properties move, the time it takes to close is very important. They don't have the same sense of urgency to be competitive with the banks that are local. Many banks even as busy as they are today can close as fast as 15-18 days. 2nd online banks don't have local contacts that you can chase! The benefit with working with someone local is that reputation matters a lot. It means a lot to me as a top Realtor for future transactions, but also for them to do a good job so that they can get future business with you.. They have much more on the line with their credibility than someone that doesn't have a focus of a particular area.. Last but not least, it is the ability to actually close the loan! When you are in contract, you would have 3% EMD or Earnest Money Down. This is your commitment amount that you need to fulfill the loan. No slight interest rate improvement is worth this risk! I've personally seen many of these loans claim that they have these amazing interest rates, only to fall out of contract weeks later jeopardizing the entire deal and the buyer's EMD altogether. Now where is it a good option? Refinances are a great solution because you don't have the time constraint and the monetary risk of breaking a contract. You are welcome to shop around and try to get those teaser rates. Worse comes to worse, the refinance doesn't go through so while you lose time and have a headache, at least you aren't losing tens of thousands of dollars. Just be wary of the fine print. A lot of banks can go very low if you pay points. Think of interest rates and your closing costs as a sliding scale. Anybody can go really low if they are willing to pay a higher closing cost for it. Let's look at that same teaser rate, while the rate is at under 2%, the closing costs are at close to 1 point which is a lot of money here in the Bay Area. -- Want to talk about your real estate goals? Find a time on my calendar! Looking for a real estate agent in your city? I have a network of top producing agents around the country. Email me and I can put you in contact with an agent in your area. Spencer@SpencerHsu.com

Every Tuesday, I go into detail a question I frequently get asked. Why are Bay Area home prices still increasing? I get asked this all the time as to why this is happening. For those that have hoped for a COVID discount, you can clearly see that once shelter in place happened, we have only gone up from there in most places outside of SF. Rental markets in more expensive areas have declined but home prices continue to increase and the amount that is pending a week have hit all time highs as well. You can see my latest market update video where I extract the data. So, what's going on? 1) The Fed and banks have been very aggressive in ensuring that people keep their homes. They had announced unlimited quantitative easing and to keep buying mortgage backed securities pushing mortgage rates to record lows. As mortgage rates keep declining, the buyer power of individuals increases. People that pay exorbitant amounts in rent (over $3,000/month) are realizing that they can easily own a home in most places across the Bay Area with the same monthly payment. 2) COVID has not affected people equally. COVID has negatively impacted younger people and the service industry far more than those that are mid-level in their technical careers. If you think and look around as to who is buying in the Bay Area, these are the people still actively buying and having confidence with their job security. 3) EVERYONE needs more space than ever before. The longer people work from home, the more they realize that their current situation is unbearable. This is why rental figures for 1 BR has plummeted double digits, but 2BR and Single Family Homes have done significantly better, even within those same cities. With people being able to work from home longer, people are more comfortable in buying a larger home further away even more so than before. 4) While inventory levels have improved and actually surpassed pre-shelter levels, we are still much lower than what is needed from a demand perspective. This is actually happening across the US but Bay Area is much more severe given the lack of space/construction in the core Bay Area. We don't have enough housing in the Bay Area and COVID made that imbalance much worse. Take a look at the stock prices of builders, they are all reporting record demand and can't build fast enough. As long as there is this problem, prices will likely continue to rise. 5) Millennials are growing up! People think millennials are only in their 20s and all they do is waste money on experiences or high rent. Given they can't spend that money on those things anymore, they are using all of that saved income that they have to just buy a home instead! Millennials are classified to include people to the age of 38. Many millennials are starting young families and want to settle down. Be on the lookout as this trend won't stop. There are over 83 million millennials right now. Now what are my predictions? The next few months will continue to be intense and we will hit new record highs. I suspect the months after will slow down and not grow as fast. However, even as intense as it is right now, there are still plenty of opportunities as every home will have it's own unique strategy. Do not psyche yourself out before you even begin the journey! Leverage the cheap money that banks are providing, get out of the rental market as that money is a waste, or find a bigger home so that you are comfortable in the new normal. -- Want to talk about your real estate goals? Find a time on my calendar! Looking for a real estate agent in your city? I have a network of top producing agents around the country. Email me and I can put you in contact with an agent in your area. Spencer@SpencerHsu.com

Every Tuesday, I go into detail a question I frequently get asked. What do you need to know about Bay Area Home Lending? This is the first step that needs to be done before looking for a home! You want to understand what your loan ceiling is as this is what I call a hard ceiling. There isn't a point of looking at properties above this amount unless you are able to get gift money or financial support from others. Nevertheless, there are alot of lenders and loan programs out there, so what do you do? Banks constantly change their guidelines and take turns being the most competitive but there are a few things to be aware of. I do what I can to constantly monitor and track the strengths/weaknesses of each bank so that my clients can get an advantage. There are two common types of loan programs. A 30 year fixed rate, or an Adjustable rate mortgage. Many people decide between the two based off of how they feel about interest rates changing in the future and their time horizon of owning the property. If you are certain that you will be using the home as a tradeup and plan to sell within 5-7 years, many people opt for the ARM rate and save money on their monthly payments. ARM rates are typically lower by 0.25% to 0.5% from a 30 year fixed rate. When it comes to home purchases that require at least a $250k+ down payment, Wells Fargo is currently very hard to beat. They still have a program called Assets Under Management which allows clients to buy down rates with money that they would've used for down payment anyways! Other private client programs require the money to stay in the account after the transaction takes place so this is a great benefit for those that know about it. Physician loans, especially tied with companies like Kaiser, has some of the best programs out there. Depending on what kind of offer you receive from a local Kaiser, many physicians at Kaiser have down payment assistance where Kaiser covers 10% of your down payment. Physicians, without support from their company have loan programs that can buy with 5% down, will have no mortgage insurance, and can buy up to $1.2M. Mortgage insurance is a extra monthly cost that you pay since you don't have much skin in the game initially in the home. You may ask, wait if Kaiser can cover 10%, and a standard physician loan requires 5%, does this mean I don't need to put any money down? Bingo! You can reach out to me to learn more about this as to how this process works but you can note for all of your physician friends, there isn't much of an excuse to not be a homeowner! BBVA has the best programs for this. If you are a first time buyer, you don't have to buy with 20%. That is a misconception. There are plenty of programs for as low as 3.5% down for everyone to take advantage of. There is a max of your purchase amount of up to $765,600 but there are plenty of properties all throughout the Bay Area to get in this category. People ask me, but there is mortgage insurance? It's always better to get into the homeownership side of the table than as a renter where that is a guarantee sunk cost. As the value of your home rises over time, you also have the option to refinance the PMI out since the PMI is needed due to initially having very little equity/skin in the game. It also accelerates you and frees up that capital to do other things with your money. Mortgage brokers are great candidates for this and tend to be more flexible than banks. All of these are great options because you are leveraging record low interest rates and getting out of the rental space. I have great lending partners as very much like Realtors, there are a lot of loan officers out there and they are not all equal from a knowledge perspective, communication, and work ethic.. If you or anyone you know is considering to buy, sell, or invest in the Bay Area, let's talk! I'm never too busy to be introduced and I have helped several clients from these videos itself! If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends, leave a comment with what you think, hit that like button and subscribe to my youtube channel! I look forward to seeing you at the next one. -- Want to talk about your real estate goals? Find a time on my calendar! Looking for a real estate agent in your city? I have a network of top producing agents around the country. Email me and I can put you in contact with an agent in your area. Spencer@SpencerHsu.com

It is a buyer’s market in the Alamo/Danville area, but as a buyer, you still need to be patient and be smart when you buy.  Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today I am joined by my father Terry McDaniel to share the latest news from our Alamo/Danville market. Right now, the numbers tell us it is a great time to buy.   In Alamo, there are 38 homes available for sale, and the median asking price for these homes is $2.15 million. There are also 27 pending properties, which is almost ideal because you usually want to see a 1:1 ratio between available properties and pending properties. The median price of these pending homes is $1.7 million. These stats indicate that the lower part of the market is the most active, while the upper part is starting to see homes with price adjustments of $50,000, $75,000, and even $100,000. This kind of thing is typical when interest rates are rising, so be patient and be smart when you buy. Remember—you only make money when you buy; you don’t make money when you sell. There are a number of properties that have not hit the market yet, and prices are not rising at the crazy rate that they previously were. If you are a buyer, these facts should help you during your negotiations with sellers In Alamo, there are about 5,500 homes in total. In Danville, there are about twice as many. To find the home that is right for you, it is very important that you calibrate for each price range and move in $250,000 increments. Make sure you pick the very best property you can buy. Also, make sure you plot out the houses. The west side of Alamo, for instance, is going to be more expensive as far as lots go. The lot values in that area are between $1.3 million and $1.5 million, which is an increase compared to when they were worth between $900,000 and $1.2 million four years ago. Can they continue to go up in value? Absolutely. Will they continue to go up in value? Absolutely. Home values can rise and fall, but in 10 to 20 years, you will be glad you bought a property now. A leveraged asset in residential real estate is a great way to accommodate your family’s future. There are many ways to buy property, so don’t assume you can’t afford it. If you talk to us, we can make it happen for you. If you are interested in discussing the market further with my father or you would like to know the value of your home, you can reach him by phone at (925) 838-4300. As always, if you have any other questions for me or you have any real estate needs at all, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you.

When you have had your offer accepted and are on your way to the closing table, there are still a few things you need to take care of. Today I will highlight four ways to prepare for closing. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.What happens at the closing table when you’re buying a house? Today I will go over what to expect, as well as a few crucial do’s and don’ts to follow as you move through the process. Keeping all of this information in mind will be very important in making sure you get the keys to your new home with no problems.  1. Schedule the closing. Most of the time, your agent will coordinate with all parties involved to schedule the closing for you. That said, it is still important to make sure this gets done. Also, make sure you take your time at the closing table. Don’t try to squeeze in the meeting over your lunch hour, because there will be a lot of critical documents to look over. I recommend taking a half-day to make sure you’ve got adequate time to review all papers carefully.  2. Do a final walk-through. As a buyer, you have the right to go through the home within five days of closing and make sure that it’s still in an acceptable condition. You are entitled to take possession of the home in the exact state it was in when your offer on the property was accepted. Any changes to your debt-to-income ratio will pose a huge threat to the success of your home purchase.3. Take all the documents with you to closing. If any issues arise, you will be able to provide any and all necessary paperwork needed to resolve those problems. 4. Keep in mind the things that could go wrong with your deal. There are a few pitfalls you may encounter. This includes things like the bank pulling out at the last minute or an unexpected lien showing up, but the greatest problem that could occur is actually within the buyer’s control. Any changes to your debt-to-income ratio will pose a huge threat to the success of your home purchase. This means that you need to make sure you put off any major purchases, especially those made on credit, until after closing. There are many more things to keep in mind before proceeding to closing when buying or selling a home. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Is it ever okay to back out of a deal? Yes. Today, I’ll highlight three examples. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Backing out of a home purchase can make you seem like a big jerk, but it doesn’t have to. There are three ways you can get out of a deal without coming off as rude:1. If you’re unhappy with the physical inspection. No matter how excited you were to purchase a home in the beginning, an unsavory inspection report can be a sure way to burst that bubble. If a home just isn’t right for you, or has problems you just can’t look past, it’s often best to walk away.2. If your purchase is contingent upon the sale of your current home. If your current home doesn’t go under contract within the designated time frame, you have no obligation to go through with the purchase. This contingency can act as your “Get Out of Jail Free” card, and save you from juggling two mortgages at once. If a home just isn’t right for you, or has problems you just can’t look past, it’s often best to walk away. 3. If the homeowners association documents raise a red flag. When you purchase a home in a homeowners association (or HOA), you’ll receive a huge stack of documents outlining the rules, regulations, and fees that will apply to you if you choose to go through with the purchase. We want to see what kind of finances the HOA has, how the board is, what the facility is like and if it will need any maintenance down the road, and also if you as a homeowner will have to put up a large chunk of money to add to reserves if there is a special assessment that is called. I highly recommend that you review these documents carefully before committing yourself to living in an HOA. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today I’ll give you an idea of what you should expect to pay in property taxes and how you’ll pay that amount.  Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.How much money do you need to pay Uncle Sam when it comes to your property taxes? Let’s find out. Let’s say your home is worth $200,000 and your tax rate is 1.5%. This means on an annual basis, you’d pay $3,000 (or $250 per month). There can be additional taxes, fees, and assessments added to this number, so double-check with your tax assessor to make sure you’re paying the right amount. Now that you have an idea of what you’ll have to pay, you need to figure out how you’ll pay it. This part is actually pretty simple. If you’re paying a mortgage, you’ll most likely have an impound account set up with your lender. Every single month, your lender (or whoever holds your note) will collect money out of that account for insurance purposes or property tax purposes. They’ll then put that money into an escrow account so it can be paid when it’s due. Your mortgage payment and your property tax payment are separate. This is important to note because a lot of people think that they pay their property taxes along with their mortgage. In reality, these payments are separate from each other. If you don’t have a mortgage, it’s your responsibility to make your property tax payment to your tax assessor or the tax board. If you have any questions about property taxes, you have any other real estate questions, or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in our market, don’t hesitate to call or email me anytime. I’d be glad to help you.

It’s time for our Fun in the Bay: Summer 2018 Edition. There are some great events happening in our area this year, and I can’t wait to share them with you. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today I’m dressed for summer because it’s time to talk about Fun in the Bay: Summer Edition. Here are a few great events that you should check out: 1. Danville Area Community Harvest. The harvest takes place on May 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at the Danville Park and Ride right next to the 680 freeway. We will be harvesting backyard fruits for donations to local soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and the food bank.Harvests typically take about three hours, and you’ll travel no more than 25 miles from the starting location. We will have all of the necessary equipment, including buckets, picking poles, ladders, clippers, and crates with us.Make sure that you wear closed-toe shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather. You may also want to consider bringing water, a snack, a hat or sunglasses, gardening gloves, and a brown bag to take some fruit home for yourself. You can learn more about The Urban Farmers at www.theurbanfarmers.org.We hope you have a great summer and enjoy these events! 2. How Weird Street Faire. The theme this year is The Disco Ball Inferno! The festival season starts on May 6 at 2:22 p.m. (how weird!) in downtown San Francisco at Howard and 2nd street. Join thousands of people in colorful costumes from around the world who have come together to celebrate peace, creativity, and Weirdness. There will be dancing in the streets and 10 stages of great music, along with fantastic foods, unique vendors, and visionary art. This whole Faire is dedicated to inspiring creativity. You can learn more at HowWeird.org. 3. The San Francisco Beer and Music Festival. Starting at 6 p.m. on June 2 in Union Square, you’ll be able to enjoy the sunset and party into the night. You can try unlimited samples of over 10 craft beers, wine, and spirits. There will also be live bands and a deejay to get the crowd on their feet. There will also be plenty of food. You can learn more at SanFrancisco-BeerFestival.com. 4. Music in the Park—The Big Jangle. Go to Danville Oak Hill Park on June 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be music by The Big Jangle and a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band. Bring some chairs, blankets, and coolers and enjoy a harmonious evening. I hope you have time to check out these awesome events. As always, if you have any real estate questions, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

The choice to be kind is in your hands. It isn’t always easy, but I’d like to challenge you to try. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.We’ve all encountered toxic people, but what’s the best way to handle these individuals? To start out, let me tell you a story. I was recently making a few follow-up calls when I encountered a gentleman who seemed to be generally angry with life. A lot of things were said in the conversation that I could have reacted negatively to, but I decided to do something against that impulse. This gentleman was upset at me having called his elderly mother, who had expressed interest in selling her home with me. He insinuated I was harassing her, which obviously wasn’t my intention. But instead of reacting with a negative attitude, I defended my position and asked him to help me understand his. I allowed the gentleman to explain his position, then de-escalated the situation by expressing empathy and solidarity. I offered to take him out of my database, apologized for the situation at hand, and ended the conversation. You have the choice to remain positive. Even though I still felt slightly shaken up by what had just happened, I was able to step away from the situation knowing I chose not to let it get out of hand. We have this same choice in every interaction we’re a part of. You can and should always choose kindness. People may push our buttons, but you always have the choice to remain positive. Always remember that we have no way of knowing what another person is going through, so try to avoid falling into negative behavior. I know this isn’t related to our usual topics, but I do think it’s important. So, take this message and apply it in your daily life. If you have any other questions, would like more information, or need help with any of your real estate needs, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Check out this awesome property in Concord. The house is under contract, but it’s so great I wanted to share it with you anyway.  Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today, I want to take you on a tour of one of our properties.Just a heads up that the sale is pending on this property; we sold it in seven days for 100% of the listing price.This is a 3-bed, 1-bath, 1,200 sq. ft. home with one of the best kitchens I’ve seen in a long time. The house is located right in downtown Concord. You can walk to Mount Diablo High School or walk to downtown Concord for food or events. This is a quiet, one-way street, and you’re right next to the John Muir Medical Center as well. Check out the video above for a complete tour of the house. We did take out a fence to open up the front yard and give the house a new look. The interior features hardwood floors, a nice, open floor plan, and a great fireplace. Make sure you watch the video to check out that kitchen, which even comes with a prep sink. The seller made some great upgrades to the property, including converting the garage into a master suite. The garage was converted into a great master bedroom suite with vaulted ceilings and a skylight. The backyard is big enough to play an NFL football game, and there is a side yard with a well, which is great for gardeners. There is also an outdoor structure that could be used as an office, as well as two structures for storage. You could easily install a pool in the backyard next to the orange trees without losing a lot of space. Like I mentioned earlier, this house is currently under contract. Stay tuned for more great properties, or reach out to me if you would like us to sell your home as fast as we sold this one. As always, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Insurance is something you buy with the hope that you never have to use. But insurance also acts as a gateway to peace of mind, knowing that if something goes wrong, you will have an answer for it. But insurance can be tricky which is why it's important to have helpful agents, like our guest today Jessie Banuelos, to help you find the coverage options available. At the same time, she educates clients on how to navigate the insurance market. With 28 years of experience, Jessie is well established in the insurance industry and has plenty of insight to offer. This is a great episode for anyone who has questions on how insurance works, or anyone looking to start a career in insurance. Website: agents.farmers.com/ca/orinda/jessie-banuelos Phone: 925-258-1010             Social: Jessie Banuelos Insurance Agency Inc. :53 Getting Started Insurance since age 18 Own an agency in Orinda now 2:05 Starting an Agency Asked to take over the agency Reviving a declining agency 3:46 Payment Structure Commission based Not transactional, residual commission Always nurture the relationship with clients 6:00 Advice for Getting Into Insurance Need to have the stomach for it You will hear “No” a lot Find a niche market Join a team 9:19 Oversaturation Competition with the internet and name your price tools Stressing value over price 11:18 Full Coverage What does full coverage mean “Are you okay vs. Hope you are okay” Commercial policies Fire Insurance 17:00 Flood Insurance Lender driven Only get it when you're in a special flood zone Floods can happen anywhere Mudslides Flood insurance will be expensive 18:56 Pricing Differences in the Bay Area Home pricing rates High fire zones, fire lines 20:33 Reducing Premiums Working with one company Discounts based on jobs 22:02 Client Base Mainly families Commercial real estate investors Earthquake insurance inquiries are rising Involvement in claims 25:35 Renters Insurance Basic policies are cheap Providing coverage for the building owner 30:19 Staying in Touch with Clients Social media Mailers Staying relevant Contact info/ Wrap up

By joining The McDaniel Callahan Real Estate Team, powered by eXp Realty, you will have the chance to do more than earn a paycheck; you will build wealth for you and your family.  Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.When you join our team and eXp Realty, you will have the opportunity to build wealth for you and your family. What do you get when you join eXp Realty? First of all, there are three different ways to make revenue just by selling real estate: Getting your commission. If you build a team, get a part of their deals as they do them until they cap out at $16,000. Stock—eXp is a publicly traded company, so their stock is very valuable and always rising. You get stock when you close a deal and when you bring on a team member. If you decide to go to Icon status, your $16,000 cap is given back to you at the end of the year in company stocks, so basically, you are only paying them $5,000 in commission splits for the entire year. I can go over how this works in more detail on our one-on-one call. eXp Realty gives you 25 to 35 live hours of training every single week. You also have access to their digital campus, so you can get things done in a snap. I have been thoroughly impressed with how client-centric this company is. If you’re a small brokerage, you can come on over and keep your culture, your brand, your people, and your brick-and-mortar office. All you have to do is add “powered by eXp” on the bottom right. Again, we can talk about that later. These are just a few perks of joining eXp Realty. What exactly do you get when you join The McDaniel Callahan Team? For one, you will get access to our 90-day jumpstart system. Here’s what that looks like: You’ll start with a system called “36 to Life” with my good friend, Hank Avink. I coach with this system too, but I may not coach your session depending on scheduling. “36 to Life” is usually $300, but with us, you’ll only pay $36 for a month long program. That will be the best $36 you’ve spent in your life. I guarantee that if you don’t like it, you’ll get your money back. Rockstar Conversations is an eight-week self-guided program. Rockstar Mastermind takes place every Monday morning. Matt and I get together at 9 a.m. to coach and train on a specific topic or issue. This information is hyperlocal to our area. After that, we’ll move you to the E.R.S. Livestream with Jeff Cohn. Jeff is a real estate powerhouse based out of Omaha, Nebraska, and he has opened his coaching sessions up for free to all of our team members on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard time. Jeff’s team did 750 deals last year and, as of this recording, he’s on track to do 1,000 deals in 2018. You can learn a lot from him. Schedule a call with me today to see if this is the right fit for you. Matt and I will also do monthly Q&A calls and potentially bring in guests to cover specific topics. You can also book time on my personal calendar if there is anything you want to talk to me about. You also have access to any of our team’s products, such as the Rockstar Conversations, our high-tech, high-touch farming product (eight to 12 hours of farming content), and The Introvert’s Guide to Real Estate Success. If you don’t like being out in front of people, this is a guide we put together with Dr. Debra Dupree, a psychologist here in San Diego. She breaks down how you can be an introvert and succeed and thrive in real estate. Our next upcoming product is called “How to Find Your Next Client Using Facebook Live.” If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, go to BookMcDaniel.com to book a 30-minute talk with me to see if this is a good fit for you. If it is, great! If not, that’s fine, too. I want to give you the opportunity to do more than earn a paycheck in real estate. I want to help you start building wealth for you and your family. If you do decide to do this, I’ll run some numbers to show you how this compounds in a short amount of time. You can literally get mailbox money by adding five, 10, 15, or 25 people from anywhere in the country to your team. Again, go to BookMcDaniel.com to schedule a 30-minute talk with me. I look forward to hearing from you!

We’re excited to announce the launch of a new partnership. Stay tuned for details. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.I’ve got big news for you and for us today. We are ecstatic to announce the fact that we’ve made a shift over to a new brokerage called exp Realty. This is the fastest-growing national brokerage in the country. They went from 3,000 agents to over 6,500 in just the last year. eXp Realty is a tech-based real estate brokerage that has so many different amazing tools that will allow us to help you get your home seen and sold faster and for higher prices. The technology and the personnel over at eXp have been simply amazing. They have been able to get us everything we want and need in a timely manner and it’s a great environment to be around.I also wanted to make sure and let you guys know why we shifted. The future is digital, it’s remote, and a lot of the brick and mortar businesses won’t be around. The mindset of the average human will be digitally-based (if it isn’t already), so we took the leap ahead of time so that we can help grow our team nationally and locally here in Alamo. Our team is extremely excited for our move to eXp Realty. If you’re an agent and want to learn about what value we can bring to you, we have a laundry list of goodness to share with you to help you put more money in your pockets. There are three revenue streams with eXp Realty (and you get stock since they are a publicly traded company).If you have any questions for us about joining our team or need any assistance in reaching your real estate goals, feel free to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. Also, if you are interested in joining our team or learning more about why we switched, visit www.bookmcdaniel.com. I would love to help you out.

Today I’d like to start an interactive dialogue about something near and dear to my heart: our Bay area. I want to know what you love most about living in the Bay.  Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today, we’re doing something completely different from what we’ve done in the past. I’m excited to announce this new series on why we all love to live in the Bay area. Of course, everyone has different reasons for why they love to live here so much, but today I’d like to mention just a few of these points. The aim of this series is to create an interactive dialogue between myself and all of you about the Bay area. I want to know what locations, restaurants, and features in our area you love the most and why. Whether your favorite thing about living here is a particular beach, a certain hiking trail, or even just a special view, I want to hear about it. For now, I want to let you in on a few of my own favorite things about the Bay. First, I love how centrally located we are. In just a few hours or less, I can go almost anywhere and do nearly anything I want. What do you love most about living in the Bay? As an example, I live just about 45 minutes to an hour away from Napa. I’m also just three hours from Lake Tahoe and 45 minutes to San Francisco. The list goes on and on.With all of the opportunities the Bay has to offer, how could anyone not love living here? The diversity of the Bay area is one feature that absolutely captured my heart from the moment I first moved here in the second grade.Some of our nation’s most iconic landmarks are right in our backyard. From the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge and beyond, there is no shortage of things to see.And let’s not forget about the active sports world here in our area. We’ve got the Giants, the Raiders, the 49ers, the Sharks, and so much more.I could go on and on, but I want to hear from you. What do you love most about living in the Bay? If you send me a video or some audio, I’ll put it right here on the air. You can also simply write down your response for me to read aloud.If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Does living next to a Starbucks really increase your home value? Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today I’ve got an interesting question to answer: Does living next to a Starbucks really increase your home value?Many of you might be wondering what I’m talking about. This may sound like a ridiculous question, but it actually isn’t. If you think that living near a Starbucks has nothing to do with home value, you might be surprised by what I’m about to tell you.Between 1997 and 2014, studies across America showed that homes within a quarter of a mile of a Starbucks increased in value by 96%.Let’s face it, not every coffee shop is going to increase home value. Dunkin Donuts just doesn’t stack up. Does living next to a Starbucks really increase your home value? This “Starbucks Effect” has swept across the nation. Boston home values increased 45.4%, Philadelphia home values increased by 31%, and Washington D.C. home values increased by 29.6%.But living next to a Starbucks isn’t the only way to put value into your home. A lot of people think updating the bathroom and the kitchen is the best way to go, but why not make a change that is going to add between 30% and 40% in value?Studies show that adding a media or specialty room can add a lot of value to your home.If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

You’re invited to my upcoming networking event—be there! Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.I’m excited to announce that we’re soon going to be having another amazing networking event. We’ve normally held them in downtown Danville, but we are moving locations to downtown Walnut Creek.The event will be held November 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Modern China Cafe, 1525 N Main St, Walnut Creek. There’s no cost to attend, and I’d love to see you guys down there. The past networking events that we’ve had have been amazing successes.The past networking events that we’ve had have been amazing successes. So come on down, hand out your business cards, have a cocktail and a little bite of food, meet some new people, grow your business, and have a damn good time!Call me at (925) 915-1978 to get your tickets, and make sure you get down here!As always, feel free to contact me about any other real estate questions you have. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Having goals is an incredibly important aspect of life and business alike. But, how can you achieve these goals? Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.I’m going to flip the script a little bit today. Instead of bringing you another market update or tips about upcoming local events: I want to answer a question that I get asked all the time by my clients, “Why did you choose real estate as a career?”The reason I do real estate is because it’s literally in my blood. I’ve been watching and listening to my father, Terry McDaniel, all my life. I’ve seen and heard him negotiate countless transactions, work long hours, and endure the grind of this business.When I got my driver’s license at age 16, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to get in the car with my dad, roll down the window, and crank the music up. It wasn’t until I was already in the driver's seat of his green Suburban that I realized that instead of being windows-down-music-up this was windows-up-A/C-on, with dad on the phone negotiating. We want to be the antidote to that stigma of thought.I thought it was so lame at the time, but what I didn’t realize is that it was the beginning of my training to become an agent. All through high school I helped my dad by going to open houses, stuffing letters, and attending real estate conferences. I didn’t know it back then, but all that time he was grooming me to be the agent I am today. For that, I’ll always be grateful.I’m going to continue doing this for a long time because I strongly believe that there needs to be people like us out there protecting people. There are so many people out there giving real estate a bad name. We want to be the antidote to that stigma. If you have any questions for me, Terry, Chris, Eileen, John, or anyone else on our team, we’re always here to answer them. Just give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you and offer a helping hand.

It’s time for the Halloween Special! Where should you go to have some Fun in the Bay this October?  Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.It’s time for Fun in the Bay: Halloween Edition! Let’s get right to it and see what’s happening in the Bay this October.First, there is the Halloween International Ball at the W Hotel on October 27th from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. It’s $30 per person so get your ticket to enjoy some dancing, DJs, and a costume contest! You never know, you might finally meet that dirty doctor or naughty nurse, so get on over there and have some fun. Hang out with some farm animals, enjoy tons of great food, and pick your pumpkins!Last but not least, there is the Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm. It wouldn’t be Halloween without a family trip to the pumpkin patch. They also have a Christmas tree farm, but the pumpkin patch is open from October 1st through the 31st. Take your kids through the Pumpkin Playland and Little Carver’s Barnyard, or take a train ride around the patch. Hang out with some farm animals, enjoy tons of great food, and pick your pumpkins!This is just a small selection of Halloween happenings in our area. If you would like to learn more or if you have questions about buying or selling this holiday season, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

There are only three months left in 2017, and we need your help to meet our goal. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.The fourth quarter of 2017 has officially begun. So far this year, our team has been blessed to work with a number of wonderful, incredible people and families to buy and sell real estate.We have a goal and we can only achieve this goal with your help.We want to work with at least eight more families in the next three months. We want to help them buy or sell real estate. If you send us a referral, we’ll donate $1,000 to the charity of your choice.How can you help?Send us your referrals. Do you know someone who is thinking of buying or selling a home? If you do, have them reach out to us and drop your name.To thank you for your referral, we will donate $1,000 to the charity of your choice.If you know someone who wants to buy or sell a home before 2018, just give me a call or send me an email so we can get something booked right away. I look forward to hearing from you!

We have another networking event coming up soon, and you’re invited. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today I’m excited to let you know that there’s another amazing networking event just around the corner—and you’re invited. The Danville Elite Networking Event will be at Sweetwater Tavern on September 19th, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and you won’t want to miss it. Bring your business cards and get ready for a good time.Additionally, attendance is absolutely free. So, bring your business cards and get ready for a good time. I know, personally, that I’ve made quite a few friends from these events. You really never know who you’re going to meet next. I hope you can make it to this awesome event. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today I wanted to talk to you about the four mistakes sellers make when trying to sell their homes. Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale.Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.Today I wanted to talk to you about the four mistakes that sellers make during negotiations: If you get an offer from a buyer that is exactly what you were looking for, don’t send back a counteroffer. But, if the offer you receive is not to your preference, doing a slight or no-counter is a major problem.Do not insist on selling the home as-is. The home can be sold as-is per the contract, but do you really want to be that seller who rudely drives that point home to the buyer? They just want to buy a nice, safe home for their family. Give a little, get a little.Give a little, get a little.Do not be cheap. There’s being financially frugal, and then there’s being flat out cheap. I can understand you not wanting to replace or repair the nitpicky things like a burnt out lightbulb, but if you know the roof needs to be repaired and you have the funds to at least patch it, make that repair. You don’t want something to come back to bite you later down the road.Do not bombard other listing agents. Do not call the other agents that showed the home to tell them you’ve received an offer. It’s just rude, and there’s a reason that those other agents didn’t put in an offer for your home. Focus on the ones who did put in an offer and leave the others alone.If you have any other questions for me about this topic or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give us a call. We’d be happy to help!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for saleThe United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union - or “Brexit,” if you will - has had an effect on stock prices, gold, and government bonds. More importantly, though, it has also had an effect on real estate prices in the Bay Area. The yield on the 10-year treasury has been tumbling ever since the Brexit. That, in essence, has caused lower mortgage rates. We’ve also seen an uptick in both home purchase applications and refinance applications, signifying a major increase in housing demand. The other upside we see is foreign investor interest. The U.S. dollar is holding strong and proving to be a better investment than the British pound. Another thing that analysts are pointing out is that there may be a tech and real estate withdrawal from the United Kingdom, which would help the U.S. market in terms of job growth and demand for homes.To conclude, the three effects the Brexit has had on home prices are lower mortgage rates, an increase of foreign interest, and potential job creation. All these signify increased demand and a very healthy scenario for real estate. If you have any questions or you’re thinking about buying or selling real estate, please give me a call or send me an email and we’ll schedule a free consultation.

Want to sell your East Bay Home? Get a FREE home value reportWant to buy an East Bay Home? Search all homes for saleIs it time to prepare your home for sale? Check out these tricks to maximize profits and add value to your property.Pre-sale inspection: This helps you understand what’s going on with your home. It can also prevent any further negotiations after accepting an offer. Buyers won’t expect more, since you already know of any issues with your property.Curb appeal: Your home should shine for those first impressions. Spruce up the front yard, so your property looks its best from the curb.Staging: Your home should be organized and cleaned from top to bottom. When you hire us, we’ll help you organize and stage your home, so it’s ready to be listed.If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding area, give me a call or send me an email! I’d be happy to help answer any questions you might have.

Selling a Bay Area Home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Bay area home? Search all homes for saleThrough years and years of selling in the Bay Area, we've pinpointed three problems that you may encounter when trying to sell quickly and for top dollar. We've helped a lot of families buy and sell homes, and we would like you to know these things so that you can have a good real estate experience. We recently had a transaction where we helped a seller overcome these three common obstacles. The home was listed at $499,800 and we managed to sell it for $648,000 - that's $148,000 above asking price! We received fifteen offers and more than 200 buyers looked at this home. On top of this, our 3.68% commission rate was able to save the buyer $8,500.You can listen to the testimonial here. Here were the three major obstacles that we helped the sellers overcome:It's very important for home sellers to get a home inspection and a termite inspection report before putting the home on the market. This allows a seller to foresee potential problems that could prevent the home from selling, and buyers appreciate this proactive approach from a seller. These inspections provide peace of mind to both parties, and that's gold in this industry.This particular seller was an out-of-town owner, so he wasn't around to spruce up the property. However, we have a network of contractors, painters, home stagers, cleaners, and more. We hired people to finish all of the cosmetic work, and they turned this tenant-occupied property into a turnkey listing. The seller didn't have to lift a finger!San Bruno requires an updated sewer lateral report for all homes that are being sold. This home had a problem occurring during the inspection, and this required the seller to pay $7,000 to fix the sewer problem. Unfortunately, the seller had to pay for this problem to be corrected, but we handled all of the inspections required by the city and found the right people to fix the problem for the seller. Once again, we did the work for the seller, and he walked away a very happy client.As you can see, we managed to sell this listing for more than 30% above its list price. The seller enjoyed a stress-free sale and all the work was done for him. If you want a smooth and worry-free real estate transaction in the Bay Area, please don't hesitate to contact us. Last but not least, we want to wish you a very happy and safe Holiday season. Your referrals and your business mean the world to us, and we wouldn't be where we are today without all of your help and support. You are extremely valuable to us, so please do not forget that! Happy Holidays from the MC Investments Advisory Team!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling a Bay Area Home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Bay area home? Search all homes for saleWe're seeing a lot of multiple offers popping up in the Bay Area. Almost every listing in the area is getting multiple offers, and this is especially true for our listings because we use a minimum-bid pricing strategy where multiple offers are common.Buyers in this situation should know that cash is not always king. Sometimes a seller will want the most money, but you can beat out other offers with your terms and conditions. You could amend your offer in order to close faster, and you could offer to pay some of the closing costs. It's also helpful to write a personal letter explaining why you love the home and why your family deserves to win the offer.As a buyer, it's also very important to be pre-approved when you make an offer on a home. This way, sellers know that you can actually afford the home, and this will make you stand out as a buyer. Sometimes if you're not pre-approved, you won't even stand a chance against other buyers.Another thing you've got to know as a buyer is the difference between a lender's loan commitment letter and a loan broker's pre-approval letter. A loan commitment letter by a mortgage lender indicated that your home loan has been approved. If a loan broker says you are approved for a loan, but you haven't supplied any documentation, recognize that the broker is actually saying you are "pre-approved" for a loan, but have not yet secured it.Now, as a seller, you can do a few different things in order to get multiple offers on your home. A pre-inspection is a good gesture towards buyers, and they'll appreciate it in the long run.Once you do get more than one offer, be sure to pick the one that suits your needs the best. You may not need a ton of money for your home, but you may need to move out quickly. Whatever you need out of the transaction, choose the offer that best suits your wants and needs.Thanks for tuning in again. If you have any questions about this, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're always willing to help you buy or sell in the Bay Area!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling a Bay Area Home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Bay area home? Search all homes for saleWe're here to give you a brief market update for San Mateo County. What we're seeing right now is that median home prices have stayed relatively steady ($1.3M). Active listings have dropped by 3.5%, and the average days on market has dropped by 3.2%.Year-over-year, home prices do seem to be increasing by 8.2%, which is excellent news for homeowners in the area. The average home sale price rose by 21%, and the average days on market fell by 21.8% year-over-year. This is placing us in a very nice seller's market. High demand and low inventory are fueling this market, and we don't expect this to change too much in the next few months. This means that if you've been waiting to sell your home, now would be a great time to do so. Inventory continues to drop, so we are in need of good homes to sell.Mortgage rates have risen very slightly in the last few weeks, but we don't expect a major spike anytime soon. With an election coming up next year most people do not expect rates to rise too much until then. What this means for you is that now is your opportunity to buy affordably. If you wait to buy, your buying power will take a big hit even if interest rates rise only by 1%.What this all means is that now is an excellent time to sell, and an excellent time to buy. If you need help doing either in San Mateo County, please don't hesitate to contact me!

The Bay Area's median home price dropped last month to $380,000, down nearly 2 percent from a year ago.