How to increase your chances of buying the home you want
May 20, 2016 How to increase your chances of buying the home you want Save your dollars with this powerful information on how to know what price to offer on a home you want to purchase. It contains data showing the last 7-days activity of various categories of Redwood City real estate. This past 7-days shows home sales are very strong sales, and are selling quicker than during the last quarter of 2015. However, Redwood City Homes are still selling for more money than homes that sold in 2015.
This Week Average Selling Price was $1,316,027
Here are the results of the past seven days and how they compare to the previous week. Insightful for home buyers and homeowners in Redwood City alike. You will note from these 8 different weekly trends, when studied, will benefit you in many ways. As a home-buyer you will know exactly how homes in Redwood City are trending towards pricing, DOM, ratio of list price and sale price, and, helps home buyers when submitting an offer on a home in Redwood City. They will be submitting an offer from a position of knowledge, and not one of emotion or gut feelings.
What is it going to cost me?
85.71% of all home buyers in Redwood City must pay over $1,000,000 to buy their home this past week.
That is up from last week figure of 54.5%. Homes for sale in Redwood City are still experiencing multiple offers and in some cases there seems to be no stopping continuation of bidding wars. Homes for sale, which have a perceived “good value” by today’s home buyers bring strong non-restrictive and open offers. (All cash, As-Is, No Contingencies) This is true for San Mateo County and other SF Bay Homes too, including Silicon Valley.
The last 7-days of Redwood City real estate market trends report shows continued growth in average sale price, price per sq. ft., LP:SP ratio, and more homes selling than new homes coming onto the market for sale.
If you want to find your new home all you need to do is my simple
3-Step Process.
Pick up your cell phone,
Look up my number (Hint: 650-346-7366)
Call me immediately.
How to increase your chances of buying the home you want
When you follow these 3-Step Process we will discuss the best way we can help you can get the best information you’ll need. Our goal is to help you find your new home as quickly as possible. Additionally, you will receive the highest value possible, for the exact amount of money you want to spend. Do it now. It the smart decision to do.
Yes, you can negotiate your closing fees with a mortgage broker, the title company, your real estate broker, and your lender. Adjustment to these fees in most cases can be done provided you negotiate them upfront in the beginning of the buying/refinancing/application process. If you wait like most people, until you’re at the closing table your requests will fall on death ears.
Some fees are not negotiable. This goes for “hard money” mortgage fees vs “purchase money” including some title fees. Another reason for asking for removal or reduced fees at the beginning of the process.
What closing fees can you negotiate?
That depends on what is on the Good Faith Estimate (GFE), which you should receive from your lender within 72 hours of you submitting an application along with a purchase agreement. A GFE is a form that provides you with basic information about the terms of your loan which you have submitted in an application and provides to the borrower estimated costs to acquire the loan.
The newest Federal law (Todd-Frank) states a bank is to give a GFE within 3 business days from the time you submitted a real estate loan application.
To find out what you can negotiate during a real estate transaction there is a simple and easy 3-step process. All you need to do is:
1.) Pick up your cell phone
2.) Look up my number (650-346-7366)
3.) Call me immediately
When you call we will discuss how you can save money on your closing costs by working with an agent who has been helping homeowners, and home-buyers for over 40 years. You want that kind of experience in your corner. Do it now while you are thinking about it.
Want to be successful? Save money when you follow these easy steps.
Maybe you don’t have the traditional 20% down-payment as most people think they need. There’re governmental real estate loan programs available to help home buyers who only have 3-5% down-payment. These real estate loan programs must adhere to strict qualifying guidelines and may seem to cost you more money, however, these programs help home buyers achieve their American Dream of home ownership. Read more…
What to do next to be successful?
After reading this article you may wish to have more information. This may include speaking with me about what else is available to you as a home buyer. If that is the case there is a 3-step process to accomplish that immediately. It’s easy and costs nothing and there is no obligations. Here’s what you can do.
3 step process
1.) Take out your cell phone
2.) Look up my number
3.) Call me immediately
Once you call we can discuss your questions about the home buying process and the ins and outs of the home loan process. You will not be hard sale, nor intimidated with trickery. We are a real estate resource center helping local future home buyers with the correct information to help them and at the same time respect them for their own ability to understand and make a decision based on the data not salesmanship.
Knowledge is power. Power in the home buying process means buying from a position of real negotiations. Real negotiations means buying a home so you save time and money.
In a prison somewhere in a desperate country, three new prisoners are brought into a large bathing area and told to stop in front of an officer.
Bath tub
Behind the officer are three bathtubs, each equally full of soapy, dirty water. On the floor in front of the officer are a cup, a ladle, and a thimble.
The officer waves to the tubs and says, “This is where we wash the unlucky prisoners who work the coal mines. Each day these tubs must be emptied and refilled repeatedly. I want you each to empty one of these tubs now. Whoever empties his tub fastest will become the foreman overseeing the others.”
Being foreman means less work and extra food, so the strongest prisoner quickly snatches the cup from in front of the officer and starts emptying one of the tubs.
The third prisoner looks at the thimble with a puzzled expression. Then he walks past the officer to the third tub. He reaches inside and pulls the plug, quickly draining the water.Almost as quickly, a second prisoner grabs the ladle and rushes to start madly emptying the second tub.
“Right, then.” The officer says to the third man. “Get these two moving. You’re in charge now.”
Moral of the story: Often the solutions presented to you are not the right solution. ~Cliff
Who Gets a Month Named After Them?
Julius Caesar, that’s who. Caesar was born in the fifth month of the old Roman calendar, which in Latin was called Quintilis, meaning the fifth month.
When he died, Caesar was honored by renaming his birth month to July. When the calendar changed and the first month moved from March to January, July became the seventh month.
The Savings Tri-Fecta
Saving money is an important key to protecting one’s self and family—and a way of smoothing out life’s ups and downs. But not everyone saves enough. So here’s a reminder of the three types of savings that we all need:
1) Retirement savings
2) Emergency savings
3) Major purchase savings
Piggy Bank
It’s important to have a retirement plan that you regularly contribute to, starting as early as your first job. The longer you pay into it, the more it will be worth. Starting early means you’ll have a lot more when you retire, both because you’ve saved more, and also because it’s compounded longer.
It’s also important to have a liquid savings account or investment, in case of emergencies. This account should contain six months of living expenses. If something happens and you need to draw from it, make it your goal to fill it up as quickly as possible again. Instead of making larger payments on your credit accounts, make minimum payments until you’ve filled your emergency savings account.
And finally, it’s important to have a savings account for each major purchase, including your first home, higher education, enriching travel, expensive new technology (if you plan to periodically upgrade your computer or phone), and medical attention that will improve your life (such as laser eye surgery or a weight-loss program).
If you can get into the habit of delaying gratification on major purchases until you’ve saved all or a significant part of the money needed, you’ll be much more financially secure than the person who buys everything on credit. Remember, “cash is king”.
Bathroom Remodel On a Budget
Updating a bathroom is a home improvement project that adds value, as well as comfort. But according to some experts, an average bathroom remodel can cost around $10,500.
If dropping that much is light years away from what you can afford to spend, the good news is that if you do the work yourself and get creative, you can do a nice remodel for $1,000 or less, depending on how many changes you want to make.
If your budget is on the low end (such as $250 or less), you’ll want to stick to light cosmetic changes, like a new light fixture ($95), a new faucet ($75), refreshed grout ($15 plus sweat equity), and fresh paint ($27), along with a new shower curtain and bath rug ($40).
If you have a little more to spend (closer to $1,000), you can also consider replacing the counter top, replacing the whole vanity, or even breaking into the back of the kids’ closet to add a bathroom pantry. Sometimes even one big $1,000 change, such as adding a skylight, can have a dramatic effect.
A wonderful thing about true laughter is that it just destroys any kind of system of dividing people. —John Cleese
Neanderthal Chemists
Our Neanderthal ancestors may have used chemistry to start fires, according to an article on the Scientific American website. Archeologists have found chunks of black manganese oxides in Neanderthal sites for years. Previously they believed the oxides were used for dark body paint, although other sources like ash and charcoal would have been more easily available to them.
Cave man with fire
Scientists at Leiden University in the Netherlands, though, analyzed some chunks of manganese found at a site in southern France and discovered that the blocks contained manganese dioxide, which is more flammable than other types of manganese. Ground particles of the substance can lower the ignition temperature of wood by more than 100 degrees—suggesting that instead of relying on naturally occurring fires sparked by lightning, Neanderthals were able to build fires on their own.
Things You Thought Were True…
But aren’t.
Black holes are super-dense objects (not holes) with massive gravitational pull.
Salting your water will not make it boil sooner.
The Great Wall of China is not visible from space!
Put the baby bird back in it’s nest. Birds don’t have much sense of smell and won’t reject the chick because your human hands touched it.
Someone’s in for a Surprise
Golfer on phone
Several men are in a golf club locker room. A mobile phone next to one of them rings.
He reaches down and picks up the phone. “Yes, I can talk,” he says. “You’re out shopping are you? That’s nice.”
The listening men smile to each other.
“You want to order those new carpets? Okay. And they’ll include the curtains for an extra five thousand? Sure, why not?”
More smiles among the listeners.
“You want to book that week to Aruba? They’re holding the price at twenty-two thousand? Sounds like a bargain. If that’s what you want, okay by me.”
Smiles turn to expressions of mild envy.
“And you want to give the builder the go-ahead for the new conservatory? Seventy-five thousand if we say yes today? Sounds fair. Sure, that’s fine.”
The liste
ners exchange glances of amazement.
“Okay, see you later. Yes, love you too,” says the man, ending the call and putting the phone down on the bench next to him again.
He looks at the other men and says, “I wonder who left their phone behind.” hahaha
Weight Loss Starts in Your Mind
Losing weight is a journey that starts in the mind, by planning ahead. Here are 4 heady tips for losing weight, adapted from the DailyBurn.com.
Think short-term. Don’t get bogged down by the fact that you have 10, 20, 50 or even 100 pounds to lose. Figure out where you want to be next week or in two weeks. It’s a lot easier to imagine losing two pounds by the end of next week than it is to lose 40 pounds by Christmas time.
Running BrainFigure out your diet strategy. Start by observing where you tend to fall off the wagon. Is it drinking soda every day? Snacking absent-mindedly? Gorging on muffins? Develop a strategy to cope with those sticking points. Perhaps go to sugar-free soda, snack absent-mindedly on celery, or gorge on high-fiber no-sugar-added muffins (you won’t want so many of those).
Plan an exercise routine that challenges you. Exercise has benefits that help you lose weight by improving your energy level, quality of sleep, metabolism, and strength. Don’t simply say, “I’ll get some exercise.” Plan a daily routine.
Track your progress. Just like children, even adults like progress charts. Studies have shown that people who plot their weight loss on a chart are more successful than those who don’t. So model what successful people do, and chart your weight loss.
With all these pieces in place, you’ll have a greater chance of success than if you simply promise yourself to lose weight, with no plan in mind.
Wise, But Who’s Counting?
Napoleon was involved in conversation with a colonel of a Hungarian battalion who had been taken prisoner in Italy. The colonel mentioned he had fought in the army of Maria Theresa. “You must have a few years under your belt!” exclaimed Napoleon. “I’m sure I’ve lived sixty or seventy years,” replied the colonel. “You mean to say,” Napoleon continued, “you have not kept track of the years you have lived?”
The colonel replied, “Sir, I always count my money, my shirts, and my horses—but as for my years, I know nobody who wants to steal them, and I shall surely never lose them.”
10 Ways to Prepare For A Road Trip
1. Take your car to the shop for a full vacation check-up. The shop will top off fluids; check your tires, brakes, the spare tire, etc. The peace of mind will be worth it!
2. Clean your car thoroughly inside. Starting with a blank slate frees the mind to focus on the adventure. Pack several plastic bags to use as in-car trash bags.
3. Get your healthy snacks in order. Before the trip, give some thought to the kinds of healthy snacks you like, then go buy them. This will save you money and you’ll feel better by not eating junk food at every stop.
4. Check your tools. Make sure you have all the components of your jack, including a fully-inflated spare tire. Add a wrench, screw drivers of each type, a socket set, zip ties, a hammer, pliers, and a pocket knife.
5. Take plenty of cash. You never know when you’re going to be somewhere that doesn’t take credit or debit. Plus, you’ll want to have small change for random stuff, like paying the entry fee to a local music festival, or tipping aFamily vacation on the road.street performer.
6. Bring a case of water. You always need and want more than you think you will.
7. Don’t forget to download your playlist and audio books at home where you have Wi-Fi, because you may not have access to it while on the road.
8. Bring a physical, paper map. Plot your route before you leave. You’ll be able to find your way if your battery runs out or you lose reception.
9. Check your papers. Is your registration up to date and in the car? Your proof of insurance? Your driver’s license? Do you have roadside assistance, and is your fee paid up?
10. Stock the glove box. A few things to have handy to make the trip more pleasant: wet wipes, gum/hard candy/sunflower seeds (things to keep you awake), tissue, hand lotion, a pen and notepad, spare glasses, medicines, etc.
June 24, 2016 The current results for the Past 7-Day of Redwood City Real Estate provided by Cliff Keith. Data used is from the local Multiple Listing Service, MLSListings. Data parameters are for single family homes based on Year to Date, (YTD) figures.
Weekly Market Update for Redwood City: June 24, 2016
Key: Trending down: ↓, Trending up ↑, No change: ±
↑ 26 new homes brought on the market for sale
↓ 15 homes went under contract as pending sales
↓ 17 homes closed escrow and now have new homeowners
↑ 24 Average days on market (DOM)
± 0.9 Months of inventory available
↑ $843.00 Cost per square foot for sold homes
↓ 5.9% Above asking price was average sale price (LP: SP)
↓ $1.298,346 Average Sale Price of a home in Redwood City
Cliff’s Viewpoint:
I have been hearing of late how bad the real estate market is getting and how the “bubble” is near. Though in some locations that may be true, in however, in Redwood City I’m seeing a different story. It shows a strong market. The only trend that has got my interest is the number of price reductions of homes. Obviously, home-buyers today are being a bit more cautious and slower to making an offer on a home. Homeowner’s on the other hand are beginning to see the crazy wacko prices they got in March do not apply to what is going on in today’s Redwood City real estate market.
What I have done in my viewpoint is look at the what the market was doing in 2011, which was the start of this current upswing, and compared it to what has transpired over the last seven days in Redwood City. This is for all 5 trends included in this viewpoint.
The average days to sell started the cycle at 69 days. Last week in Redwood City it was 24. The YTD average is 29.33 days, which shows a strong market.
The months of inventory in January of 2011 was 7.0 months. Last week in Redwood City it was 0.9 months showing low inventory is still with us with 2011 having more than 7-times the selection of homes as today.
One of the more important trends people seem to be looking at today is the price per square foot In 2011 the cost was $382.00. Last week it came it at $843 as it has all of 2016 been over $800/sq ft. This means home buyers are paying 55% more a home today than in the beginning of this cycle.
The list price vs. sale price of a home has b
een a number usually under 100%. In 2011 it started the year off at 96.6%, which mean homes sold for 3.4% LESS than list price. Today homes are selling in Redwood City 5.9% on average OVER the list price. Again, a 7% increase.
The fun trend to watch by homeowners is the average sale price (ASP) of homes. In 2011 the ASP was $603,562. Last week in Redwood City the ASP was $1,298,346. The ASP has been on a downward trend since it high in March of $1,537,325. All of 2016 has hovered between $1.2 and $1.4M.
This newsletter is intended for entertainment purposes only. Credit is given to the authors of various articles that are reprinted when the original author is known. Any omission of credit to an author is purely unintentional and should not be construed as plagiarism or literary theft.
Copyright 2016 Cliff Keith dba SF Bay Homes with Today | Sotheby’s International Realty. This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Any and all decisions and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a qualified physician, attorney, financial advisor
Happy 4th of July to everyone. Go watch the parade and enjoy the day.
Here’s this month Cliff’s Notes on real estate… June 2016. With summer vacation time fast approaching, I hope you have wonderful plans to get away from it all for a while. And even if your plans are just to “wing it” and see what happens, I hope it’s perfect for you.
June 2016 Cliff’s Notes on real estate…
In this June’s newsletter, I’ve put a wide assortment of content that will entertain and inform, including some interesting research into the role of fathers, as a reminder of the upcoming Father’s Day.
You’ll find tips for a better family vacation, and some fun stories to share with the family in the car, as well as information to share with someone who’s starting a new job this summer—such as teens who might be getting their first summer jobs! You may also want to look at my wife’s book found by going to http://Carschooling.com for over 350 activities to do in the car too.
I’ve added a fun extra quiz this month, related to one of the articles about décor through the ages—see if you can guess what decade each style belongs to.
And if the warmer weather is making you think of selling or buying a home, give me a call 650-346-7366 to get started now. Please think of me as the resource center on real estate, which you can always count on to not let you down.
Make these 5-mistakes and you’ll lose money every time when you go and sell your home. Many people have pointed these mistakes out on many occasions. Yet the seller of a home continues to get bad advise from friends and loved ones and is reluctant to listen to the real estate professional that sit in front of them.
It’s understandable as Realtors have acted in such a way throughout the years their behavior has become the stereotype perception for most homeowners as well as the public at large. We really have no one to blame but ourselves.
Over the years both the National and State Realtor Organizations have made in-road in weeding out the “riff-raft” from their industry through stringent criteria outlined in writing in their Code of Ethics, required Continued Education, and Mentor Programs for entry level real estate agents. It’s not perfect however, it has changed for the best over the years.
Make these 5-mistake and you’ll lose money
For example, did you know once convicted of a DUI a Realtor will lose his California Real Estate license and will be out of business for good? It’s true. A DUI is a felony and felons are not allow to have a California real estate license. The Bureau of Real Estate (BRE) once notified by the DMV that a licensee has been convicted of a DUI the BRE will void the licensee’s right to sell property as an agent in the State of California. They are out of business and no real estate company will hire them.
Homeowners still however, want to believe what they want to believe no matter if it is correct or not. What I have done to clear the air is to give the homeowners 5 tips which if observed will help them save time on money. It will also allow them to do their on research to prove right or wrong if what I have written is first true and second does it apply to them. This is the beginning to the process of selling a home and making sure you are not cheated.
For the complete list of 5 mistakes to avoid when selling a home.
