This is a questions asked by a number of my clients who realize there are many advantages of owning a home. Owning a home which is income property is not easy, however, in the long can be very profitable and a tax saver.
For example if you purchased a duplex today and paid $1,300,000 and put down 35% (most lender’s requirements), at an interest rate of 4.00% your monthly payment to the bank would be $4,034.16 per month.
Let’s assume for your $1,300,000 down payment you can purchase a duplex with one side having 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and the other side having 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. What would those two units bring in form of rent on a monthly basis? The current answer for rents is below.
What I want to do is be a bit conservative here and not give you top of the market rents. After all you want good tenants that are will and able to pay the rent monthly without overextending themselves.
Let’s say we can get $4500/month for the 3 bedroom unit and $3200 for the 2 bedroom unit. That’ll give you a monthly income of $7,700 before any expenses like taxes and insurance along with maintenance and upkeep! This Income Property is a perfect investment because it has a positive cash flow. Which the mantra for all real estate investors.
No Brainer
Seems based on numbers for income vs. expense like a no brainer doesn’t it? Well maybe yes and maybe no. Let’s look at what other expenses and or costs you may incur along the way.
When you purchased the income property did you get inspection reports and pest inspection? If so, were there issue brought up in those report that indicated you may have to do some repairs in the near future. Such as was one of the heating systems at the end of its life? (functional obsolescence) If so, the possibility of getting a call from your tenant next Thanksgiving saying they have just turned the heat on and it doesn’t work. They have a house full of quests for Thanksgiving Dinner. (Can we say emergency service call?)
That example is an easy one to fix. And will make everyone happy once it is done. However, there are other items you need to be aware of when buying income property. Some are really good. And others that come up unexpectedly …not so much. Read more…
Market Trends – Redwood City, CA Real Estate – January 10, 2020
Below are the real estate trends for SF Bay Homes. The trend numbers are from the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The real estate trends are for Redwood City,CA. You can adjust the numbers accordingly to accommodate your own community. It’s simple, however, if you find it difficult you can call/text/email me. I would be more than happy to assist you.
For the past several years the real estate trends have favored home sellers. There doesn’t seem to be any let-up on this trend for the rest of the year. And, continue through most of 2020. The good news for home buyers is that rates on loan for home buyers have stayed the lowest in decades and should continue down for the rest of 2019 and throughout 2020.
Shifting Trends
Redwood City CA: We are seeing softening of the average sale price for homes settling in Redwood City. And the length of time on the market for homes to sell still favor Sellers. The Sale Price vs List Price ratio is up. Last week it was 10.7%! The months of inventory available for homes continues to be as it usually is during the Holidays. Which translate to more homes for buyers to choose from. The number of new homes brought on the market for sale is maintaining equal amounts as the number of homes sold. The growth of new home inventory remains almost nil. If you’re a home buyer NOW is the time to beat the Spring rush and more competition. You’ve got until Super Bowl Sunday before the rush.
We are seeing an uptick of home prices being reduced or cancelled and being relisted at a reduced price. This has been unheard of for the past few years. This is forcing home sellers to price their homes in line to their true market value.
Current Trends:
Market Trends – Redwood City, CA Real Estate – January 10, 2020
↑ 06 new homes brought on the market for sale ↑ 04 homes went under contract as pending sales ± 04 homes closed escrow and now have new homeowners ↓ 20 Average days on market ↓ 10.7 Months of inventory available ↓↓ $ 1304.00 Per square foot for sold homes ↓ 13.8% Above asking price was average selling price ↑ $1,471,667 Average Sale Price of a home in Redwood City
Where does this information come from?
This proprietary information is provided by Cliff Keith, of SF Bay Homes with data from the local Multiple Listing Service, (MLS) MLSListings. The criteria use for these numbers is based on Year to Date, (YTD) figures.
MLS real estate trend numbers are for the past seven days for single family housing in Redwood City, CA. You will note each trend is keyed to compare this week trends against the previous week. It is designated with either an up or down arrow. Additionally, you will see a ± symbol. This denotes numbers that were unchanged week over week.
The raw numbers…
New listings (06 homes) came on the market for sale. Still low inventories, (64 homes: 40 Active and 24 Pending), which is even more favorable for home sellers. Costs per square foot has remained stable for the past year. The benchmark of $1000/sq.ft.remained consistent for all of 2018/9.
Home Prices for Redwood City new homes remained above the $1.6 M level. Homes have been closing in the price range of $1.6- $1.7 for 2017 and $1,757,304 for 2019. Last week the Average Sale Price in RWC was $1,471,667 which is low only because of the Holidays and lack of activity.
Last week 6 new homes were listed over one million dollars. The means 82.5% of the homes listed last week for sale were listed for over $1M! In Redwood City there are 7 homes (17.5%) for sale under $1M!
What is the “get-around”?
If you are looking to purchase a home in San Mateo or Santa Clara counties Cliff Keith and Team have many homes for you to choose from.
Some of these homes are not in the MLS and some are in MLS. The point being if you are trying to buy or sell a home we would love to help you find that perfect home. Especially, if you have not found a home and have been looking for one over 3 months.
What to Do Next?
To find your new home all you need to do is an easy 3-Step Process.
1.) Pick up your cell phone,
2.) Look up my number (650-346-7366),
3.) Call me immediately.
When you do call, we will discuss the best way we can meet so you can get the best information you need that will help you locate and purchase your new home as quickly as possible and receive the highest value possible at an amount of money you want to spend. Do it now. It’ll be the smartest decision you’ll ever make.
We may also discuss with you the idea of looking at a duplex for sale in Redwood City as one of many suitable alternatives.
By the time this lands in your mailbox, chances are you will have already established your resolutions for the upcoming year. Still, I hope that this month’s newsletter, laden with stories that feature inspiration, innovation, and encouragement, help keep you determined until you see success feeding your current resolve. Personal success is born, in part, out of an unwavering vision of change, and I hope that at least a few of the articles in this newsletter motivate you to look at the fresh start of cold January as the perfect month to change your world.
Just a few inspiring ideas in this month’s newsletter include:
• How a friendly game of cards can change your life
•* Common items invented by creative women
• The challenge that inspired Green Eggs and Ham
Also, as you reset the house after taking down all the holiday trappings, you might be rethinking how you want to construct your lifestyle for the year ahead so you can see your grand ideas through to fruition. Maybe you want a home exercise room, or you’ve decided to scale down your furniture for a cozier living space. If your resolutions include buying or selling your house, I’d be delighted to work with you and get you into the perfect home. Please let me know when you’re ready to have that conversation so we can turn your ideas into reality.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful 2020!
John was having what could best be described as a rough day. He received a call earlier that morning from his elderly mother with the stressful news that her apartment complex was being fumigated over the next three days. She would need help getting packed up for a local hotel stay and was hoping John could come give her a hand for a few days. Without hesitation, he had agreed and purchased a ticket back east with a late departure time, hoping that his daughter would sleep through the flight.
It was long past the little girl’s bedtime when they arrived at the airport and she snuggled on John’s lap while he waited for their boarding call. While waiting, John chatted with an older lady sitting nearby who smiled at the sleepy little girl.
When it was finally time to board the plane, John was told that his daughter would need a ticket as well. Shocked, John explained that he had only purchased one ticket, thinking Ellie would sleep on his lap, but the agent said that rule was strictly for children under two. John had some cash on hand but certainly did not have enough to purchase an extra plane ticket.
From behind, the older lady handed a credit card to the agent and asked to purchase a ticket for Ellie
John protested, but the lady insisted and finally John relented with the promise that he would take down her information and pay her back when he got home. She smiled and agreed.
Later, when John looked at the paper that was supposed to have her contact information, he saw that she had written only a note: “Thank you for a lovely chat. Please consider your debt repaid with kindness.”
~Cliff
~Cliff
Please don’t keep me a secret…
The next time you’re in a conversation with a friend from work, your neighborhood, church, your gym or country club and they mention that they are interested in selling their house or rental property please, don’t keep me a secret. Pick up your cell phone, look up my number, (hint: 650-346-7366) and call me immediately. When you call we can talk about what would be the best way for you to introduce them to me.
Paleolithic Pantry
It was long thought that prehistoric humans consumed bone marrow as soon as possible after killing their prey, as marrow was an important source of nutrition in ancient times.
However, the Fox News website reports new findings which indicate that 400,000 years ago, ancient people saved and stored marrow in bones for as long as nine weeks before consumption. The bones served as “cans,” according to researchers exploring the Qesem Cave near Tel Aviv, and allowed early humans to break the bone when necessary to consume the still nutritious marrow inside.
This upends the previous belief that Paleolithic humans lived a hand-to-mouth existence as hunter-gatherers.
Cost to Buy A $1M Home…
Do you know what the your costs when you buy a one-million-dollar home with 20% Down? Including what your mortgage payments…
Escrow Fees:
Down Payment (200,000.00)
Origination Fee (8,000.00)
Title Insurance (2,000.00)
Settlement Fee (250.00)
Escrow Fees (2,200.00)
Sub Escrow Fees (125.00)
Loan Tie-In Fee (100.00)
Recording Fee (60.00)
Tax Service (75.00)
Appraisal Report (350.00)
Credit Report (250.00)
Monthly Payments:
Mortgage Payment 3,819.32
Hazard Insurance $291.67
Property Taxes $1,000
TOTAL $5,110.99
WE BUY HOUSES
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Dealing With Stress
Stress has a negative impact on everyone’s health. One way to ease the stress in your life? Unsurprisingly, Bicycle Cards advises that you play a game of cards. They might be onto something – here’s how a few friendly rounds of cards can help reduce stress:
A card game isn’t just about counting up points. It’s a good path to friendly and lively conversations that can help you relax.
Conversation usually leads to laughter, which can reduce tension in your mind and body.
Low pressure. Assuming you’re not playing high-stakes poker with your life savings on the line, a nice game of Hearts or Gin Rummy offers entertainment without
Brain exercise. Strategizing, keeping track of the play, and calculating your points at the end of the game helps keep your mind fresh.
No technology. You can play Blackjack on your smartphone, but a few hands of Pinochle with friends lets you detach from technology for a while and reconnect with the rest of the world.
Brain exercise. Strategizing, keeping track of the play, and calculating your points at the end of the game helps keep your mind fresh.
Everyday Inventions
Some of the most common things we use every day were invented by creative women. Here are a few, gathered by the Mental Floss website:
Circular saws. Tabitha Babbit, a weaver in a Shaker community, observed that a two-man pit saw worked only when being pulled forward. She suggested that a circular saw would be more efficient. In 1813, she took that for action, attached a prototype to her spinning wheel, and filed a patent thereafter for her
Paper bags. Margaret Knight created the modern, flat-bottomed paper bag in Before then, paper bags looked like envelopes. An intellectual thief tried to steal the idea and file a patent, but Knight stood up for herself, filed a lawsuit, and won the rights to her creation.
Windshield wipers. Mary Anderson invented the first manual windshield wipers in 1903. They didn’t take off because most drivers thought it was safer to simply drive through rain and snow, rather than keep pulling a lever to clear it. Another woman, Charlotte Bridgwood, invented an automatic version in 1917, but it wasn’t accepted By 1920, windshield wipers were everywhere, starting with Cadillac, which began standardly installing them on all its cars.
Liquid A secretary named Bette Nesmith Graham had a habit of correcting her typing mistakes with white tempera paint. After years of perfecting the formula in her kitchen, she patented Liquid Paper in 1958. Gillette bought her company in 1979 for $47.5 million.
This lightweight material is five times stronger than steel and can stop a bullet. A chemist named Stephanie Kwolek discovered it by accident in 1966 as she was trying to develop a lightweight fiber for car tires.
“The writer must have a good imagination to begin with, but the imagination has to be muscular, which means it must be exercised in a disciplined way, day in and day out, by writing, failing, succeeding, and revising.” ~ Stephen King
DaVinci’s Designs
Leonardo da Vinci is known for such paintings as “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” but he was also a masterful engineer. According to the LiveScience website, in the 16th century he designed what would have been the longest bridge in the world at the time, connecting Constantinople to a nearby area called Galata over the Bosporus Sea. He was responding to a request for proposals from Sultan Bayezid, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire.
DaVinci’s bridge was never built, but modern researchers from MIT have built a 3D replica of the bridge, using materials and construction equipment that would have been available in the 16th century.
They found that da Vinci’s design, using only a single arch, would have been structurally sound, thanks to compression that would have held the bridge’s stones together. Leonardo was a true Renaissance man.
Sweet…
The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. ~Harriet Ann Jacobs
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Setting Your Limits
Sometimes a few constraints can boost your creativity. As recounted on the Fast Company website, publisher Bennett Cerf bet one of his authors, Theo Geisel – better known as Dr. Seuss – that he couldn’t write a children’s book with just 50 different words. Seuss stepped up to the challenge and won the bet with his book, Green Eggs and Ham.
“Putting limits to encourage creativity might sound counterintuitive.” writes JotForm CEO Aytekin Tank on the website.
“But the thing is, constraints encourage more divergent thinking – and you can leverage built-in limits or apply them to the project at hand. For example, sometimes we’ll tell our designers that they can only have 10 elements on a product screen. These limits stretch their problem-solving abilities and typically produce surprising results.”
“Dear world, I am excited to be alive in you, and I am thankful for another year.” ~Charlotte Eriksson
Winning Advice
People who’ve made it to the top have lots of advice to share. The Muse website features these tidbits:
Miriam Salpeter, founder of Keppie Careers: “Use every job as an opportunity to learn something new and keep an open mind; you may find that you really enjoy something you never imagined would appeal to you.”
Catherine Straut, assistant editor of Elle: “When it comes to having your ideas heard, or to really connect with co-workers, never underestimate the power of face time and the importance of in-person communication.”
Jane Fonda, actress: “If the career you have chosen has some unexpected inconvenience, console yourself by reflecting that no career is without ”
“After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world”. —Philip Pullman
Very Suspicious
A police officer was testing three potential detectives on suspect identification. She showed the first man a photo for five seconds and then turned the photo over and asked the candidate how he could best be identified. The man replied that the suspect would be easy to spot because he has only one eye. The police officer frowned and explained that only one eye was showing because it was a profile photo. She moved on to the next candidate, who sat back in his chair, smiled and smugly said:
“Ha! He’d be too easy to catch because he only has one ear!”
“What’s the matter with you two?!” exclaimed the officer. “Only one eye and one ear are showing because it’s a picture of his side profile!”
Extremely frustrated, she showed the picture to the third candidate and asked the question for a third time. The third man looked at the picture intently then calmly pointed out that the suspect wears contact lenses. The officer didn’t know what to think, but checked the suspect’s file on her computer and was shocked to find it was true.
“Wow! I can’t believe it. It’s true! The suspect does, in fact, wear contact lenses. Good work! How were you able to make such an astute observation?”
“Easy,” the third man replied. “He can’t wear regular glasses, because he only has one eye and one ear.”
Pushing the Reset Button
If December is a month for celebrations then January is a month to reset after so many celebrations, and that includes reaching out to employees and coworkers to start the year out right. Here are a few tips to help you line up your workforce with a fresh start:
Celebrate accomplishments. Let your workforce feel good about what they achieved last Remind them of successes, small and significant. Emphasize the value of working together on common goals and establish which of those goals you can tackle together this year.
Set the right example. If employees see you giving it your all as the year starts out, they’ll be more likely to stay attentive to their own responsibilities. At the same time, be a little flexible to show employees you understand they are recovering from holiday
Keep the excitement going. Encourage people to freshen up their workspace, bring healthy treats to share at work, or set up a donation drive for a local spring
Plan for the future. Looking ahead to new projects and goals can be more attractive when people are feeling excited and hopeful. Get employees involved in strategic planning for a specific date with defined
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Imagine me as your real estate consultant. What I do for you is invest my time consulting, negotiating, and organizing the details of your transaction because I want you to have a superb experience that will cause you to want to introduce me to the people you care about most.The purpose of my business is referrals, which means I must bring the type of value that makes you feel comfortable introducing me to the people you know that need my help.
After all, a referral is sending someone you care about to someone you trust. Cliff Keith
Exceptional Rental in Redwood City – Call me for details – 3/3/2+ Plaza
Another Point of View
During a long drought, the mayor of a small village directed everyone to gather in the square to pray for rain. They all came, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That is faith.
When you toss babies intro their air, they laugh and smile because they know you’ll catch them. That is trust.
Every night we go to bed with no guarantee that we’ll wake up tomorrow. But we still set our alarm clocks to wake up. That is hope.
We make big plans without any knowledge of the future. That is confidence.
We see suffering in the world, but we still get married and raise children. That is love
Daily Productivity Habits
Success is based on how you use the time available to you every day. To make the most of every minute, follow these simple rules:
Use a day planner. Whether you rely on technology or old-fashioned pencil and paper, plan every day for maximum efficiency. Start with a daily to-do list for both short- and long-term projects, carry over unfinished business to the next day, and check your list frequently so nothing important drops off your radar.
Set priorities. Don’t just work on tasks randomly. Identify your most important goals, your secondary objectives, and routine items that you can’t ignore. Plan your day around the work that supports your top goals, moving on to other projects when time permits. Always ask yourself, “What’s the most important and productive task I could be working on right now?”
Eliminate procrastination. This can be tough, but it separates the truly successful people from the rest: Don’t waste time on nonessentials. Get quickly to the point in every conversation, and move on as soon as you’re finished. Plan your work, but don’t over-prepare. Decide what you need to accomplish, and then do it. Even if you don’t enjoy certain tasks, think of how relieved you’ll feel once you’re finished.
“We’ve all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.” ~Robert Wilensky
Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You Or Someone You Know?
I wrote a great article on “Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You Or Someone You Know?” Here’s the answer you have been asking yourself or in a conversation with a friend, For the answer to most questions people may have. Please let me know and I’ll pass it on to you so you can read it or give it to them.
Moving to a new home means a fresh start. It’s an opportunity to discard what you don’t need and start a new phase of life. However do you want to take some unwanted items with you? Because many take with them to their new homes…germs and bacteria.
Researchers have found that families commonly carry household bacteria from one house to another when they move. Furthermore, less than a day went by before a family’s new home was already populated by the same bacteria as its old one. So be prepared—you may be making new memories, but you’ll be sharing some of the same old germs.
Quotes
Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him. —Booker T. Washington
If you empower dummies, you get bad decisions faster. —Rich Teerlink, chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson
Everybody in life gets the same amount of ice. The rich get it in the summer and the poor get it in the winter. —Bat Masterson
If you want a thing well done, get a couple of old broads to do it. —Bette Davis
I want to wish each and every one of you the best of this Holiday Season. Merry Christmas. This is the season when human beings treat each other with kindness, understanding, and respect. The spirit of Christmas warms my heart, and I hope it does yours too. Enjoy! The History of Christmas In America
Starting in the 1600’s
1600’s: The Puritans trying to be different from their Old Country made it illegal to mention St. Nicholas’s. In fact, is was illegal to do any of the old habits such as, exchanging of gifts, light a candle, or sing Christmas carols.
17th century: Dutch immigrants brought with them the legend of Sinterklaas.
1773: Santa first appeared in the media as St. A Claus.
Christmas Presents
1804: The New York Historical Society was founded with St. Nicholas as its patron saint. Its members engaged in the Dutch practice of gift-giving at Christmas.
1809: Washington Irving, writing under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, included Saint Nicolas in his book “A History of New York.” Nicolas is described as riding into town on a horse.
1812: Irving, revised his book to include Nicolas riding over the trees in a wagon.
1821: William Gilley printed a poem about “Santeclaus” who was dressed in fur and drove a sleigh drawn by a single reindeer.
1822: Dentist Clement Clarke Moore is believed by many to have written a poem “An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicolas”. This poem is also known as “The Night before Christmas”. Santa was portrayed as an elf with a miniature sleigh equipped with eight reindeer.
The Reindeer’s are named in the poem as Blitzem, Comet, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher, Donder, Prancer, and Vixen. Others attribute the poem to a contemporary, Henry Livingston, Jr.
The start of Santa
1841: J.W. Parkinson, a Philadelphia merchant, hired a man to dress up in a “Kris Kringle” outfit and climb the chimney of his store.
1863: Illustrator Thomas Nast created images of Santa for the Christmas editions of Harper’s Magazine. These continued through the 1890’s.
1860s: President Abraham Lincoln asked Nast to create a drawing of Santa with some Union soldiers. This image of Santa supporting the enemy had a demoralizing influence on the Confederate army — an early example of psychological warfare.
1897: Francis P Church, Editor of the New York Sun, wrote an editorial in response to a letter from an eight year-old girl, Virginia O’Hanlon. She had written the paper asking whether there really was a Santa Claus. It has become known as the “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” letter
After the 1900’s
1920’s: The image of Santa had been standardized to portray a bearded, overweight, jolly man dressed in a red suit with white trim.
1931: Haddon Sundblom, illustrator for The Coca-Cola ™ company drew a series of Santa images. These images were used again and again in many Coke’s Christmas advertisements exclusively until 1964. The company holds the trademark for the Coca-Cola Santa design. Christmas ads including Santa continue to the present day.
1939 Copywriter Robert L. May of the Montgomery Ward Company created a poem titled Rudolph, the ninth reindeer. He created an ostracized reindeer with a shiny red nose who became a hero one foggy Christmas eve. Santa was part-way through Christmas presents deliveries when he couldn’t see in front of him because of the foggy skies. Santa decided to add Rudolph to the front of his team of reindeer to help illuminate the path with his red nose. Rudolph saved Christmas for the whole world.
1949 famous song
1949: Johnny Marks wrote the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. It was a song about Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer who was relocated to the North Pole where he was initially rejected by the other reindeer who wouldn’t allow Rudolph to play any of their reindeer games. Gene Autry was the first person to recorded this all time best seller. Next to “White Christmas” it is the most popular song of all time.
1993: An urban folk tale began to circulate about a Japanese department store displaying a life-sized Santa Claus being crucified on a cross. It never happened.
1997: Artist Robert Cenedella drew a painting of a crucified Santa Claus. First showed up in a window of the New York’s Art Students League and received intense criticism from some religious groups. His drawing because a cause for a protest. He was trying to show how Santa Claus had replaced Jesus Christ.
What should you offer on a home you want to purchase? This post gives you the results for thePast 7-Days for Redwood City.. This proprietary information is provided by Cliff Keith, of SF Bay Homes with data from the local Multiple Listing Service, (MLS) MLSListings. The criteria use for these numbers is based on Year to Date, (YTD) figures.
MLS’s numbers are for the past seven days for housing in Redwood City, CA. They are keyed how they compare to the previous weeks with an up or down arrow. The ± symbol is for numbers that were unchanged week over week.
What are the real number this week?
Market Update: Redwood City, CA Real Estate: December 13, 2019
↓ 06 new homes brought on the market for sale
↓ 04 homes went under contract as pending sales
↑ 12 homes closed escrow and now have new homeowners
↑ 33 Average days on market
↓ 3.4 Months of inventory available
↑ $ 936.00 Per square foot for sold homes
↓ 0.2% Above asking price was average selling price
↓ $1,995,375 Average Sale Price of a home in Redwood City
Cliff’s Viewpoint:
Seller’s Market
Redwood City CA: During this time of year…Thanksgiving through Super Bowl Sunday we see a 40% – 60% decrease in real estate activity. This trend has continued for 2019. The only increase is the Average Sale Price which is the highest of the year, $ 1,995,375.
We are seeing also seeing a reduction of home offer for public viewing on Sunday Open Houses. One good trend for homebuyers is 34% of homes brought on the market for sale last week were under $1M thresh-hold.
The raw numbers
New listings (6 homes) came on the market for sale. Still low inventories, (96 homes: 68 Active and 28 Pending), which is even more favorable for home sellers. Costs per square foot has remained stable for the past 12 months. The benchmark of around $1000/sq.ft. has been consistent for all of 2018/9. Last week it was $936/ sq. ft..
Home Prices for Redwood City new homes remained above the $1.7 M level. Homes have been closing in the price range of $1.6- $1.8 for 2017 and 2018. Last week the Average Sale Price jumped in RWC to $1,995,375
Last week 4 new homes of 6 homes were listed over one million dollars. The means 66% of the homes listed last week for sale were listed for over $1M!
Basic Real Estate Truism:
Question: When is the perfect time to purchase your home?
Answer: Today is the correct answer! If you said yesterday you were correct, however, too bad those prices are gone. I don’t see any let up on the current strong demand for homes either. I believe this trend will continue to be supported of upward, at least for the rest of 2018.
Open Houses stay alert.
When you go to a Sunday Open Houses in Silicon Valley you will see Redwood City real estate agents, and many home buyers looking at the homes along with you. The home buyers from the tech industry like Oracle, Electronic Arts, Google, Facebook, Intel, Box, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Buffer are out in full force, along with the bio-tech home-buyers from companies like; V Biosciences, Abbott Vascular, AbGenomics, and Genotech ready to place offers on their new homes. And, they all seem to have large sums of discretionary income to spend too.
As you can see the real estate market in Redwood City is still very strong and homes are selling faster and receiving higher priced offers.
What is the “get-around”?
If you are looking to purchase a home in San Mateo or Santa Clara counties Cliff Keith and Team have many homes for you to choose from.
Some of these homes are not in the MLS and some are in MLS. The point being if you are trying to buy or sell a home we would love to help you find that perfect home. Especially, if you have not found a home and have been looking for one over 3 months.
Here’s a Home Security Checklist for everyone to make their home safer whether you are a homeowner or a renter.
What to Do Next?
To find your new home all you need to do is an easy 3-Step Process.
Pick up your cell phone,
Look up my number (650-346-7366),
Call me immediately.
When you do call, we will discuss the best way we can meet so you can get the best information you need that will help you locate and purchase your new home as quickly as possible and receive the highest value possible at an amount of money you want to spend. Do it now. It’ll be the smartest decision you’ll ever make.
We may also discuss with you the idea of looking at a duplex for sale in Redwood City as a suitable alternative.
Pilgrims First Thanksgiving Was Celebrated In 1621
The First Thanksgiving – A Story
The First Thanksgiving was a celebration between the Colonists and the Wampanoag Native Indians in 1621. The story of Thanksgiving is taught in every school across America. The first Thanksgiving challenged early Colonists survival in their new America. Wampanoag Indians were a major reason the Pilgrims survived that first winter. Because of the help and knowledge from Chief Massasoit and his warriors, not all Pilgrims dies in 1621. Thanksgiving was formed from those early days in 1621 Plymouth. Thanksgiving is still an annual celebration in America.
What happened?
Only 53 of the surviving Pilgrims survived from the over 200 who founding members of the first colony, Plymouth. The Pilgrims celebrated their old English customs. One of them was acknowledging their successful harvest. It was not called “Thanksgiving” just as we call it today.
The Pilgrims first successful harvest the great Indian Chief, Massasoit along with 90 of his warriors attended and supported the successful harvest. The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans, work together forming a new bond treating each other as equals and friends. Each provided food using their own hunting skills. Their first celebration that they had would be remembered as the “First Thanksgiving in Plymouth.”
Do remember William Bradford?
William Bradford was the Governor of Plymouth. The first colony in the new frontier was known as King George’s America. Chaos ran rapid and there was no rules or direction for the management of Plymouth. Because of this need for every Colonist to be on the same page William Bradford provided a document known as the Mayflower Compact. Everyone loved their new Country and the religious freedom it brought them.
As Plymouth grew all of its colonists went about their lives as they saw fit. Some farmed, some continued their lives with skills they had learned in the old world. Unfortunately, there were some who believed doing nothing was acceptable. Come harvest time 1620 everyone started to realize there wasn’t enough food to survive the winter. The yield produced by those that farmed was low. Survival did not look good and they lost 80% of the population.
American Indians to the rescue
Seeing the suffering of the Colonist, Indian Chief, Massasoit brought 90 of his Braves to the Colonist’s Thanksgiving celebrate with food in hand. Chief Massasoit taught the Colonists by placing organic fertiliser like a fish head their yield would improve. They showed them how to hunt and fish local animals. Collaboration between the American Indians and the Colonists provided the opportunity for the success of Plymouth and the establishment of the beginning of the United States of America.
The Free Enterprise System
William Bradford realized the method of governance used in Plymouth did not work for the best of all. He proclaimed that in the future, if the citizens of Plymouth did not produce something to barter or trade with others in the future would not be helped by others. This was the start of Democracy and what is known as the “Free Enterprise System” in America today.
What US President started the Thanksgiving tradition?
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln was the President who began the National tradition of what’s known as Thanksgiving. At a time in history, President Lincoln was looking for a way to ease the tension between the North and South. President Lincoln efforts to bring the North and the South together was not successful. A sad time in US history
Happy Thanksgiving
I would like to wish you and your family-loved ones the best Thanksgiving ever this year. Being thankful only one day out the year doesn’t seem to be enough. Enjoy!
Leonardo da Vinci is known for such paintings as “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” but he was also a masterful engineer. According to the LiveScience website, in the 16th century he designed what would have been the longest bridge in the world at the time, connecting Constantinople to a nearby area called Galata over the Bosporus Sea. He was responding to a request for proposals from Sultan Bayezid, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire.
“Putting limits to encourage creativity might sound counterintuitive.” writes JotForm CEO Aytekin Tank on the website.
1997: Artist Robert Cenedella drew a painting of a crucified Santa Claus. First showed up in a window of the New York’s Art Students League and received intense criticism from some religious groups. His drawing because a cause for a protest. He was trying to show how Santa Claus had replaced Jesus Christ.
Cliff’s Viewpoint:
When you go to a 
To find your new home all you need to do is an easy 3-Step Process.
