Monthly Archives

October 2007

Oct 17
0

do you know the FACTS?

By | Sonoma County info | No Comments

The 2006-2007 Sonoma County Labor Market Report has just been released http://www.sonoma-county.org/edb/reports.htm and it is important to understand what the business climate is here. Sonoma county have about 478,000 residents and is voted the “most livable city”. So who lives here and why? Read the report and come visit us.

We have the best recreational choices for residents and visitors – mountains, the sea, the wine, fine restaurants. Name your choice and Sonoma county has it.  Let us know if you would like your personal tour of the wine country? Mirjam and I would be happy to discuss with you the trip of a lifetime!!

Oct 16
0

Buyers beware! – Get a 2th opinion on your loan.

By | Buyers, Mortgage | One Comment

 mirjamnew.jpg   As Realtors we might have the tendency to have our clients decide on the loan product they choose and rightfully so. However, for buyers it might be wise to discuss the loan product you choose with your Realtor, even if it’s only  for some feedback.

Today’s Realtor Magazine online mentions a survey conducted for the AFL-CIO labor union, it brought out that borrowers are unprepared for the burden of higher mortgage payments. One in five borrowers don’t know their current loan rate, and 25 percent don’t know when their lender will raise the rate.

With so many different loan products out there, besides educating oneself on the loan products, it might be wise to first of all, work with a reputable lender and second of all, talk to your Realtor for feedback on the loan product. He or she might have some good suggestion to consider, just to make sure. Also, something is wrong if you cannot explain your loan to your Realtor.

 Have a great day!

Mirjam

Oct 14
0

Sunny weekend!

By | Buyers, Disclosures, Sonoma County info | No Comments

After a soggy Friday it turns out to be a sunny weekend. The perfect weather that we are used to in Sonoma County -aren’t we spoiled rotten and loving every minute of it?

Recently we had some pretty interesting articles in the Pressdemocrat –specifically one on Oct 12th 2007 – about the tremendous amounts of foreclosures… Yes, it’s better not to have any at all but let me put this into perspective:

Although they say foreclosure filings have tripled from last September to this September, we only have 272 Sonoma County homes in default or foreclosure. And they admit some might have been double counted due to multiple loans on the property.

Let’s put it in actual perspective. According to the article, that is one in 711 households, for a total of 193,392 households in Sonoma County. If my math is correct, that is .14% of the properties in Sonoma County… less than ¼ of 1%!!!
Let’s get real about our market and realize that this is a perfect market to buy and also to move up. (I will post more about this the coming weekd)

Of course, unless you are one of the 272 households…

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and should you decide to go home shopping: call us first for a list of excellent opportunities.

mirjamnew.jpg Mirjam

(707) 486-2638

Oct 13
0

Soggy weekend

By | Buyers, Press Democrat, RE Investing, Sonoma County info, Visit WineCountry, Wine, Wine Tasting, Winery with picnic place | One Comment

This weekend is going to be a soggy weekend in Sonoma County. The unseasonable rain has the grape growers running to harvest the grapes before they rot (see PD article)and the rain will not boost buyers confidence to go shopping for homes. Most people don’t realize but investors have started to pick up good opportunities. This week we did put an offer in on a fixer on Montgomery drive. Interesting to see that there were 5 competing offers… Yes it was a good deal.

Recently I have seen quite a few properties with a price per SqFt around $260, great opportunities in great neighborhoods.

So the best thing to do this weekend is go, enjoy the drive through beautiful Sonoma County, visit a small winery and get a feel for the hustling and bustling of the winegrowers. A great small winery of the beaten path is Sunce on Olivet road, great wines, a lovely place to enjoy a pinic -should the sun decide to show up- with a lovely bocce bal court.

Their 2005 Zinfandel won double gold at the Harvest Fair and rightfully so…

Have a great weekend!

mirjamnew.jpg Mirjam

Oct 12
0

Do you know a VET?

By | Buyers, Interest rates, Sonoma County info | 2 Comments

TheVeteran’sAdministration http://www.homeloans.va.gov/ offers vets great opportunities to purchase homes. Do you know a vet? or you a vet? If so, call me and find out how you can qualify with little or no down on VA programs. Let me do the paperwork for you….Read the following information from American Banker.

New Campaign for Veterans’ Loan Program
American Banker (10/12/07) P. 3A; Johnson, Hilary
The number of outstanding mortgages guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Home Loan Guaranty Program fell to 2.5 percent at the end of this year’s second quarter from 3.2 percent in 2005, reports the Mortgage Bankers Association. The agency is undertaking some improvements to make the loan program more efficient and to eliminate some of the red tape that made lenders and real estate agents hesitant to deal with such loans in the past, and Don Munro of the agency’s St. Paul, Minn.-based regional loan center says the efforts are beginning to attract the attention of lenders that have not participated in the program in years. Computer system updates allow lenders to go online for veterans’ certificates of eligibility, and appraisals also are reviewed on the Web. To minimize paperwork for servicers and enhance loan monitoring, the agency will launch its VA Loan Event Reporting Interface System in early 2008. Meanwhile, Congress is considering legislation that would boost the maximum guarantee on home-purchase loans to $625,000 from 25 percent of the conforming loan limit; and the agency may seek additional help in updating lending guidelines and enabling it to refinance problem loans.