Compass’ October 2018 Real Estate Update

From Pacific Union/Compass blog:
The median sales price rose from October 2017 in most Northern California regions in which Compass does business, except for Sonoma Valley, where it was down by almost 10 percent.  Elsewhere, annual appreciation ranged from 0.3 percent in Sonoma County to more than 25 percent for single-family homes in Lake Tahoe. https://bit.ly/2FJE7Df

Bay Area Cities Rank Among the Nation’s Best Small and Midsize U.S. Places to Live in 2018

Street scene in  city of Santa Clara

From the Pacific Union blog:
Despite the Bay Area's top-dollar cost of living, the region's rapid home price appreciation and booming economy have helped land a handful of local cities on lists of the best places to live in America.  Read more at . . . https://bit.ly/2OFPawt . For help to buy or sell a home, call FRITZ.

New Listing 8990 McGurrin Road, Oakland

New listing--8990 McGurrin Road, Oakland. This gated Sequoyah estate sits on gorgeous, landscaped grounds and is loaded with luxury features like a chef's kitchen, open concept indoor and outdoor living and entertaining areas, over the top master suite with sitting area, gigantic walk-in closet and spa quality bath.  Country club living at it's best!  http://www.8990mcgurrin.com/#home
Offered at $1,049,000.  Call FRITZ for mre details.

New Listing 6811 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley, Open Saturday and Sunday

This hilltop contemporary home at 6811 Buckingham Blvd in Berkeley features world class vistas of  San Francisco and the Golden Gate and beyond.  The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 baths, open concept living and dining areas, custom built-ins, a luxurious master bedroom with fireplace and sweeping terraces!  Open Saturday and Sunday August 4-5 from 2-4:30.  Offered at $1,699,000.  Call FRITZ for more details.  http://www.6811buckingham.com/

Bay Area Is High on List of Best Beach Towns, Led by … Mill Valley!

From the Pacific Union blog:
Quick: Name the best, most livable oceanfront beach town in California.  If you picked Mill Valley, you would be correct, according to the number-crunchers at the personal finance website WalletHub, who count Marin County's Mill Valley as the fourth most livable beach town in all the United States--and No. 1 in California.  https://bit.ly/2uwd4Cs

Bay Area Cities Rank as Best in the World for Future Momentum

From the Pacific Union blog:
The Bay Area's real estate market and high-performance economy are currently running at full steam and appear poised to carry that momentum over the long term.  San Francisco takes the top spot on the rankings, followed by Silicon Valley at No. 2, both due largely to the Bay Area's global position as a technology powerhouse.  Read more . . . https://bit.ly/2kDEpOs

Real Estate Roundup: San Francisco Is No. 3 in the World for Billionaires

From the Pacific Union blog:
The Bay Area has more billionaires than almost anywhere on earth, while mortgage rates have climbed to their highest levels in almost seven years. Pacific Union's latest Real Estate Roundup has these stories and more.  https://bit.ly/2H535IR . To find out about your personal real estate situation and more,call FRITZ.

Most Americans Believe They Are Adept at Home Repairs — Particularly Millennials

From the pacific Union blog:
Millennials are more likely than other generations to describe themselves as handy around the house, although they actually have the least experience at do-it-yourself projects.  Millenials are also three times less likely to call a handyman than baby boomers, perhaps deterred by costs.  Read more https://bit.ly/2qGnuOT. For help with all your real estate needs, call FRITZ.

Bay Area, California Homebuyers Lead the Nation for Down-Payment Size

From the Pacific Union blog:
If you're planning to shop for a home in the Bay Area this spring, you would do well to have more than $200,000 in the bank for a down payment.  Buyers in the San Jose metropolitan area are currently shelling out the largest down payments in America, an average of 23.9 percent.  As the country's most expensive housing market, with a median list price of $1.2 million, San Jose homebuyers are placing down payments of $257,000.  Read more at https://bit.ly/2GAEcJF . For more information about this and all your real estate needs, call FRITZ.

Say What? A Guide to Real Estate Lingo

While house hunting, you may hear words and phrases that you have not heard before.  Check out our guide to understanding some of the more vague or confusing real estate terms. We've collected a few commonly used words and phrases, along with their descriptions as they relate to the world of real estate.  For help with your real estate needs, call FRITZ for in-depth answers to all your questions.
 http://bit.ly/2Cn60Ks

Real Estate Roundup: East Bay City Named One of the Nation’s Most Livable

From the Pacific Union blog:
Fremont Ranked as America's Second Most Livable City
Fremont was recently named the least stressed-out place in America and now another study calls the Alameda County city one of the country's most livable.  That's according to an analysis by SmartAsset, which ranks the nation's 25 most livable cities based on six criteria - including access to jobs, income after housing expenses and walkability - on a scale of zero to 100.  Read more . . .
http://bit.ly/2zpbJ4R

Pacific Union Merges With Los Angeles-Based Partners Trust

Pacific Union is excited to share the news that we've further expanded our reach in Los Angeles by announcing our intent to merge with Partners Trust, the next step in our firm's vision of becoming the ultimate California company. Watch the video:  http://pacunion.us/2hOJiWt

Bay Area Pending Home Sales Slide for the Ninth Straight Month

From the Pacific Union blog:
Pending home sales activity continued to decline in both California and the Bay Area in June, with tight inventory conditions once again the culprit.  Read all about it at http://pacunion.us/2uVhXHx
For more information about homes sales in your area, call FRITZ.

The Bay Area's Five Fastest Appreciating (and Depreciating) Housing Markets

From the Pacific Union blog:  Home prices rocketed up about 30 percent year over year in the first four months of 2017 in one Marin County community, while they fell by about the same amount in a trendy San Francisco enclave.  Find out which 10 Bay Area ZIP codes experienced the largest housing price gains and losses.  Details are online at http://pacunion.us/2t5Sjw6 .

Four High Return Updates for the Home

Do you have a list of changes you'd like to make to your home this year?  Completing cosmetic updates is easiest when the weather's in your favor.  In honor of May's National Home Improvement Month, here are four upgrades ranging from curb appeal projects to large expansions that often yield high returns.
1.  Replacing doors and windows:  Home owners are often encouraged to consider projects that boost curb appeal.  Swapping out a wooden front door for a steel model or replacing front-facing windows can pack more of an ROI punch than renovations made inside the home.
2.  Constructing a deck:  Create a beautiful transition from your back door to the outdoors by building a deck.  The update turns into a major selling point that can recoup your initial investment.
3. Adding insulation:  Of all the projects listed in Remodeling magazine's 2017 Cost vs. Value Report, adding loose-fill insulation to your attic is the only one with returns that exceed 100 percent of the cost.
4.  Building a second-story addition:  Even with a slight increase in construction costs, completing a significant two-story addition resulted in a substantial year-over-year increase in value from 2016 to 2017.  Home renovations and repairs are on the rise and expected to peak this year.  Now's the time to start planning your investment-savvy home improvements.

Bay Area Home Sales Slide in April — Except for Luxury Homes

From the Pacific Union blog:
Bay Area home sales dipped from March to April, which is not consistent with typical seasonal patterns.  Pacific Union Chief Economist Selma Hepp examines the latest numbers and trends in a new Straight Talk column. http://bit.ly/2qC5PZs 

Sunshine After the Rain: Bay Area Housing Markets Bounce Back in March

From the Pacific Union blog:
The spring home buying season has finally kicked in after an abnormally wet winter season and rainfall reaching unprecedented levels.  In March, there were about 5,000 home sales registered in Bay Area MLSes, which was a 60% increase from January and February.  While the March comeback is seasonally expected, this year's monthly increase was much larger than the historical 45% increase seen in the Bay Area.  Read more: http://bit.ly/2piYprd.  For more info about the market and buying or selling a home, call FRITZ.

Spring is Here! How to Prep to Buy or Sell a Home

Spring has sprung, which means the housing market is in full bloom.  Each year, roughly 40 percent of real estate transactions occur between the months of May and August.  If you're feeling inspired to buy or sell a home soon, make sure you're prepared.
When You're Ready to Buy a Home:
* Calculate what you can afford.  Use a home affordability calculator to make sure you're ready for the mortgage payments.
*  Check your credit score and fix any in accuracies you discover ASAP.
*  Save up for a down payment.  Most lenders require 5 to 20 percent.
*  Be ready for additional closing costs. Plan to have approx 4 percent of the home's purchase price     on hand to cover taxes and fees.
*  Re-evaluate your insurance coverage and update all your policies.
When It's Time to Sell:
*  Declutter and clean your home ready to show.
*  Take inventory of what needs to be fixed, such as roof work, paint and landscaping.
*  Decide on a selling price---pull the comps in your area. For more info and help with all your real     estate needs, call FRITZ.

Forecast: U.S. Home Sales and Prices to Rise in 2017

From the Pacific Union blog:
U.S. home sales volume and prices should continue to increase this year, although rising mortgage rates and declining affordability will prove challenging - particularly in expensive markets like the Bay Area. For the outlook, go to http://pacunion.us/2k4hdJN .  For more information contact FRITZ.

Real Estate Roundup: The Bay Area Has 1 Million More Jobs Than Homes

From the Pacific Union blog:
A new report further details the Bay Area's housing supply shortage compared with job growth, just as news comes that Tesla Motors wants to add thousands of more workers in Alameda County.  Get the skinny on the housing situation and other news items at http://pacunion.us/2dT1vkK