Home Values Increase for the First Time in 5 Years

http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/24/real_estate/home-values/index.htm?source=linkedin

First Impressions Count: 4 Easy, Inexpensive Ways to Attract Prospective Buyers

If you’re in the process of getting your home ready to be put on the market—or you’ve recently listed your home for sale—you know just how crucial a positive first impression can be when it comes to attracting prospective buyers. While first impressions are everything in this day and age, creating a positive one doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.



Here are four easy and inexpensive ways to create an inviting home environment for potential buyers.



1. Trim it right. It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do for your home’s interior. While $100 won’t allow you to repaint every room in your home, it will get you enough to freshen up the trim, and any spots on the walls that need a touch up. Be sure to stick with clean, warm colors.



2. Focus on the front. The first thing a prospective buyer sees when they arrive for a showing is the front of your home. For $100 or less, you can repaint the door, plant a fresh flowerbed, and make sure your lawn is neat and tidy. Don’t forget to shine up details like your house number and mailbox, and repaint or replace anything that looks tired or old.



3. Squeaky clean. Your home should be clean and clutter free for a showing. While you can tackle the process yourself, hiring a cleaning service is a great way to get things gleaming before a showing.



4. Appeal to the senses. You don’t want to turn off potential buyers with a musty smell or dim lighting. Take the time to air out your home before a showing and, if necessary, light a lightly scented candle—or bake a batch of cookies. Make sure rooms—especially the first room a buyer will enter—are well lit and bright by opening curtains and blinds. Bring in an extra floor lamp if necessary.

Coldwell Banker Previes International and 1stdibs.com Announce Exclusive Partnership

www.1stdibs.com
Coldwell Banker Previews International and 1stdibs.com have announced an exclusive partnership that taps a unique, global audience to showcase Previews listings.
Michael Bruno is 1stdibs’ founder. They are the world’s premier online marketplace, presenting a curated selection of coveted items from the most prestigious dealers across the globe in high-end antiques, fine art, jewelry, couture fashion, and now, luxury real estate.
1stdibs counts high-net-worth individuals, connoisseurs, collectors and many influential design professionals, arts & entertainment figures and business leaders among its loyal customers.
Other 1stdibs highlights
-Over 2.2 million visits and 55 million page views a month
-22 million monthly print ad impressions via campaigns in vehicles such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times
-Nearly 500,00 registered users, who receive weekly emails linking to Introspective, 1stdibs’ magazine profiling style-setters and key items of note in the worlds of art, design, fashion, jewelry and real estate
The topic was the subject of this week’s “President’s Message” in the Coldwell Banker View magazine:

Coldwell Banker View “President’s Message” Coldwell Banker Previews® International Partners With 1stDibs.com “Our partnership with 1stdibs is a natural progression for Previews. 1stdibs not only boasts a monthly audience of 2 million affluent visitors and more than 55 million page views a month—but is dedicated to cultivating homes with remarkable style.” Betty Graham, President of Coldwell Banker Previews International® division for NRT A fter serving more than 30 years in the epicenter of the national luxury market, I still marvel at its immense growth and maturity. Today’s a ffluent consumers are very much digital consumers, accessing the Web in record numbers to purchase luxury items ranging from rare vintage watches to antique furniture. In fact, 98 percent of all a ffluent consumers use the Internet today, spending an average of 26 hours online! As a global leader in the luxury real estate space, Coldwell Banker Previews® International has paid careful attention to the desires of this savvy group of consumers over the last few years. That is why I am proud to announce that Coldwell Banker Previews and the Corcoran Group have entered into an exclusive partnership with 1stdibs.com, the de finitive online resource for antiques, 20th-century design, vintage and estate jewelry, fashion and fine art for collectors. Earlier last week, 1stdibs debuted its “FINE HOMES” search on the site, featuring estate properties listed by Previews—the nation’s premier luxury real estate firm—and Corcoran—the premier residential real estate firm in New York City and the Hamptons. Tapping its authority in the design world, 1stdibs will, on a weekly basis, engage leading interior designers and architects to select their preferred “property picks,” which will be listed under “Hot Properties” in the site’s Style Compass section. Th e real estate partnership with 1stdibs represents the next evolution of the curated search site, expanding from the rare treasures with which collectors grace their homes to the actual homes themselves. “1stdibs has a big following among the world’s most a ffluent consumers–who buy big-ticket items on a regular basis–and among designers and architects, who are all secretly real estate junkies like me,” said the site’s founder, Michael Bruno, who began his career as a real estate broker and whose idea to apply a multiple listing serving model to the high-end antiques category was the impetus for 1stdibs a decade ago. “ This search brings those elements together, giving designers a pipeline to hot new properties on the market and enticing 1stdibs visitors to buy a house they didn’t even know they were looking for!” Our partnership with 1stdibs is a natural progression for Previews. 1stdibs not only boasts a monthly audience of 2 million a ffluent visitors and more than 55 million page views a month—but is dedicated to cultivating homes with remarkable style. I have long admired Michael Bruno, and I believe our presence on 1stdibs further elevates Previews as a true luxury lifestyle brand. I invite you to visit realestate.1stdibs.com today for an exclusive look at the most beautiful things on earth.

Real Estate Outlook: Will Recovery Continue?

Will we continue to see upward movement?

http://bit.ly/Qj684g

Homebuilder confidence experiences largest one-month gain in a decade

Good news for home sales overall!

http://bit.ly/NrC04U

Real Estate Outlook: Will Recovery Continue?

Are we moving forward?

http://bit.ly/NP44Ly

Opening Day at Del Mar!

 DEL MAR (CNS) - The 75th season of horse racing at the Del Mar Racetrack is scheduled to begin Wednesday, highlighted by the annual hat contest and the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds.

The "One and Only Truly Fabulous Hats Contest" is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in the Plaza de Mexico, with a panel of celebrity judges rating lids on style and creativity. Categories include Best Racing Theme, Funniest or Most Outrageous, Most Glamorous, Best Flowers and Best Fascinator, which is a type of headpiece or hair accessory.
The grand prize is two American Airlines round-trip ticket vouchers to anywhere in the United States.
Category winners will receive $300, with $200 for second place and $100 for third place. The Best Fascinator category offers a $100 first place prize.

All entrants will receive two free admission passes for a future visit to the track.

The highlight of the 37-day meet is the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic on Aug. 26. Overall, nearly $7.8 million is available in stakes races.

The Friday concert series will continue this year, beginning with the San Diego-based Wavves this week.

For the most part, racing will take place Wednesday through Sunday, with first post at 2 p.m.
The exceptions are:

• Fridays, when first post is 4 p.m.;
• Pacific Classic day, when first post is 1 p.m.; and
• Labor Day, in which races will take place on a Monday.

The season closes on Sept 5.

Housing Passes a Milestone

The numbers are in, the housing market has officially turned!

http://bit.ly/MtrWJ4

Sunny Forecast For The Real Estate Market, Optimism Growing Among Some

Optimism is Up!

http://bit.ly/Ns2pO2

Purchase Applications Increase as Mortgage Rates Remain Low

Rates are down again and mortgage apps. are increasing.

http://bit.ly/NqZb9Q

Committing to color again

Bringing a little color into our lives!

http://bit.ly/NqYzki

Inventory is low, Prices are climbing

It is the normal cycle of real estate, when interest rates drop housing prices will rise.  We are beginning to see just that in North County San Diego. 

Multiple offers, overbids and short market times are not only on the horizon but in the NOW!

Sellers are receptive to realistic price recommendations and open to price reductions if necessary.  Buyers are understanding that the "deals" are done and we are settled into a normal market if not inching toward becoming a bit of a sellers market again.

All in all, it is good.  Good to see a more fluid market and good to be in a time when home prices are stable.  New construction is popping up around us and I believe we will begin to see the $1.1M+ new construction begin again.

Are the bad times behind us?  Wish I had a crystal ball to offer that insight. 

What I do know is that it IS a good time to buy and sell real esatate in San Diego.

Housing to Play Key Role in Election

How will the housing market be affected by the election?

http://bit.ly/N2Gy11

Rents keep rising, while home prices inch higher

Multiple offers, prices stable in San Diego.

http://bit.ly/Oke92t

30-year mortgage rates dip to 3.62%; 15-year at 2.89%

Down, down, down they go!

http://bit.ly/OkdU7u

Mortgage Financing Tips for Today's Market

 

From starter homes to vacation escapes, many of my clients have taken advantage of recent market conditions to make the real estate purchase they’ve always dreamed of. The combination of affordable prices and low interest rates has made home buying accessible to many who had deemed it beyond their financial reach.



The one stumbling block for some prospective homebuyers, however, has been today’s dicey lending environment. Even though positive economic and housing market indicators continue to pick up, strict lending criteria and confusing terms and processes stop many would-be homebuyers in their tracks.



But have heart. By knowing how to navigate the lending landscape, a manageable mortgage—and your dream home—are within reach. Talk to your real estate professional about the steps you need to take to secure financing. In the meantime, here are some great tips from the American Homeowners Foundation:

• 
  Don’t stretch your loan qualification limits. A home should be a source of satisfaction and an investment, not a financial albatross. Borrowing heavily from family members, selling assets, and living poor just to own a bigger or better home makes for larger mortgage payments and risks difficulties in the future.


• 
  Shop for competitive rates, points and fees. Get at least three bids. The most competitive lender one week may not be next week, so get (or reconfirm) quotes the same week you are ready to make the commitment.


• 
  Get an immediate written confirmation of your locked-in interest rate and interest rate terms. You might find some discrepancies with the figures used on the final loan documents.


• 
  Don’t agree to prepayment penalties. You may want to refinance or partially prepay part of the mortgage. If there is no mention of prepayment penalties, make sure you have an addendum attached to the mortgage specifying that no fees will be imposed.


• 
  Understanding all the conditions of your loan. You or a professional that you trust should thoroughly scrutinize each document. Ask questions if you aren’t sure what something means.


• 
  Pick the right kind of loan. Rates are higher on 30-year loans than on comparable 15-year loans. That's because there is a greater risk that rates will go up the longer the lender commits to a fixed rate. While there is an advantage to the predictability of fixed rates, if you expect to be transferred in five years, you’ll be paying more than you need for a 30-year, fixed-rate loan. If you want both the security of predictable payments and the lowest monthly payment, consider "hybrid" loans - those with a fixed rate for the first five or seven years of their 30-year duration. If you are going to be there for a shorter period, or have confidence that rates will be dropping further, consider an adjustable rate mortgage. Be sure to discuss your particular circumstances with your real estate professional and/or lender to make the best loan choice.


• 
  Save everything. Lenders require and provide numerous documents. Some get misplaced, usually at the most critical time. Keep copies of everything you send the lender and everything the lender sends you.


• 
  Take advantage of the deduction. The mortgage interest deduction is one of the few remaining tax deductible interest payments, and it’s also the cheapest form of long-term financing. Consider financing/refinancing as an alternative source of funds for home improvements or other constructive long-term investments like education. Don’t get in over your head, and never use it to finance your summer vacation or other short-term pleasures.