By Don Dunning | September 12, 2009
Many buyers prefer living near shops and restaurants. They like the idea of being able to fall out of bed and get their favorite specialty coffee or pick up some bananas and a rotisserie chicken on the way home from work. For my entire career, I have been telling buyers that I can help them […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | September 2, 2009
Understandably, most home buyers are happy to be surrounded by trees, one of nature’s greatest gifts. They are magnificent, awe-inspiring creations. Oak, madrone, sycamore and redwood are all incredible. Some, like cedar, can be clipped low to form a hedge as a lovely border. Fruit trees furnish us healthful treats. In our area these include plum, pear, apple, lemon, lime and fig, to name a few.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 21, 2009
Before you know it, I will be doing posts about how higher rates are our new reality and what buyers and sellers should do about it. The information is out there – rates are low now, but this cannot last. Read this article about Ben Bernake’s upcoming challenges, “Bernake’s Tough Task: Withdrawing Emergency Aid.” Go […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 17, 2009
Yesterday, I held an open house in Oakland. A woman walked in and said she was “just checking prices in the neighborhood.” After a quick spin around the home, she came over and started chatting me up. Seems she bought a home in the same area, closing escrow in December 2009. I told her that […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 13, 2009
Some stories make it appear that real estate, especially in the Bay Area, is rebounding. Others talk about what is going wrong. Where does that leave you as a buyer or seller needing to make important decisions? I just read “Silicon Valley Real Estate: the Bidding War is Back” in the San Jose Mercury News, […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 10, 2009
“We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.”
– George Bernard Shaw.
After 30 years in real estate, I have witnessed this wisdom, especially in how home buyers function.
Today’s market is a great opportunity for some to find tremendous values and to finance them with near-record low interest rates. It is also a time when others are repeating mistakes made by buyers in the not-so-long-ago seller’s market. Purchasers need to learn quickly or risk years of regret and potentially significant financial losses.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 7, 2009
Experts are predicting continued large numbers of foreclosures in California as those in trouble with their home loan has increased from six per cent a year ago to almost ten per cent in June. These figures come from a recent Los Angeles Times article. An industry analyst was quoted as saying that sixty per cent […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 3, 2009
Although I have been doing hourly real estate consulting for nearly half of my 30 years in the business, there are not many fee-based real estate consultants out there. Many may say they do by-the-hour consultation, but few really understand what that means. Recently, a couple interested in purchasing a Northern California home listed in […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 31, 2009
Although some of the cities most devastated by foreclosures are experiencing decreased numbers, others that have been mainly spared appear to be the next to be hit. An article from cnnmoney.com, “Foreclosures: How Bad Is Your City?” indicates that the “third wave” of foreclosures will come from “option-ARM resets.” Seattle, Minneapolis and Phoenix were three […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 23, 2009
New Federal Reserve regulations to protect consumers are due to go into effect on July 30th. Soon, lenders will be required to provide borrowers with an estimate of their mortgage costs within three working days of the loan application. In addition, the only upfront cost that may be collected prior to this disclosure is an […]
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