By Don Dunning | December 18, 2008
Today’s news reports indicate that 30-year, fixed rate mortgages have dropped to an average interest rate of 5.19 per cent, the lowest level since 1971. Meanwhile, unemployment claims are reported to be near the highest since 1982. If you have good credit and have been thinking about buying a home, this is a fabulous opportunity. […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | December 15, 2008
As an hourly real estate consultant, I have helped people in the East Bay. In one recent case, the client was a senior citizen who had a number of questions relating to her property. She was neither buying nor selling, but required information for planning purposes. Several days ago, I helped another individual with a […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | December 8, 2008
On 11/6/08, I wrote a blog about foreclosure scams. Subsequently, the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) legal department created a Q&A on the subject that provides details that might help prevent some distressed homeowners from being victimized.
Here I have excerpted some of the more salient Q&A’s from C.A.R.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | December 3, 2008
In my last post, I talked about why this is a great time to buy. As many have discovered in the past week or so, this is also a fantastic time to get a new loan or refinance an existing one. According to news reports, applications for mortgages more than doubled during Thanksgiving week. This […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | December 1, 2008
Doing some MLS research, I substantiated my sense of the current market in Oakland. The statistics backed up what I have been saying to my clients — soft prices combined with attractive interest rates add up to a special buying opportunity. In fact, it is the best time to buy in our area in over 10 years. As I always tell my clients, never assume anything. Real estate runs in cycles and each one, although it seems long-lasting at the time, is always temporary.
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