By Don Dunning | October 23, 2010
At a time when people need more help than ever to buy or refinance a home loan, lenders have tightened the screws on qualifying. According to a recent article in Smart Money magazine, “Credit Scores: How 720 Became the New 680,” millions of folks who not long ago were eligible for the best rates and […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 20, 2010
I have received a number of inquires from clients and those who read my newspaper column about a “3.8% ‘sales tax’ on homes sold after 2012.” There are a lot of rumors and much incorrect information going around, especially online. Here is a statement from the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.): “Misinformation has been spreading […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 17, 2010
Yesterday was the eighth annual “Walk Around the Lake” for the Oral Lee Brown Foundation, sponsored by the Oakland Association of Realtors. Started in 1987 by Oakland Realtor Oral Lee Brown, this organization mentors students, beginning in the first grade, and sends them to college tuition-free. See my previous post, “Oral Lee Brown Ice Cream […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 16, 2010
This is the third, seriously down market in my more than 30 years in real estate and I notice buyers and sellers repeating some of the same mistakes. These include buyers paying well over asking on properties that do not appear to justify the high price and sellers listing too high for the market.
To get a clearer picture of the situation in Oakland, I researched a specific subset of properties. The results confirmed my observations.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 10, 2010
Yesterday, my wife and I enjoyed one of Oakland’s newer traditions — Oaktoberfest in the Dimond district. We were happy to see that it had expanded from its MacArthur Blvd. only location, where it began in 2008, to spilling out onto Fruitvale Ave. With three entertainment stages, there was, literally, dancing in the streets. Sausages, […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 8, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, was the first day of the Fall meetings of the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) in Anaheim. 900 Realtors attended the 2011 housing market forecast by C.A.R. chief economist Leslie Appleton-Young, an always popular session. We were told that the weak economic recovery has led to a projected 10% decline in 2010 […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 1, 2010
In addition to its fabulous, Mediterranean weather, great shops and stunning San Francisco Bay views, the city of Oakland has many beautiful buildings. Several days ago, on a lovely, September morning, I was in the downtown area. As I walked around Frank Ogawa Plaza, I marveled at the striking elegance of Oakland’s City Hall. When […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | September 28, 2010
Last year, as a director of the California Association of Realtors, I attended an information session about the National Association of Realtors (NAR) “Realtors Property Resource” (RPR). I walked away impressed with the scope and functionality of the program, begun in 2009 at a projected cost of twenty to twenty-five million dollars. Approximately 147 million […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | September 16, 2010
Last May, Senate Bill 183 (Lownethal) was signed into law. It mandates carbon monoxide detectors in all homes that have a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage, one and two-family units and townhouses, and other “dwelling units” such as “factory-built homes, condominiums, motels, hotels, dormitories” and apartment houses. On January 1, 2011, sellers will need […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | September 12, 2010
Sometimes we don’t appreciate what is in our own backyards. For years, my wife and I have talked about walking the trails in the nearby parks. Recently, she started walking the various links in the San Francisco Bay Trail, There is an ongoing project to connect a continuous walking path all around the bay. This […]
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