Where Do Renters Buy? Renters Buy Homes, but where?  The California Association of Realtors (CAR) took a survey to find out where Renters Buy and prepared an infographic.  Take a look: I was actually really surprised by the numbers.  I would have assummed that most Renters Buy Close to where they live now.  Neighborhood is not defined, I would have like to have seen it defined as the same town or a mile radius. If you are a Renter and Considering Buying a Home let Home Point Real Estate Point you in the Right Direction.  As us about great First Time Home Buyer Programs.  Call 925-260-4321.   08/26/2014

Buying a Home to Fix Up in Brentwood California! The California Association of Realtors (CAR) prepared this infographic showing what many people do to their home the first year after they purchase it. Lots of Buyers in California Like to Buy Homes to Fix up. Brentwood California included. It is a great way to get a home at a great price. There are special Fixer Up Loans that you can get so you can buy and repair your property. So if you purchase a home to fix up in Brentwood California or nearby you will not be alone. Kitchen, Bathrooms, and Landscaping are big on this list; which is not surprising as these items drive home sales and home prices. So if you buy a home where these areas are not in good shape you should get a good price and be able to remodel to your taste and earn your eq... 08/12/2014

VA Mortgage Loans in Brentwood CA and 100% VA Loans - the best loan program in the country! Designed for both active duty military and honorable discharged Veterans, VA Mortgage Loans are one of the best mortgage loan programs available today. Here are some of the highlights of this incredible program: - 100% financing, no down payment required. - Monthly mortgage insurance is not tacked on to your payment. - Easier credit qualifying compared to other types of mortgage loans. - VA Mortgage Rates are low compared to other types of home loans. So how do you qualify for a VA Mortgage Loan in Brentwood CA? First of all, you must verify your eligibility. You can verify eligibility by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. A Brentwood CA VA loan lender can order your COE quickly for... 07/31/2014

The Naked Truth about Selling Your Own Home – Don't Expose Yourself! A man in Texas decided he did not need a REALTOR to help him sell is home. He went around to take pictures of the home, of course being in the privacy of his own home he did this naked. What he did not realize is that he was taking selfies in the bathroom mirror. Let's just say it was Full Disclosure. Click Here for Censored Pictures. In the Interest of Full Disclosure I will tell you I have never taken pictures of a clients home in the nude. This is funny and so far everyone reading this is thinking “I would never make that mistake.” And I suspect that is true. But there are other mistakes that can be made that would leave you exposed to legal liability or you might not dress up your home right for sale. Maybe you jus... 07/30/2014

How Old Are Buyers in California? We have home buyers of all ages in California.  But I had no idea of what the average age was.  The California Association of Realtors (CAR) did a survey.  It turns out that buyers are spread out amongst all age groups, but the top buyers are Gen Y.   Combined with Gen X this is 61% of Home Buyers.  I think this is a good sign that younger people see the value of home ownership and preparing for their future. Gene lives and works in Brentwood Ca, where he is the Broker and owner of Home Point Real Estate providing service to the East Contra Costa County Communities of Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Antioch, Pittsburg and beyond. Give us call regarding Buying a Home, Selling a Home, or Real Estate Investing. Call 925-260-4321.     07/29/2014

Estate Sale 8-2-14 Brentwood Ca Saturday August 2, 2014 there is an Estate Sale at 248 Broderick, Brentwood CA, 94513. Starts at 8:00 AM till 2:00 PM. There is new stuff from the past sales. We are still digging stuff out. Items include: Power Tools Hand Tools Cloths Automotive Tools Air Compressor Furniture Refrigerator Video Game Systems Video Games Stereo Equipment Speakers Household Items Kitchen Items Glasses Dishes Cook Wear   And lots lots more. Show up and take a look. 07/28/2014

Fall Baseball in Brentwood Ca 2014 Brentwood Pony League Fall Ball Registration is now open till August 22, 2014. You can Register here. Fall Ball is a low key training league to help kids improve and get ready for the main season in the spring. The cost is kept low at $85.00 per kid. Fall Ball is for kids 6 to 14 (they are put into age divisions).   Fall Ball Teams only meet once a week for practice and then a game on Sunday afternoons. September 7 to October 26th. It is very relaxed and is good for kids wanting extra training or maybe for a new comer to give Baseball a try.   My kids have been in Brentwood Pony League for 6 years and we have found it to be a quality organization.    07/23/2014

Selling a Home in Brentwood?  Do your own Home Inspection! I just did a post on why a Home Buyer in Brentwood Ca should get a Home Inspection. So why should a Seller pay for inspections that they Buyer can and will probably order if they go into contract with you? Easy answer – Control and Preparation? If you know something is wrong with the home or there is a problem you can fix it in advance. Save the documentation of repairs – estimates, reports, receipts, and photos too. You also want to reassure buyers that your home will not give them any problems. My advise is to get the reports first thing, certainly before staging or cosmetic work. It would be a shame to paint or upgrade something to find out you have to make repairs in the same area. Now there are all kinds of people in this w... 07/10/2014

Why an Inspection Report When Buying a Brentwood Ca Home? Generally inspections are the responsibility of the buyer. Inspections are generally non-invasive Buyers can get as many inspection as they want of basically any type. Here is a list of some types of inspections: General Home Inspection Termite Roof Pool Well Septic Plumbing Soils Foundation Electrical Boundary Survey Mold There are other types, but these are the ones that come to mind. In California an agent whether listing agent or buyers agent, cannot advise a buyer not to do the inspections. This is something we have to be very careful about. Generally speaking I advise Buyers to always get a General Home Inspection and a Termite Inspection. I also encourage them to get a Well, Septic, and Pool Inspection if those items are p... 07/10/2014

What is Title and Escrow? Title and Escrow are technically two different things. In Northern California generally you use the same company for both. I understand that in Southern California and other parts of the country they are not generally the same company. Escrow holds the funds and documentation in a secure account. They make sure both parties comply with the basic terms of the sale. The money comes in and the title is changed. They are not there to be escrow assistants and make sure all the disclosures and such have been signed. It is a secure neutral party to hold the funds and change the title.  Title basically researches the title to find if there are any problems with getting a clear title and then provides Title Insurance to both the buyer and the lien holders (the bank). Th... 07/10/2014

Selling a Home in Brentwood Ca?  Get a Preliminary Title Report! The Title Insurance Company will provide a report on the Title that will show any encumbrances on the public record. (Or at least it should.) Generally speaking in California the Buyer chooses the Title and Escrow Company, but the seller can set up a Preliminary Escrow and order a Preliminary Title Report. Many buyers will go ahead and use the Preliminary Escrow and Title Company. Title basically researches the title to find if there are any problems with getting a clear title and then provides Title Insurance to both the buyer and the lien holders (the bank). Their are different types of Title Insurance – some better than others.   Title Insurance will be issued for the property owner and the lender at closing. Ordering a... 07/10/2014

Selling a Brentwood Ca Home?  Get a Clue (Report)! Clue Reports are a data base kept by insurance companies of claims paid, but are also available to other people, including home buyers. Again order the report up front and be up front about any damage the home has suffered. Some damage might not seem like a big deal when repaired. Other damage will give a stigma to the home; such as mold damage, foundation issues, earth movement, and some water leaks. The important thing is to document the repairs, especially those that might create a stigma around the property. With those that create a stigma it is very important that the proper licensed contractors were used for repairs and you have those estimates, receipts, and supporting documentation. I understand many times people get an estimate... 07/10/2014

Selling a Brentwood Ca Home!  Why a Natural Hazard Disclosure Report? When you sell a home in Brentwood Ca the owner (seller) is requried to provide is a Natural Hazard Disclosure Report (NHD). This report encompasses all the statutory disclosures a seller is supposed to make. It covers varies industries, hazardous waste, fault lines, and other things in the area. It will also cover the Megan's Law Disclosures. There are attachments to the NHD Report that can be ordered with it that covers other statutory disclosures such as lead paint, earthquake retrofitting, and property taxes. In California the Seller pays for the NHD Report 99% of the time, as it is the seller who is required to make these disclosures. The price of the reports vary from company to company, but generally they cost a... 07/10/2014

Why did you Buy Your Home? As a young Real Estate Agent I was told when talking to someone about Selling their Home to ask them why they bought the home in the first place. The reason a person bought a home is often the same qualities that will help sell it. The question also brings to mind the things the seller likes about the home now that may help sell it. Gene owns Home Point Real Estate; located in Brentwood Ca and providing service to the East Contra Costa County Communities of Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Antioch, Pittsburg and beyond. Give us call regarding Buying a Home, Selling a Home, or Real Estate Investing. Want to learn more? 07/10/2014

Selling a Brentwood Ca Home - Selling Tip! Don't tell people your time frame for selling especially if you have to sell in a hurry. Although this may have to be disclosed at some point there is no point in giving away information that will hurt you in negotiations. Be careful about what you or your family post on Facebook or Social media. There are buyers who will research you and may even use others to dig for them. Social Media Can be your Friend or your enemy when Selling Your Home. Home Point Real Estate is here to Help!   925-260-4321 Gene Riemenschneider is the Broker and Owner of Home Point Real Estate in Brentwood CA. Serving the East Contra Costa County Communities of Brentwood, Antioch, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pittsburg, and beyond. For Buying, Selling or Investing call 925-260... 07/10/2014

Preparing Your Brentwood Ca Home for Sale Once you have made the decision to Sell Your Home you will need to get the home ready for sale. You may have even done this before you called a REALTOR, but there may be more things to do than you even thought about – after all this is one of the reasons you hire a REALTOR – to help you get your home ready to sell. The more time you have to prepare the better. Some preparation will cost money and you will have to decide if you want to put the time and the money into it. You will also need to decide if the cost and time of preparing the home for sale will provide a good return. The order in which you do some prep work is important. You might want to get reports and talk to a stager before doing some repairs. As part of your preparation you will n... 07/10/2014

Pricing your Home in Brentwood Ca!  Part 2 You should read Pricing your Home in Brentwood Ca!  Part 1 First When you over price a home for the market you often discourage people from even viewing the home. Home buyers will look at other homes that have the same type of features yours have that are more in their budget and realistically priced. Even if your home is somewhat better in terms of amenities buyers will often go for the lower priced home and pay for their own upgrades. The really sad thing is that the longer a home sets on the market the harder it is to sell. A stigma develops around the home where people think there is something wrong with it. Often the home then sells for less than it would have sold for if priced right to begin with. Not only is money lost on the price, but... 07/09/2014

Pricing Your Home in Brentwood Ca!  Part 1 This is generally the bottom line that people are interested in. How much will I get for my home? The knee jerk reaction is to price the home as high as possible and negotiate down; or just hold out as long as possible until you get the price you want. Almost all of our initial instincts about pricing the home are wrong. Now I want to emphasis that my job (except maybe in a short sale) is to help you (the seller) maximize the return on your home. Most of us loose our objectivity when we are pricing our own home. We cling to any hope or evidence we can find that points to our home being worth what we wish it was; then we ignore everything that is a negative. First off a Good Realtor will provide you with lots of documentation about the value of ... 07/09/2014

Pricing Homes Like Tomatoes! I see homes priced all the time with prices like $299,900.00, or $189,000.00. Now I struggle with this for two reasons: 1) Retailers and gas stations have done a lot of research and pricing below a round price point works for them. The house looks more affordable. These are smart people and they know this works. I trust their judgment on this. 2) However, today we are in the age of the internet shopper. People go to hundreds of on-line Home Search Engines and they are asked a price range. They may put in a range of $300,000.00 to $400,000.00. What if you have priced your home at $299,000.00 or pushed the price a bit to $405,000.00? You have just missed an opportunity to have a potential buyer see your home. I don't think there is a right answer here, but it ... 07/09/2014

Lucky Home Pricing! I see lots of homes priced at what seems like weird price points. You might see a home priced at $188,888.00 and you will see few homes priced at $199,444.00. Why is this? Well some people price a home based on superstition. Some cultures have have different numbers they feel have significance. In western culture 3 and 7 are considered good luck and 13 is bad luck. There are Bible reference for the reasons these numbers are regarded as good luck or bad luck. In Asian Cultures a 4 and 9 are bad, as the sound of 4 all sounds like the word for death and the sound for 9 sounds like the word for suffering. Eight is good luck because it is pronounced like the word for prosperity or wealth. I understand 15 is an unlucky number in some Latin cultures, but I have no idea why.... 07/09/2014