As you are aware, the competition to buy a home here in the San Francisco Bay Area is fierce! Multiple offers and sales prices way over the listing price is the rule, not the exception.So, in a hot market like we have, what are the actions a buyer like you should take to get an offer accepted?There are several. In this article I will teach you several steps to take. In addition, you will learn a strategy about which homes on the market you should consider making an offer on that you may have overlooked!Step 1 – Get PreapprovedPreapproved (we call it the Buyer’s Advantage) means getting a conditional approval from a mortgage lender prior to getting into contract to buy a home.I will ask for your income and asset (bank, investment, and retirement account) statements. I will also obtain a ... 03/20/2022

How many Realtors do you think would crawl under Your house to secure the sale of Your home?It was a cold and dreary Friday afternoon in December. All of the work to make the house look just perfect was done. The only thing left was to have the home inspected. That seemed like a non-issue since the seller had never had any significant problems with it. The home inspector had gone all through the home and upon the rooftop like Santa’s Reindeer. “All good so far,” he said. “I only need to put on my coveralls, crawl under the house and I’ll be done.”He quickly came scurrying out from under the house and said, “You’ve got a problem.  You’ve got two inches of standing water under the house and I’m not crawling through it to do my inspection.”  I asked him what I should do? He said, “It looks... 03/08/2022

Well, Fall is certainly upon us.  Half Moon Bay, situated south of San Francisco and North of Santa Cruz is a rather sleepy town which is mostly known for two things-- Mavericks, which is a surf break known the world over for its monster waves when a swell pays a visit.The other thing Half Moon Bay is known for is the giant pumpkin contest:Half Moon Bay Pumpkin FestThe Contest results for 2021 can be viewed here:2021 Contest results This years Winning gourd weighed in at 2,194 pounds.  I have no idea how many pumpkin spice lattes that would convert to, but I think it is a lot.To get to Half Moon Bay, from the north, just head south on Highway 1.  A lot of tourist will crowd there on the weekend to sample one of the many restaurants or just enjoy the beach or hike along the beach trail b... 10/29/2021

Creating a professional and appealing design that will entice potential buyers is crucial in the real estate market.Attention-grabbing graphics are crucial in our real estate business. The right design will help create a personal touch with your marketing materials while also matching how YOU want people to perceive YOUR personality. What do you think about changing up those old boring designs?Visually appealing real estate graphic design can help you to reach potential customer engagements and conversions. The graphics create brand awareness for your business and influence audiences larger in size than ever before - all while making it easier on us.The internet has a lot of great tools for real estate agents, but there are some that stand out from the crowd. This post will go over the ... 09/30/2021

Defeat Mega-Agents 14 Sources Of Differentiation Title: Defeat Mega-Agents14 sources Of DifferentiationAuthor: Byan FletcherI discovered this book while I was browsing the internet years ago. I got the book and read most of the chapters during a trip to Kona, Hawaii, in 2019. I forgot all about this book but when I saw Kathleen's book review challenge blog post on ActiveRain.  I thought, here is my opportunity to share some marketing strategies  with my colleagues, and at the same time, I will try some of these strategies myself. About the author:After being rejected from medical school, Ryan Fletcher took a break and moved into real estate. He only closed two transactions during his first year selling real estate, which discouraged him since it wasn't working well. However, things star... 08/30/2021

Mortgage Forbearance: How do you prepare for when your forbearance period ends? What you need to know about forbearance. Forbearance: Many homeowners are unaware of the forbearance option. Under the cares act, millions of homeowners have received forbearance due to the coronavirus pandemic.  How do you prepare for when your forbearance period ends?The first thing you need to know about forbearance is that it is not forgiveness, and you eventually have to pay back the mortgage payments that were paused or reduced. It is crucial to keep in mind that before the forbearance period is over, your mortgage servicer should reach out to you and let you know what options are available to you going forward. But if they haven't contacted you in 30 days before your forbearance period ends, make sure... 08/07/2021

926 Azalea Avenue, Burlingame, CA 94010What is it about a holiday weekend? We had a lot of requests for showings over this Thanksgiving weekend, requests for disclosure packets, and clients being brought back in for a second look. Is it because buyers are feeling the urge to get settled by the December holidays? (This house is vacant, so a pre-approved buyer who acts quickly can be in sooner rather than later.) Is it because buyers realize the value in this Burlingame property? (Great school, well-located between San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, near the shops of Broadway, SFO and parks?) Is it because of the flexible floor plan both inside and out? (Use as a 2-bedroom with family room, or as a 3-bedroom, enjoy the separate dining room, several different outdoor spaces to enjoy, to... 11/29/2020

I get a kick out of people who think they 203k can't be used in their neighborhood. The loan limits have increased substantially over the years but there are 203k type loans that go up to $3 Million today. That means you can do renovation or remodeling to cover most projects in your area. It is an interesting design.Landscaping is next.Some interesting features include receptacles that you push to expose the outlet, and when you do it has four outlets to use.This project was one of my all time favorite projects. Whether you are buying or just want to remodel or update your existing home, we have your back. We have been consulting in San Mateo, CA for over twenty years now and are ready willing and able to help get your project across the finish line.           downtown 2-4-2021 11/19/2020

Settle into your Burlingame home for the holidays Ideally situated in the Burlingame Gate area, close to the shops on Broadway, with easy access to SFO, commute routes and highly regarded Burlingame schools is 926 Azalea Avenue, a warm and welcoming home. Plenty of flexible space inside to accommodate work-from-home, home schooling or hobbies, with outdoor spaces to enjoy. This is your opportunity to settle into your own home in Burlingame before the the new year begins. Appointments available to view the home per COVID-19 regulations. Call for more information.  11/19/2020

Recently I listed a beautiful home for sale at 40 Arroyo View Circle in Belmont, CaliforniaAfter being shown only 1 afternoon, an offer was received. By the next day negotiations were complete and there was a pending sale. The 30-day escrow period proceeded smoothly, and the sale was finalized yesterday.The buyers are ecstatic, and the sellers are ready to take the next step -- finding their replacement home and saying good-bye to the temporary rental. Within an hour of getting confirmation that the sale had recorded, I got the message from my sellers, "let's keep the momentum up."Buying a home in Silicon Valley is not an easy task, especially in certain price ranges in towns like Belmont or San Carlos. We are now investigating 3 potential properties. Disclosure packets have been downlo... 07/23/2020

How has the pandemic affected San Mateo County real estate? With all the uncertainty in the financial markets as well as real estate not being considered an essential service for many weeks, it's interesting to take a look at these statistics.The Infographic above shows June 2020 compared to May 2020 for both single family homes and condos. Prices are up, and number of listings are up, for both homes and condos. Days on market hover around the one-month mark for both, signs of a strong sellers' market.The two charts below break the county stats into towns. Without a doubt we live in an expensive area, with high median sales prices. It's not surprising that months of inventory is high in Atherton--it's a buyers' market there for well-heeled buyers. Six months of inventory is considered a... 07/10/2020

Two days ago I posted "Your Next Home Awaits in the Hills of Belmont, CA"Showings, by appointment only as required at this time, began on Sunday afternoon. By Sunday evening we had received a purchase offer, which was negotiated and accepted by the sellers on Monday evening.Two intense days = happy sellers, happy buyers, and two happy, tired agents.40 Arroyo View Circle is no longer being shown and escrow set to close the latter part of July.Homeowners, if you are wondering whether this is a good time to sell (a question I hear a lot,) take heart and give me a call. Each property is unique; each seller's needs are unique, and the market is different for various segments and locations. Finding the right approach is key. Together we can find it.  06/23/2020

Ideally situated between San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, just minutes from I-280 and Carlmont Shopping Center, you'll find 40 Arroyo View Circle. This two-story, free-standing single family home is designed for easy living, from the EV charger in the garage to the A/C for hot summer days, controlled by a Nest thermostat.Upstairs is the master suite, great room and kitchen. Whip up dinner, then wind down in front of the gas log fireplace on a cool evening. Head to the deck for morning coffee or relaxing end-of-day beverage. Master bath has double sinks, a skylight and walk-in closet.On the entry level you'll find 2 bedrooms, one of which has a wet bar and refrigerator making it an ideal home office/guest room. There's a bathroom with shower on this level.Step outside to enjoy a bac... 06/21/2020

One of the big pleasures that comes along with my real estate business is helping newcomers understand the benefits of living in our area, to help them find the little out-of-the-way places that will give them the feeling that they are in the know, that they belong. Each person I work with is different, has their own unique likes and dislikes. For some it might be the lesser known cultural events all around us. For others, special dining venues, or historical buildings, or special hobbies.Today I had the opportunity to tell a potential buyer about some of the open space attractions near where his new job is located, where he and his wife might have fun exploring now that trails are open once again. I wrote: "San Mateo County is beginning to open up a bit [from the shelter-in-place of th... 06/09/2020

Our abundant open space preserves and park lands are a huge attraction to living on the San Francisco Peninsula. It's not hard to realize how happy hundreds, if not thousands, of residents were when parks were opened again last week, on May 4, -- with precautions.One of the wisest choices park administrators made was to designate some of the narrow hiking trails, where keeping 6' distance isn't feasible, as one-way.On Thursday I had real estate business to attend to in San Mateo County, so took advantage while I was there to get my exercise by stopping by Huddart County Park, in the hills behind the town of Woodside, for a lovely hike through the redwoods, madrone trees and tan oaks. Due to the one-way trails, our hike changed from the planned one, and added a couple of extra miles, but... 05/15/2020

04/13/2020

04/13/2020

There's a special beauty in hiking among the redwood trees on a rainy day. Along with fresh air and incredible beauty, Saturday's hike made me feel close to my brother-in-law who passed away the day before in a skilled nursing facility in New Jersey. Dave shared the same love of hiking, history and nature that my husband and I do. I'm thankful that over the years we spent a number of happy days hiking together, both in California when he'd visit, or in New Jersey and the White Mountains of New Hampshire on our trips back east.Come join me for a snippet of yesterday's hike. 04/05/2020

Pacifica REAL ESTATE MARKET TRENDS REPORTPacifica Single-family Homes Market Summary for January and February 200.The current market type for the city of Pacifica, California: Sellers Market with a 105.6% in January 202 and 109.4% in February Pacifica Real Estate Market Review  Days On The Market   In Pacifica, Homes are selling so far this year an average of 107.5% above asking price.The average Pacifica Single-Family home the median sale price was $1,018,000 in January and February $1,200,000. Sales price Vs. List Price   The housing market in Pacifica and all over the Bay area, it's healthy, as it shows in the recent data in 2020. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage today is 3.7% that will start demand, affordability, and creating an opportunity for households shifting from the costly rent... 03/03/2020

Belmont California is a community in San Mateo County, located between San Francisco and the Silicon Valley. Great schools, fabulous weather, recreational opportunities in abundance all help make Belmont a desirable place to call home.Let's take a quick look at the real estate market. As of this morning there were 32 active listings on the multiple listing service, 22 single family homes, and 10 condos/townhouses. List prices of the single family homes range from $1,395,000 to $3,600,000, with a median price of $1,974,000. Condos/townhouses range in price from $648,000 to $1,299,000, with $990,000 the median.The following charts give historical data, up through the third quarter, 2019. The real estate market in Belmont, California appears to be holding steady. Days on market remain very... 10/16/2019