Real estate closed escrow sales for January 2009 were at 18, which is slightly above last year, yet lower than the all-time record of 29. Thanks to First American Title in San Luis Obispo for supplying this chart.  If you'd like to know more about real estate buying or selling on the California Central Coast, I'm a top expert and would be happy to answer your questions! Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice Regina P. BrownBroker, Realtor®, e-ProAuthor of eBook "Stop Foreclosure Fast: Solutions to Save your House" Text copyright © 2009 R.P. Brown, All Rights Reserved  03/08/2009

Hurray!  A buyer actually called you!!  This will be your first client!  Amazing, you've been working in your new real estate career for only a week and you already have your first buyer! Can you meet them at a listing in 15 minutes?  Sure, why not!  You have your lockbox key ready, what else do you need?  Just hop in the car and drive over there! Wait a minute... Before you jump up and down and do the Happy Dance, your broker tells you that you've got to SCREEN the prospective buyers.  You can't just put prospective buyers in your car and drive to the nearest listing.  Wow, she just bursted your Newbie bubble.  :( Learn from my mistakes, she says. Then she tells you a story. When she was a freshly minted agent, she showed homes to buyers.  Lots and lots of houses.  Took many buyers aro... 02/15/2009

STEP 5: ITEMS COVERED IN PURCHASE CONTRACT This list VARIES widely by region and state.  Depending on the county, transaction fees and closing costs are customarily split between buyers and sellers. Major items in the sales contract Sale price Property address and APN (tax #) Amount of initial deposit Terms of mortgage financing Closing date Which party will pay which closing costs Contigencies and conditions Transfer and recording of deed List of fixtures remaining in home Home warranty Repairs required of the seller, if any Real estate agent representation Escrow closing date Details of escrow transaction Major closing costs for buyers Loan underwriting fees Credit report fees Appraisal fee Inspection fees (building inspection, other inspections) Insurance premiums Pro-rated interest ... 02/08/2009

Yes, you heard that right.  Do NOT try to paint your bathtub.  I know you have a PINK tub from 1950 that is sure to incur buyer SHOCK.  Sure, as a quick fix to sell your house, you may be tempted to pick up a do-it-yourself kit from Home Depot with "guaranteed" tub paint.  Unfortunately, it DOES peel off.  And looks REALLY bad once it starts peeling. Just take a look at this gold tub painted white!  Now that the paint is peeling off, it makes the tub look dirty.  It would have been better to replace the tub than to take this short-cut. Don't do it!  Just give your local contractor a call and he'll be happy to remove the old tub and replace it with a 2-piece or 3-piece fiberglass tub.  And when you get that offer in -- you'll be happy you did! Join my new AR group and post your blog at h... 02/02/2009

SELLERS:  Put more $$ in your pocket!  Ending up with more money at closing is what counts.  Increase your selling price more than the cost of the improvements needed to sell your house. This booklet will show you what to do (and what not to do) to earn top dollar: http://www.nachi.org/documents/SYHFMbook.pdf Avoid costly mistakes and walk away with more money!  Seller tips available for download FREE, compliments of Nick Gromicko, the Founder of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors.  These tips are valuable for every property seller. ENJOY this free eBook! Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice Regina P. BrownBroker, Realtor®, e-ProAuthor of eBook "Stop Foreclosure Fast: Solutions to Save your House" Text copyright © 2009 ... 01/25/2009

We're so busy multi-tasking that staying organized seems like an impossible goal.  Take a look at the book "Organizing from the Inside Out" for some simple tips that can help YOU stay in control of your day (not vice-versa)! This fabulous book by Julie Morgenstern outlines her foolproof system for organizing your home, your office, and your life! America's #1 organizer shows you how to get organized and stay organized.  It's a fun and easy book including simple steps for cleaning up your office, the rooms in your house, or that dreaded garage / basement! Getting organized is a skill that anyone can learn, there's no magic or mystery.  Julie shares her proven techniques which have helped thousands of people to break through the clutter and streamline their lives. As a professional organi... 01/18/2009

Habitat for Humanity is a world-wide organization with a single mission: to provide safe, decent, affordable housing for everyone. When the Tsunami disaster struck, Habitat for Humanity and the National Association of Realtors® worked together to rebuild homes, raising over $50 million total and building/repairing homes for over 35,000 families. They have helped rebuild Hurricane housing and housing in many other areas. In your local neighborhood, Habitat is also making a difference! Volunteers build houses, one at a time, side by side with the new homeowners. After the homeowners buy their house from Habitat, Habitat receives the monthly mortgage payment and uses the funds to build another house! I love Habitat because of its excellent financial business model.  They don't go into debt... 01/16/2009

Want to skyrocket your career to a whole new level?  Maybe you've been thinking about learning tips from a pro on-the-job. Who is a good mentor?  A mentor is a person who is willing to make a commitment to coach a less-experienced "mentee" at no charge or cost.  A mentor is ready to give back to others, to help contribute to another's growth.  A mentor is someone concerned about our future world, wanting to make a difference. Determine a good Mentor who is a good fit for you.  When seeking a mentor, evaluate their compatibility with the following criteria: Real estate sales experience Location (should be nearby) Age, Gender Language fluency College / Education Cultural background (may not be important) Spiritual beliefs / Religious background Life mission / Philosophy Future plans / Goa... 01/13/2009

Come Play in the snow and enjoy the ice sculptures at The Winter Wonderland Located at the Sunken Gardens in Atascadero.This will take place on December 12th and will offer something for everyone. Visit Santa or one of the many craft vendors. Food vendors will also be there. For more information please call. 805-462-0177 11/30/2008

REVIEW OF HOME SALES & MEDIAN HOME PRICES ON STICK-BUILT SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IN NORTH COUNTY       (UNDER $1M)                                                           JANUARY-JUNE 2008 VS. JANUARY-JUNE 2007             ATASCADERO                                SALES      AVG.DOM           HIGH             LOW          MEDIAN 2007 131 123 $975,000.00 $275,000.00 $525,990.00 2008 99 124 $915,000.00 $159,900.00 $396,000.00 2008/2007  -32 1     ($129,990.00) % DIFFERENCE -24% 1%     -25%   The city of Atascadero might have experienced the highest price decrease when compared to the rest of the cities/towns in North San Luis Obispo County, and probably all of San Luis Obispo County for the first half of 2008.  When compared to the first six months in 2007, Atascadero saw a huge drop of 25... 08/22/2008

The former Esteem Surf Shop at El Camino and West Mall Avenue in Atascadero is currently being renovated by owner Brian Englund to house the second location of Sylvester's Restaurant. The original Sylvester's Restaurant opened two decades ago in Los Osos and is known as a classic hamburger eatery. The new restaurant will have a deck for patio seating, and it should get a lot of customers based on its convenient downtown location which is near local schools. The eatery will feature classic charbroiled favorites like the Hana Burger and the California Burger with avacado and pepper jack cheese. Wine & Beer will also be available. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email, call me at (805) 235-0234 or visit m... 08/17/2008

ATASCADERO REVIEW OF SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SALES: 1ST QUARTER 2007 VS. 2006 YEARSALESHIGHLOWMEDIANCDOMAVG SPSP/LP%200636$1,075,000.00 $359,000.00 $554,206.00 95$575,924.00 98.60%200741$1,099,000.00 $330,000.00 $525,000.00 141$562,105.00 96.80%         5  ($29,206.00)46($13,819.00)-1.80%         13.89%  -5.27%48.42%-2.40%    SUMMARYFor the first quarter 2007, the median home price in Atascadero fell by slightly over 5% to $525,000, when compared to the same period last year.  The number of days taken to sell a property in this city also lengthened by about 48%, or 46 more days in the period reviewed.  While this trend appear to mirror what's happening in the other regions of San Luis Obispo county, there's encouraging news for sellers.  On the upside, more homes sold during the first... 04/19/2007