Napa Real Estate- Caught in between selling and buying a home? Nicole Monary of Coldwell Banker® has tips on what to do. Trying to sell a home and buy one at the same time can be a challenging task. Many home buyers find themselves caught in a difficult position as they often cannot place an offer on a desired home and simultaneously sell their current one. Below are some tips from Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific on how to close the gap between buying and selling a home:Consider bridge loans. A bridge loan means borrowing from the current home's equity until the proceeds from its sale are obtained. Some bridge loans require that only the interest be repaid; others mandate a single payment of interest and principal when the loan needs to be paid back. If protracted, bridge loans can be ex... 07/12/2010

NAPA HOMES--My bank says I don't qualify for a permanent modification.  What now? My bank says I don't qualify for a permanent modification.  What now? More and more, I am getting calls like this from clients.  These clients have entered into a temporary loan modification program with their lenders under the Making Homes Affordable Program (HAMP).  They made their three months worth of trial payments at a payment they could afford.  They thought this would be permanent.  Now they are being told that they do qualify, but the payment will be much higher.  For example, I have a client whose payment prior to modification was $4800.  For her temporary modification, it was $3500.  After the trial period, the bank increased it to $4300.  Due to a recent divorce and lack of income, she cannot m... 07/05/2010

NAPA HOMES FOR SALE-BUYER'S HOME INPSECTIONS What to Do / Expect During YOUR Home Inspection . . . Arranging the inspection with current owner.  Owners will need to know when the inspection will take place.  This contact with the owner to arrange the inspection time is usually taken care of by your realtor.  The current owner will typically leave during the inspection however, some owners do stay. Home access.  Make sure your realtor arranges with the owner to have full access to the property.  Garage, sheds, barns, ect, should be unlocked or have keys & remote door openers present. Time of the inspection will vary.  We do not just complete a quick or "on-site" checklist, like so many inspection companies do.  A typical home will take about 3-4 hours to inspect and in some cases longer... 07/01/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-HOMEOWNERS' LIABILITY AFTER FORECLOSURE Many homeowners' are frustrated by their lenders when facing foreclosure.  Many have been told by their lender that they may qualify for HAMP/HAFA programs and been given hope that these programs will save their home only to find out that they have been foreclosed on.  Many attorneys are also telling their clients to walk away from their homes as the best option and let the foreclosure happen.  Here is some information about what a homeowner's potential long term liability will be if they do incur a foreclosure.  It is important to contact a Realtor® to find out about the potential of doing a short sale and if may be right for your situation.   For more information on Napa real estate, please contact via phone, email or text.  To ... 06/28/2010

Ladies first - tips for first time, single female Napa homebuyers Single females continue to be a driving force in the housing market. In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2007 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, one-fourth of all recent first-time home buyers were single women. They also represented 20 percent of all home buyers, up two percent from 10 years ago. The Coldwell Banker® organization recommends the following steps for women considering buying their first home: Get your finances In order. First and foremost, check your credit history. Order a report from one of the three major agencies and take immediate steps to rectify any problems. Make sure you pay your bills on time and have established a solid savings plan. You want to be on firm financial footi... 06/21/2010

Nicole Monary of Coldwell Banker® helps you determine how to sell your Napa home at the right priceEstablishing a reasonable and profitable listing price for a home is perhaps the biggest challenge for every home seller. Many sellers ask themselves, "The home next door sold for a high price, can I sell mine for the same?" or "Can I raise the asking price in a hot market?" These and various other factors must be considered before determining the right cost. Nicole Monary at Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific recommend taking the following steps before establishing an asking figure. Choose the right sales associate. While many people use a friend or relative's referral to select a sales associate, it is smart to interview several prospective agents. Invite different agents to show their listi... 06/21/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-FORECLOSURE PREVENTION RESOURCES Many people struggling to make their mortgage payments want to know where they can turn for help.  Here is a list of resources that may be helpful to homeowners' facing foreclosure. For more information on Napa real estate, please contact via phone, email or text.  To see what's for sale throughout the Napa, please visit my website at: www.soldbynicole.com and click on search the MLS.  If you want to know how much your current home is worth, click on CMA and I will happily provide you with a complimentary, no obligation, "Current Market Analysis" of your Napa home.  I also write a blog about market statistics for most of the bay area markets.  Click here to view my blog:  http://activerain.com/blogs/nicolemonary   06/20/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-SHORT SALE OR FORECLOSURE Many people struggling to make their mortgage payments want to know which is best for them, a short sale or foreclosure.  Well here is a side by side comparison that will hopefully help. For more information on Napa real estate, please contact via phone, email or text.  To see what's for sale throughout the Napa, please visit my website at: www.soldbynicole.com and click on search the MLS.  If you want to know how much your current home is worth, click on CMA and I will happily provide you with a complimentary, no obligation, "Current Market Analysis" of your Napa home.  I also write a blog about market statistics for most of the bay area markets.  Click here to view my blog:  http://activerain.com/blogs/nicolemonary     06/16/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-SHORT SALE OR FORECLOSURE Many people struggling to make their mortgage payments want to know which is best for them, a short sale or foreclosure.  Well here is a side by side comparison that will hopefully help. 06/14/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE FORECLOSURE TIMELINE Many people want or need to know what the timeline for a foreclosure is in Napa.  Here is a copy of a publication from the California Association of Realtors (registered trademark).   For more information on Napa real estate, please contact via phone, email or text.  To see what's for sale throughout the Napa, please visit my website at: www.soldbynicole.com and click on search the MLS.  If you want to know how much your current home is worth, click on CMA and I will happily provide you with a complimentary, no obligation, "Current Market Analysis" of your Napa home.  I also write a blog about market statistics for most of the bay area markets.  Click here to view my blog:  http://activerain.com/blogs/nicolemonary 06/10/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-WHAT'S FOR SALE What homes are for sale in Napa this week?  There a total of 467 homes for sale in Napa this week.   42 of them are Napa foreclosures and 63 of them are Napa short sales.  Not surprisingly, 362 of them are regular sellers.  We are seeing more "regular" sellers come back into the market.  This seems like a lot, but given the prices of most of these homes maintained purchase value in the last three years, it's good to know that there are a majority Napa homeowner's with equity.  Here is just a sample of what is for sale in Napa.  For a full list, please contact me.              Street Address                                   Price       Crestview Dr Napa, CA 94558 1,190,000  Castle Oaks Dr Napa, CA 94558 1,897,500  Culpepper St Napa, CA 94558 499,000 Mont... 06/10/2010

NAPA SHORT SALES AND HIGHER EDUCATION What on earth could Napa short sales have to do with education?  Let me illustrate.  Two years ago I had a client who declined the terms of their short sale and let the property go into foreclosure.  They were advised by an attorney that this would be the better option.  They could declare bankruptcy and everything would be fine.  Yes, surprisingly, the same attorney did their bankruptcy for $2700. Well, the husband got into a car accident which totaled the car five months after the bankruptcy was discharged and had to pay over 12% interest for a car loan.  His payments are over $600 a month on a car that cost less than $15k.  Ouch. Now comes the heartbreaker.  His oldest child applied to California State University at San Francisco.  Was accepted t... 06/03/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE STATISTICS MAY 2010 Listings per Status This week Napa Real Estate saw a lot of activity for its market size.  89 homes were new to the for sale market, 83 homes that were for sale got accepted offers and went contingent.   22 homes went pending and 62 homes were sold.        Days On Market A little over 37% of the homes listed for sale, were in the market for less than 30 days.  18% of the Napa homes for sale were on the market between 31 and 60 days.   13% of the homes were on for 61-90 days and 11% on for 91-120 days.  Only 21% were on for over 120.    Listing vs. Sales Price Of the homes that were for sale in Napa, those that were aggressively priced to sell and on the market for less than 30 days, actually saw a "bidding up" in price to fair market value or higher.... 06/01/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE SHORT SALES Do short sales sell?  Yes they do!  There have been many improvements by the banks to process short sales a lot faster.  If you have a Wells Fargo or Wachovia loan, you may be able to get an answer within seven days.   If you are a Bank of America customer, they have a new automated system that streamlines the process.  Since May 1st, there have been 11 successful short sales closed in Napa real estate, 21 new short sales listed and 21 that have gone pending.  So 32 out of 53 have had or are headed towards a successful outcome.  There are a lot of reasons that you may have to do a short sale, loss of income, transfer for your job, the need to downsize.  The banks will work with you, but you need an agent experienced in the short sale process as well as under... 05/25/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-MODIFYING MY MORTGAGE  Due to recent economic events, many find that they are having difficulty keeping up with their current mortgage payments.  Given the fact that many will soon see low or no interest rate mortgages adjust up, they are knowledgeable that they will not be able to afford their mortgage payment. Enter the loan modification.  LOOK OUT!!!!  A loan modification promises under the HAMP or HAFA programs to lower your monthly payment to one that meets your current economic situation.  First ask yourself, why would my bank really want to help me?  Most would say, because they do not want me to foreclose, they get nothing.    Banks know how to protect their investments; they most likely have insurance that you are unaware of. A loan modification sounds like a g... 05/24/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE-WHAT IS CONTINGENT VS. PENDING Many clients are mystified by what the difference between a property that is contingent versus one that is pending.  Hopefully, I can clear some of that confusion up for everyone.  When you as a buyer place an offer on a property and a seller accepts, you are given a certain number of days to complete your contingencies.  A contingency can be an inspection, an appraisal, loan verification, etc.  Typically in California the purchase contract allows for standard timeframes for each contingency.  Acceptance begins the day after the acceptance date.  So if you get a contact back from the seller on May7th, the clock starts ticking on your contingency period begins on May 8th.  LOAN APPLICATION, meaning within seven days after acceptance, buyer... 05/17/2010

NAPA REAL ESTATE STATITISTICS WEEK OF MAY 7TH This week Napa Real Estate saw a lot of activity for its market size.  32 homes were new to the for sale market, 28 homes that were for sale got accepted offers and went contingent.  12 homes went pending and 15 homes were sold.  Listings per Status    Days On Market More than half of the homes listed for sale, were in the market for less than 30 days.  13% of the Napa homes for sale were on the market between 31 and 60 days.  7% were on for 61 to 90 days and 26.7% were on for over 90 days.   Listing vs. Sales Price  Of the homes that were for sale in Napa, those that were aggressively priced to sell and on the market for less than 30 days, actually saw a "bidding up" in price to fair market value or higher.  We saw this is the 30 to 60 day... 05/15/2010

I NEED TO SELL MY NAPA HOUSE There comes a time when almost everyone will need to sell their Napa house.  If could be because you have outgrown it with an increasing family or you want to downsize because you find yourself an empty nester.  You may have been transferred, promoted or found a better opportunity further away.      In these tough economic times, you may find that for one reason or another; you can no longer maintain the payments and have to explore the option of a short sale. Whatever the reason, I'm sure your goal is to sell it in the shortest amount of time, at the best possible price and with the least amount of stress.  This is where my expertise can help you sell your Napa house.  During and after the sale of their Napa homes, my clients have remarked "I can't believe ... 04/27/2010

With over thirty years of experience working with buyers and sellers in the verdant Napa Valley, Carolyn Roberts is not yet done perfecting her skills.  Her quest towards continuous personal and professional improvement has made her a sought-after partner among those seeking to invest in real estate in the wine country. She loves where she lives and she is a member of multiple local committees in an effort to make her home a better place for everyone. Over the years she has become a solid member of the Napa Valley community, volunteering for community projects and serving on the board of directors for a local bank.  Her love of the area spills over onto her interactions with clients who may seek a luxurious estate or a more modest family home. In addition to the information available t... 04/24/2010

NAPA HOMES FOR SALE HIDDEN HILLS Among the picturesque valleys, sweet smelling vineyards and romantic vistas rests Hidden Hills. Located in the prestigious Brown's Valley, this exclusive collection of estate homes is the embodiment of style, sophistication and grandeur. While the world-renowned Napa atmosphere radiates beauty, you can live a divine lifestyle that is fresh off the vine.Hidden Hills, Napa homes for sale, offers two unique neighborhoods, The Glen and The Summit, each with a distinct elegance that embraces the enchanting complexities of the wine country.The Glen at Hidden Hills features a wonderful selection of home styles with a wide variety of custom options and upgrades. Priced from the mid $600,000s, each residence is designed to impress and offers a refined ambiance th... 04/23/2010