If you are in the process of refinancing your home loan or applying for a new purchase home loan, you will probably encounter the term "Loan to Value," LTV.  You may wonder how does LTV determine the size of my loan, and what are the consequences of having a high LTV? Simply stated, the LTV ratio is the amount of money you borrow compared with the price or appraised value of the home you are either purchasing or refinancing.  For example, with a 95% LTV loan on a home priced at $400,000, you could borrow $380,000, and you would have to pay a $20,000 down payment, along with any points and loan fees required to obtain the loan. Lenders like to see LTV's at 80% or below...  The lower the LTV, the more protection the lenders have against potential loss in case of a default on the loan.  Be... 01/17/2009

Do's      DO keep originals of all pay stubs, bank statements and other important financial documentation.  Even if you have received a prequalification or preapproval letter from your lender, all documents that are over 30 days old will have to be updated prior to the closing of your mortgage loan, whether you are purchasing a new home or refinancing an old one.  This is especially true in today's market...  Lenders are more careful than ever with regard to whom they lend money to... DO notify your loan officer if you plan on using gift funds for your down payment on a purchase. DO provide all documentation from the sale of your current home if you are purchasing a new home; ie, Residential Purchase Agreement, HUD-1 Closing Statement, etc... DO notify your loan officer of any changes i... 01/17/2009

What's a snippet of time?  A short stretch that may otherwise be wasted.  Such as: Sitting in the doctor's office Waiting for your teenager to finish sports practice While hosting an open house (empty spaces between prospective buyers) Riding in a car (or on the train, bus, subway) Sitting in front of a listing waiting for your client to show up In a long line at the bank Vow to NOT have any more wasted slots of time!  Use your time-snippets to: Read industry news magazines (I pack the latest issue of Realtor or Black Enterprise magazine) Write out a to-do list (for us busy moms, it's usually the evening's shopping list!) Open and read mail (I keep a letter opener in the car) Return phone calls (can't do this in line at the bank) Outline ads for my listings Sketch an article for a new b... 01/16/2009

Hello everyone!  I hope you enjoyed the holidays and New Year's Eve.  As for myself, I spent Christmas week visiting my family in the San Francisco Bay Area , and New Year's was a quiet one spent at home in Paso Robles for a change.  Stayed up just long enough to see the ball fall in New York, and that was it for us. I just realized that it has been a month hiatus since I last posted to my blog sites, so I am here to tell you that I am back and have kicked off the dust.  My, how time flies... Don't think many of us will lament over 2008 coming to an end, but hopefully, you are just as excited as I am about 2009!  Things can only get better; right? I am hearing that by mid-2009 the housing market should start to recover.  As far as the Paso Robles area is concerned, the market is great,... 01/16/2009

For a long-lasting home investment, choose to install hardwood floors (not to be confused with Pergo and other laminate flooring which is NOT made of wood). More and more homeowners are replacing carpeting with hardwood flooring.  It lasts longer, is easy to maintain, and keeps dusts and allergens to a minimum. With so many hardwood choices, how to select the best one for your home?  It is a long-term investment in your home, so you will need to select the proper wood, color, and scale. Design Element . Your hardwood floor needs to complement the walls and furniture, not just currently, but also many years in the future. Darker Woods . If your room has a lot of natural light, or if you want a more formal looks, consider darker flooring. Dark exotic woods can add a beautiful richness and... 01/13/2009

  Hopefully, if you are applying for a FHA or VA home loan, you are working with a knowledgeable loan agent who knows this, but I thought I'd offer the information to you anyway. Allowable FHA & VA fees to borrowers: FHA                            VA Origination Fee            Origination Fee Discount Point              Discount Point Appraisal                     Appraisal Credit Report               Credit Report Title Insurance             Title Insurance Escrow                         Recording Recording   Non-Allowable FHA & VA fess to borrowers: FHA                            VA Processing                  Processing Underwriting                Underwriting Doc Preparation           Doc Preparation Loan Tie-In                 Loan Tie-In Flood Cert.                  Flood Cert. T... 11/30/2008

On December 12th, come to Atascadero to enjoy the Atascadero Winter Wonderland where there will be a tree lighting ceremony, holiday refreshments, live music, gift booths, games and lots of snow!  New this year will be a dramatic entrance by Santa, an ice sculpting show, more lights, more vendors and more snow than ever before.This event will be held at the Sunken Gardens off of El Camino Real on December 12th at 6:00 pm, and the event is free.  Phone (805) 462-0177 for more information... If you would like to search the MLS for listings in and around Paso Robles, visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email or call me at (805) 235-0234 for more information. It starts with a d... 11/30/2008

The Paso Robles Swim & Tennis Club is scheduled to open Spring of 2009, and it will be located at 2975 Union Road across from Barney Schwartz Park.  This will be the first tennis club facility that I know of in Paso Robles, so I welcome them with open arms...  The club will offer fitness facilities, classes for health, social activities, a comfortable clubhouse & cafe, in addition to swimming and tennis. Memberships are currently available.  Contact Sara Dobroth at (805) 400-5863 or email her at sara@pasoroblesclub.com for more information. If you would like to search the MLS for listings in and around Paso Robles, visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email or call me at (80... 11/30/2008

In Paso Robles, we are blessed with 4 golf courses.  Now, mind you, I have only played golf a couple of times at the Paso Robles Golf Club, and it was a pretty pitiful site since I have only had one lesson:(  I thought this course was plenty difficult as a beginner, but I hear the Hunter Ranch Golf Course is difficult even for advanced players, and it is listed in Golf Digest as one of the best places to play golf. Hunter Ranch Golf Course, John Carson, 4041 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles, Ca 93446.  Phone:  (805) 237-7444  Fax:  (805) 237-7430  Email:  jcarson@hunterranchgolf.com  Web:  www.hunterranchgolf.com Paso Robles Golf Club, 1600 Country Club Drive, Paso Robles, Ca 93446.  Phone:  238-4722 The Links at Vista Del Hombre, Brandon Hinrichs, 5151 Jardine Road, Paso Robles, Ca 93446.... 11/30/2008

The definition of a short sale is when the lender allows a property to be sold for less than what is owed to the lender. This can be a winning situation for a buyer looking for a "deal" and a winning situation for the seller who is looking to get the home sold and out from under a mortgage he/she can no longer afford. However, if you are considering making an offer on a short sale, first of all, don't get your hopes too high for the following reasons: Lenders have a ton of shorts sales and foreclosed properties on their books, so it can take several weeks to 3 months to get a lender to approve an offer on a short sale. The lender might refuse your bid, push back possible negotiations, and in the meantime accept a higher offer. If there is a 2nd or 3rd on the property, even if the 1st l... 11/30/2008

The first ever Paso Robles Digital Film Festival was highlighted by Clint Eastwood presenting the Ignace Paderewski Lifetime Achievement Award to his longtime editor, Joel Cox, at the Paso Robles Inn.  Congratulations, Joel!  No, no relation to me... Joel Cox also won an Oscar for 1992's "Unforgiven," and his resume includes "Million Dollar Baby," "Mystic River" and "Changeling," which will be released this fall. This first year festival featured movie screenings, panel discussions, wine tastings and concerts by Kyle Eastwood (Clint Eastwood's son), the Bacon Brothers and Ramblin' Jack Elliott... If you would like to search the MLS for listings in and around Paso Robles, visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo No... 11/30/2008

The Christmas Light Parade put on by Paso Robles Main Street will be Saturday December 6th at 7:00 P.M. In the Downtown area (Spring Street at the City Park). The theme is "A Fairy Tale Christmas". Santa will be coming and there will be free candy canes. This event is Free and is a fun event for the whole family. 11/30/2008

    The Paso Robles Downtown Lighting Ceremony will take place November 28, 2008 at 5:30 pm.  There will be candlelight caroling and refreshments in the City Park at 12th & Spring.  Come join us to kick off the Christmas Holiday Season!  Mrs. Clause arrives at 5:30 pm! Don't forget:  There are many great restaurants circling the City Park if you would like to enjoy dinner out to celebrate the Holiday Season:) If you would like to search the MLS for listings in and around Paso Robles, visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email or call me at (805) 235-0234 for more information. It starts with a dream... 11/10/2008

Our 47th Annual Christmas Light Parade will be held in Paso Robles on December 6th, 2008. The parade will come down Spring Street right in front of our Keller Williams Realty Office at 13th & Spring.  Our office will be providing refreshments, and if you would like to watch the parade from our parking lot on Spring Street, please let me know, and I would be happy to send you an invitation.  The parade will commence after dark, and Santa will arrive in town at 7:00 pm.  Admission is free, and we would love your company:)  Be sure to bring chairs and warm jackets! P.S.  No, we don't have snow in Paso Robles, but isn't the picture perfect for Christmas? If you would like to search the MLS for listings in and around Paso Robles, visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or ge... 11/10/2008

To all of our US Marine Corps, thank you!  Happy Birthday, and God Bless You!  And thank you, Lisa, my co-worker for reminding me... My father served as a Marine in the Korean War about the time I was born at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina in 1953.  Unfortunately, when he came home, I think he probably wished he was back serving instead of taking care of me in a small egg-shaped trailer across the street from my Grandparents' home with several hundred chickens out in the wilderness of Maple Hill, North Carolina:)   Joining the Marines got him out of Hemingford, Nebraska at 18 and the deep snow, but I'm not sure Maple Hill, North Carolina was what he had in mind when he was honorably discharged. He reminds me of two stories in Maple Hill when we lived in the trailer. One was a time when h... 11/10/2008

Come join us in Paso Robles on December 13, 2008 between 6:00 & 9:00 pm for the Vine Street Victorian Showcase.  There will be bands, dances, and Scrooge will even be here.  Be sure to bring a coat as it will be, well, almost Christmas!  Free refreshments, but no cars or dogs, please... If you would like to search the MLS for listings in and around Paso Robles, visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email or call me at (805) 235-0234 for more information. It starts with a dream... 11/10/2008

This is the 22nd Vine Street Showcase. It will be held on Saturday December 13th from 6P.M. to 9P.M. Many of the homes and merchants between 8th and 21st on Vine Street will be participating with many decorations and costumes as well as music and refreshments. If you have never been this is something to see. People travel from out of town just to be a part of this fun filled night. 11/10/2008

The Parade is from 6-7 P.M. and Begins at 10th and Spring. The Parade will go directly by our Keller Williams office and I can extend private seating to a few people who call or email me ahead of time. We will be providing free refreshments as well as prime reserved seating to a few of my clients. I hope you can make it. www.centralCAliving.com 11/10/2008

Relocating to Paso Robles, California  Just off the Central Coast along the mountain range is the quaint town of Paos Robles you will find a welcoming community. With 29,000 people and growing there is plenty to do. We are located near beaches, mountains and the deserts. We are know for our great wine tasting and vineyards as well as our hot springs. Paso Robles has plenty of housing available for family, seniors and those first time home buyers. We build these homes near parks, shopping, the veterans center, senior center and the community college. Visit my web site today for information on finding your home. http://www.centralcaliving.coml If you would like a FREE book of things to do and places to stay in the Paso Robles area, please call or email with your name and adress and I will... 11/10/2008

The Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles is an annual event celebrating Ignancy Jan Paderewski, a pianist, composer, politician and humanitarian who purchased land in Paso in 1914 after residing in the Paso Robles Inn long-term.  He was active in farming 3,000 acres in the area for over 25 years including almonds, fruit trees and becoming a commercial grape grower in the 1920's. Educating the community about the close ties Paderewski had with Paso Robles and his accomplishments in the world of music is the purpose of the festival. The festival organizers have developed the annual Paderewski Young Pianists' Competition, because Paderewski wished to support musical culture in Paso Robles.  Winners of the competition perform in a special free concert that is open to the public.   Thursday, ... 11/09/2008