I've helped so many first time buyers buy thier first home this year.  I can not tell you how honored I am every time that these great people have chosen ME to help them with such a HUGE memorable experience. I wanted to compile a short list of things you as a BUYER need to know.... 1) Your Good Faith Deposit - Ernest Money - is not deposited until the offer is accepted by the seller.  This deposit is APPLIED to your downpayment. 2) In Tracy California which is in San Joaquin County, closing costs, all the extra fees, prepaid amounts etc usually runs 3 - 4%.  As of right now, December 22nd, many sellers, even Bank Sellers are willing to pay these fees.  What's included in this 3% --- Prepaid Taxes, Prepaid insurance, Points for your loan, Appraisal, Inspection Fees, Home Warranty and ma... 12/23/2008

Am I the only one who is infuriated with Home Owners, or should I say Mortgage Holders, or Landlords - the one who's RESPONSIBLE for paying the mortgage.... remember them..... I'm sure the RENTER who is renting their property, who's paid the rent on time every month for fear of eviction would call them something else. This situation just ticks me off.  I've gone to far too many homes, to do Cash For Keys, only to find a renter in the property, completely surprised that they have 3 weeks to find a new place.   They asked the landlord about the notice on the door "It was a mistake, We took care of that, etc" was what they heard. So WHAT CAN A RENTER DO? Is it illegal to take the rent money, first and last months rent, security deposit and not pay the mortgage.  One couple had only lived i... 12/23/2008

  Listen Carefully and I will tell you the story of "How the Market Fell". The home on the left was for sale you see sold 13 days only in 4/06 for $425,000 woah wee. Fast forward now to December 2008 to see what will be this homes fate. Will it sell for more, will it sell for less? I'll bet you won't have to think hard to have a correct guess. New CMA, New BPO, a new REO is how this will be sold. The price will be much less we're told than the price it was in 2006 if we're lucky it'll sell for $146K So as you can see our market's declined to a state where we wonder will it we ever survive. Houses can't go much lower "they" all say I hope not I think as I kneel down to pray. I pray for the people that thought they bought the American Dream is what they sought what they found was a night... 12/23/2008

I LOVE LOVE LOVE having unlimited minutes on my phone! Best thing I ever did. If you don't have unlimited minutes you should, I think all the carriers offer it now.   12/22/2008

I've helped so many first time buyers buy thier first home this year.  I can not tell you how honored I am every time that these great people have chosen ME to help them with such a HUGE memorable experience. I wanted to compile a short list of things you as a BUYER need to know.... 1) Your Good Faith Deposit - Ernest Money - is not deposited until the offer is accepted by the seller.  This deposit is APPLIED to your downpayment. 2) In Tracy California which is in San Joaquin County, closing costs, all the extra fees, prepaid amounts etc usually runs 3 - 4%.  As of right now, December 22nd, many sellers, even Bank Sellers are willing to pay these fees.  What's included in this 3% --- Prepaid Taxes, Prepaid insurance, Points for your loan, Appraisal, Inspection Fees, Home Warranty and ma... 12/21/2008

I decided to take my 11 year old daughter to see some Christmas lights --- WOW the options we have living in Northern CA.  CLick on any photo for more information about THAT House.  Have fun!   For a complete list of all Must See Displays in Northern CA Click HERE! to get to the Lights of the Valley Web Site.   One of the best and closest Holiday Display to Tracy, California is this house in Manteca, CA.  Manteca is about 15 miles east of Tracy.   Then there is the home below, which is right here in Tracy, complete with snow and music you listen to through your radio. Here is one more home with Christmas Lights in Tracy, CA   Enjoy! Susan Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, driving and looking at the lights is just fun, even if no one will go with me. 12/20/2008

Ok, you probably read my first blog about WAMU's negotiation process in short sale.  This is an update... I recently received a counter-offer from the negotiator and I think it is ridiculed.  According to the appraisal report, WAMU countered the buyer's offer $40,000 more without any credits to buyer.  Plus, the realtor's commission is only 4.5%.  I don't know what appraiser did WAMU used, but I know for sure that that house isn't worth $320,000.  I've sent another comparables to the negotiator and asking her if she could renegotiate.  Hopefully, it will not take another 30-days of waiting.  12/18/2008

  Tons of information- Active Properties, REO - Short Sale are separated out in listings...check it out let me know what you think,  Have we a turn in our Market?   Active Properties as of 12/7/08 – Non –Short Sale – either REO (Real Estate Owned – by Bank) or Equity Sellers 316  Pending: 0  Sold: 0  Other: 0  Total: 316      Bedrooms  Bathrooms  Square Feet  List Price  Selling Price  DOM/CDOM  Minimum  1   0.00   502   $64,900      1/1   Average  3   0.00   1,850   $251,057   $0   73/103   Median  3   3.00   1,729   $230,000   $0    47/56   Maximum  6   0.00   4,472   $1,102,939   $0   1,022/1,022   Total Dollar Value           $0      Short Sale Properties as of 12/7/08 – Short Sale  269  Pending: 0  Sold: 0  Other: 0  Total: 269      Bedrooms  Bathrooms  Square Feet  List Price  Sel... 12/08/2008

Do you have shiney penny syndrom (SPS), I do.   I start to read Active Rain, or almost anything on a social network and next thing I know - I'm bouncing around to 50 different places, thinking "Oh I need to add that to my profile, blog, web site, email, etc."   Where does it stop?  Where and what are the most effective tools IF you actually use them consistently? I know Active Rain works, I've got proof.  Do making badges and widgets really help?  Does twittering daily movements make a difference or am just watching for that Shiney Penny. Someone help-- I'm thinking therapy may be the answer.     12/05/2008

It's not a pretty story.... and it is so bizarre that it has captured National Attention, from Nancy Grace to the New York Times. Read the story here:  Child held captive, escapes runs into InShape Club for protection. The story gets weirder and weirder.... so what does that do for the reputation for this "normal" town that is already reeling from the Foreclosure market.  Will people think this is not a place to live and to raise kids. I hope not.  I've lived here for almost 15 years, and as bizarre as this story is, it does not make me feel less safe in this community. I'm sadden that such strange and bizarre people can live in a community neighborhood and were able to conceal this dark secret.  I'm sadden that some will worry more now about the safety of thier own children.  I'm sadde... 12/03/2008

The proverbial 2 x 4 smacked me right upside the head Thanksgiving Day. First, - Cousin is moving to Cedar Rapids, Iowa-  this means selling home in Huntiington Beach, and buying a home in Cedar Rapid and in San Diego area. UH - Hello -- did anyone call me so I could refer them an agent -- NOPE.  Well for one part of the transaction they DO have to use a RElO - Company, but still. THEN - other cousins DAUGHTER is buying a home in Santa Rosa -- this is a bit far for me, but I could have found them a great agent to refer them to. At one point, someone said, "you've been selling Real Estate for how long?"  4 YEARS!  4 YEARS!  I do realize we only see each other once a year -- but -- SMACK!  2 x 4 - I've done a lousy job at explaining to others not only WHAT I do but HOW I get PAID! Lesson... 12/01/2008

Thanksgiving has been here and is gone--- so there is NOTHING STOPPING CHRISTMAS FROM ARRIVING NOW! I like to have a "Birthday Month", so I've decided to make December "Christmas MONTH".  Although every day should be about giving - not every day is. So for the month of December it's going to be all about OTHERS!  All about YOU!  (This is usually my goal, no excuses this month.) How about you -- if we all make December "Christmas month" it will be a habit of giving by January! Where to start........ 11/28/2008

Do you have a Wachovia Mortgage?  Are you upside down?  Do you want to keep your house?  Do you want to short sale your house?  Well, if your loan is with Wachovia you have a great opportunity to make any of the above options happen. I was speaking with a Wachovia rep the the other day, and this is one bank that is being very pro-active. Call today - they even have LOCAL FIELD REPS to handle the short sale or the loan modifications with minimal paper work. If you are in the Northern California - call me directly, I'd love to help you. Susan 11/28/2008

As I read Seth Godin's Blog this morning on Thanksgiving I realised how right he is. Thankgsiving is about just that THANKS.  How often do we think it's about FOOD?  Yes, we all eat far more than we should, and shouldn't we be thankful that we have more than enough to eat?    I especially thankful that Thanksgiving is in November and not in May - 4 weeks before bikini season! Yes, most of us spend this day with family and friends, do we really think about being thankful that we have family and friends to be WITH? I personally need to STOP and really think about everything I have to be thankful for this year. I know I have taken for granted the fact that I have my health (there was a scare that really brought this home.)  I'm thankful for a Husband that loves me and thinks I'm the only ... 11/27/2008

Step by step instructions... Go to this website:  http://www.sjgov.org/treasurer/OnlinePay.htm It looks like it is for paying your taxes but it actually will give you the specific property tax bill for any house in San Joaquin County including Tracy.  You have to click on the "Don't know your parcel number? CLICK HERE to look it up by address".  Then after you know the parcel number of the property address you want to look up, click on the 'I have read and agree with the above disclaimer".  Type in the parcel number in the search criteria box & press submit.  There you go, it should pop up & gives you so much information.  How you can calculate what your future taxes are on this property, would be to take the "prop 13 tax amount" and take your future purchase price & it will be 1% for o... 11/23/2008

I'm hope I'm not the only one who has done something really stupid -- today took the cake!  Someone please top this! 3rd time out with these buyers-- thank goodness... we're on house 8 of 15.   We go outside, I lock the front door,  I put the key in the bottom of the lockbox and push the key thingy back up into the electronic box.  That is the exact second I realize that MY CAR key and my electonic lock box key are BOTH inside the house on the railing. Now I do have my phone, so I call the agent.  This is an REO property so there is a combination lock... no answer.... ok next call agent's office... whew there actually is a person who answers the phone and they were able to give me the combination to the lock box. Crisis averted, key and electronic lock box safely back in my possession.  10/26/2008

Are you are first time home buyer?  Here are some answers to the questions I hear frequently... First thing you should do -- contact a great Realtor and they should put you in touch with an equally GREAT lender.  Why?  So you know exactly how  much you can afford to purchase. In today's REO - Foreclosure ridden housing market you should also be prepared to get a pre-approval from several lenders depending on how many homes you decide to write offers on .  Why is this necessary? Most large institution banks (Countrywide, Chase, Wells Fargo, Indymac, etc) will require a pre-approval from their bank.  The reason for this is 2 fold.  1) They want to be certain the buyer is viable to purchase the asset they just acquired.  2) The bank would love to recover some of their loss by suppling the ... 10/13/2008

Here is what I see in the Tracy and Mountain House, CA housing market. We have 90% of the homes for sale in our market are distressed, either short sale or foreclosed homes.  In order to capture the buyers homes are coming on the market priced lower and lower every day. Once the property is on the market, the home gets multiple offers and sells for over asking. Then for the appraisal -- the home doesn't appraise, because everything else is priced lower. Example: Home Priced at $210,000 Price accepted  $221,000 Appraised at     $208,000 -- the bank sells the property for $208,000. We are now in a situation when short sale clients are calling appraisers hoping for a property to appraise as low as possible, and REO properties not being able to appraise any higer than the list price. So whe... 10/13/2008

Here you go stat people- you tell me.  There are 645 homes on the market as of October 1. There are 487 pending -- yes I got that right--- we have a 1.5 month supply of houses. Is there competition for these homes, you bet. Can I under bid to get a home, I mean I've heard the news, housing prices are dropping.... is it true? The answer is simple - yes and no.  Prices have dropped and now people have to bid over asking to get the house they want.  I'll bet you didn't hear that on the news. So how do you get a home.  Hire a great REALTOR that will work for you.  Most homes are being "pre-sold" agents know they are coming and they are snatched up the day they go on the market. Don't miss this opportunity to grow you wealth.   10/01/2008

The easy answer is "Yes of course it matters."  The bigger question is how many of us have it.  True Character. My definition of Character - is "what do you do when NO ONE IS WATCHING?"  Do you take the high road or cut corners? I've defined character over the years for my children with a family motto... perhaps the Real Estate community should adopt it. It goes like this, "You can't always be perfect, you CAN always be HONORABLE." Do what's your definition of Character? 08/01/2008