Driving through your neighborhood you see it all the time; a real estate “For Sale” sign goes up and a week later up goes the “Pending” sign.  ”*RATS* it sold before I could even go over and peek inside at the open house”, you tell yourself.  Meanwhile, another For Sale sign around the corner on a very similar home which has been up for 6 weeks remains swinging lonely in the wind and it makes you wonder why one sold so quickly and the other home hasn’t.

A lot of it has to do with how well each seller’s Realtor understands the LOCAL economy, can explain it to those home sellers in simple terms yet effectively so that the home gets priced “in the market” and will therefore sell quickly.  Here in the San Ramon valley the real estate market & local economy is different than in Fremont, or San Jose and certainly different than the average market conditions across the country which the media is always talking about and which is spewed forth with great authority on the nightly news.  Here’s a tip; if you’re thinking about buying a house or selling a house in the San Ramon Valley, DO NOT listen to the nightly news to get your information on the market.  Run, don’t walk, to your local Realtor who can show you facts and interpret them for you.  A good place to start is by looking at the historical market trends in your city.  You can find market trends for San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Dublin and all other cities in the Tri Valley right here on this website.  Compare any two cities and you can see how different market conditions are between them and why you need to work closely with a local Realtor who understands the local economy for YOUR neighborhood.

Here is a short video from Keller Williams Realty which discusses the simple concept of a home being priced “in the market” versus being priced “out of the market” and why that one home we discussed above sold in a week.

This concept doesn’t apply only to home sellers in the San Ramon Valley but to home buyers too.  You want to know that you are not overpaying for a home and you also want to get the best deal possible.  By working with a Realtor who understands the local San Ramon-Danville-Alamo-Dublin market you will be able to buy a home quickly and with the confidence that you’re getting a great deal!

Yesterday I met some of the nicest people who want to sell their home in the Pleasant Valley area of Pleasanton within a hop to Amador Valley High School.  They invited me over to see their beautiful 4 bedroom 2.5 bathroom home and all the work they’ve done to it recently.  The guest bath upstairs was the most recent renovation and was completed just this month.

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Being a swimmer from way back I was drawn to the cavernous backyard which features an inviting pool and spa.  Both are heated if you need to ever turn it on, but in the summer around here in the Tri Valley, pools don’t need any extra help in that department. I wish my parents had that pool in our house when I was growing up.

One of the other nice touches in the back yard is the fire pit.  Richard, the husband, spends many an evening sitting out there in the tranquility it gives him.  Actually the entire backyard is very private.  I noticed that there are absolutely NO neighboring homes with any windows looking down into this yard…. a rare occurrence these days.

Inside the house the kitchen is also remodeled with granite and Kitchen Aid stainless steel appliances.  There is a very functional island and a walk-in pantry which Sue says she absolutely loves and was one of the selling points when they bought the home. She also loves working in the kitchen because it’s so bright with that mammoth garden window in back of the sink.

Adjoining the kitchen is a very comfortable family room with fireplace, newly installed built-in bookshelves and large dual pane picture windows bringing the outdoors inside and making this home an entertainer’s dream home.  The configuration of the kitchen, family room and pool/backyard can accommodate a very large group.

I didn’t walk it myself, but I’m told that the home is only a short 10 minute stroll to downtown Pleasanton.

Well, we ended up hitting it off great and I listed their home for $719,000 and just put it on the MLS today.  Our first open house is Friday from 10-1 and another one this Sunday, 1-4 PM.

If you know of a deserving family looking for such a nice home in Pleasanton, please pass this information along to them or have them give me a call. (925) 998-1510

WHAT TO DO – ARE YOU ON THE FENCE TO SELL YOUR HOME?

Prices are Probably Peaking Right Now ~ However The Low Supply of Homes is expected to Increase and the High Demand by Potential Buyers is expected to Decrease. Waiting Could Result in a Lower Sales Price for You in the Near Future

• Homes for sale in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are currently down about 40% and 48%, respectively from just one year ago. This huge reduction in supply has led to many more multiple offers and higher prices continue

What is today’s hottest topic in Real Estate?

Is it any surprise that one of the most common questions we hear people asking these days is “Can I get a good deal if I buy a foreclosure and is now a good time?”
The answer depends on who is asking and where they are thinking about buying. The short answer is simply to “check with your local real estate agent.” We say that because the most accurate answer to the question is based on local market conditions and the individual financial status of the prospective buyers — two pieces of information best determined by a good local real estate agent. Not just ANY agent either, but one who is experienced in foreclosures and works full time in the business. Real estate depends on the local economy and, even here in the Bay Area, it depends where you are thinking about buying. Knowing where foreclosures are hot helps so look at the current stats for all the cities in Alameda and Contra Costa on our sister website and, for example, in Antioch over 90% of homes available today are either bank owned or in pre-foreclosure! continue