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It’s The Start Of The
Busiest Time Of The Year In Real Estate And for the first time in years, it’s a great time to
buy a home in the Bay Area. Over the last year or so, I have been
advising many of you who planned to move to a larger home within the same
area, to wait until the market settled back to a more normal situation. It
has taken a while but I now believe that times are much more favorable for
you and you can plan your move with confidence. Once your home has sold, you
will now be able to consider a range of properties, secure in the knowledge
that a realistic offer is likely to be accepted. In 2004 and 2005 we started the year
in a fast moving sellers market that became even more frenzied as we moved
into spring and summer. Consequently, prices spiraled out of control,
multiple offers were the norm and buyers were left wondering what had hit
them as time and time again, sensible, realistic, full-price and better
offers failed to be good enough to agree a sale. By last spring and summer, many homes
were selling for far more than the sellers would ever have dreamed possible.
Towards the end of the year though, things started to cool off rapidly. Many
people paid more for their homes last year than they could expect to sell
them for now. We have no shortage of inventory today, much of it having been
on the market for many weeks. Many sellers will consider offers well below
asking price. If you are thinking about improving
your standard of living and trading up to a new home, times are good! Sell
first and you are in a very strong position. Maybe you could have sold for
more last year but bear in mind that this also applies to the sellers of the
home you want to buy. The differentials have eroded so your dream home may be
more within your reach today than it was then. If you are moving out of the area,
this is also a good time to move. Many real estate markets across the country
are in a slump right now. There are bargains to be had. Again, if you sell
first, you are in a very strong position. Remember the golden rule - “He who
has the gold makes the rules”. This is very true in real estate matters. Even if you are trading down,
provided you are moving to a less expensive area, you should do well to sell
now. You don’t have to go too far to find places with a surplus of homes for
sale and that means that with cash in your wallet, your offer is more likely
to be accepted. Homes
that are priced sensibly are selling! Not as fast as last year, but there is still plenty of activity.
Provided you don’t have unrealistic expectations you should be able to
achieve a sale within a relatively short time and once you have sold, you can
use the strength of your position as a buyer to get a great deal on your next
home. ■ FREE Home Valuation Thinking of
selling? Home
prices have increased at a phenomenal rate over the past few years. To get a Free Up-To-Date Valuation of
your home without any obligation, together with suggestions for what you can
do to maximize its appeal, visit www.BernardGibbons.com or for an immediate response
call Restaurant Review
Villagio, Villagio is a
highly individual Italian restaurant hidden away at the end of a small strip
shopping center off The deep brownish-red walls and saltillo tile floor and subdued
lighting combine with the white tablecloths to create a warm ambience so
typical of true European bistros and the service is definitely first class -
attentive without being at all intrusive. There is also a feeling that you
are welcome to spend as much time as you like over your meal. Very refreshing! Sylvia and I visited Villagio recently to
celebrate her birthday and we started our meal with a shared Vittura, a plate of fresh calamari, shrimp and vegetables
fried in a very light batter ($10). It was truly outstanding. I was looking forward to tasting the wild boar, a house specialty but
unfortunately it was not available on the evening of our visit. Sylvia chose
the grilled veal chop over roasted potatoes for her main course ($26) while I
opted for the young goat, oven roasted and served over polenta ($25). Other
choices included gnocchi in a “forever cooked” lamb sauce, fettuccine with
artichokes and sliced octopus in a white wine sauce and oven roasted game
hen. They also have a risotto and a fish dish which varies on a daily basis.
All of the pasta is house made. Our portions were gargantuan. Either dish could have
fed two people and the quality was excellent. Our meal was completed
with a shared portion of tiramisu which was good, although not exceptional.
There was no wine list as such although wines by the glass were offered and
Sylvia had a decent chardonnay while I had a smooth, full-bodied cabernet.
Diners are welcome to bring their own wines. In addition to indoor dining, the large restaurant windows look out on
a most attractive outdoor dining area with patio heaters and 5 or 6 tables.
This will be a tremendous place to visit when the warmer weather arrives. We visited on a Tuesday and the restaurant was about a third full. I
would imagine that tables are usually available on a Tuesday through Thursday
but I would certainly advise booking at the weekend. Villagio
is well known in Reviews such as the one above are included as a service to
introduce people to interesting restaurants in the Just Listed For
Have You Checked Your Chimney Lately? Even
though we are getting towards the end of winter, there will still be plenty
of cool evenings when many of us will want a fire and Sylvia and I recently
realized that we had not had our chimney cleaned and inspected since we moved
in to our present home. And that was 4 years ago! Fortunately a chimney
inspection showed no major problems other than a significant build up of
creosote which could have become dangerous if not attended to. This was no
great surprise as we have a fire most evenings in the cooler months. Creosote
remover is available from many specialist fireplace shops and some hardware
stores. It is available in various forms including spray-on liquid and
powder. Chimney
fires can be extremely dangerous and many homes have been completely
destroyed as a result. Don’t take chances! Your chimney should be cleaned and
inspected every two years if you burn wood in your fireplace. Get it seen to
now! If
you need a referral for a chimney sweep, give me a call and I will be happy
to provide you with one.
Information To Help You
Understand The Value Of Your Biggest Investment
The 40 most recently Closed Sales in Alamo,
Blackhawk, Danville, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda
(Sorted By City and Price)
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