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for the Latest Listings and Real Estate Information Market Review – August 2006 How is the market doing? Is it a
good time to buy? Is it a good time to sell? I can’t tell you how often I have been asked
these questions in recent weeks. I know that many of you want to move but you
are understandably cautious given the shift in the market from this time last
year, so let’s try to answer some of these questions. Is It A Good Time To Buy? There
are more homes for sale here than usual. So if you are in a position to buy,
there should be lots of choice. This large inventory also means that sellers
are often prepared to accept an offer below list price. This is particularly
true for older homes that are in need of updating. Prices
are presently very stable. Certainly they have fallen from a year ago but
they now appear to have leveled out. The Bay Area economy is one of the
strongest in Based
on the above, I think this is a great time to buy. Everybody wants to sell at
the top of the market and buy at the bottom. For buyers, this is probably as
good as it will get. Is It A Good Time To Sell? There
is a misconception that all homes are taking a long time to sell. The fact is
that desirable homes, accurately priced, are selling within a few weeks. This
is what happens in a normal market. I have also seen numerous cases recently
where homes have sold above list price. So if you have a nicely upgraded or
remodeled home in a good area, list it for sale with confidence. Provided
that you don’t have unreasonable expectations, it will sell. But what if you
don’t have such a nice home? Well this is when you really need to be
realistic if you want to achieve a sale in a reasonable time frame. First of
all you need to make it as appealing as possible to a potential buyer. If you
are working with me, I will tell you exactly what you need to do but getting
rid of all the clutter and making sure that the paintwork and carpeting is up
to scratch is a good start. Then you must price it aggressively. A year ago,
it seems that people would pay whatever you wanted regardless of condition.
Those days are gone for a long time. Every home will sell reasonably quickly
at the right price. The
potential sellers with the bigger problem are those who live in an area where
there are lots of homes already for sale. San Ramon’s Windemere immediately
comes to mind. There are homes in Windemere that have been on the market for
months. Yet similar homes come on to the market and sell quickly. You can
sell your home quickly in this situation but you have to be realistic. You
need to listen to your agent regarding pricing. Over-pricing is the kiss of
death. You absolutely must price it below similar homes to have a chance of
selling quickly. Upgrades will speed the sale rather than add value in such
cases. So How Is The Real Estate Market
Doing? Overall,
things are a little slow at present but there are good opportunities for
buyers, desirable homes are still selling quickly and interest rates are
still low. All these are good signs. Look for a strong recovery in the next
few months. ■ What’s Your Home Worth? 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
Campo di
Bocce, Much
more than just a restaurant, Campo di Bocce is a purpose built Bocce club
with 8 world class, state-of-the-art Bocce courts (4 inside and 4 outside),
complemented by an Italian restaurant set in a purpose built contemporary
interpretation of an old world Italian Villa. Bocce
is a game that anybody can play (although not necessarily well) and although
Campo di Bocci had been open only a couple of weeks on our visit, it is
already very popular. We were fortunate in that just one court was
immediately available for us and after an enjoyable hour spent playing Bocci,
while also enjoying cocktails, our party of four was
ready for dinner. On
this pleasant summer evening, we opted to dine on the terrace, an attractive
setting divided into multiple areas, with two outdoor fireplaces and an
outside bar. The menu is very traditional with starters including bruschetta,
frito misto and antipasti, while main courses range from a wide choice of
pizzas and pastas to chicken parmigiana and filet mignon. There is also an
extensive wine list. Sylvia
and I shared a portion of fried calamari to start and then Sylvia had Lasagna
while I chose lamb sirloin which was accompanied by risotto. Portion sizes
are large. I thought the calamari was fairly average. Sylvia’s entree was
enormous and well flavored although somewhat dry, while my lamb was very
tasty. One member of our party had the chicken parmigiana which was quite
delicious. Campo
di Bocci is about much more than food though. This is really a full evening’s
entertainment and should be viewed as such. If you don’t mind a drive out
into Reviews such as the one above are
included as a service to introduce people to interesting restaurants in the You can read
more restaurant reviews in the Newsletter Archives at www.BernardGibbons.com How Will You Decide
Who Will List YOUR Home For As housing inventory increases and interest rates continue
to rise, it is more important than ever to work with a Realtor® who has the knowledge
and experience to market your home to its fullest potential in order to
obtain the best price for your home. My High Impact Home Marketing Program is the most
comprehensive home marketing system in real estate. This, combined with my
affiliation with Alain Pinel Realtors, the
most prestigious real estate company in the Bay Area, ensures that your home
gets the maximum level of exposure from start to finish. Through multiple
channels and networks I market your home every day to potential homebuyers
and real estate agents who represent buyers in your area. This targeted
marketing approach ensures maximum exposure to potential buyers. Communication is absolutely critical. I will keep you fully
informed regarding the status of your home sale at all times and do
everything in my power to ensure a smooth, stress-free transaction. Call me
any time for a confidential discussion without any obligation - (925)
997-1585.
Quality Service Counts in Real Estate For Larry Romito quality
is a passion. The president and CEO of Quality Service Certification is successfully convincing real estate professionals that
certified service is the key to their success. QSC delivers and manages the Quality Service Certification®
program throughout the That’s where QSC enters the picture. It offers home
sellers and buyers a unique option for selecting the service professional
with whom they will do business. By checking the Customer Satisfaction Rating
(CSR) of an agent, the home seller or buyer is able to view the agent’s
independently validated record of past customer satisfaction. QSC gives brokers and agents a way to measure
results. Real estate professionals put in writing what the customer should
expect. Then customers get to assess the professionals on service delivery
and service satisfaction. Editor’s Note:
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 Sold Price)
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