Buyers’ Tips

What is happening in the Silicon Valley real estate market?

March 5, 2016

It is always interesting to evaluate the New Year from a real estate perspective. Recent discussions with my colleagues have brought up interesting descriptions of upcoming 2016 Silicon Valley Real Estate Market. I have heard, “Frothy”, “Schizophrenic” to describe the upcoming market. My take? The inventory is still low, but not any lower than the […]

New Loan Disclosures Taking Effect October 2015

July 30, 2015

Lender disclosure forms are changing in October of 2015. Here’s what you need to know!

Silicon Valley Home Price Comparison 2005 – 2014

March 22, 2015

Booms and busts. Booms are many times caused by rapid growth. Some booms are completely generated by speculation. All are bets. None are guaranteed. The difference in the housing market for Silicon Valley now, compared to 2005, is the foundation upon which it was built. Prior to the 2007 bust, exotic loan products were trying […]

Flipped Homes decreasing in Silicon Valley

January 30, 2015

The short video report below from DSNews.com indicates investor flips of homes purchased in California and then sold to produce a profit in an fast appreciating market continue, is not quite the true story for Silicon Valley. Most of the experienced investors have moved on from Silicon Valley to other areas in California due to […]

Looking for a rental in San Jose? Consider buying your own home.

November 4, 2014

As a real estate professional, the discussion regarding affordability comes up often when a client is considering buying a home in the San Jose, Silicon Valley. The simple reality is housing of all kind is in great demand. Currently, San Jose has a less than 4% vacancy rate in the rental housing market. The demand […]

California Home Buyer Optimism at an All-Time High

October 8, 2014

This infographic from the California Association of Realtors® pretty much sums it up. Buyers are optimistic about the real estate market! This is likely due to a more affordable California home market and historically low interest rates. Now is a good time to get into the market.

Handy Tips for Moving Out of State

August 5, 2014

Right now we’re at the height of the moving season. During the summer peak, millions of North Americans will change temporarily or forever their addresses for different reasons – a new career challenge, a better home in a nice neighborhood, moving away to college or retirement and relocation in search of a more tranquil life. […]

Cash Sales in Silicon Valley – Not Just Low Priced Homes

June 23, 2014

All cash deals continue in Santa Clara County with nearly 33% of all homes sold year-to-date being purchased with all cash. Recently I read in an article written by Zillow, Cash Sales Decline; Still Dominate Lower-Priced Homes and wanted to compare their findings. Nationwide it is certainly logical to recognize areas like Detroit, Cleveland, and Tampa, […]

Dodd-Frank Regulations and Your Mortgage

April 9, 2014

According to Scott Morgan at DSNews.com the Dodd-Frank Regulations mortgage regulations might make it harder to qualify for mortgage loans. At first glance, qualified mortgage requirements may seem scary but in fact, better qualified buyers will create a more stable mortgage/real estate market. Due to the slightly more conservative debt-to-income ratio requirement, affordability may be […]

Understanding Contingencies

March 30, 2014

New and even experienced buyers may not be fully informed about what their options are in regard to the contingency period. If things aren’t working out, how can you cancel the purchase without losing your deposit monies? What limitations are there?

Home Buyers Frustrated With Pocket Listings

March 10, 2014

A recent INMAN blog post by Associate Editor Andrea V. Bramila outlined the recent statistics from CoreLogic regarding the practice of real estate brokers not submitting a listing to the publicly accessed and syndicated Multiple Listing Service. So called, “pocket listings” are frustrating buyers in markets with low inventory and MLS boards across the country […]

Don’t Be Afraid Of Multiple Offers- Be Afraid of Rising Rates!

March 7, 2014

The Wall St Journal is predicting rising interest rates, even though the rates are the lowest they’ve been in three months. This week. I have seen predictions of 5.35% by the end of 2014. But right now, I am seeing about 4.5%. What is that difference in house payment when comparing this rate difference for […]

Is 2014 the Year of the Condo?

February 6, 2014

By Alain Pinel General Manager of Intero Prestigio International Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. In the real estate residential arena, as everybody knows, the dynamic duo is made of Single Family Homes and Condos. In some towns, SFH represent 100% of the housing stock. In some districts of large cities, condos (together with co-ops) represent […]

What Is A Qualified Mortgage Loan?

November 8, 2013

When you apply for a mortgage you may wrestle with deciding how much you can afford to pay. Your lender can help you with this decision, and as of Jan. 10, 2014 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Ability-to-Repay/QM rule requires lenders to look at a consumer’s financial information and be sure that the consumer can […]

On Offers and Loan Approval

October 19, 2013

A reader asks: I’m pre-approved with a lender, but now that I’ve found a house am I obligated to use that lender if another bank has better rates and fees? I get this question a lot, and of course there are many factors to consider. No one can really blame any buyer/consumer for trying to […]

August Market Report For San Jose

September 8, 2013

This real estate market report is generated for the city of San Jose, Ca. If you are looking for a home anywhere in Silicon Valley contact me for information specific to the neighborhoods you are interested in. I serve from Mountain View to Gilroy! Here is a summary of the market information from August 2013: […]