We are off to a new year. How does 2009 look for real estate sales in Chico, California? The MLS can give us some facts to set our baseline.
We are down to 294 single family homes for sale. This is down from over 450 mid 2008. I expect this number to rise some with the […]

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We hear on the news how California and the nation’s housing markets are doing this year compared to last, but how about Chico?
I compared December of 2007 to December of 2008. For starters, we have fewer homes on the market, down about 10% from 350 to 315. The average days on the market is also lower […]

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When many think of the term “silent second” they conjure up a sneaky mortgage that could potentially be fraudulent.
But there is also the helpful silent second, often used by cities or counties in mortgage assistance programs .
Silent second mortgages have also been used as a workaround when home owners are behind on their mortgages. Rather than foreclose, the […]

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I hate to bore everyone with facts and figures, but sometimes the numbers tell the story best.
Last week I received the number of actual homes sold by foreclosure in Butte County for October. Here is a recap of the year-to-date:
January            26
February          67
March              51
April                68
May                 55
June                 81
July                  90
August            110
September        97
October            63
I was pleased that the numbers seem […]

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How many times have you heard, “I was just in the right place at the right time?”
 
A good 15 to 20 years ago, I heard something I will never forget.
 
I was attending a seminar on how to negotiate with large advertising agencies placing television buys. The skills I learned are great for negotiating real estate […]

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California has been hit by two major housing “hurricanes.” One in fall 2005 and a second one this August.
 
Imagine Florida for a moment. When a major hurricane blows in, the area closest to the eye of the storm experiences the major brunt of the damage, and possibly the storm surge. As the storm continues its […]

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Should the government get involved in helping reduce the loan amounts on underwater mortgages?
 
If structured well, I think the government can help rework loan amounts on troubled mortgages. But ultimately, the homeowner should not gain the benefit if the home increases in value years later. Any amount absorbed by taxpayers should be protected by recording a silent […]

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With the wild ride on Wall Street, I am hearing of ordinary folks taking their hard-earned savings out of the bank and putting it in a safe. This is the first time I have heard it happening with people I know.
 
This past week I have been in meetings with panels of chief economists. They get […]

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There are many ways to make your home more Earth-friendly. But they can be expensive, especially upfront. If you don’t have the money to upgrade your air conditioner or refrigerator, or put in dual-pane windows, how else can you be good to our planet?
 
I consider myself a light-green homeowner. Not perfectly green. Luckily, green comes […]

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According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales activity surged this month. California is listed as one of the states with the largest increase, due mainly to better housing affordability.
Another contributing factor is the lower interest rates we are seeing since the take over of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 
So get out there […]

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