RealEstate680

Housing supply is defined by how many months would it take to sell all the existing inventory if no additional homes came on the market.

For example, in Walnut Creek we have 328 homes on the Multiple Listing Service as of today.  According to TRENDGRAPHIX, as real estate data company, this would take approximately 4.6 month to sell.

Here’s the interesting news.  TRENDGRAPHIX show that the worst month we had in Walnut Creek with housing supply was September 2007.  Real Estate in Walnut Creek had 8.6 month of inventory. We have absorbed about 50% of our supply in nine months.  There is a very good argument for the Walnut Creek housing market to be in balance.

Of course different price ranges have different statistics, I find this very interesting and hope that families that want to buy in Walnut Creek begin the process.  Sellers should also look at these statistics, as it’s a good time to look at specific data to see if there is a shortage of inventory in their neighborhood and price range.

This is one of SAM’S TOP 20 HOMES ON THE 680 CORRIDOR.  My colleague, Margaret Garber-Teeter has this fantastic home listed for $549,000.  1329 square feet of great living space.  Recently updated with a great yard, hardwood floors, granite counters, the works.

If you’re in the market for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath Concord-close in single family home this is tremendous. Ask your Realtor to show you this home or give me a call.

Homes in Walnut Creek and the 680 corridor have been excluded from Federal and State grants for years.  The purchase price and loan amounts were always too high.  The federal stimulus package continues to assist people who have the income to support the monthly mortgage payments to live in Walnut Creek and central Contra Costa County.  And here’s how.

The Nehemiah Program has been around for decades it has helped over a quarter of a million Americans purchase homes. Unlike some down payment assistance programs, Nehemiah offers down payment help to anyone who qualifies for an approved FHA loan. There are no limits on income or assets, but buyers must have an FHA loan or be pre-approved for an FHA mortgage. 

Nehemiah will allow up to 6% of the final contract sales price for down payment and/or closing costs.  It’s available for first-time and repeat homebuyers.  You can use it  for new construction and resale homes, with no geographical restrictions.

 This means a FHA loan up to a $750,000 loan amount with a supporting Nehemiah grant to cover the down payment. I’m sure certain restrictions are attache to this product, but if you want to buy a Walnut Creek home with nothing down, this may be one fo the ways to do it.

Days on market is a good way to keep in touch with home sales.  Homes sales in Brentwood continue to fluctuate, but the overall signs are improving.

Walnut Creek home sales has always been the last to soften and the first to rebound when looking at the Contra Costa real estate trends.  There are amazing similarities to these graphs.

Brentwood continues to experience a lot of bank owned properties, but the trends are very promising. 

It’s a great time to buy residential real estate!

I had the pleasure of meeting Kenneth Session today in his office in Oakland, California.  Kenny has created an incredible portfolio of REO, that’s “real estate owned by banks,” to those outside the real estate business.  His portfolio is in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS16943+11-Jan-2008+BW20080111

The link above is an article that includes Kenny Sessions with Mayor Ron Dellums of Oakland, California.  It’s be coming very clear that a hand full of real estate brokers control this part of the market.  Stay tuned for more information about bank owned properties in Contra Costa County.

A few years ago, Internet compnaies like Realtor.com allowed consumers to has access to active real estate properties.  The real estate community was up in arms, as we all wanted to protect our interests in our MLS.  This practice gained the attention of real estate companies.  Their search engines delivered the entire multiple listing service to anyone with a computer.  My website www.Benson4Homes.com will provide you with all the listing in Northern California

 Is the next step in bringing data to consumers the entire MLS.  All the pending sales and closed sales?  How would this effect the relationship between buyers, sellers and real estate brokerage?  It’s my opinion that the more information and data we can give our clients the better.  My best clients come to a meeting as prepared as I do.  Only time will tell, but I’ll bet you that as time goes on, data will too.

 Happy buying and selling!!!