26 November 2009

California Housing Market Turns Corner

From Bloomburg:
By Daniel Taub

Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) -- California, one-time hub of subprime mortgage lending and the nation’s leader in home foreclosures, has turned the corner toward a housing recovery, according to the state Association of Realtors.

Single-family home prices in California rose for the eighth consecutive month in October. The median cost of an existing, detached house gained 0.3 percent from the previous month to $297,500. Prices dropped about 3.2 percent from a year earlier, compared with annual declines of 7.3 percent in September and 17 percent in August.

“California has hit and passed the bottom of this real estate cycle,” Leslie Appleton-Young, vice president and chief economist of the Los Angeles-based Realtors group, said in a statement today.

Click here for the article

25 November 2009

Valley Ford Crab Feed Dec. 6

Apparently this won't be a huge season for eating crab this year and while the little crustaceans might be happy, that certainly won't stop about 400 people from meeting at the Valley Ford Town Hall for their annual crab feed on Sunday, December 6 from 11am to 4pm. The donation is $40 per person and you can eat as much crab, salad and bread as you can handle. People even bring homemade deserts to sell. You can bring your own beverages or buy them there. Proceeds go to support the Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department. Get your tickets while they're still available as this event sells out every year.

Click on the image for the flier.

05 November 2009

Homebuyer Credit Extended

From Steve Guenza - CB Mortgage (707) 765-4453

Here’s an update on the Homebuyers tax credit.
The Senate has voted last night (11/4) to extend and expand a popular tax credit for homebuyers that was scheduled to expire Nov. 30. The House is expected to schedule a quick vote on the bill as early as today 11/5 as part of a package that also extends unemployment benefits for people out of work more than a year. The White House indicated that the President will sign the legislation.

How the homebuyer tax credit would work:

· Tax credit: Ten percent of the purchase price of a primary residence, up to a maximum of $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010. First-time homebuyers are defined as people who have not owned a home in the previous three years. Repeat buyers must have owned their current home at least five years. The credit cannot be used for houses costing more than $800,000.

· Deadline for qualifying: Purchase agreements must be signed by April 30, 2010, and closings must be final by June 30.

· Military deadline: The deadline is extended by a year for members of the military who have served outside the U.S. for at least 90 days from Jan. 1, 2009, to May 1, 2010.

· Income limits: Individuals with annual incomes up to $125,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full credit. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

· How to apply: Taxpayers can claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. If the credit exceeds their tax bill, the government will issue a payment. Taxpayers who want immediate refunds can amend their tax returns for 2008 to claim the credit.

· New anti-fraud limitations imposed.

· Cost: $10.8 billion.

Source: Bloomberg Press and Associated Press and confirmed information with the content of the Senate bill

01 November 2009

Market Summary for October 2009

As expected, we're seeing minimal change this month - median prices are holding steady after continued (but light) pressure downward and the volume remains consistent.