El Camino Hospital Los Gatos Grand Opening August 1st
Former Los Gatos Community Hospital at 815 Pollard Road, Los Gatos, CA was purchased by El Camino Hospital of Mountain View and reopened the 143-bed facility on July 12th, but their Grand Opening is Saturday, August 1st from 11AM to 3PM. Come join the fun with BBQ, Jump house for…
New Regulations Impact Closing Dates
Effective July 30, 2009 new Federal regulations will effect financed home sale closing dates in four ways: 7 Business Day Requirement – the earliest any financed home purchase transaction can close is now 7 business days after the homebuyer is issued the “initial mortgage disclosures” from the lender. Note: At wells Fargo…
FHA Challenges for PUDs and Condos
FHA financing for condos and townhomes can be problematic.  With FHA becoming such an important part of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guaranteed lending there are all sort of little know requirements for PUD’s or Condos. Examples are that fidelity bonds are required for the HOA or the lender will not fund; HOA…
Now is the Time to Buy a Home
An article in today’s Mercury News quotes Alain Pinel Los Gatos Manager as saying “It looks as though the valley’s housing market has reached the bottom.  I would say we have been there for about two months. It’s going to be a slow recovery, but we are definitely getting stabilized,” …
Moving In the Moment
Several of my friends are in the process of moving. Some are going through divorces; others are wrapping up employment without clear-cut prospects of where they will be going next; some are embarking on the adventure of building their “dream home.” All this can add up to stress upon stress. This…
Los Gatos Restaurant Summer Specials
Enjoy special summer fixed price menues at leading Los Gatos, CA restaurants the week of August 5-12th ranging from $25, $35 or $45 per person. Participating restaurants include California Cafe, Cin-Cin Wine Bar, Crimson, Forbes Mill Steakhous, James Randall, Tapestry, Three Degrees and Trevese. Click>here for a link for more information…
Larry Knapp – The State of the Local Real Estate Market
The following is an excerpt from Alain Pinel Realtors COO Larry Knapp regarding the state of the local real estate market in the second quarter of 2009: “All indications are that the market at the lower-end has not only bottomed out – but is on the rebound. Almost everywhere around…
Mortgage Rates Rise Slightly
 Mortgage rates increased over the past week due to better than expected corporate earnings, which cause a selloff in the treasury market. However, today Wells Fargo saw some rate improvement, so it looks like rates will be staying within a range rather than rising or falling dramatically. Current rates are as…
What a Difference Price Makes
I usually tell homesellers that there are fundamentally only two reasons why a home does not sell – it is either marketing or price. If after 2-3 weeks of good marketing a homeseller is still not getting showings (much less offers) then it is a good indication that the price needs to be adjusted. Pricing…
What a Difference Staging Makes
 The way someone lives in a home and the way it should be “staged” for sale are two different things. The staging process starts with depersonalization (removal of photos, religious symbols, kitchen convenience items, etc.) that helps the potential buyer not to be distracted by the personal effects of…
Saratoga, CA Community Garage Sale Registration Ends 7/23/09
 The City of Saratoga is holding its community Garage Sale on August 8, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.mResidents concerned about being “green†need look no further than their garages. Saratoga residents, register your garage sale online today! Registration closes July 23, 2009. Residents can also register by mail,…
Alain Pinel Realtors has Nearly 1/3 Market Share
Alain Pinel Realtors retains dominance in the Saratoga, CA real estate brokerage market with nearly 1/3 market share in terms of $ volume of closed transactions for the 6 month period between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009! Click>here for more detail. Rick Bonetti | 408-857-8800 | Alain Pinel Realtors |…
Multiple Offers in Saratoga, CA
Priced at $1.25 million with Saratoga schools, the 1,902+/-sf home (above) in the Golden Triangle was sold today with multiple offers. The upper end of the market is still soft, but the middle market is showing an increase in pending sales and a decrease in inventory. Here is a graph…
California New Home Credit Funds Drying Up
The California Franchise Tax Board announced that as of July 3, 2009, they are no longer accepting new home credit applications. They have received over $100 million in new home credit applications and more than 12,000 applications, because they expect that many are duplicates, revised, or invalid. This tax credit…
