Consumer credit problems are partly due to continual credit card offers from banks. Offers are sent daily in the mail to consumers which many use or abused the opportunity. Over use of credit cards directly effects your FICO score (more…)

Education is very important and every parent wants to give the best they can offer to their kids. Therefore higher ranking schools have values capitalized into single family home prices. In addition to school ranking, the closer the proximity to schools (especially elementary) the more desirable and higher the home prices

Take for example the highest ranking schools in Fremont CA, Mission San Jose. Home Sales for a 1600-2000 sq ft home built 1055-1970 (more…)

With the $8000.00 home buyer tax credit, low interest rates, short sale listings and foreclosure listings NOW is a good time to purchase a home for residence or investment. Below are just a few things to keep in mind should you want to take the first step.

1) Get pre-approved for a loan. Sellers or banks do not want to consider
your offer unless you can prove your worth. Make sure to lock in that low interest rate.

2) If you are looking for a short sale the closing time could be long
such as 6+ months
and the price you offered and the price the seller accepted may not be
OK with the bank

3) Bank owned properties asking price is the discounted price. Banks
will offer the home at a reduced rate in order to attract investors and
first time home home buyers. The sale price maybe higher than the
original asking price

4) Pick a knowledgeable real estate agent you like and stick with them.
Loyalty to your agent will give you better service and loyalty back. If
you are shopping with every agent in town you will be duplicating
efforts. After all, all agents have access to the same data base

Fremont Ca Home prices and homes in the Bay Area have dropped because of the boom that happened in from 2000-2006. Statistics show that the home values appreciated about 26.5% form 1980 to 2000. From 2000-2006, home prices appreciated 89%. prices are now adjusting , rather the marking is moving toward stability, which mean healthier markets in the future. View Fremont Ca and Bay Area homes prices online

A normal balanced market has about 6 months of inventory. If there are 100 homes sold in a market, there should be about 500 in active inventory. If there is less than this, there will be a lack of supply which will cause large appreciation (more…)

Many of my Fremont CA Bay Area Real Estate clients have called me regarding  letters they have been send about lowering their property taxes.  The letters are from a company that claims that they can lower your property taxes for a fee like $179.00  Beware!  Payment is not necessary! Anyone can get their property reassessed and lower their payments should the home value declined. First Visit go to the Alameda County Assessment forms page and choose the correct form.  You will e comparable close sales for your home to prove that it is not worth today what you paid for it.  Contact your Real Estate Broker for this information.  If your broker can not help and your are in the California Bay Area Real Estate, your can contact me by email or phone 510-793-1700.  I can possibly help with comparable real estate sales in the California Bay Area. This service is free.  You can also visit 1000’s ofhome for sale in Fremont and surounding bay area cities at http:///www.BayArea-Homes.com

Wow, Sandi Ohms, Fremont real estate broker say the increase in home sales in Fremont California over the last month has increased and prices seem to have leveled off. The Bay Area home sales market has reached a point that it makes sense to buy a Fremont Calif home rather than rent. Rental values have increased in the Bay Area Ca over the past few years. If a home buyer takes into account the tax deduction, home prices have dropped in value enough so it has leveled off enough that it does not make sense to buy not rent. Check out Bay Area CA home prices at Http://www.BayArea-Homes.com

Many buyers have the misconception that they can purchase homes hundreds of thousands below the asking price. The news media has created this misconception. Homes have dropped in value in Fremont CA including real estate in the California Bay Area, but, the drop is reflected in the asking price. Many short sale and foreclosure transactions, the asking price is so low that the actual sales price is above the asking price. Again, there are great deals to be had in the Calif Bay Area the deals are already some what reflected in the asking price. There is wiggle room but not hundreds of thousands like the news media suggests. Review the below statistics that show listing price, sold price and the difference between the two. Information was taken between 11/08 and 03-09 in Fremont CA. Price range 380,000-625,000

ASKING PRICE….. SOLD….. PRICE DIFFERENCE
382,900………….. 450,000……..+67,100
449,900 …………..453,500……….+3,600
449,900 …………..472,200……..+22,100
451,000 …………..456,000………..+5000
459,900 ……………460,000……….+1000
464,900 ……………490,000……..+25,100
469,950 ……………460,000………. -9,950
474,900 ……………455,000…….. -19,900
489,900 ……………492,500 ……….+2,600
499,888 ……………480,000…….. -19,888
499,950 ……………490,000………. -9,950
509,900 ……………517,500………. +7,600
525,000 ……………530,000………. +5,000
525,000 ……………573,000…….. +48,000
529,999 ……………505,000…….. -24,999
534,900 ……………507,000…….. -27,900
537,000 ……………530,000………. -7000
539,900 ……………524,900……….-15,000
549,000 ……………573,009……….+24,000
546,000 ……………495,000……….-54,000
549,000 ……………545,000……….. -4,000
554,900 ……………561,000………..+6,100
559,900 ……………550,000……….. -9,900
565,000 ……………560,000……….. -5,000
569,000 ……………563,000……….. -6,000
569,900 ……………570,000…………. +100
570,000 ……………571,000 ……….+1,000
589,950 ……………562,000 ………-27,950
599,800 ……………610,000……….+10,200
599,888 ……………615,000………. +15,112
625,000 ……………590,000………. -35,000

All data collected from BEAR in Bay Area Ca

It has been suggested from some that Obama’s budget proposal would include a reduction in interest rate deduction for people earning $250,000 per year.

As a Bay Area Real Estate Broker, I think this is a horrible idea especially In Fremont California and surrounding cities. (more…)

As a veteran Realtor in Fremont Ca and the Bay Area, many people have asked my opinion about how far the housing market will drop.

I, Sandi Ohms, Real Estate Broker since 1979, believe housing is in Fremont Ca and the surrounding citites are selling what they were in 2001-2002. Rentals however have increased. the market will level out when the cost of a rental is close to the cost of a mortgage minus the tax deduction home purchases create. We are approaching this point and I seen home values in the Bay Area level somewhat. to view home prices in the Bay Area vistit Http://www.BayArea-Homes.com