Searching Sacramento Homes

Sacramento Ca Homes For Sale – News you can use

Hi Everyone

Once again I was reading my favorite publication Realtor Magazine and this article caught my eye.  Satisfaction With Lenders Decline.  The famous JD Powers and Associates says thier study concludes that customer satisfaction with their mortgage lender has declined as the time between application and closing has increased.

The study found that the average time to approve and close a loan went from 30 days in 2008 to 47 days in 2009.  The increased time is due to the scrutiny and the increase in volume of loans.  There was also an increase in the request for documentation which always slows things down.

OK folks buckle up here is a real live case that is waiting for a final funding and recording TODAY.  I have this young couple that had a finalized contract signed on the 30th of September.  They had all of their paperwork, inspections and loan approval finished and signed their final paperwork on the 28th of October. (for those keeping track that is a whopping 28 days from start to finish.)  Oops almost forgot my buyers and their mortgage company must have broken a record.  Remember I said their final funding and recording is to be today.  It seems that they are so efficient that Fannie Mae (you know the people that got a large portion of our TARP money) can’t keep up with them.  Between them and an escrow company in Southern California  they were caught sleeping at the wheel, they were not prepared for a 30 day close.  So this is the reason for the delay. So it seems on the surface.  Will keep you updated.

I have to put a good word in for my favorite mortgage company and especially the Alicia Conte Team of Summit Funding.  Alicia and her loan partner Mary have it all together.  If you ever need a Real Estate Loan you now know where to go to get 1st class service.  On this website is a link for Interest rates, which Mary keeps updated for me everyday (except when their computers are acting up). Also you can apply for a loan approval with Alicia, just use the simple form available.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento CA Homes for Sale – News You Can Use

Hi Everyone

There is another subject being tossed around quite a bit so I thought I would throw in my two cents worth.

The subject is the Stablilizing Housing Market.  They say that the Sacramento Housing Market is a sellers market right now.  That is solely based on the available inventory.  When the inventory falls everyone says it is a sellers market.  So be it.  Now what about all of those Short Sale Homes and the Short Sale Contingent homes out there,  I guess they don’t count.

A lot of the so called experts are saying that by the spring of 2010 the banks are finally going to  release a flood of these homes on the market.  So don’t expect any increases in price of homes anytime soon.  Oh by the way when this happens we will be in a buyers market again.

The experts also say that the housing recovery is bases also on an improving economy and say that the market will continue to stabilize.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento Homes For Sale – News You Can Use

Hi Everyone

It is time to get back to the meat and potatoes of buying a home in Sacramento CA.  I havn’t touched on this subject lately so now is the time.

Here is the Top Ten Reasons to use an Exclusive Buyers Agent (EBA).

10.  We work hard on your behalf and won’t give the seller any information that will sacrafice your negotiating position.

 9.  Because an Exclusive Buyers Agent only represents buyers and does not have in-house listings, a seller is always unaware of the price our buyers are willing to spend during the negotiation process.  This brings the advantage back to the buyer and the buyer’s wallet, saving our buyers thousands of dollars.  With a traditional real estate company, what the buyer can afford and is willing to spend for a home could be shared with the seller during negotiations.

 8.  A listing agent cannot tell you about many things that would be detrimental for the BUYER because they work for the SELLER.  They were hired by and owe their loyalty to the seller not the buyer.

 7.  In the case of Snider vs. Oklahoma Real Estate Commission, June 1, 1999, the Oklahoma Supreme Court stated:  “Sellers’ agents and dual agents do not and cannot by law give a buyer the same degree of loyalty as an agent who acts on behalf of the buyer.”

 6.  Remember the words are Exclusive Buyers Agent, not just buyer’s agent.  If the agents company takes listings, then they are not an “Exclusive Buyers Agent.”  If a buyer wished to buy one of the properties listed by this office, they will declare dual agency and assign one of their agents as a buyers agent.  You do not need this kind of representation.

 5.  Listing agents (the ones with the sign in the front yard and the company they work for represent the seller, not the buyer).  Their job is to get the seller the highest price on the best terms for the seller.  Some traditional agents even receive extra bonuses when the sell their own company’s listings as well as twice as much when they sell theeir own listings.  This puts a huge incentative in their pocket.

 4.  What does it mean to say, “I represent the buyer Exclusively?”  We don’t try and sell you any particular property, we show you homes and provide all information at our disposal to help you the buyer make an informed decision when you find the home you would like to purchase.

 3.  No pressure!  Exclusive Buyer’s Agents are paid professional consultants.  They never pressuire their clients to make a decision to purchase a particular property.  Because Exclusive Buyers Agents have no listings they cannot ”steer” you toward in-house listings.

 2.  Exclusive Buyer’s Agents look to educate their clients not only about the real estate process but also about the current market conditions.  We provide comparative market analysis as well as other informative reports that are there to help the buyer make informed decisions.

 1.  Exclusive Buyer’s Agents NEVER PRACTICE DUAL AGENCY!!!!  We are always on the side of the buyer.  Florida, Colorado, and Kansas have prohibited dual agency.  When is California going to follow suit, I thought we were the trend setters of this great nation.

I hope you got the hint.  Hire me to represent you.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento CA Homes For Sale – News You Can Use

Hi Everyone

It seems as though every blog now a days has one thing on them and that is the First Time Home Buyer Credit.  So I thought I would lighten things up a little bit and talk about my favorite TV shows.  I love to watch HGTV. particularly the First Time Home Buyer program (Property Virgins).  Of course I like a lot of the other programs on HGTV but this show is my favorite.  I always try to guess which home they will pick out of the three that they view.  Every once in a while I get it right but not very often.   The First Time Home Buyer in very hard to predict.  I guess that is why I realy enjoy working with them.

The reason for this post is that the Realtor Magazine says that this show is breaking rating records.  From the 18 to 45 year olds there was a thirty three percent increase.  HGTV credits the first time home buyer credit for this increase.

Now if I could just get my First Time Home Buyers to go look at three properties and select one I would think I just died and went to heaven.  Anyway keep on keeping on.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento CA Homes For Sale – News you can use

Talk about looking into the future.  The day after my last post Realtor Magazine had this article in their magazine.  I kid you not.

Six Tips To Better Online Real Estate Photographs

1.  Don’t take pictures in a room without enough light.  (I have seen this many times)

2.  How about taking pictures of rooms  that hasn’t been cleaned up.  Just a bunch of trash lying around.  That just makes me to want to jump in my car and drive to the house so I can see all of that good stuff.

3.  Be careful when taking a picture of a bathroom, avoid the glare from the mirrors.  Seen that before also.

4.  Here it is word for word.  Skip photos of children’s bedrooms because these are typically the most basic rooms with the least amount of interesting architectural features.  This is particularly important if your MLS limits the number of photos you can include.

5.  Go ahead snap photos of Bank Owned homes.  If they are in need of repair show it, be honest with your photos.

6.  Mr Huckaby, an architectural photographer from Blain, Washington says if the property has warts, there is a place to stand where you can make an interesting attractive image.

Now you know I am not a complete nut, there are other people out there with the same views as myself.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento Ca Homes For Sale – News You Can Use

Hi Everyone

I have another pet peeve I need to get off my check.  Here it is.  The photos on the MLS listings need some attention from the listing agents.  Many times they won’t even put in any photos. Why I don’t know it doesn’t cost them anything to put them in and you are allowed to put in twelve photos.  So if they are allowed to put in twelve photos why do they only put in two or three.  They are at the property for gosh sakes go ahead and take twelve photos.  Have you ever seen photos of bedroom two or three.  You seen one empty bedroom you seen them all.  Just stay home watching soap operas and send in the photos from your last listing, no one will know the difference. The main point of all of this is.  You have a listing on a property, you are allowed twelve photos for that listing.  I would take my time and take a photo of the top twelve things that make this house stand out.  Then a dummy exclusive buyers agent (oops forgot there are only a few in the Sacramento area) like myself will be enticed to take someone by and show the home.  Besides being helpful to the exclusive buyers agent it is what would be proper representation for the sellers that hired the listing agent.  What do you say listing agents a little help here please.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento CA homes for sale – News you can use.

Well folks it finally happened.  Our President Obama has signed the extension for the First Time Home Buyers Credit.  It is still 8,000.00.  Lets get busy we have until April to get you under contract.  Also some other goodies was added to the extension.  If you have lived in your own home for five years you can now buy a home and get a 6,500.00 tax credit.  I am sorry but if you and your wife have an annual  income over 225,000.00 you won’t be eligible.  That is really to bad. 

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento CA Homes For Sale – News you can use.

Has anyone ever heard of the American Homeowners Foundation?

I wonder why  hardly no one has heard of it.  Maybe the Real Estate Industry is afraid of what they have to say. 

For your information, the American Homesowners Foundation is an independent national nonprofit consumer education organization serving homeowners since 1984.  AHF publishes books, model contracts, special studies (Like the one I will send you free, just provide mailing address) and other helpful tools for home buyers, sellers and current homeowners.Their website contains much useful free information that home buyers will find helpful in home buying, selling remodeling, financing and related activities. 

I will highlight some of the important aspects just from their introduction to their study on Home Buyers’ Guide to Real Estate Representation. This is a thirteen page study on real estate representation.  The initial cost of a home plays a big role in your future home equity and wrong decisions can cost home buyers many thousands of dollars.  One area that has become very complicated is buyer representation.  There is much confusion among home buyers regarding the different types of representation real estate brokers and agents may or may not provide home buyers.  Much of the confusion results from noncompliance with state laws that require real estate agents and brokers to make it clear who they actually represent and what services they may or may not provide.  According to the National Association of Realtors, the problem is getting worse.

An outcome of this noncompliance has been thousands of lawsuits from consumers who believed that their interests were being represented by the real estate agent that they had been working with, but found out later that the agent was actually working for the seller in the negotiation of price and terms.  The difference between the two can amount to tens of thousands of dollars in the price of the home.

With many real estate brokers and agents relunctant to spell out what duties they owe the home buyers and what services they do or do not provide.  It is up to the home buyers to find that information out in advance.  Many of these services will be critical to home buyers especially first time home buyers.  They also add that these buyers will generally be best off with an experienced exclusive buyers agent who is knowledgeable about the area where they will be buying.

To get your free copy of this study, please send me a a miling address and I will pay the postage and send it ASAP.  The study is to large and bulky to send by email and copy rights would prevent me from doing so anyway.

If you are interested in their website  just go to www. AmericanHomeowners.org  

sincerely,

Wes Clark

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Sacramento CA Homes For Sale – News You Can Use

Have you noticed lately that For Sale  signs on properties for homes for sale in Sacramento CA hardly ever have a SALE PENDING sign put up.  Or a SOLD sign.  The reason for this is quite simply, the realtors want you to drive by and keep calling and inquiring about this house so that they might perhaps sell you another one.  Way back when, I remember that the agents couldn’t wait t get those signs updated.  This showed how successful they were in helping the home owner sell their home.  My how times have changed.  What is my profession  coming to.   They also do this with the same listings on the internet.  This practice in downright deceiving.

Another pet peeve of mine is these so called buyers agents that work in a traditional real estate agency calling themselves buyers agents.  Everytime they go to the coffee pot or the water cooler they are joined by the listing agents and if they discuss properties at all than it is a detriment to you the buyer of real estate.  Some of these so called buyers agents feel so threatened by the EXCLUSIVE BUYERS AGENTS that they have even sometimes call themselves exclusive buyers agents.  Don’t be fooled if the office they work for has listings than they are NOT Exclusive Buyers Agents.

While I am on my soap box here is another trend that is happening in my chosen profession that really disturbs me.  There are internet companies out there that all they are there for is to try and capture a name, email address or phone number.  Ninety nine percent of the time they try and confuse you into thinking they are legitimate realtors. They all have names that sound like they are in the real estate business, but all they do is sell or pass your information onto an agent in the local area.  Normally these agents in the local area are not true professionals at their job.  If they were professional they wouldn’t have to subscribe to these pretend to be websites just to get leads.

Here is something I would like for you to try.  Lets pretend you are moving to Sacramento CA.  Now do some searching via google or yahoo.  Type in the phrase Sacramento Homes For Sale.  How many ligitimate real estate companies came up on the first page.  I’ll bet you came up with Realtor.com, Trulia, and Zillo.  These three companies are good companies and serve a great service, but my point is you have to really search for a local real estate company to represent you.  Hopefully you found wwwSearchSacramentoHomesForSale.com on page one of your search.  Just to let you know we don’t advertise on the internet.  Our google and yahoo ratings come from people just like you searching for us.

Esitor

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