tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60481621049127146492011-07-07T17:51:59.810-07:00News, views and opinions of the Rocklin and Roseville real estate market by Julie Jalone.Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.comBlogger2871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-53608341457924160572009-06-27T08:23:00.000-07:002009-06-27T08:25:55.578-07:00

This has been another busy week of dealing with short sales and lender negotiators so I am using Saturday to catch up a bit on my blogging. I just published my weekly column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today, “Getting Short Sales Done in Sacramento.” Check it out if you want to get a small taste of what it takes to negotiate a successful short sale.We are continuing to be busy at MagnumOne Realty

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-32464756289423290462009-06-18T09:02:00.000-07:002009-06-18T09:03:39.156-07:00

I have recently been writing about the benefits of short sales in my weekly column at Rocklin & Roseville Today which is also carried over at Sacramento Today. The column today was, “Sacramento Short Sales – Good for All.” I really do believe short sales are win-win transactions where more than just the homeowner and lender benefit but there is an ugly side of short sales too.Our team at

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-18196973426760844182009-06-02T09:37:00.000-07:002009-06-02T09:38:35.494-07:00

With local schools getting out for the summer this and next week we should see an increase in the already busy Sacramento real estate market. Unfortunately much of this will be more short sales as more and more homeowners who owe more on their homes than they are worth realize getting out from under the debt and starting over makes sound financial sense. Homeowners who used 100 percent financing

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-49920334892611941982009-05-12T08:50:00.001-07:002009-05-12T08:50:57.803-07:00

The first-time home buyer tax credit of up to $8,000 can be a significant help during the remainder of 2009 for buyers who have not owned a home in the previous three years. Check out my column, “First time home buyer’s tax credit,” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today for the details of the program. I believe this is a good program and will help not only to revitalize our Sacramento real estate

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-49084782110303223942009-05-11T12:38:00.000-07:002009-05-11T12:39:32.431-07:00

We are beginning to see short sale junior lenders flexing their muscle. A year ago you could count on the junior lender to pretty much roll over and take whatever allowance the senior lender allotted to them for their lien release. Now, they are holding out for more money and most are asking for the borrower to sign a letter saying they will remain responsible for any shortfall amount. Trying

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-10843796147540044062009-04-28T08:58:00.001-07:002009-04-28T08:58:47.049-07:00

Two years ago when a client told me they wanted me to short sale their home and their lender was Wells Fargo, I would visibly cringe. Dealing with Wells Fargo in those days was a nightmare. They didn’t have sufficient staffing to handle the requests, their process was weak and it took so long that when you got the approval the buyer had moved on so you had to start all over and nobody at Wells

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-4335241969634630182009-04-23T08:03:00.000-07:002009-04-23T08:04:44.563-07:00

It seems like almost daily I am talking to a homeowner about short sales. When they are asking me to help them short sale their house to avoid foreclosure I always ask them if they tried getting a loan modification to stay in the house. The most common answer is that they called their current lender who politely said they were not interested. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so polite but they at least

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-61069859121907573422009-04-15T07:34:00.001-07:002009-04-15T07:35:39.838-07:00

It is always fun to get away for a few days and even better when you return and appreciate home. Last week we traveled to Elizabethtown, Kentucky to visit Michael’s son Mark and his family. I enjoyed spending time with them and seeing Kentucky. I heard about the terrible ice storm they had this past winter but until I saw the devastation it caused I didn’t understand the impact. Kentucky is

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-63437222794506058232009-04-01T08:44:00.000-07:002009-04-01T08:46:33.857-07:00

Starting tomorrow the California Association of Realtors will start a new program to help first time buyers who are worried about the economy and not being able to make their mortgage payment if they lose their job.The program, C.A.R. Housing Affordability Fund Mortgage Protection Program is designed to give these new homeowners some peace of mind by providing them with up to $1,500 per month for

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-40727100753002914822009-04-01T08:43:00.000-07:002009-04-01T08:44:17.055-07:00

These are words we never want to hear ourselves saying, especially as it relates to selling your home. I recently met a former homeowner who now has a very nasty tax issue as a result of not understanding the consequences of debt forgiven by a lender when they completed a short sale. Unfortunately he was not using an agent who had much experience. The agent told him about the law passed in

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-28351837810858933812009-03-20T09:58:00.001-07:002009-03-20T09:58:55.222-07:00

I have been hearing several different foreclosure rescue scams at work here in the Sacramento area. The perpetrators of the scam are approaching financially distressed homeowners and promising to help them stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. I found and posted some warning signs of “foreclosure scams” to be aware of on the Real Estate News page at my jalone.com website. In addition

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-17316667985908414752009-03-17T10:38:00.000-07:002009-03-17T10:43:50.368-07:00

If your home is worth less than you owe, the payments are killing you and have a lender who refuses to help what will happen if you walk away? Walking away is letting the bank foreclose, giving them the keys or avoiding a foreclosure by doing a short sale. If you do one of these things how bad will it be for you? Will you get sued by your bank? Will you ever be able to get credit again? How much

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-13460504992305431362009-03-04T10:27:00.000-08:002009-03-04T10:28:14.081-08:00

This morning I read an article in the Sacramento Bee about the former executives of Countrywide that got rich on bonuses and golden parachutes after they made tons of questionable loans which we are all now paying for. Believe it or not they have taken their wealth and created a company that buys up bad loans from failed banks. They are paying pennies on dollar for these loans and making a

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-64261459570556243672009-03-03T17:43:00.000-08:002009-03-03T17:44:57.862-08:00

I have been watching and experiencing a steady increase in real estate activity around the Sacramento area. We have a number of new listings, several of which are on fire. Yesterday I listed a great home in a downtown Sacramento neighborhood, 1324 35th Street. The agent “hits” on MLS has been very high and the phone has been ringing non-stop. It is an unfortunate Sacramento short sale but will

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-2300104406043524752009-02-24T08:22:00.000-08:002009-02-24T08:23:33.859-08:00

In the past two weeks we have seen the Federal stimulus bill, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan and our new California budget which as some provisions to help the housing market. What are these, how do they work and have we finally got all the players headed in the same direction? Take a look at my local real estate column, “Stimulus, Recovery, Stability coming to Sacramento?” over

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-59365961224959869142009-02-13T06:14:00.001-08:002009-02-13T06:17:12.695-08:00

Here is the view from a listing I have coming on the market soon. This is a unique home in Auburn only minutes from the freeway but a world away from the city and people. There is nothing “track” about this home and it will take a equally unique buyer to make this work. This is not a family home and is best suited for a working couple who want an alternative style home or it could be a great

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-44091739688157892222009-02-07T08:11:00.000-08:002009-02-07T08:13:07.034-08:00

There have been some significant changes with lenders that are catching financially strapped homeowners unaware and reducing their alternatives to avoid a foreclosure. If you or someone you know is not making their monthly mortgage payments and thinking they can wait several months before asking for a loan modification or doing a short sale, those days are over. Check out my column over at

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-15895097737352837162009-02-05T13:58:00.000-08:002009-02-05T14:01:53.484-08:00

This past week has been very busy and adds to my belief the real estate market is weather driven or at least it seems that way to me. Every time we get some warm sunny days, I am too busy to spend much time outside! It is nice to see the Sacramento real estate market continuing being active, even if the transactions are always difficult to get closed.During the past week I have taken three new

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-63920764681187175222009-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:002009-01-27T08:40:28.150-08:00

What do I need to know about buying a short sale listing? This was essentially the question one of my readers sent me last week. I have written a number of articles including “Six Steps to a Successful Short Sale” and “Short Sale Success,” on using short sales to avoid foreclosure but have not spent much time addressing the buyer in a short sale transaction.If you or someone you know is

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-9437759836606769592009-01-23T09:45:00.000-08:002009-01-23T09:47:37.028-08:00

A total of 523,624 California properties received foreclosure filings, including default notices, auction sale notices and repossessions in 2008. This was a 110 percent increase from 2007 and almost five times as many compared to 2006. The city Stockton registered the highest foreclosure rate in California and the nation with a 9.46 percent of its housing receiving a foreclosure filing during the

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-17415078272767483162009-01-19T10:38:00.000-08:002009-01-19T10:41:57.557-08:00

I was looking at the number of homes currently on the Sacramento area market, how inventory has changed in the past year and the impact on prices and value with so many homes for sale in preparation for writing my weekly columns for Rocklin & Roseville Today and Sacramento Today. I had promised myself I would avoid making predictions in such turbulent times but somehow when you write about how

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-89836219452342583942009-01-15T10:01:00.000-08:002009-01-15T10:03:40.159-08:00

If you have been reading my blog, you know I have spent a good deal of time and energy over the past two years helping Sacramento area homeowners avoid foreclosure by doing short sales and/or loan modifications. In the past month or so I have been ranting about how difficult it has been to deal with Countrywide (“Countrywide Sucks,” published on December 9, 2008). Well, as of this morning we have

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-74119320390278538002009-01-13T06:46:00.000-08:002009-01-13T06:47:12.231-08:00

As soon as the holidays were behind us it seems like the media has again focused on the economy and in particular the negatives. I don’t know about you but when I hear too much negative news it impacts my mental attitude and slows me down. There are some bright spots in regards the Sacramento and the real estate market. I think we should understand the overall situation but take the time to

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-5092434254030081812009-01-06T11:03:00.000-08:002009-01-06T11:04:13.061-08:00

I have been using twitter for almost 2 years now and it is one of the social networking tools I enjoy the most. It is a flow of short messages from members all around the world and allows users to follow others and read what they have to say as the day progresses. You can carry on conversations, ask questions, get directions and always find someone who can cheer you up. As of today I am

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-69686163867101239652009-01-03T11:07:00.000-08:002009-01-03T11:09:52.373-08:00

I started to blog about some of the November results for our local Sacramento real estate market and quickly became bored. For anyone who reads a newspaper or listens to the news there is nothing new to report. Generally sales are up, median prices and average price per square foot are down. About the only thing of much interest is the number of default filings have dropped, but may be the

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-49683449779797965212008-12-31T09:47:00.000-08:002008-12-31T09:48:32.140-08:00

Happy New Year! Here we are at the final day in 2008 and looking forward to the hope of a new year. Whatever your plans are for this evening, be careful on the roads, last night was super foggy here in the Roseville area and will most like not be much better tonight.There were some great times and occurrences this past year but it was also one of the most difficult years I have had in real estate

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-47755519061079544832008-12-22T05:28:00.000-08:002008-12-22T05:31:13.054-08:00

Take a minute during this busy holiday season to recognize our U.S. Troops stationed overseas. Go to http://www.letssaythanks.com/, where you can pick out a thank-you card. Xerox and the Let’s Say Thank organization will print and send it.All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select a message or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed by Xerox and mailed in

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-51928378825164540162008-12-18T10:09:00.000-08:002008-12-18T10:11:07.189-08:00

In today’s competitive real estate services industry there is nothing more important than client service. I am referring to what may be called Realtor helpers such as title/escrow companies, home inspectors, lenders and others who help us get our transactions completed.It is this group of professionals who can make closing a sale easy or a nightmare. Over the past two plus years we have been

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-3944967149141638592008-12-16T10:09:00.000-08:002008-12-16T10:11:26.219-08:00

If it was housing that led the economy to where it is today, “the tank,” then it only stands to reason, housing can be the way to recovery. Sure there are other elements of the National economy that need tending but until we have some stability in housing the economy is not going to improve dramatically. Check out my column, “Next Steps Toward Recovery,” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today.Update

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-12567124828678637612008-12-10T09:56:00.001-08:002008-12-10T09:57:11.879-08:00

A good portion of the business we do at MagnumOne Realty is helping financially struggling Sacramento area homeowners avoid foreclosures by helping them qualify and negotiate with their lenders to accept less than they are owed by accepting a short sale. Lenders tend to treat us as the enemy even though we are helping them and the entire process can be long and arduous but we are good at them

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-49773004395000176972008-12-09T09:59:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:00:58.189-08:00

I started to write a short rant about how difficult it is to deal with Countrywide when you are representing sellers who would like to avoid foreclosure and complete a short sale. My frustration with them got the better of me and the rant became an article, “Countrywide Suck” which I have posted on my real estate news page at jalone.com. If you have had a different experience or have any

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-51012017231744209892008-12-04T08:40:00.000-08:002008-12-04T08:43:35.708-08:00

Just when I thought we might start seeing a decline in the number of homeowners who are facing foreclosure the next wave came crashing in. The new wave is a combination of more homeowners who have experienced a financial setback such as a lost job or reduced income combined with continuing declines in home values. A married couple with two incomes making their payments all of a sudden are

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-56691151004178233562008-11-25T09:50:00.000-08:002008-11-25T09:52:06.124-08:00

Today I conclude my series of articles answering the question, is now the right time to buy a home in Sacramento? Today’s final article is, “Do you know what you want in a home?” and can be seen over at Rocklin & Roseville Today in my real estate column. If you missed the previous articles and would like to read the entire series you can find it on my personal website.This is a short holiday

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-58284521326461249872008-11-22T09:00:00.001-08:002008-11-22T09:00:43.617-08:00

As much as I enjoy maintaining my blog there are days when I feel like I have to write a post and times when other tasks pressure me to publish and run. I was thinking about this earlier this week when I went to Mikie’s parent-teacher conference. The subject was writing and how much he has improved since last year. We were looking at some of Mikie’s writing and his teacher told Mikie he would

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-2881400462533328432008-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:002008-11-22T08:59:46.947-08:00

Today I published my fourth in a series of five articles examining the question, Is now the right time to buy a home in Sacramento. You can read it in my real estate column, “How much can you pay for a home in Sacramento,” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today.I think the question, is now the right time to buy, is important in light of the current market and economic conditions. So far I have

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-10878254799248235532008-11-17T12:47:00.000-08:002008-11-17T12:48:31.640-08:00

I just posted my third of a five part series dealing with the question, “Is it the right time to buy a home in Sacramento?” The article is posted over at Rocklin & Roseville Today as part of my real estate column, “Is it the right time – are you financially prepared to be a homeowner.” If you want to read the entire series you can find all five articles on my personal website.Just being out and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-54155342634683487382008-11-11T13:47:00.000-08:002008-11-11T13:49:27.116-08:00

Since I was a bit off my game last week I thought I would spend Veteran’s day morning catching up on my real estate column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today. Well as can happen when you have not been writing for awhile my article, which I try to keep not more than six paragraphs long turned out to be an epic on is now the right time to buy a home in Sacramento. I decided to publish in five parts

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-14090771138114657792008-10-29T09:54:00.000-07:002008-10-29T09:55:17.363-07:00

I have noticed a difference in the Sacramento real estate market. I understand it is late October and things normally slow down about now and homes for sale in Sacramento as well as homes for sale in Roseville and other communities start to stay on the market longer but since the economy crisis came to light the phone is not ringing as often, new leads are fewer and worst of all, the lenders

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-83211518052788650782008-10-28T09:23:00.000-07:002008-10-28T09:28:42.869-07:00

I couldn’t resist sharing this long but illuminating story this morning. It was one of those things that had been forwarded about a 100 times so I had to clean it up a bit but I think it is intact and worth the time to read.Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:The

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-79089446566170256292008-10-24T10:07:00.000-07:002008-10-24T10:09:08.478-07:00

I came across this brief article this morning and thought it was worth sharing:Reworking Troubled Mortgages Isn't That SimpleIn order to rework troubled mortgage, the government may have to domorethan persuade lenders and investors that workouts are ultimately moreprofitablethan foreclosure, analysts conclude.Hundreds of investors hold an interest in trusts that invest inmortgages.If loans are

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-48383473579385727572008-10-22T12:15:00.000-07:002008-10-22T12:17:19.059-07:00

With September sales volume of up in all counties in the Sacramento region from last year and for most counties up even from August we are finally seeing a decline in homes for sale. Check out my weekly column, “Six Months of Increasing Homes Sales in Sacramento,” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today for the details and a prediction.With this great “Indian Summer” weather even October continues to

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-497501385164154582008-10-21T12:56:00.000-07:002008-10-21T12:58:03.168-07:00

I received word this morning that some lenders are not providing pricing on FHA Plus which are loans in excess of $368,231 and conforming Plus which are conforming loans above $417,000. Remember these were temporary limits with an end date of December 31, 2008. Because these loans must be closed before the end date and since there is no extension yet moving these increased limits into 2009

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-10678942247011301762008-10-17T10:16:00.000-07:002008-10-17T10:17:51.936-07:00

I just listed a great home in Rocklin’s Reflections at Sierra College which has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and almost 1,600 square feet of living space. If you are looking for a home and not a lot of yard work this is the house for you. With a small front and back yard you have all the benefits of a single family home but without the headache of having to care for a large yard. The private fenced back

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-83049514239815410762008-10-14T11:40:00.001-07:002008-10-14T11:40:50.106-07:00

We have finally slipped below 14,000 homes for sale in Sacramento. According to HousingTracker there were 13,958 homes on the market as of October 13. This is the first time since March of 2007 since we have been this low. It is still higher than it should be and the uncertainties of foreclosures and the credit crisis loom but check out my column, Good News for Sacramento Real Estate, over at

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-20438743154898185622008-10-09T10:30:00.000-07:002008-10-09T10:32:36.589-07:00

It very nice to see a break in the warm weather and even to get a bit of rain but I am happy to see we will be getting some nice warm days this week as we move deeper into October.Over at MagnumOne Realty we had a strong past week with some new listings and some nice escrow closings. One of the joys of this business is to complete a sale for my clients and this past week it was fun to see my

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-85633460906704202262008-10-01T09:31:00.000-07:002008-10-01T09:33:03.643-07:00

After the failed vote on the financial rescue plan on Monday the Senate takes the spotlight today and is likely to pass a slightly revised plan to provide liquidity back to the credit markets. I predict an embarrassed House of Representatives will place their rubber stamp on the bill and we will have legislation by the end of the week.How will this impact the Sacramento real estate market and the

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-27333919805454600532008-09-30T09:13:00.000-07:002008-09-30T09:15:48.234-07:00

What are the chances a house that has been on the market for over 200 days, built in the 70’s and has never been remodeled or even well maintained now has three offers to buy? I think something does not smell right. Has the Sacramento real estate market returned to the pre-2005 era where you put the house on MLS and headed to the fax machine to get the first offer?I am a optimist by nature and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-2545448765753400932008-09-25T16:41:00.000-07:002008-09-25T16:44:53.090-07:00

Is the only way to get anything done in politically partisan Washington to declare an emergency, tell the world the sky is falling and create a three day “bipartisan period” to pass back room brokered deal that may cost the American taxpayer a trillion or more dollars? We thought getting a budget passed in Sacramento for California was ugly! I clearly have my opinions about the bailout and you

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-38589445261523506282008-09-19T12:55:00.000-07:002008-09-19T12:57:54.410-07:00

While congressional leaders and the Bush administration work preparing a massive bailout of the US Financial system including a plan to allow banks to sell bad loans to a Resolution Trust like company, mortgage rates have dropped in Sacramento. The decline from 5.93 percent for a 30-year fixed to 5.78 percent for the week ending September 18 marks a seven month low.As bank stocks are going up and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-80919120627999861462008-09-18T07:26:00.000-07:002008-09-18T07:28:38.974-07:00

This week what is happening on Wall Street has captured my attention so my column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today, “More Bad News from Wall Street” is about being not overly optimistic about the financial crisis.Per my blog on Monday, I have posted a guest article by Louise Buford of Partners Mortgage, “FHA—what is it and why should I consider this type of loan?” Louise is one of the lenders I

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-72021878533722983642008-09-15T13:19:00.000-07:002008-09-15T13:20:49.659-07:00

Check it out! We have officially opened an office in Plumas Lake with Stephanie McLaughlin to better serve clients in Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties. Stephanie has now been with us for a few months and is ready to take the next step in building her business and expanding the MagnumOne Realty brand in these counties. We are continuing to provide individual customized services to buyer and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-48963453849424691072008-09-12T07:48:00.000-07:002008-09-12T07:50:19.840-07:00

We have a brand new listing in Roseville. This home was built by one of the regions quality builder, Tim Lewis in 2007, and the sellers have done all the right things to make this new house a home. Located in the Altessa at Woodcreek gated community we are going to have an open house this Sunday, September 14th from 1 to 4 PM. If you are out and about and want to see a great home, come by 1553

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-5811869924809022522008-09-08T14:53:00.000-07:002008-09-08T14:55:29.904-07:00

The Treasury Department’s move to takeover Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae over the weekend surprised me. But then again, when you give someone an open line of credit, maybe you want greater accountability and say in the overall management. Well that is exactly what happened and it appears to be a very good, if only for the short term, for the housing market. Read more about the takeover and what

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-32501477968313942272008-09-03T15:46:00.000-07:002008-09-03T15:47:09.070-07:00

Prospective homeowners have until October 1, 2008, to use down payment assistance from a seller to purchase if they intend to finance the house with FHA backed mortgage.The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 signed into law in July bars such seller-funded aid on Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgages. Lawmakers added the provision to the housing relief package because about 40

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-27767285020970526132008-08-29T14:11:00.000-07:002008-08-29T14:20:38.048-07:00

Growing up in Alaska makes you an Alaskan wherever you live and this morning I was, along with many others, surprised to hear that John McCain had selected Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, as his running mate. As much as I tried to write my Rocklin & Roseville Today column about real estate, I just had to say something about presidential politics, “Congratulations John McCain.”Notes: The past two

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-7645344069546627262008-08-27T14:58:00.001-07:002008-08-27T14:59:14.519-07:00

We are delighted to announce Darci Mercer has joined our MagnumOne Realty family. She comes to us from Coldwell Banker where she worked on a successful team. Moving to MagnumOne will allow her to continue to work in a team atmosphere while building her own business. She grew up in the Roseville/Granite Bay area and has great experience in those markets but has also worked with clients in

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-40904993955156309662008-08-25T15:16:00.000-07:002008-08-25T15:17:33.263-07:00

We have a new listing in one of Rocklin’s most desirable neighborhoods, The Highlands. Located at the top of Sierra College Road this is a semi-custom single level Tim Lewis home which has upgrades galore and has been wonderfully maintained like a new. With almost 3,300 square feet of living space there are not many single level homes as large. The only stairs in this house are the ones in and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-59898303537642612282008-08-21T12:08:00.001-07:002008-08-21T12:09:22.031-07:00

There are still many unknowns including a new wave of foreclosures, rising unemployment and the aftershock of the credit crunch but the increase in home sales in the Sacramento area is encouraging. We still have way too many bank owned properties and inventory is still much too high to see a reverse in dropping prices but the decline is slowing. This and the level of activity in my own business

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-29252652892119478532008-08-15T12:00:00.000-07:002008-08-15T12:02:34.477-07:00

The more I have been reading about the Housing and Recovery Act the more I believe it is the first critical element in the beginning of a new era in the housing industry. If you are interested in learning why I feel this way, check out my column, New Housing Cycle, over at Rocklin & Roseville Today and Sacramento Today.By the way, we have had tremendous response to our request for applicants for

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-19570997630099616412008-08-11T13:01:00.000-07:002008-08-11T13:02:46.812-07:00

Hundreds of thousands of Californians are expected to share in a $35 million settlement of a lawsuit that accuses some of the nation’s largest real estate brokers of taking kickbacks.A federal judge in Los Angeles still must sign the agreement.The lawsuit accuses brokers from an array of major companies, including Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA and RE/MAX, of accepting kickbacks for referring

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-14481176103076217772008-08-11T11:56:00.001-07:002008-08-11T11:57:48.517-07:00

I have read a fair number of blogs complaining about thegovernments “bail out” of people who over borrowed and companies who were responsible for much of the credit crunch. I don’t think the Housing Recovery Act is a mistake because it would not be prudent to push the economy into a long recession or even depreciation which I believe is a real possibility.Only time will tell if the Housing

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-3474182848373087092008-08-05T11:11:00.001-07:002008-08-05T11:12:12.001-07:00

The Housing Recovery Act of 2008 contains a tax credit for first time home buyers which will be beneficial here in the Sacramento real estate market. Although it is actually a loan, repayment is stretched out over 15 years and is interest free. The maximum benefit is $7,500 but is conditioned on purchase price, adjusted income and tax filing status. Sound complicated? It really isn’t, check

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-25620040706939712462008-08-01T13:29:00.000-07:002008-08-01T13:31:11.261-07:00

Guest Author – Louise BufordHere we are in August! It was three years ago this month when the super hot Sacramento real estate market hit the wall. Since then it has been pretty much down-hill since then with prices declines ranging from 28.5 percent in El Dorado to 43.2 percent in Sacramento.Finally, earlier this week the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 was signed into law. It is a

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-90857101692269112122008-07-30T15:06:00.000-07:002008-07-30T15:07:01.799-07:00

I mentioned the other day in one of my entries, “You won’t believe this”, that another reality television show had contacted me. Yes, this is in addition to our continuing interviewing with “Wife Swap.” According to the producer of House Hunters they found my website, jalone.com, and based on it and my blog, “Keep it Real in Sacramento” thought I would make a good realtor to work with a

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-54026986113003959782008-07-29T14:24:00.001-07:002008-07-29T14:26:20.060-07:00

Word on the street is, several large national brand name brokers have sent messages to their troops saying agents need to produce or find another place to hang out. Make me money or be gone may be another way of saying it.Real estate is a difficult business to begin with and is not as easy as it looks or even should be. One of the reasons agents go through dry spells is because they get very

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-55677637036488907372008-07-16T11:01:00.000-07:002008-07-16T11:02:33.415-07:00

Over the years we have learned we need a day to get ready to fly home from Alaska and today’s it! This is a wonderful place to visit and with everything we try to accomplish by the end our stay we have clothes and gear in every imaginable place. Today we will get it all in one place, maybe even do a load of laundry and get packed up for our return to summer.While we are here, we have had a

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-38953597364700209062008-07-11T12:57:00.000-07:002008-07-11T12:58:06.018-07:00

Not all out of town lenders are bad, just the ones I seem to have to deal with! Twice in the past month I have had great clients who both were using lenders I had never heard of and were located out of the Sacramento area. Both were quick to provide pre-qualification letters when we needed them. One went so far as to say he could close the deal in 14-days when we told him the seller was

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-30734100617478970082008-07-11T12:56:00.001-07:002008-07-11T12:56:57.520-07:00

Since the Sacramento real estate market is comprised of so many foreclosures I thought it might be a good idea to provide some tips on buying lender owned properties. Although there are some bargains to be had they are not always easy and there are some things you should know if you are interested in buying one. Check out my latest article, Buying Bank Owned Properties, on my Real Estate News

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-69936456524203753132008-07-11T12:54:00.000-07:002008-07-11T12:55:09.067-07:00

We returned to Anchorage from our favorite Alaska city, Homer. Anchorage has and has not changed much from when we lived here. There are new buildings here and there and plenty of road construction. The downtown area is a mess as a enormous parking garage is being built and the traffic is as bad as we remember.Unlike California, everyone we talk to up here is excited about the economy and the

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-35373181414937629932008-07-11T12:53:00.001-07:002008-07-11T12:54:21.047-07:00

At the end of the road is Homer. You drive as far south as you can from Anchorage along the Kenai Peninsula and you end up in this wonderful Alaska village. It is also known as the Halibut fishing capital of the world but it is so much more and if you are ever in Alaska well worth the time to visit.Nestled on the shore of Kachemak Bay there is breathtaking views of glaciers, mountains and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-82966657481605659042008-07-01T12:34:00.000-07:002008-07-01T12:36:59.003-07:00

We left summer behind yesterday and arrived in Anchorage where they have been experiencing a wet and cool summer. At least it is nice to get away from the smoke for a few days. We are here for a family wedding and a trip to Homer to visit Michael’s daughter Kevyn and her husband Dave.We have a good team to cover for me while we are away and I have my phone and email so hopefully we can get some

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-16625107023711760512008-06-25T12:49:00.000-07:002008-06-25T12:50:11.097-07:00

I have been feeling the softness in the Sacramento real estate market for the past few weeks. My first indication things were slowing down is when I had to put one of my short sale listings back on the market after the buyer backed out just as the lender approved the transaction. This house on Roseville Street in Roseville is very cute, priced right and after we had it in contract had to turn

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-70569318916265440572008-06-24T13:36:00.000-07:002008-06-24T13:38:17.283-07:00

I have watched this show in the past and always think, where do they get these people, I would never do that! Well that was before yesterday when I got an email from the show’s producer asking me to consider being on the show. Evidently they are looking for a “wife” who is also a Realtor and they found my website, www.jalone.com. I thought for sure Michael and Mikie would have fit and not want

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-85354089024055422952008-06-19T11:23:00.000-07:002008-06-19T11:24:34.345-07:00

If you read the headline in the Sacramento Bee this morning, “Home Sales up for 2nd month” it might give you a feeling that our real estate market is doing pretty well after almost three years of slumping. Don’t get me wrong, I am feeling optimistic about eventually getting back to a balanced real estate market but when you get behind some of the numbers it is pretty clear we have a ways to

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-89007241143069530032008-06-16T11:51:00.000-07:002008-06-16T11:52:55.742-07:00

Where did Father’s Day weekend go? At our house it seemed so go by very quickly and here we are starting another busy week. I may be starting to feel the pressure of getting ready to go on vacation but it seems the Sacramento real estate market is showing no signs of slowing down.We have continued to see a activity in the Sacramento short sale market as we picked up two new listings last week and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-80027415455665578472008-06-11T12:11:00.001-07:002008-06-11T12:12:21.080-07:00

Many lenders have dedicated staff to deal with short sales and some appear to have developed a process that works for them. Where the problem occurs is the volume of requests for short sales. It overwhelms the negotiators and others who deal with borrowers and Realtors who are requesting short sale consideration. Yesterday, we were talking to a negotiator for a lender who when we asked her to

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-49759899282055395462008-06-10T13:45:00.000-07:002008-06-10T13:47:36.952-07:00

The trend is clear; we are not going to be seeing the normal buildup of inventory of homes in the Sacramento real estate market this year. Normally starting in late February or early March the number of homes coming on the market is faster than sales so inventory of available homes increases until August. Going into the spring, inventory was already high but instead of increasing it has

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-86838820100834942372008-06-05T12:12:00.000-07:002008-06-05T12:13:54.422-07:00

Approximately 183,000 at-risk homeowners were provided loan workouts in April, 23,000 more than in March, according to a new report from HOPE NOW, a private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, counselors, and investors working to prevent home foreclosures across the country. The April numbers represent the highest number of workouts provided through HOPE NOW since the program was launched in

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-6996980001074934882008-06-05T10:31:00.001-07:002008-06-05T10:32:30.435-07:00

It is clear the Sacramento real estate market is going to continue to see short sales and foreclosures for the foreseeable future. For many months the mainstream media focused on foreclosures and bank owned property and didn’t pay much attention to short sales. Today we are hearing more about them because there are so many.Short sales are a strategy for some homeowners to avoid a foreclosure and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-78416394491470726742008-06-03T13:58:00.000-07:002008-06-03T13:59:04.673-07:00

With the mortgage industry going through change and consolidation it is vital for home buyers to have a “good” lender working for them. In my latest Rocklin & Roseville Today and Sacramento Today columns, “Home Buyer Key to Success: A Good Lender” I write about good lenders and one who is on my “never work with again” list. I also provide some tips on how to make sure you get a good lender when

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-9458872781855064582008-05-28T12:12:00.000-07:002008-05-28T12:13:12.182-07:00

This has been a crazy real estate week and I have several new topics to blog about but today I want to officially welcome Stephanie McLaughlin to our MagnumOne Realty family. Some of you may remember “MyForSaleSign” feature when I chronicled the selling of a Yuba City home for Randi and Tony. The agent on the other side of the transaction was Stephanie and I was so impressed with her skill and

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-966422091370757742008-05-24T15:33:00.001-07:002008-05-24T15:34:06.426-07:00

One of our agents at MagnumOne Realty has a new listing in Loomis. I have always said living in this area makes you close to everything but as a non-golfer I had never thought of this area as “Golf Country.” What I learned from the seller of this beautiful home on 2.3 acres is that from his house in Loomis there are eleven golf courses within 10 miles and believe it or not there are more than

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-57855002591941221032008-05-16T16:07:00.000-07:002008-05-16T16:10:44.132-07:00

I have been wrestling with a situation I have not experienced before. Some of the buyers we are currently helping find new homes are the same ones we helped buy a home when the market was peaking back in the summer of 2005. The difference today is they want to buy a smaller more affordable home in the same community they live in and one where the loan to value ratio is not upside down. There

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-80737088986762478862008-05-12T11:47:00.000-07:002008-05-12T11:48:31.430-07:00

As you may have noticed from my lack of posts this past week I have been a bit swamped. As much as I enjoy helping homeowners who are experiencing difficulty and need to get out from under their mortgage debt, the process of short sales is long, tedious and requires a good deal of effort. We have been making some good progress and it looks likely we will get another positive response from a

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-17536295755565266682008-05-06T14:44:00.000-07:002008-05-06T14:47:05.594-07:00

I recently read an article about real estate blogging which made the point that people only read your blog to get information on real estate and author’s who make the mistake of venturing off into other topics will lose readership. I hope that is not the case as there are days I am thinking about other things besides real estate and I feel like writing about them. Today is one of those days but I

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-67143128791191684442008-05-01T12:28:00.001-07:002008-05-01T12:29:17.097-07:00

I am delighted to announce that Tina Farinas has joined MagnumOne Realty. Tina is an experienced agent who specializes in serving buyers and sellers in Sacramento and Placer counties. She is a real “worker” and her clients love her for that. Check out her page at jalone.com and her personal website, http://www.tinafarinas.com/. Welcome Tina!In addition to Tina joining our team we have just

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-47720383854712424372008-04-30T13:09:00.000-07:002008-04-30T13:11:36.954-07:00

The number of vacant homes for sale in the United States set a new record in the first quarter of 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Monday.The Census Bureau reported that 2.9 percent of U.S. homes or 2.28 million properties, not including rentals, were vacant and for sale. It was the highest quarterly number as far back to 1956 when records of such vacancies were first kept.The West had the

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-42180875586176221582008-04-29T11:23:00.001-07:002008-04-29T11:24:15.737-07:00

Get this, now is the time when inventory of homes on the market traditionally increases and should continue to so as we move into summer but inventory is remarkably stable right now. Even with the large numbers of foreclosures in the Sacramento area during the first quarter we are seeing inventory staying right around 15,000 and even edged down last week. We still have more “For Sale” homes than

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-32222402789745166082008-04-29T11:19:00.000-07:002008-04-29T11:20:50.886-07:00

We just lost out on a great house because of how an overworked agent manages her bank owned listings. Check out my weekly column at Rocklin & Roseville Today, “Buying bank owned can be a pain!”

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-83040634244641072042008-04-24T12:00:00.000-07:002008-04-24T12:01:38.619-07:00

It is just a number but when you think about the families having to move from their homes and lives disrupted, 5,278 foreclosures in Sacramento and surrounding counties during the past three months is staggering. For more details about the Sacramento foreclosures check out my column, “Foreclosures Skyrocket, “over at Rocklin & Roseville Today.Speaking about my weekly local real estate column at

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-42991227681151453032008-04-16T13:42:00.001-07:002008-04-16T13:42:41.707-07:00

I must have forgotten to knock on wood last week when I babbled on about For Sale Declines and being amazed that inventory of homes on the market in the Sacramento area were declining and prices were holding steady. I just surfed over to HousingTracker to take a look at inventory and prices this week and was surprised again, for a different reason.It wasn’t surprising to see inventory creeping

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-45025281073479124732008-04-15T12:49:00.001-07:002008-04-15T12:51:27.518-07:00

Assistance programs have been around for years but are re-emerging now that most lenders require down payments before they will finance a home. Check out my latest column, “Down Payment Assistance,” over at Roseville & Rocklin Today where I write about a few of the programs we have used, how they can benefit both buyers and sellers and where to get more information.

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-33006909431502612332008-04-09T12:18:00.000-07:002008-04-09T12:46:12.984-07:00

Here we are on Wednesday of the week where we are expected to get some 80 degree weather during the coming weekend. That feels good to me and so does what is starting to happen in the Sacramento and Roseville real estate market. Check out my column, “Warmer weather brings out buyers,” over at Roseville & Rocklin Today and see why I am starting to feel optimistic.

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-79513489155999286822008-04-08T13:17:00.000-07:002008-04-08T13:18:40.386-07:00

Okay, make me officially amazed! Inventory has not started growing like it normally does this time of year, it has actually declined. According to our friends over at HousingTracker, the number of homes on the market in the Sacramento area has declined 2.9 percent in the past month and now stands at less than 15,000 for the first time since the low last spring of just over 13,000. This trend

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-43981737215363258822008-04-04T12:51:00.000-07:002008-04-04T12:53:33.238-07:00

There are many industry professionals and local agents clamoring about a recovery of our troubled Sacramento real estate market but I am feeling cautious because I have been dealing with so many shorts sales and foreclosures. It is nice to hear about agents being busy and see some houses move so check out why I am not smiling in my weekly column, “No Smiles Yet” over at Roseville & Rocklin

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-36057879035532739582008-04-03T14:27:00.001-07:002008-04-03T14:27:58.272-07:00

Yesterday the Senate announced that it had reached a bipartisan compromise on a plan to aid families facing foreclosure. This is good news as the lawmakers have been unable to reach agreement on some of the key provisions already passed by the house.The compromise includes:· Foreclosure aid. A $4 billion package to aid communities hard hit by foreclosures and mortgage delinquencies.

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-26582352522162753792008-04-02T15:58:00.000-07:002008-04-02T15:59:37.159-07:00

It's April 1st again and that means there are some crazy things flying around the Internet. Some of it is difficult to tell if it a joke or not but most of it is fun. Here is a list I found earlier with links to some April 1st jokes. · The BBC's Flying Penguin's - this one is the best April Fools' joke out there this year. You can watch the video here .· CNET has TechCrunch acquiring TigerBeat

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-46661514892641243162008-03-31T14:24:00.000-07:002008-03-31T14:25:35.344-07:00

Wow, we just reduced our 53rd Street listing in Sacramento down to $137,500. This is property that is worth looking at by first time home buyers and investors. Not only does it have curb appeal in a rapidly improving neighborhood but it has a double size lot with a cottage in the back. The small cottage has a private driveway off of 20th Avenue and the two structures are separated by a privacy

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-10982280413304535402008-03-27T13:54:00.001-07:002008-03-27T13:55:26.634-07:00

As you may know we have recently been working on a number of short sales here in the Sacramento area. This includes working with both sellers and buyers. They clearly add a level of complexity and administrative work to each transaction and require an extreme level of patience from everyone involved. Each lender has their own process and requirements which is understandable but some are so much

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048162104912714649.post-59960427311334144892008-03-25T14:11:00.000-07:002008-03-25T14:12:36.948-07:00

The news and commentary from my National Association of Realtors has not always been something to be proud of. More often than not they have, in my opinion, been guilty of delivering propaganda than telling readers the truth. That may be a bit harsh, but clearly they can find a way to put a positive “spin” about some very negative trends in our National real estate market. I naturally read their

Julie Jalonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15255552901132293856noreply@blogger.com0