Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

Today, I want give you a brief rundown of the latest Sacramento market statistics. Let’s jump right in.

In Sacramento County, we have only 1.6 months of inventory as of February, and the average days on market is only 37 days. In Placer County, we have 2.5 months of inventory and the average days on market is only 49 days. The question is, what do these numbers mean for you?

Any amount of inventory under three months is a hot seller’s market. In this kind of market, there are many more buyers than there are homes for them to buy, which is a great advantage for sellers. We’re just now entering the spring market, and things are about to really heat up. Now is the time everyone is out there buying, so it’s a perfect time to list your home for a higher price and reap the rewards of great market conditions.

If you’re thinking about selling and would like help taking advantage of this fantastic market, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to help you accomplish all your real estate goals!

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

Today we are answering the question, “Why hire a real estate agent in 2016?” A lot of people have been asking us this so we decided to answer the question today. The answer comes in 5 parts, so let’s get to it:

Agents are experts at doing paperwork and can make sure each item is checked off and taken care of, and there are no stones unturned. 

Agents have experience with the marketplace and the entire sales process. They can help get you from point A to point B in a concise and efficient manner. 

These take place throughout the entire transaction, not just when you’re working on the contract. It’s important to have a strong, skilled negotiator working for you during this time so you don’t get taken advantage of.

It’s very important to hire an agent so you know how to price your home. With all of the information out there, you need an educated opinion from an expert on what your home is worth.

We decipher the news headlines into the information that you need. This helps us sell quicker and for more money, because we always know what play to make.

If you have any questions for us, or know someone who is thinking of buying or selling, give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you!

Selling Your Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Get a free home value report 

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

Happy Holidays everyone! It's been a great year for our real estate team, and we never could have had such a successful year without all of your help. Thank you for all of your business and referrals!

I also have a tip for you today. You know how hard it is to take Christmas pictures, right? Everyone is busy and on a different schedule, and it's hard to get people in the same place at the same time. Going to the mall and taking a photo isn't very fun and it's expensive, too.

Here's your solution: Bass Pro Shops! They offer free photos with Santa! I went to the location in Rockland and it's open until 10pm. They're going to be doing this until the 24th, so hurry on down there!

Happy Holidays!

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

"List and sell your home during the holidays? What are you, crazy?" That's the reaction you'll get from most people when you suggest selling during the holidays. However, the holidays are a great time to sell. With the right strategy, selling during the holidays gives you a competitive advantage. Here's why.

As you can see, the holidays are a great time to sell. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

I love October, and I love Halloween. With this being said, I'd like to tell you a little bit about my three favorite places to take my family during this spooky time of year.

Goblin Gardens  is a great one to start out at, but something that makes them special is that they have authentic covered wagons. It'll make you feel like you're out in the old west.

Bishop's Pumpkin Farm  is another good choice, and this is a massive pumpkin patch. I've been there multiple times, and it's like the Disneyland of pumpkin patches.They have a zipline, and I actually never knew that it was there because the whole place is so massive! I've never done it but I've always wanted to. This one is located in Wheatland, but it's worth the trek!

Dave's Pumpkin Patch is probably my favorite out of all three. It's in West Sacramento, and it's run by Vierra Farms. What really makes this place special is the 'Pumpkin Chunkin', a cannon that shoots pumpkins 500 yards! I know all you dads out there want to see that - I'm pushing really hard for my family to go there this year.

If you're just looking for some pumpkins to decorate your home with, I'd suggest looking at Green Acres. They have a great selection and it's very inexpensive.

As always, if you need any real estate assistance whatsoever, please don't hesitate to contact me! I look forward to hearing from you.

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

Moving and buying a new home is an exciting experience. The one thing that no one talks about, though, is how tough moving can be on your entire family. Today, I've got 6 tips for you on how to bring finality and closure to your home so you can enjoy the fresh start.

1. Drive through the neighborhood before you go. Take a video of some of the local places and landmarks that you enjoy so that you have those memories preserved.
2. Throw your own going away party. Invite all of your friends and family, even set up a photo or video booth. This is the last time you might be able to get all those people together in one place.
3. Take one last walk-through of the home with all of the family. Take a look at and be aware of all the special memories you have in that home, and reminisce about them.
4. Take a picture of your entire family in front of your old home.
5. Take a picture of your entire family in front of your new home. Then take both of these pictures, frame them, and hang them up in your new home.
6. Make plans to come back and visit the neighborhood within a year. If you do that, there is a piece of you that can hold on to the feeling that you will be coming back soon. This will help bring closure and finality to your whole family.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

We are in the midst of a hot August market, and we just wanted to take a moment today to give you a quick update. Here’s a peek at July’s numbers, and what to expect in the coming months.

We are still in a hot seller’s market right now, with just 1.9 months of inventory. Sellers are loving how quickly their properties are moving, as the average days on the market for the entire Sacramento area is at just 25 days. 

There is still time to get your property on the market this summer and take advantage of these conditions. Homes are selling in under a week when priced correctly. They are also selling for 98% of their original list price, a great figure. Sellers can still command that high price for their home.

If you are looking to buy a home, now is an excellent time to do that as well. Interest rates are near historically low levels and lending guidelines are looser. If you have any questions about the market or how you can take advantage of it, feel free to give me a call or send me a quick email. If you text me, you can get a link to our free app as well. I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

Buyers often ask me whether or not they absolutely need an inspection done on a potential home. Almost 100% of the time I tell them that they should have a professional inspection done.

Even if you're buying a brand new home, it may still have something wrong with it. When you're investing in something such as a home, you will want to ensure that it is in proper working order. This would be like buying a car without test driving it and getting a mechanic's report on it.

Give yourself peace of mind, and allow the inspector to crawl under the home and into the roof to ensure that you're not purchasing a home with a major underlying problem.

If you want to do some research on home inspectors, you can look them up on the American Society of Home Inspectors. These are the professionals that I refer to my clients, and they will perform the work right in front of you and tell you exactly what's going on.

If you need any referrals for home inspectors of pest inspectors, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

A lot of people have been asking me lately, "What can I do to get my home to sell? What major renovations should I be making?" They think that major renovations will get them the biggest return on investment.

My answer may surprise you: Don't make any major renovations before selling your home. Construction projects always cost more than you think they will initially, and since you won't be around to enjoy the new improvements, it's really just money down the drain.

Minor improvements can go a long way. Start with the front yard. Research shows that curb appeal can make a buyer love or hate a home before they even step through the front door. Clean up the yard, get rid of grease spots on the driveway, and trim any shrubbery. Make sure everything is nice and beautiful.

There are a ton of inexpensive fixes for your home that can get you the biggest bang for your buck. If you are interested in more tips to get your home to sell quickly and for top dollar, please give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help.

Buying a Northern California or Sacramento Area Home? Search all homes for sale

The greater Sacramento area has been seeing a lot of changes lately. Today we are going to give you a market update for the area, with the latest stats from the month of July. Here is what’s been going on:

We are definitely still in a seller’s market, with about 1.7 months of inventory. That number is down from 2.1 months at this time last year.

The average sale price is up 1.6% just from May of this year! That is incredible growth.

The average days on market in Sacramento is down to 25 days.

The median home price has increased from $290,000 to $294,000 in just one month.

As you can see, sellers are able to command a higher price in this market when priced right and marketed correctly. As for buyers, historically low interest rates and looser lending guidelines are both great incentives to lock in a purchase, and an interest rate, now.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. Talk to you soon!