How shiny is the housing future?

In his State of the Union address President Obama announced an initiative designed to help responsible homeowners hold onto their homes — and in turn help the housing market recover. In a later speech he delivered to unveil the administration’s new plan, he called the housing market’s struggles “the single biggest drag on our recovery from a terrible recession…But it is wrong for anybody to suggest that the only option for struggling, responsible homeowners is to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom.”

The key aspects of the president’s plan include:

• Broad-based refinancing to help responsible borrowers save an average of $3,000 per year.

• A “Homeowner Bill of Rights,” to assure that borrowers and lenders each follow the same guidelines.

• An initiative to transition foreclosed homes into rental housing in an effort to stabilize neighborhoods and boost property values.

• Giving homeowners who have lost their jobs a full year of forbearance on their mortgages while they look for work.

• Investigating the mortgage origination and servicing abuses that contributed to the housing market’s crash.

• Rehabilitating neighborhoods and reducing foreclosures by increasing incentives for loan modifications that will help borrowers rebuild equity.

Twitter me at www.twitter.com/movingtoventura

I tour A LOT of homes! I preview for my clients, I go on broker caravan each week, I spend hours and hours on the computer looking at numerous databases and websites, I run reports on  foreclosures, notice of defaults, and local commercial inventory.  I look at trends of new listings versus sales, standard sales versus short sales, days on market versus cumulative days on market and I study individual neighborhoods around the area.

If tweeting is more to your liking, subscribe to my tweets and let’s get the twitter going! If you are moving to, from, or around Ventura County, I’m your expert in the field!

My husband and I own a 1958 18 foot Traveler Airstream. We bought her from a collector in Olympia, WA. After finding a small opal ring buried deep in a corner, we named her Opal. She’d been sitting in the collector’s barn for 25 years and was VERY dusty. Her frig no longer functioned so we used it as an ice box but the “Princess” stove still worked like a charm. With my dad’s help, we installed Flor carpeting and covered that with green shag. The couch was covered in retro print and a new bed was built that is more comfortable than any bed out there! I had someone sew the curtains and made custom bedding. We’ve been camping in her for years.

Recently, we had Opal buffed to a mirror shine and with that we were referred to Steven Butcher. When we walked into his warehouse of Airstreams, our jaws dropped. He must have 30 Airstreams in all stages of restoration and dating back to the mid-40′s. We’re planning on building out some shelving, installing a new couch/table area, fixing a broken window and popping out a dent when I ran into the cattle guard on Mocassin Ranch in Wintrop, WA.  (It was dark and late at night…)

I’m looking forward to my next visit to Steven’s Funky Junk Farms warehouse and meeting more of the people who do such incredible work!

Migration Trends

Where did people move in 2011? According to the Atlas Van Lines 2011 Migration Patterns Study, Southwestern and Mid-Atlantic coastal states were the most popular destinations. The study provides a snapshot of relocation trends over the course of the year. States that lost more residents than they gained are classified as outbound states, while those that gained more residents than they lost are classified as inbound states.

For the sixth year in a row, Washington, D.C. had the highest percentage of inbound moves, while Ohio had the largest percentage of outbound moves. Meanwhile, Michigan, which had been losing residents for the past six years, became a balanced state, where there were as many inbound moves as outbound.

Cozy, Comfortable, Luxurious & Private

 480 S. Emma Avenue sold at asking price of $369,000, just a few days after coming onto the market. 

In getting the home ready for sale, carpets were removed to show off the beautiful wood floors that had been covered and protected for years, windows were washed inside and out, and every surface of the house was scrubbed to give the home that extra sparkle. To neutralize and emphasize the home’s spaciousness, the walls were painted with the perfect light color.  The yard was spruced up and flowers added to give that extra curb appeal.  The service providers did a wonderful job getting the home ready. (I’d be happy to share their names with you!)  The final step was to stage the house to make the home more inviting while buyers toured through.

Located in a neighborhood where very few two bathrooms exist, this home had quite a bit of activity with multiple offers coming in.

Be ahead of the curve! If you are looking for a home and competing with the hundreds of other buyers out there, it helps to know ahead of time what is about to come on the market.  That’s where I bring you added value.

So call me and let’s talk about the features you are interested in. I have a vast network of resources to get you to where you want to go, on time and with peace of mind.

Congrats to both the Seller and the Buyer of 480 S. Emma Avenue!

93001 Foreclosure Bids

Per the latest report on ForeclosureRadar.com, it is not unusual to see foreclosures slow for the holidays, and the this year is no exception. Foreclosure starts were up slightly in Nevada and Washington, but the increases were insignificant given the recent declines in those states due to legislative changes and legal challenges. Foreclosure Sales rose only in Arizona, but that increase simply offset the drop seen in October and is still well below average monthly sales for the year there.

Notice of Trustee Sale filings rose 34.7 percent from October to November in California. The increase came primarily from filings by Bank of America, up 52 percent, and Wells Fargo, up 23 percent. It is not unusual to see an increase in foreclosure sales each January, and these filings would be necessary in preparation for that.

Sales to 3rd parties, typically investors, have increased significantly year-over-year. The largest increases we’re seen in Arizona and Nevada at 101.6 and 79.9 percent respectively. Other states saw increases as well: California 29.4 percent and Washington at 6.7 percent.

Call me if you you have questions or would like statistics on foreclosures in your neighborhood!

Congratulations!

Pat, Congratulations on the purchase of your beautiful new home! It has been an absolute delight working with you. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey.

Once Stanley (your adorable cat) gets used to his new digs, it will be one Home Sweet Home!!!

Mid-Century Entertainer's Dream!

This wonderful mid-century three bedroom, 2 bath home on S. Emma Avenue will be coming on the market in early December.  Highlights of this property include hardwood floors, lots of windows looking out to the wonderful backyard and garden area, a spacious kitchen, a large detached garage with ample space for a work area.  Call me for your private showing!

Our Ad in the November Ventana

Check out our latest ad in the local Ventana magazine. From right to left meet Judy Fairchild, Bob Ridgway, Tina Comden and me!

COOPER SAYS...

… BEE fore you got to bed Saturday night, November 5th, BEE sure to set your clocks back one hour for daylight saving time!

In the meantime, if you know of someone who is thinking of moving, give me a call. I’ll help you get to where you want to go. On time and with peace of mind. You can BEE sure of it!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!