Fremont Real Estate Blog

View as a Web page  | View on Mobile Device *During the Model Grand Opening Event on 3/31/2012 only, food and beverages will be served while supplies last. Prices listed are base prices, do not include lot premiums or upgrades and are subject to change without notice. Square footage listed is approximate. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required or if void by law. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only, are not intended to be an actual representation of a specific home being offered and depict a model containing features or designs that may not be available on all homes or that may be available for an additional cost. Some conditions, limitations, and restrictions apply. This offer is subject to change or withdrawal at any time without not...

For release: March 26, 2012 California pending home sales climb from previous month and year; tight inventory in distressed market persists LOS ANGELES (March 26) – Pending home sales in California gained ground for the second consecutive month in February, while the share of equity sales posted higher after two months of decline, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.  Pending home sales: C.A.R.’s Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)* rose from a revised 102.3 in January to 127.8 in February, based on signed contracts.  The index also was up from the 111.8 index recorded in February 2011, marking the tenth consecutive month that pending sales were higher than the previous year.  Pending home sales are forward-looking indicators of future home sales activity, providing information on the future direction of the market. Distressed housing market data: “A lack of inventory in the bank-owned (REO) and short sale market was a contrib...

FHA Streamline Refinancing Fees Reduced The White House recently announced significant changes that will reduce the fees charged for the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) Streamline Refinance Program. Beginning June 11, 2012, the Streamline Refinance upfront fee of 1% will be reduced to 0.01% of the total loan amount. And the annual fee will be lowered from 1.15% to 0.55% of the total loan amount. By refinancing through this streamlined process, the average qualified FHA-insured borrower will save approximately $3,000 a year or $250 per month, on top of any savings from refinancing to a lower mortgage rate. The "streamline" refers to the minimal amount of documentation and underwriting that needs to be performed. Streamline refinancing can be done without an appraisal or income verification, providing the person(s) on the loan hasn't changed. There are no loan-to-value (LTV) restrictions on streamline refinancing. This is significant for underwater borrowers...

3 attic insulation musts By PAUL BIANCHINA Q: I have 7 inches of insulation in the attic running between each rafter. I'd like to add another 6-7 inches. Would it make a difference if I placed the new insulation perpendicular to the already existing insulation rather than lay it the same way as the present insulation is now?...   SUNIL SETHI REAL ESTATE Helping Families Find Homes with Great Schools. Sunil Sethi (510) 388-2436 Steven Fong (510) 673-6509 DRE #01173766, #01729474 Love Us on Yelp!   Like Us on Facebook     Property Search | Featured Listing | Neighborhoods | Home Value | School Score  

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) is spearheading an effort to keep the Bay clean. The EPA and RWQCB are requiring the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), six East Bay cities, and one sewer district to fix old, cracked sanitary sewer pipes to ensure they don't allow the infiltration of rainwater which can overwhelm wastewater treatment facilities, resulting in untreated or partially treated sewage being released into the Bay. As a result, EBMUD and its partners are phasing in a Regional Private Sewer Lateral (PSL) Ordinance in some east bay communities. Affected property owners will be required to obtain a certificate from EBMUD indicating that their PSLs are without defects and have proper connections. The following cities are required to have sewer clearance prior to close of escrow or test done without further repairs.   Please watch out the agreement.   The...

9 home renovation ideas to increase livability March 22, 2012 From Zillow blog By Inman News Inman News® Share This Editor's note: This guest perspective is reposted with permission of Zillow . View the original item: " 9 Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Home ." By RICHARD TAYLOR Conventional wisdom, as it relates to houses, is often too much convention and not enough wisdom. Every year, somebody publishes a list of which conventional home improvements will give you the best (or the worst) return on your remodeling investment . Remodel a bathroom . Replace your siding. Don't build a swimming pool. Paint everything neutral colors . Sit up straight. Get a haircut. Call your mother. If return on investment (ROI) is why you bought a home, or why you're remodeling one, you can stop reading now. Because the rest of this article isn't for you. Three, two, one ... still here? You invest in your home to improve livability first, not value. If you get more value in...

Housing Crisis to End in 2012 as Banks Loosen Credit Standards 01/24/2012 By: Krista Franks Brock Top of Form Bottom of Form Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit. The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago. Additionally, a Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey found credit requirements in the fourth quarter were consistent with the past three quarters. However, other market indicators point not just to a stabilization of mortgage lending standards, but also a loosening of credit availability. Banks are now lending amounts up to 3.5 times borrower earnings. This is up from a low during the crisis of 3.2 times borrower earnings. Banks are also loosening loan-to-value ratios (LTV), which Capital Economics denotes “the clearest sign y...

We’re experiencing the same buyer behavior we experience in the last housing boom. Expect prices to continue to rise the next 5 years.   From DS news   Overconfidence and the recovery Long-term Treasuries and mortgage rates at last broke out of a half-year-long trading range centered on 2 percent for the 10-year Treasury note, and 4 percent for mortgages. On the upward trend: 10-year Treasuries rose to 2.33 percent... Continued »       - sunil   SUNIL SETHI REAL ESTATE Helping Families Find Homes with Great Schools. Sunil Sethi (510) 388-2436 Steven Fong (510) 673-6509 DRE #01173766, #01729474 Love Us on Yelp!   Like Us on Facebook   Property Search | Featured Listing | Neighborhoods | Home Value | School Score