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Vacation Rental Home Needed
Our family Christmas tradition for the past few years or so has become more about family and being together rather than buying more stuff. It started a number of years back, when we went to the Caribbean for a Christmas cruise. We each had a small gift for each other, though the real delight and fond memories are from the day’s events and the week spent together. Since then, we have been doing what it takes to be together for a week each year…. making a change…. Getting outside the box as far as gift-giving goes. Rather than spending money on gifts that the recipient may or may not want, we are now focusing on putting our funds together to rent a home large enough for all of us to be together, with all three of our goldens, in a home large enough to spread out and have fun together for a week.
Well, this year, my daughter is pregnant with their first child and far enough along that they want to stay close to home. That puts us close to the California wine country –wow is all I can say about the prices of vacation rentals in the California wine country. So my call is out to anyone reading this… if you know of anyone with a home to rent over the Christmas holiday, within about an hour’s drive of the bay area, big enough for six adults and our three goldens, please let me know!
Griffin
Home Prices on the Rise?
The New York Times posted the recent Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller study showing gains of home prices in multiple cities.
See the interactive chart here.
Homeownership and Stable Communities Go Hand-in-Hand
RISMEDIA, August 16, 2010—Homeowners who are more active in their communities benefit from improved education opportunities and report higher levels of self-esteem and happiness when compared to renters, according to leading research. A new report from the National Association of Realtors, Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing, explores the impact of stable housing and the positive social outcomes resulting from homeownership.
“Homeownership is in investment in your future—home is where we make memories, build our lives and feel comfortable and secure,” said Vicki Cox Golder, owner of a Tucson, Ariz.-based firm. “Owning a home has long-standing government support in this country because homeownership benefits individuals and families, strengthens our communities and is integral to our nation’s economy.”
Remodeling Trends Have Changed
When it comes to home ownership the remodeling trends of the recent past appear to have changed. The recent recession has left a permeating lifestyle change, one that has swapped over-indulgence with down-to-earth necessity. In other words, if it isn’t a necessity many people won’t do it.
It is a buyer’s market out there which means that the buyer is in control. A seller can no longer pass off a roof in poor condition or a faulty wiring system. If a homeowner wants to sell he will either have to make necessary repairs to his home or credit the buyer at closing.
Remodeling is on the upswing and for the first year since the height of the real estate market, the amount of money spent on remodeling is expected to increase. The only difference is what kind of remodeling is occurring, in other words if it needs fixing it is going to be fixed.
The days of bigger and better have passed, being replaced with the motto of living within one’s means and embracing the basics, and real estate in Corvallis is no exception to this rule.
Click here to read a recent article from the Wall Street Journal regarding the current state of remodeling.
Selling a Home in A Buyer’s Market
It is no secret that it is a buyer’s market out there, great news for buyers, not so great for sellers. Sellers are no longer in a position to dictate th
e rules of the game and have to be careful how they respond and counter to offers, due to the fact that if a buyer doesn’t get his way he might just move on to the next seller, and there are a lot of sellers out there.
There are a few difficult things about being a seller today. A seller doesn’t know how long it will take to sell his home and when he gets a contract he can’t guarantee whether another one will come or not. What this means is that if a seller has to sell his home then he has to be wary of scaring the buyer away.
The inspection is one aspect of a contract where a seller can lose his shirt. If trying to sell your home it is a wise idea to have your home inspected before listing your home. This way you can make the necessary improvements and will avoid being surprised by unexpected requests. Because sellers are not in a position to capitalize on their real estate investment it is more important than ever to be on top of things, in order to retain as much value as possible.
An experienced Realtor is incredibly helpful in maneuvering a tricky real estate market, enabling a seller to evaluate his home, price it appropriately and sell it in a reasonable amount of time.
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