The Tale of Two Escrows

I'd like to share two escrows which happened at the same time with polar opposite experiences.

My seller listed her home mid-October. Within 10 days we had a nice, full price offer. We went into escrow and started thinking about the new home my seller and her fiance were going to buy and start their new life in. We'll call their sale escrow #1. The inspections went fine and the appraisal was ordered but came in a little low.  We lowered the price and asked that loan contingencies be removed. The loan seemed to be having some bumps and there were multiple requests for loan contingency extensions, discussions of not closing on time and frustration all around. Not fun.

Meanwhile my clients had been on an MLS auto email program and they were well aware of what was on the market. I showed them three homes (just like House Hunters!). They put in their offer, we beat out a cash offer and opened escrow. Inspections went well, appraisal went well, roof permit violation was handled promptly by the seller. Loan docs came into title (before escrow #1 which started 10 days before). Paperwork was signed and we waited to see what would happen with #1.

Although both escrows closed and everyone is where they wanted to be, there were two HUGE differences which made the experience in each polar opposite:

1. THE TEAM. In escrow #2 my clients chose a lender who was prompt and took the time to pull credit and get documentation so when that loan approval letter was issued it actually meant we were ready to put in offers. The listing agent had a great assistant who was efficient at follow up and getting disclosures signed.

2. COMMUNICATION. While escrow #2 had a couple of little issues that certainly could have blown up on us, there was a lot of communication between the agents, the seller, title and the lender so everyone knew where things were at and everyone worked together towards the goal.

There was very little communication in escrow #1 regarding what was happening so assumptions were made or the priority of closing on time seemed to be less important to some of the players.

Two escrow officers from the same company handled our transactions and they were both fabulous - helpful, quick and great about communicating.

Just like any relationship, the intentions of the people involved and communication are key to not only the outcome but to the experience everyone has.

Make sure you pick the right team!

Thanksgiving

Just a quick note to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. I hope you get to spend time with the people who you love. Our family will be participating in the Run to Feed the Divide in Cool. Whose in?

What's a Normal Market Anyway?

It seems like we have gone from one weird market to the next weird market since 2004. I remember a listing appointment in 2005 where we priced the home $5000 above anything that had sold in the area and I told my sellers by the time the appraisal was done (3 weeks later) there would be comps to support that price. Sure enough there was!

When the market first started into its downward spiral 2006, it was difficult to be the first listing agent for a property. The first agent had to disappoint sellers with the initial list price and then try to keep up with a market that was dropping $5000 a month in some area. Price reductions and no offers were hard for everyone. Often the first agent was not given an extension on the listing or worse yet fired. That was hard as none of us could have predicted such a quick, sharp decline.

Then we moved onto the market of short sales. I think this market was the worst. To show up at a listing appointment to meet with people who have often paid their adjusting mortgages with credit cards, lost jobs, cars, etc is heart breaking. I went on more than one listing appointment where the clients were crying. That kind of stress is heartbreaking and all we could do was price the home to entice a buyer to wait for 3-5 months while the banks approved the sales. Not a very fun or glamorous time to be an agent.

Along with the short sale market, the REO market was on fire. Homes where the sellers just walked away, unsuccessful short sales, etc created a huge foreclosure market. It also created some beat up, vandalized pits that were almost impossible to finance. Which created the....

Investor market. There was a period of time that the values were so low and interest rates were below 4% that it created a huge market for investors. Which just showed that the market is always good for someone.

So what do investors do? They rent them or fix them up and put them back on the market. With home values on a slight rise and plenty of buyers looking for homes that could be financed, investors started flipping homes.

All at once we had short sales that had to be slightly under priced to attract buyers to wait, REO homes that were difficult to finance due to condition and flip homes that generally came onto the market over priced. I felt bad for appraisers during this time. What a mess of conditions and prices.

As some of the short sales have dropped off, the REO market has leveled out. Interest rates went up a bit so the investors have slowed up as well. With a slight increase in values, the market has again shifted. Now what is it doing? Well, let's look at the MLS graphic below which shows active, pending, sold in the last six months in Placer, Nevada, and Sacramento counties.

Inventory is slightly up but pending and solds are level. So how about prices for the tricounty area?

Look at the graph above...the lesson there is to NOT overprice.  To re-cap, short sales are down, flip and REO home sales are stable, Pending and sold are flat with prices remaining virtually unchanged in the last six months. Does that mean that the market has stabilized and returned to normal?

I think we are in the "new" normal.  I started real estate during it's boom, survived the downturn and have never known a normal market. I do know that the market is ALWAYS good for someone and for the first time in my career it's pretty good for both buyers and sellers. I also know that with my new brokerage, carefully watching the market, learning the latest marketing tools and continuing to adapt to whatever the market is doing, I'll be able to provide great service to my clients no matter the market. 

If you'd like a CMA for your property or may be thinking about a purchase, give me a call and let's see how I can help you where you want to be. I also have specials for new and returning clients. Call today!

To Stage or Not to Stage?

Typically when I go on a listing appointment, I will provide a list of things for the homeowner to do before we invite buyers in. This can be as simple as keep everything picked up and show ready to paint, remove items...I've even suggested moving a dog to a family members home (it was big, mean and was going to bite people).

Every seller wants to get the most out of their home and knows getting the home "show ready" and keeping it that way through the sale is an important key.

I get asked about staging quite a bit and honestly I have mixed feelings about it. A WELL PRICED home that is clean and uncluttered generally doesn't need to be staged. There are cases where a vacant home will be more appealing with staging. There is also a price point where the expectation is that the home will look like something out of a magazine. It really is a case by case decision.

Here is a collection of before and after "staging" photos. Note that some of these after have new tile, paint, etc.  Before and after AOL Real Estate

Here is another gallery of staging photos.  Home Staging Gallery  Without a doubt the after pictures are more appealing.

Here's what I recommend:

• Remove the clutter - take down family pics, remove small tables, stands etc. 
• Make sure that the room is decorated correctly (no beds in the formal dining, no jungle gyms in the living room, etc), 
• Clean your house like you're hosting your pickiest family to dine off the floor 
• Call your favorite Realtor and price the home correctly from day one.

Remember, I always offer free market analysis and showing consultations. 

Have a great week!

15 Things to do Within 15 Miles of....Cool CA

I thought it would be fun to blog about some of the reasons people move to different areas around El Dorado, Placer, and Sacramento counties. I figured that I would start with my 'hood. Feel free to add your favorite things within 15 miles of Cool.

1. Rafting trips -Thrilling 1/2 day, full day, multi-day trips. This is just one of the many companies providing trips: American White Water. Eric and I went on a day trip and it was terrifyingly FUN!

2. Coloma Outdoor Discovery Ropes Course - Fun for groups or team building with ropes challenges, zip lines, low and high element challenges. Call for hours and availability Coloma Resort Ropes Course

3. There's Gold in Them There Hills! See where the California Gold Rush began! 
Gold Discovery Park

4. Olmstead Loop - Located "behind" Cool, the trail head is behind the fire station . It's used by equestrians, trail runners and mountain bikers. Trails.com says "Olmstead Loop is a technically intermediate, aerobically moderate 9-mile loop that’s guaranteed to please all levels of riders, from expert to beginner. It’s also one heck of a fun ride up and down rolling grassy hills covered with oaks. Located in the Auburn State Recreation Area, the route is a combination of fire roads, wide single- and double-tracks that run like a roller coaster through short and sometimes steep hills. Not overly taxing, the rises are about 6 to 8% grades—just enough to get you breathing hard. It’s the kind of variety that puts the fun in mountain biking." There are a couple of great mountain bike races held here every year. Cool Mountain Bike Race and Coolest 24 Hour MTB Race along with an endurance trail run Way to Cool 50k

Travis and I after a very muddy Cool MTB Race March 2014

5. Hart 2 Hart Vineyards - Located along Highway 49 between Cool and Pilot Hill, it's a great place to stop after a day of local activities. Hart2Hart Vineyards

6. Fishing at Lake Walton - Just above Georgetown is a small fishing hole that has a variety of fish Lake Walton Fishing Guide

7. Georgetown - Historic Georgetown is the gateway to the Rubicon Jeep Trail, one of the premier 4 wheeling trails in the West. Although the Rubicon Trail is more than 15 miles from Cool, it's more than 15 miles from anywhere, so I included it. There are also gorgeous lakes such as Loon Lake, Stumpy Meadows, Union Valley, and Icehouse.

8. Berry Haven USA - U pick berries, veggies, pies and jellies/jams. Fresh goodness! 
Berry Haven USA is open seasonally so check the website. 

9. Music on the Divide - This is a wonderful group dedicated to bringing talented musicians to local venues. Music on the Divide

10. Robie Trail - The Robie Trail is a hiking/equestrian trail which runs along the Middle Fork of the American River. It's included as a portion of such incredible endurance events like the Western States 100 Endurance Run and Tevis Cup.

11. Mammoth Bar OHV Area - Mammoth Bar OHV Area is part of the Auburn State Recreation Area. This motorcycle/ATV riding area has been used by off road enthusiasts for nearly 25-years and offers a wide range of trails and conditions in a beautiful setting next to the Middle Fork of the American River. For more info go to Mammoth Bar OHV

12. Confluence Trail Systems - There is a fabulous network of trails which appeal to all levels of mountain bikers. Enjoy interval training, beautiful singletrack, fun filled downhill, attention demanding trails along the river's edge...this area's trails are scenic, fast and fun. No link because I'm greedy, just know they are fabulous. 

13. Bridges - There are two bridges of note at the Confluence. First, The Foresthill Bridge on SR 49 over the North Fork American River is the highest (deck height) bridge in the U.S. state of California and the fourth highest in the United States. Originally constructed to accompany the unbuilt Auburn Dam, the bridge stands 731 feet above the riverbed. There is also No Hands Bridge which was established around 1910 to connect the Mountain Quarries, a huge limestone quarry to the Southern Pacific mainline in Auburn, California. 

14. Lake Clementine - Beautiful lake with boat in camping. Great for boating kayaking, paddle boarding.

15. Auburn Lake Trails - This awesome community features a golf course, tennis courts, parks, swimming pool, two fishing ponds, and trails. The spirit of the community shows with clubs such as Silver Spurs, HOGGS golf club, COTA theater group, Youth Swim Team (Go Dolphins!), WIFFS women's club, White Hats community service group and many more. A great place to live!

That's my list of things I love within 15 miles. Cool folks, feel free to add your favorites!