CONTACT
  • Opening hours 9AM - 5PM
  • Address: 1569 Sloat Boulevard, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94132
  • Phone: (415) 213-1600

homebuyer

2020 VISION FOR REAL ESTATE IS LOOKING GOOD

Lower than expected interest rates kept real estate strong in 2019 and many experts predict 2020 will keep rolling in the same direction. According to a recent article in Forbes, Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American, shared that mortgage rates will remain low next year, between 3.7 and 3.9%, fueling a healthy real estate market.

PRICES TO KEEP RISING

Tight inventory and increased demand will keep pushing prices higher. In fact, with mortgage rates either staying the same or actually dropping, competition will increase for buyers which may result in bidding wars. Redfin predicts one in four homes will result in a bidding war which is great news for home sellers who may have been holding out when most homes prices dropped slightly on the Central Coast over the past year. The Forbes article shared data from CoreLogic, stating home prices should tick up by 5.6% by next September which is more than 3.5% from this year.

ECONOMIC GROWTH, NOT A RECESSION

Although many economists have predicted a mild recession in 2020, a housingwire.- com report states, “Current conditions point to a recipe for continued economic growth, not a recession. Growth itself may be slower than the strong pace we’ve seen at times throughout the recovery, but growth will still occur for at least the next year.” Reasons cited for the economic growth are a healthy consumer confidence and job growth.

HOME SIZES WILL SHRINK, BUT AMENITIES ARE KING

Inventory will continue to be tight as Millennials and Generation Z enter the market, but Baby Boomers are not budging from their long-time homes. Zillow predicts that new home sizes will shrink for the fourth time of five years due to younger buyers having less money and can’t afford to purchase larger homes. To make up for square footage, many new homes are offering upgraded amenities to attract buyers.

Whether you are looking to buy or sell in the new year, experts agree you should enter the real estate market early in 2020 to take full advantage of the growing market. As the #1 broker on the Central Coast, C21 Hometown Realty’s Agents have the most homes listed and the most homes sold! Visit one of the ten local offices throughout the Central Coast or click on c21home.com.

About CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty – Hometown Realty is the leading real estate firm on the Central Coast of California with offices spanning Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo county offering expert agents and convenient locations.

FALL IS THE BEST TIME TO MOVE

Central Coast locals often boast that Fall is one of the best times of year to enjoy all our area has to offer. The season brings smaller crowds at the beach, warm sunny days, a plethora of fun Festivals and the long-awaited harvest seasons at the wineries. But did you know it marks a great time for buyers and sellers and is actually the best time of year to move?

REASONS TO SELL IN THE FALL

REASON #1: SERIOUS BUYER POOL While there may not be as many buyers looking as in the spring housing market, serious buyers are looking to move before the holiday season. With fewer houses on the market, serious buyers will be motivated to make offers.

REASON #2: DIFFERENT BUYERS Spring and Summer are when families are likely to make moves, but for Millennials and Empty-Nesters Fall is the perfect time for these savvy shoppers. Not only is it less expensive to travel to new relocation destinations, but they also know they can avoid “high season” real-estate rates and moving costs.

REASON #3: LOWER HOME IMPROVEMENT COSTS Before selling, most homes will need some sprucing up and home repairs. Whether you are a do-it-yourself home repairer or you call in the experts, many times supplies go on-sale and Contractors have less work and may be willing to negotiate rates during the Fall months.

REASONS TO BUY IN THE FALL

REASON #1: LESS COMPETITION You will get much more attention from your ‘not as busy’ real estate agent allowing them to be more attentive to your needs. In addition, lenders, home inspectors, painters and movers can get to your needs much quicker.

REASON #2: TAX ADVANTAGES By closing on a new home before the year’s end you will be eligible for beneficial tax deductions. Deductible items can include closing costs, mortgage interest and property taxes. Even closing in December will allow you to deduct property taxes and interest from your entire year’s earnings.

REASON #3: YEAR-END SALES Whether you are redecorating to help sell your home or designing space in your new home, some of the best savings of the year can be found on appliances, electronics, and furniture. Competing retailers offer large discounts during the holiday season and it’s the perfect time to buy necessary items.

If you consider yourself a savvy shopper and the idea of saving time and money appeal to you, then now’s the time to buy or sell your home. Your C21 Hometown Realty, the hometown experts, can help you find your next dream home or get your home sold quickly. As the #1 broker on the Central Coast, C21 Hometown Realty has the most homes listed and the most homes sold! When you’re ready, visit one of the eleven local offices throughout the Central Coast or click on c21home.com.

About CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty – Hometown Realty is the leading real estate firm on the Central Coast of California with offices spanning Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo county offering expert agents and convenient locations.

WHEN DOWNSIZING COULD MEAN LIVING THE DREAM

WHEN DOWNSIZING COULD MEAN LIVING THE DREAM

While owning your home is still the American Dream, the idea of living out the golden years in the same home has changed for many Empty Nesters. As you get older, downsizing or settling into a smaller home with a simpler lifestyle could be one definition of “living the dream.”

REVISIT HOUSING SITUATION

At least 37 percent of Baby Boomers said they plan to move at some point in their life and 42 percent of that number said they would prefer to live in a smaller home, according to a 2016 study released by the Demand Institute.

“Revisiting their housing situation is one of the first things new Empty Nesters should do” says Dana Anspach, founder and CEO of Sensible Money, an investment advisory firm.

While parents often have fond memories of their kids’ childhood home, she says, it makes sense to consider a move to less-expensive digs or to a locale or living situation that better fits their needs in the new phase of their lives.

There are, of course, savings to be gained by trading in a big home for a smaller space. Or moving to a less expensive part of the country. Another route: freeing up cash or replenishing your savings by paying off your mortgage before you officially retire from the workplace.

TIPS FOR DOWNSIZING

Declutter Your Home – You can finally tackle some major organizing projects. If you’re looking at the possibility of moving to a smaller home, your first step is to pare down your belongings. According to CityStash, 75 percent of those surveyed said the amount of things they own makes them reluctant to move. Don’t let that scare you off. Take one room, one closet, one square foot at a time.

Give Your Home a Facelift – Your furniture is a little worse for wear after having teenagers lounge on it, spill drinks on it and who knows where those extra spots came from. Also, you weren’t about to paint the walls until your kids were no longer touching them every day. But now’s the time. Refresh your home with new paint, new furniture or convert a kids bedroom to a hobby room.

House Hunt – When your current house has too many bedrooms or you hear an echo within the empty rooms, it may be time to start house hunting.

To ease the process, don’t focus on the memories of the old house but the endless possibilities in a new house. Start searching for a dream home that can give you desired options like a new location, first floor living, natural light, luxury touches, custom options and low maintenance.

If it’s time to start looking for new (smaller) digs, use C21 Hometown Realty, your hometown experts to find a top-selling real estate agent in your area. They’ll help you identify options that can turn downsizing into dream living.

About CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty – Hometown Realty is the leading real estate firm on the Central Coast of California with offices spanning Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo county offering expert agents and convenient locations.

BUYING BEFORE THE SCHOOL BELL RINGS

BUYING BEFORE THE SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Just because summer is here does not mean it’s too late to get in before the school year begins. It does mean time is of the essence to find the perfect family home and get your kids enrolled in a great school!

RIGHT SCHOOL

Buying the right home is more than square footage and amenities, for many young families it’s also about being in the right school zone. At C21 Hometown we understand the importance of knowing what ’s going on in a Community. That’s why at C21Home.com, we offer Climate, Culture, Market, Lifestyle and School information for every Community we serve. Most Central Coast schools boast above-average rankings for California.

To find out how specific schools are ranked, check out:
San Luis Obispo County: https://school-ratings.com/counties/San_Luis_Obispo.html
Santa Barbara County: https://school-ratings.com/counties/Santa_Barbara.html

MARKET IS HOT

Whether you’ve been looking and may have lost out to multiple offers or have been holding out to avoid the Spring Frenzy, now’s a great time to buy. Many new homes have been added to the inventory pool in recent weeks and prices are slightly lower than last year’s summer season according to the California Association of Realtors.

THIS WEEKEND

A typical time period from offer to closing is 30-45 days, assuming no issues come up with the mortgage and title process. So let our C21 Hometown Agents find you and your family the perfect home so you can start the school year off right!

About CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty – Hometown Realty is the leading real estate firm on the Central Coast of California with offices spanning Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo county offering expert agents and convenient locations.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ FOR PROPERTY INVESTORS

The “California Housing Market Report and Predictions” article released by Gord Collins of Manage Casa, explored the key factors that will drive the California market for the years ahead. Below are key excerpts from the article.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

California is a special place to live and rent, and to buy and sell a home. The market diversity is hard to comprehend. And the battle for homeowners hanging onto proposition 13 benefits is very different for young buyers who discover that renting an apartment is better.

It’s this dynamic pull of outrageous wealth and outrageous regulations that makes it hazardous to invest in real estate in this state. Definitely wise to hire a Realtor.

No other economy is as diverse and dynamic. It’s the opportunity that attracts millions of newcomers to live and start businesses here. Most tech startups for instance launch in the Bay Area despite the high cost. Employment and wages have grown and that has put pressure on the California housing market.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AND WHAT MAY HAPPEN

A few pundits believe the California housing market is well past peak. Yet economics, demographics, buyer demand (and last 2 months sales stats) seem to refute that notion. Millions of apartments need to be built in the next decade, a good portion, right here in CA to soothe in insatiable demand (housing crisis).

California’s economy grew 4.7% in the 12 months ended in February compared to the national rate of 2.8%. It could grow at a 2.55% pace in the next six months — faster than the national 1.59 – report from Mercury News.

With interest rates fears gone, and new trade deals with China, any negative economic aspects could disappear. That would mean fast rising prices again for the whole state.

KEY FACTORS IN CALIFORNIA’S HOUSING MARKET GROWTH

1. wages create prices pressure on housing
2. demographics – lots of millennials buying and babyboomers selling
3. interest rates – staying stable
4. migration – slowed to keep prices stable
5. cost of business – extremely high (would you like to see my San Francisco parking fee?)
6. home prices – wickedly high
7. rent vs buy – for most the idea of purchasing is a hopeless dream
8. multifamily new construction – picked up nicely but NIMBY’s still winning
9. taxation and tax savings – much better this year With taxes dropping, interest rates stable, wages rising, prices stable, mortgage requirements reasonable, and rising personal savings, why aren’t people buying? Simple, they’re hoping prices will plummet.

A HEALTHIER CALIFORNIA

There are more homes for sale and more buyers. After a strong lull, the upward march on California homes prices continues.

Zillow gives California an improved 9.6 out of 10 rating and a revised forecast of 7.6% price growth prediction for the next year.

“We’re seeing interest and money shift away from the overheated markets into less expensive secondary markets…Even if we see some markets overheat and demand softens slightly, that doesn’t mean prices will go down” — Javier Vivas, director of economic research at realtor.com.

To read the entire article addressing “California Housing Market Report and Predictions”: https://managecasa.com/articles/california-housing-market-report/

About CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty – Hometown Realty is the leading real estate firm on the central coast of California with offices spanning Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo county offering expert agents and convenient locations.

Should you buy a second home? Predictions for the 2019 market.

In view of the healthy economy, you may be thinking of buying a second home as a vacation getaway, as housing for family members or as an investment property.
That could reap great benefits, but you should only proceed with insight into this year’s secondary home market.

A few predictions from real estate specialists:

In general you can expect a buyer’s market, according to Bloomberg.

Costs may be attractive in vacation areas, where prices grew only 14.8 percent in the past three years compared to 25.2 percent in non-vacation areas. Another report notes vacation markets have underperformed the overall market every year but one since 2010 (except in the Midwest, where they’re now slightly overperforming). Factors in the downward slope may include everything from climate change to demographics to Trump’s tax reforms.

Because interest rates may rise this year, buyers may wish to act soon, anticipating slightly higher loan rates for secondary homes.

Should You Use a Professional Stager When Selling Your Luxury Home?

If you’re planning to put your luxury home on the market, consider staging it first.

Staging is the process of “styling” a home to maximize its appeal to potential buyers. It can be as simple as eliminating clutter or reorganizing a bookcase, or staging can involve removing, replacing or re-arranging furniture, adding accessories or taking down heavy draperies that block the light.

According to StagedHomes.com, which provides training and awards the Accredited Staging Professional designation to real estate agents, designers and others interested in becoming stagers, staging a home helps it sell faster and at a higher price. In fact, in a recent survey, the site found that a staged home sells in an average of 10.3 days, compared to a non-staged home, which averages 84.6 days on the market.

Ask your real estate agent about staging options when listing your home. Some agents have a background in design and feel comfortable handling the staging themselves, especially if the home doesn’t need much to prepare it for sale, while others may recommend a staging professional.

TRUE AMERICANA MEANS BIG BUSINESS FOR CENTRAL COAST

It’s Mid-State Fair time here on the Central Coast! A timeless tradition of true Americana, celebrating our heritage of agriculture, arts, crafts, competitions and show-stopping entertainment. Bright lights, carnival rides, fair food, exhibits and top-name entertainers were just some of the reasons that a record-breaking 430,000 guests made the trek to Paso Robles in 2017.

If the entertainment line-up is a top indicator for guest attendance, 2018 will be on track to deliver large Fair audiences once again. The free concert stage is hosting well-known artists such as Crystal Gayle, Monte Mills, Kris Kristofferson, Bear Market Riot, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and newer artists For King & Country and recent winner of The Voice, Cassadee Pope. The main stage will light up each night with stars such as Florida Georgia Line, Pitbull, Demi Lovato, Gabriel Iglesias, ZZ Top, Tim McGraw with Faith Hill and Luke Bryan.

In addition to the draw of America’s top entertainers, Mid-State Fair offers great family entertainment with Livestock Competitions, Horse Shows, Petting Zoo, Country Finals Rodeo, Robotics for Kids, Tractor Races, Youth Performances and a newly revamped Carnival. The Mid-State Fair offers great entertainment value for the low admission price of $8-$12. If you will be attending multiple days, the Season Pass is the way to go, just $30 for children 6-12 and $60 for Adults offering admission everyday to the fairgrounds.

Not only do Central Coast residents flock to this event but it attracts huge crowds from all around the state. That means big dollars and big business for the area, especially Paso Robles. Hotels, motels and restaurants feel the biggest impact but even retail stores benefit from the tens of millions of dollars the Mid-State Fair brings to the community each year.

Credit Scores for Home Loans

borrowing powerIf you are planning to finance or refinance your home, you need to understand a thing or two about what is happening in the mortgage universe. As you may already know, the mortgage industry had very low standards for consumer credit ratings and home loan downpayments a few years ago. The story on the street was that if you had a pulse, you could get a home loan with no money down. This was not totally true, but suffice it to say that lending standards were pretty low. Mortgage companies would write a loan with a consumer, then bundle that loan together with other loans and sell them to investors. Clearly, that policy did not work. Consumers began to default on their loans at an alarming rate and the financial mortgage industry collapsed around those defaults.

To help, the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration bailed out the banks. Many of the home loans in America are backed by the Federal Housing Administration, a division of the Department of . FHA insures the loans. Since the passing of the Frank-Dodd legislation, standards for home mortgages have increased as mandated by law. Among those standards are requirements for FHA backed loans and standards for Government Sponsored Entities like Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac.

The first new standard is that consumers should anticipate putting 20% down. You can put less down, but that puts you into a higher risk type of mortgage and you will likely pay a higher rate.

The second new standard is that consumers should Only

  • Base loan limits must be below $417,000
  • Max Seller Contribution 3%
  • No lates on housing payment in the last 12 months
  • No Property Flips

    • You may not understand all of these terms and conditions. Century 21 Hometown Agents can explain them to you, and/or set up a call or meeting with PrimeLending. PrimeLending representatives are in Century 21 Hometown office every day.

    Saving Toward a Down Payment: 8 Great Ideas

    Home loan downpaymentLike many consumers today, you may be thinking this is a great time to buy your

    the lack of a down payment. But favorable price and mortgage conditions will likely last for a while. The smart and hopeful first-time buyer will take advantage of the opportunity to save now for that needed down payment.”

    For those willing to make a few sacrifices in the short-term, Ray suggests eight possible ways to help consumers watch their savings pile up more quickly:

    • Bank the extras – Anytime you get a refund, bonus, commission or birthday check, bank it in a separate savings account.
    • Live on one income – Working couples should try to live on one income and bank the other—or half of it.
    • Get a roommate – If single and living on your own, think about halving your monthly costs by taking in a roommate.
    • Ditch the second car – If possible, use public transportation and bank the sale funds or payments.
    • Do without extras – Can you do without cable? Eating out every night? That Starbucks stop every morning?
    • Pay off debt – As you pay off high interest debt to better your credit rating, you will also be saving that high interest spend. Try to bank the payments you no longer need to make.
    • Ask about a piggyback mortgage – Consult with a mortgage broker. If you can’t quite get the required percentage together for your down payment, but have a high enough monthly income, you may be able to get a piggybank loan to cover what your first mortgage won’t.
    • Check out loan assistance programs – Government organizations like Veterans Affairs and FHA offer special programs designed to help people who don’t have large down payments obtain mortgage financing. Also check with state and local housing authorities to find out what assistance they may offer.

    Call Us Property search Find an Agent Finantial Calculator