NEW LEAF IS FINALLY OPEN!!!

We are pleased to announce that New Leaf Community Market is finally open! What used to be an Albertson's and previously an Alpha Beta and Lucky's, is now a beautiful and cutting edge food store.

When I lived in Santa Cruz, New Leaf was a great alternative to Safeway and Albertson's. The produce was fresh and mainly local, the Deli was great, and the meat department was of top-quality. Well, after all of these years, nothing has changed. It is such a blessing to have this on the Coast.

I won't lie, the wait was a little stressful. It was obvious that the codes will come in time and the crowds will dwindle. But as happy as I was that they are finally here, I could care less.

If you get a chance, go online to their website at www.newleaf.com. I think it will make you not want to shop at the commercial food stores anymore.

Kudos to New Leaf!

Two Year Market Trend - For Sale, Pended, Active

Here are some graphs to give you sort of a snapshot of how our inventory (condos and townhomes included) has moved since December of 2005. The light green reflects the amount of homes for sale, the dark green explains sold homes, and the line is the amount of pended homes. Dates are on the bottom and the left column is number of homes.

As you can see, the recent supply of homes in up, pending sales are slightly down, and sold homes are slightly lower, however we are seeing improvements in our market.

12/05 to 2/07

3/07 to 5/08

Buying an existing home that’s “green”

With rising energy costs and growing awareness – and availability – of environmentally friendly products, it's no wonder that interest in purchasing green homes is rising. Green remodels on existing homes both save the environment and save homeowners money on monthly bills. As green home remodeling becomes more abundant, so does the demand to purchase these homes. This increased interest in existing green homes has created a need to educate buyers on what is really considered "green."

Over the past several years, many organizations such as Build It Green, (http://www.builditgreen.org/), an independent nonprofit organization, have been created to offer a third-party unbiased evaluation. Because of the growing desire to purchase existing green homes, states Bruce Mast, development director at Build it Green, "the Real Estate Council has been setting the stage to incorporate GreenPoint Rated results into MLS listings in several areas." What is GreenPoint Rated? Mast explains that, "GreenPoint Rated provides an independent assessment of a home across five categories: community design, energy efficiency, indoor air quality/health, resource conservation, and water conservation."

Other organizations that have similar rating systems for homebuyers include the U.S. Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org/), a non-profit community; and Green Globes (http://www.greenglobes.com/), an assessment and rating system. The USGBC has created the REGREEN (http://www.greenhomeguide.org/guide_for_green_renovation/index.html) program in partnership with the American Society of Interior Designers' Foundation. Working with LEEDs for Homes, a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification offers an unbiased green home inspection for possible buyers. In addition, Green Globes boasts a rating system that has an easy-to-use online questionnaire for a minimal cost. Once the questionnaire is completed, the user automatically receives a report. All three organizations have online tools to answer questions and guide interested parties through the certification process.

Part of this process includes understanding what different elements make a home green. The elements can range from simple re-landscaping to more complicated structure updates. But all share a common goal: to help preserve the planet and save on energy costs. The following are just a few examples of "greening" a home:

• Buying ENERGY STAR (http://www.energystar.gov/) appliances is the most popular way to go green. These EPA- and Department of Energy- approved appliances use less energy than conventional appliances.
• Another easy way to green a home is by replacing standard light bulbs with energy-saving CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs), (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls) which can be found at most supermarkets and drugstores.
• Using VOC (volatile organic compounds) (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html) also receives green certification recognition. VOC paint is just one example of how this compound is used.
• Installing low-flush toilets, solar paneling, and low-emittance windows helps lower water and energy bills.
• Planting native vegetation and drought-resistant landscaping can save on water usage as well.

When thinking about purchasing a green home, a buyer might wonder if it's really worth all the effort and cost. Aside from saving the planet, green remodels on existing homes have proven to be cost-efficient. Veronica Cortes, a homeowner in Northern California recently did an entire green remodel on her 1957 ranch-style home. Currently she pays $30 per month on average for her energy bill after installing solar paneling. In the winter months, her neighbors pay anywhere from $276 to $500. Cortes says all the heartaches of a remodel were worth it: "Our house nurtures us in ways that it never did before: … the place is flexible and its spaces can accommodate different uses depending on our needs, [and] it's cheap to run."

Here is a Great Video/Commercial of our Listing at 310 Central Avenue...

WHAT'S THE TREND? --- MOSS BEACH & MONTARA

BY NATE

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE THE LARGER VIEW -

This is from a posting on HMBREVIEW.com that I contributed on their Talkabout Page regarding this question -

Do you know if the property value is up or down in Montara/Moss Beach area? How much is a house with a coastal/mountain view?

I will answer your second question first. To some people...priceless. No joke. A one bedroom, 780 square foot home, on a 6400 square foot lot on the cliffside in Moss Beach just closed for $1,100,000. I am sure they are very happy.

To answer your first question, the "numbers" RIGHT NOW point to YES. But keep in mind that eventhough we are bombarded with negative media about the sky falling, it is a fact that real estate has gone up (appreciated) over time. Property values might have dropped over the last year, but to put it in perspective over a 15 year period, few can argue that our property values have gone down.

Here are some facts -
1) In the last 10 years, Bay Area homes have appreciated more than 175% *Source: DataQuick

2) On average, homes have doubled in value every 6.6 years *Source: DateQuick

3) Mortgage Rates continue to remain near 25 year lows *Source: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation - 30 year fixed conventional rates

Here are some other fun quotes that the media wanted us to believe in the past.

“The goal of owning a home seems to be getting beyond the reach of more and more Americans. The typical new house today costs about $28,000.” - Business Week - 1969

“The median price of a home today is approaching $50,000 . . . housing experts predict price rises in the future won’t be that great.” – National Business - 1977

"The golden-age of risk free run-ups in home prices is gone.” – Money Magazine – 1985

“A home is where the bad investment is.” San Francisco Examiner - 1996

Today’s media plays up bad economic news more than ever, which leads to misconceptions about economic reality. For people who plan on LIVING in a home instead of INVESTING in a home, history has pointed to that downturns are temporary.

WE MADE IT TO THE TOP!

By Nate

My family and I have a new ritual on Sunday mornings...taking walks/hikes. We love it! A couple of weeks ago my wife Alix and I were trying to find a place near our home that wasn't a beach walk. We already knew that Pacifica has one of the nicest beach trails on the Peninsula, along with Half Moon Bay's Coastal Trail, but what we encountered was a hidden gem.

San Pedro County Park in the "Back of the Valley" is a great group of trails and we are so happy we found it.

The first time we went we started out by going on the mile trail to southeast, and brought Maddox along in the stroller. This is a flat trail that is exactly a mile and is popular with runners and walkers.

Sunday was our second time. We bought a baby backpack so Maddox could hitch a ride on my shoulders this time. I thought the 22 lbs. was going to be too much for my walk but it turns out that it wasn't too bad. Our goal, reach the top of Montara Mountain...2.4 miles to the top. Rugged trail but not too bad...Absolutely beautiful!

There was something special about this walk. About two thirds of the way there, Alix and I were ready to turn around. We were not tired we just felt like it was time to go back down. As we looked to the north and could barely see the top of Twin Towers in SF we took a deep breath and agreed that we should set a goal to reach the top. We looked up and knew it was right there and so reachable, but for some reason, thought we should turn around.

We did it! And it was amazing...I mean, it wasn't Mt.Everest but we did see as far north to the Golden Gate and south to Mavericks in El Granada.

Alix and I are very happy we accomplished this goal. We talked about it after and reflected that we are constantly bombarded with people, media, and external pressures telling you to turn around. Our persistance proved that if you make a goal there is no better feeling that reaching it!

An update...Conforming Loan Limit Increase
by Gabe Bodner, Mortgage Consultant - Lawson and Associates

We may have a breakthrough...March 6th Fannie Mae made an announcement on the timing of when they will be buying the new "Jumbo-Conforming Loans" as they are now calling loans between $417K and the increased limit of $729,750. It is a still a bit confusing but it sounds like they will not be buying loans until July 1, 2008. However, it sounds like they are authorizing lenders to underwrite loans staring April 1, 2008 (with an application date after March 1, 2008).
According to Fannie Mae's most recent update, they will have different (more stringent) guidelines for "Jumbo-Conforming Loans". This does not come as a huge surprise but from what I can see, the new "Jumbo-Conforming Loans" will be very limited in who will benefit. Here are a few of the high points from what I can tell in their guidelines:
· Only 1 unit properties (no 2-plex, 3-plex, or 4-plex)
· When purchasing a home, minimum down payment is 10% with a 700 FICO score (only on a fixed rate mortgage). The only ARM program available is a 5/1 ARM and a 20% down payment is required with a 660 minimum FICO.
· When refinancing a home, no cash out is allowed.
· On a second home or investment property, a minimum of 40% down payment is required.
· Consolidating a first mortgage and a second mortgage is not allowed.
· Refinancing within 6 months of a purchase is not allowed (you must have owned the property for at least 6 months before you can refinance the mortgage into a "Jumbo-Conforming loan").
Additionally, interest rates on conforming loans (and Jumbo loans) have risen anywhere from 0.5-1.0% in the last week (depending on the loan program). Therefore, conforming interest rates are close to what Jumbo rates were about 2 weeks ago which has negated much of the value in this whole loan limit increase package anyway. Overall, these new guidelines will help some people get into a better mortgage at a lower rate but I would not start jumping for joy and celebrating just yet. Hang in there and let's wait to see what pans out over the next month or so.
Below is a statement by Brian Faith Managing Director for Fannie Mae, Communications on the Conforming Loan Limit IncreaseMarch 6, 2008
With HUD's designation of high-cost areas as directed by the economic stimulus package passed into law earlier this year, Fannie Mae will begin temporarily purchasing loans beyond the company's prevailing conventional loan limit in the designated areas. The company may purchase loans with a maximum original principal obligation of up to 125 percent of the area median home price in high-cost areas, not to exceed $729,750 except in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands where higher limits may apply.
The company will only purchase jumbo-conforming mortgages that are originated from July 1, 2007 through December 31, 2008, and that are secured by one-unit properties. We will assist our lender customers with implementation by providing reference materials including an online loan limit reference tool and guidance on our loan limits based on a property's geography, both of which are expected to be available on April 1, 2008.
The company is working closely with its regulators, OFHEO and HUD, in implementing procedures to address the temporary increase in the prevailing conventional loan limit. We continue to support the increase as a constructive effort to help address the ongoing credit crunch and believe it is in keeping with our core mission to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the mortgage markets.
For additional information, please see Announcement 08-05, "Temporary Increase to Our Conventional Loan Limits" at www.efanniemae.com/sf/guides/ssg/annltrs/pdf/2008/0805.pdf

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT GABE BODNER AT 650.492.4071
OR Gabe@BayAreaHomeFinancing.com