posted by Theresa Wellman of the Intero Saratoga office
Today with many of the homes available for sale being REOs and Short sales, there is even more to watch out for. Typical REOs and Short sale had owners who did not take care of their homes or worse yet, left damage. So a thorough property inspector is an essential piece of a home purchase.
Why Can’t You Do it Yourself?
I know, now that you are getting your own home, you want to care for it and desire to know the ins and outs. The inspection period when buying a home is not the time for this. Even the most experienced homeowner lacks the knowledge and expertise of a professional home inspector (Do you inspect 2-3 homes per day as your job?). An inspector is familiar with the elements of home construction, proper installation, maintenance, building codes and home safety. He or she knows how the home’s systems and components are intended to function together, as well as why they fail. Above all, most buyers find it difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the house they really want, and this may have an effect on their judgment. For accurate information, it is best to obtain an impartial, third-party opinion by a professional in the field of home inspection.
How do you choose a home inspector?
1. Work with your real estate agent’s recommendation.
a. Agents who have experience in the business can tell a thorough inspector from one who just breezes through a quick checklist. Agents do not get anything from recommending one inspector other than piece of mind that a professional is looking at the home. If a property inspector misses something, there could potentially be a lawsuit and no experienced agent wants to risk that.
2. Check your local ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) chapter for recommendations in your area. It is very important that your inspector be aware of the area and what is normal for local homes or what items to look out for. Be wise making one of the largest investments in your life and hire a qualified home inspector!
Any other recommendations on how to find a good inspector?
See Also
posted by Theresa Wellman of the Intero Saratoga office
Did you know that 24% of all homes for sale today in Santa Clara county are short sales? And if you are a first-time homebuyer or investor you’ll likely see 60% short sales in the homes you are viewing since that is the percentage of homes under $500,000 that are categorized as a short sale.
For this reason I thought it important to talk a little bit more about what a short sale is and what a buyer can expect in this type of sale, so read “What is a Short Sale?” on my personal blog.
Please feel free to ask any questions you have about short sales so I can set the record straight.
See Also
- Theresa Wellman – Realtor, EcoBroker
Theresa provides an exceptional real estate service above and beyond the norm which translates to putting her clients first. – 408.839.4196
- Intero Real Estate Services
One of the premier real estate brokerages. Find real estate, properties, homes for sale in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Mexico.
posted by Theresa Wellman of the Intero Saratoga office
Location, Location, Location…you’ve heard this right? Well of course it matters in many perspectives, but when looking at market statistics and trends, it is crucial to think and stay as local as possible. So keeping in mind that location makes a big difference, I have analyzed market data by MLS area (rather than just Santa Clara county statistics) to get a better idea of where each local market stands today.
The data shows that most sales are happening in Santa Teresa, Evergreen, Alum Rock, Berryessa, Milpitas, South San Jose, Blossom Valley, and Cambrian. These markets are also the ones that have seen some of the largest price drops. Values are at phenomenal levels in these neighborhoods. Did you know that a single family home under $300,000 exists in Silicon Valley? Well it does and that’s why first-time buyers and investors are jumping into the hot markets mentioned above.
Read up on the local area statistics to find out where today’s buyers are and where you also can go to get great values in Silicon Valley real estate.
Have more questions about local markets? Make a comment on my blog!
See Also
- Theresa Wellman – REALTOR, EcoBroker
Theresa provides an exceptional real estate service above and beyond the norm which translates to putting her clients first. – 408.839.4196
- Intero Real Estate Services
One of the premier real estate brokerages. Find real estate, properties, homes for sale in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Texas.
posted by Theresa Wellman of the Intero Saratoga office
Haven’t you been wondering about the crazy real estate market and how this affects your investment in the bay area? There is so much media attention talking doom and gloom and “you should sell”, the “market is dying and has never been worse”…all kinds of advice. But does it really apply to you?
Silicon Valley is a unique area for many reasons, yet arguably the biggest point is we are land-locked and therefore cannot build out further and further in the main part of south bay. We must work with the land we have and therefore land is of key value in your Santa Clara County real estate investment.
I believe the low-end of the market has hit rock bottom. And as for the high-end above $1 million dollars this is one of the best buy up markets we’ve ever seen. Click through to my blog to review my take on what has happened in Santa Clara County real estate over the past couple years and view my advice on why it’s a buyer’s market out there, time to invest!
See Also
- Theresa Wellman – Realtor, EcoBroker
Theresa provides an exceptional real estate service above and beyond the norm which translates to putting her clients first. – 408.839.4196
- Intero Real Estate Services
One of the premier real estate brokerages. Find real estate, properties, homes for sale in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Texas.
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