| The October 2013 Numbers Discovery Bay and Brentwood Homes For Sale | ||||||||||||||
| Discovery Bay and Brentwood Homes for Sale have seen steady price improvement month to month as well as year to yearas inventory levels remainlow.The Numbers This MonthDISCOVERY BAY, CA47 Homes are currently pending15 Homes have sold September 1- October 31, 2013
93 Homes are currently available BRENTWOOD, CA 159 Homes are currently pending 13Homes that have sold September 1 – October 31, 2013 135 Homes are currently available for sale This Months Most Expensive This Months Least Expensive This Months Must See |
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| Below are highlight properties for The October 2013 Numbers Discovery Bay and Brentwood Homes For Sale. See more at the full report: | ||||||||||||||
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| See the Full The October 2013 Numbers Discovery Bay and Brentwood Homes For Sale | ||||||||||||||
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| Information valid as of October 30, 2013. Please contact us for the most current information and status of these properties. |
Category Archives: Local Information
WHY HOME SALES DROPPED IN MARCH…..
If you’ve been following housing market news this year, you may have been surprised by the latest home sales numbers to come out this week. Sales of existing homes stalled at 4.92 million, dropping 0.6% in March from February.
With the recent market recovery of 2013 and the anticipation of a hot spring real estate market, many people are wondering what is going on?
THE PROBLEM IS LACK OF HOMES. There’s plenty of demand from buyers, but just not enough to choose from on the market. Most areas are experiencing multiple bids, and many buyers are waiting daily for new homes to come up for sale.
Some sellers are also being affected as well. Sellers are seeing how difficult it is to find a home right now and they are not confident that if they sell their home they will be able to find a new one to move into.
Despite the decline in March sales from February, home sales were still 10.3% higher than the same month a year ago, marking the 21st consecutive month of year-over-year increases. That’s good news, and a good indicator of how the market is trending in the big picture.
Demand is still strong, according to the National Association of Realtors, which reported buyer traffic is 25% above a year ago. But the drop in available homes has put upward pressure on prices. And some buyers are getting frustrated and priced out.
SELLERS: If you didn’t have enough equity to sell your home last year, you may be able to sell now. Talk to a Realtor today and take advantage of the recent up turn in pricing and the current surplus of buyers. Find out if you have enough equity in your home to make the move you have been waiting for.
BUYERS: It is very important to have a Realtor send you homes daily as they come on the market. If you are looking to buy a home right now you will have to be fast and be prepared for the current conditions. Your local Realtor will help you navigate today’s market.
- Kari Cross
- Intero Real Estate Services
- 925-584-1640
- kcross@interodb.com
DON’T MISS THE FAIR
It is that time of year again….the sun is out and it is time for summer fun. Don’t forget about all the fun the County Fair brings to town. Most fair’s have hours of fun at little to no charge. You can enjoy a day in the sun and depending on which fair you attend you can see live animals, carnival rides, booths, music, and entertainment.
I found the dates for some of the local fair’s you might be interested in. Check on line for your local fair information.
ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIR – June 20 – July 8
CONCTRA COSTA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS – Antioch, CA – May 31 – June 3
MARIN COUNTY FAIR – San Rafael, CA – June 30 – July 4
NAPA COUNTY FAIR – Calistoga, CA – June 29 – July 4
SACRAMENTO COUNTY FAIR – Sacramento, CA – May 24 – May 28
See you at the Fair!
ASK A REALTOR……
Most people forget what a valuable tool your local Real Estate Agent can be…..not just when you are looking to buy or sell a home.
Realtors have a huge amount of community knowledge. If you need to know about the local schools, community events, plumbers, inspectors, landscapers, florists, cleaning services, etc. During the process of helping buyers and sellers a Realtor has to wear many hats and are sometimes considered neighborhood specialists.
When you are thinking of buying or selling a home, you are looking for someone with an impeccable track record and a master negotiator that is well-respected. But you also want to look for someone who cares about your well-being that will continue to help you after the sale is completed. A great Realtor is someone who will assist you with the little things when they are no longer being paid for the service. I have clients that call me months or years after a transaction to ask for help with local questions. I love being able to assist my clients and friends with continued parts of their lives.
As a Realtor we use several different contractors during a real estate transaction and we know who has the best deals, who gets the job done quickly, or who is reliable….we also know which ones are not. We speak with many clients and know what community areas and events they like and dislike. Realtors share information with each other which can prove to be a valuable tool for you.
So the next time you want to find a cheap roofer or a great preschool…. don’t forget to ask your Realtor.
FREE SUMMER FAMILY FUN
The kids are out of school and the weather is heating up, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money to keep them entertained. Try to look for ways to keep them active the “old school” way and also a few new ideas. Below is a few of the activities that can help you save some money this summer.
Free Behind The Scenes Tours: What’s it like to work at a TV station? How does the mail get from point A to point B? Let the kids take a behind the scenes tour to find out. You can tour many places simply by asking. Be creative when choosing locations to visit. If your kids are interested in animals, tour a veterinary hospital. If they like baseball, set up a tour at your local stadium. Get a group of kids and parents together and make your own free field trip. (think: movie theatres, restaurants, bowling alley, police stations, etc)
Free Building Workshops: Some home improvement stores offer free building workshops that help kids build everything from a bird house to a miniature school house. Kids get free aprons, goggles and the required tools and supplies to build their own project with the help of the store’s employees. The most popular kids workshops are through Home Depot and Lowe’s. Home Depot’s kids workshop is usually the first Saturday of the month and the Lowe’s Build and Grow clinics are usually every Saturday.
Go To A Free Movies: Check your local movie theatres…Many movie theaters offer summer movie programs that are free (or maybe cost $1.00). The movies are often on weekday mornings, and typically are movies that are a bit older, perhaps last year’s hits. However, there are usually movies offered some days for small children, and other days for older children. Popcorn and soda may even be discounted during these special showings. Not all theaters participate, but it’s definitely worth looking into in your area!
Rent A Free Movie: Redbox is offering a free movie code on the first Monday of the month throughout the summer. Regular price is just $1!
Vacation Bible School: Churches hold Vacation Bible School as an outreach of their ministries. Members of the church as well as non-members are invited for a free week of fun. Kids sing songs, learn Bible lessons, make friends, create crafts, perform in skits and learn how to treat others, among other valuable lessons. Each church has its own age guidelines but 3 and up usually benefit the most from Vacation Bible School. The older kids can volunteer to help and still be a part of the fun.
Library Events: The library is an excellent venue for story time. But did you know there are even more activities for kids at the library that won’t get them shushed? Most libraries offer free summer reading programs. Kids sign up to read a certain amount of books over the summer. The library than awards prizes and holds a party for the eager readers at the end of the reading program. Check your local library for all the events they offer over the summer.
Free Arts and Crafts at Museums: Introduce art appreciation at a young age. Museums are reaching out to future artists through free kids’ programs that encourage them to create their own works of art. Story time ties book illustrations into the art you find in the museum. Kids enjoy craft time, paint, use clay and a variety of other mediums to enrich their art experience. Check your local museums for more information.
Free Bowling: Check your local bowling alleys…. most locations offer up to two free games of bowling every day of the summer.
Enjoy The Outdoors: Go for a bike ride together, draw with sidewalk chalk, play in the garden hose, plant flowers, go fishing and take advantage of the beautiful weather. Kids love playing outside, and it can be fun for the whole family. Just make sure to use sunscreen, and take along some bug spray
Camp Out In Your Backyard: Do you have a tent? Why not put it up in your backyard and go backyard camping one evening? Try building a fire in a fire pit and roasting marshmallows or making s’mores or grill hotdogs. If you feel like you don’t have the place in your own yard to do these things, consider asking a friend who may have a better area if you can use their yard to camp out. They may even want to join you, making the experience all the more fun.
Camping Fun: Free family activities at Bass Pro Shop– On Saturdays and Sunday through July 5th, from Noon – 6 pm you and your family can enjoy their laser shooting gallery, shooting range, s’mores cookout, crafts, and more completely FREE!
State or Craft Fair: Most fares are usually free and provide hours of entertainment. Check your local State Fair or for and Arts and Craft Fair.
Be a Tourist In Your Own Town: Check out local free attraction in your area and learn about your community.
Free Local Community Events: Check your local paper or community calendar…Most communities offer free concerts and community events.
Get Wet: Play with a garden hose, run through sprinklers, or get a squirt gun to cool off.
Window Shopping: Go to a mall for some window shopping and free air conditioning.
Free Museums and Parks:
- Get free general admission to participating museums, zoos, science centers, botanical gardens and more on the first full weekend of every month just by presenting your Bank of America card.
- Target is sponsoring free museum admission and more this summer throughout the US
- Many National Parks offer fee-free weekends this summer to more than 100 National Parks that usually charge entrance fees.
Sports: If you love baseball, but can’t afford the major league prices? Find a minor league game.
A Day At The Park: Make a local park passport and each day attend a different park. Grade all the different parks and find a new favorite place to play.
Beach or Lake Fun: Call up some friends or take the family to a local beach or lake for a free day of fun.
Hiking or Biking: Most areas have local trails or green belts to explore.
Plan a Pot Luck BBQ or Pool Party: Set a theme….Invite friends….Let each person bring a different food and drink for everyone to enjoy.
This summer try to keep the family busy and save money at the same time. Try to find creative ways to make the ordinary free activities fun.
SAVE MONEY ON YOUR GAS
Do you feel like you are paying to much at the pump? Gases prices have peaked to more than $4 on average nationwide. According to californiagasprices.com, prices are rising and will soon be at a two-year high. Make sure you are doing all you can to save at the pump…. Below are some tips that can help:
Comparison shop: Before you leave your home look at sites such as GasBuddy.com or GasPriceWatch.com. Internet sites allow you to enter your ZIP code to see what local stations are charging. If you’re on the road and don’t have a web-enabled phone, steer clear of affluent areas, where customers are generally less price sensitive and station prices higher. Also avoid stations directly adjacent to major freeways, you’ll get a better deal a few blocks away.
Fill up at a warehouse club: Discount warehouse clubs such as Costco or Sam’s Club have gas stations across the country, and their prices are typically lower than independent operators. (Just factor in the cost of your annual membership when analyzing the savings.)
Choose regular: Buy the lowest (and cheapest) octane of gasoline. As long as the engine runs quietly — no knocking or pinging — regular unleaded should be fine. Just double-check your car’s owners manual for the manufacturer’s fuel recommendation.
Don’t top it off: You’ll likely pay for fuel that spills or dribbles back into the station’s tanks.
Take it easy: Accelerate smoothly, decelerate and brake gently. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, driving aggressively can lower gas mileage by up to 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent around town. Use cruise control on the highway, and don’t exceed the speed limit. The Energy Department suggests that each 5 miles per hour you drive over 60 mph is equivalent to paying an additional 20 cents per gallon for gas.
Avoid excessive idling: In one test, drivers drove a 10-mile route, stopping 10 times for two minutes each, and then repeated the route without stopping. Driving straight through saved up to 19 percent on gasoline. If you expect to be idling for more than a minute, shut off the engine.
Pay cash or get cash-back: Some stations offer a discount for paying in cash. Consider using a credit card that offers cash back on fuel purchases, or a card that gives you reward points.
Keep your ride in tune: Schedule regular engine tune-ups, make sure your tires are inflated to the recommended pressure, and clean out the trunk. Several studies show that an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your miles per gallon by up to 2 percent.
COUNT ON CROSS 