3 Reasons Fall is the Best Season to Buy or Sell a Home

Spring has long been considered the best time of year for real estate, but home purchases also pick up during fall, according to an ERA Real Estate Survey. The survey found that 40 percent of brokers and sales professionals attribute a new focus on real estate to the end of the vacation season. They also asked their brokers why:

1. Home for the Holidays: “As vacations wind down after Labor Day and people become more focused, the desire to be in a new home for the holidays is a historically strong driver of fall home sales,” said Charlie Young, president and CEO of ERA Real Estate.

2. Back-to-School Mentality: As Labor Day passes and kids go back to school, home buyers get down to business. The official end of summer also means the end of vacation season for many people, which means they’re refreshed and ready to refocus.

3. Tax Benefits: 10 percent of survey respondents found that their buyers want to have access to homeowner’s tax benefits before the new year. Homeowners can claim mortgage interest, residential energy efficiency and casualty losses, among other pay-backs.

Take advantage of the season by checking out Zillow’s listings and Open Houses near you.

Confidence is Key: Home Ownership Seems More Attainable

Country Financial, an insurance company from Bloomington, IL, found that 89 percent of Americans still think buying a home is essential to the American dream.

According to their COUNTRY Financial Security Index survey, more people believe home ownership is achievable. Only 41 percent of survey responders saw home ownership as attainable in 2013, while 64 percent now believe they could own a home.

Still, some people see more financial barriers than possibilities for home ownership. Fourteen percent of responders said their credit score was too low; 13 percent said they lacked the money for a down payment; and 12 percent were impeded by the price of homes in their area.

“Younger Americans are more likely to reject the idea of home ownership. Yet, the financial challenges of buying a home can affect those of any age,” said Joe Buhrmann, manager of financial security support at Country Financial.

However, Zillow found that 82 percent of Millennials felt confident that they’d be able to afford to buy a home someday.

Why Fall May be a Good Time to Sell Your Home

The Bay Area housing market has been strong this year. There have been stories of crowded open houses, multiple offers on some listings, and even bidding wars on specific properties that push prices skyward. Now that fall has arrived, some homeowners may believe that they have missed their window of opportunity to sell and that they should wait until next spring. Don’t be fooled; this may actually be a very good time to sell your home. A combination of continued demand from serious buyers, a lack of available inventory in many of our markets, ongoing relocations into the Bay Area, and a warm, cozy feeling from homes over the holidays all add up as good reasons for why autumn may be a better time to list a home than most people realize. Consider all of the following: Continued demand from buyers. As anyone who’s followed the news this year knows, there have been more buyers than sellers for homes in the Bay Area. While the number of potential buyers at open houses may have dropped off in recent weeks—which is traditionally expected during the fall—there is still far more “traffic” than we usually see at this time of year. “Serious buyers” in the market now. During the fall months, there tend to be fewer “lookers” than in the spring and summer, and more serious buyers. These are often people who must buy for specific reasons, such as employment relocation. As a result, they are more likely to act quickly when they find the right property. A lack of available inventory. The number of listings has been relatively low all year compared to historical averages. The shortage of available inventory has helped to push prices higher in some areas. It is expected that this time of year there will be even fewer homes than the months preceding it, and that can mean less competition and more potential buyer attention for your listing. Great natural “staging” this time of year. There’s a certain warm feeling that comes with being in a home during the holidays. Homes just feel friendlier and cozier with holiday decorations, the fireplace glowing in the living room, and special cookies baking in the oven. These holiday touches can help “stage” a home, giving it the very best possible look and feel to sell. Buyers who walk into a home during the holidays may have an easier time envisioning their family at happy gatherings there, too. If you’re thinking about selling your home in the fall, there are a few things you should be doing. Start with improving your “curb appeal.” Clean up flowerbeds and rake any leaves on the lawn. Make sure weeds are pulled and shrubs are pruned. In the backyard, put away any summer items like pool toys. In general, keep things clean and neat. Embrace the holiday season and use appropriate decor. Keep decorations in tune with the holiday that’s approaching. Doing so can help potential buyers see themselves and their families enjoying the same holidays in your home. But be careful not to overdo it. It’s also important to price your home properly. Your REALTOR® can help you determine the appropriate price – based upon recent comparable home sales in your area and the anticipated inventory of available homes. Pricing your home correctly can increase the chances of getting a good offer faster. Finally, it’s more important than ever to work with an experienced real estate professional. Look for an agent that has a solid track record in your community and can provide you with good advice on how best to prepare and market your home during the fall season. While fall is not traditionally seen as the best time to sell a home, as explained above, there are a lot of advantages to listing your home now – especially at a time when others might shy away from selling. With a few simple steps, you just may find that selling your home this fall may be the best move you’ll ever make.

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3 Reasons to Consider a Smaller Home

The U.S. real estate market is seeing a growing trend of super small houses. While you might not be ready to go below 600 square feet, here are three reasons why bigger is not always better:

1. Lower Payments: Fewer of your assets are tied up in your house, which lets you diversify financially. A smaller home usually means lower costs, even outside of the mortgage. Your taxes will also drop.
2. Energy Costs: It costs less to heat, light, and run a small home than it does to heat a big one. Smaller houses may also be easier to sell in the future, as energy costs continue to rise.
3. Cleaning, Maintenance, and Improvement Projects: These are all less expensive and less time-consuming in a small house. Imagine repainting a kitchen that’s 200 square feet kitchen versus a kitchen that’s 70 square feet.

On the other hand, you may decide you need a bigger house. Getting married, having children, taking care of older relatives and even adopting pets can make your small house seem cramped. A larger house can mean more room inside or outside -- Wedding Bee found that most people prefer to have a yard.

How To Keep Your Trick-Or-Treaters Safe This Halloween

Information courtesy of the American Red Cross:

With Halloween right around the corner, the American Red Cross would like everyone to stay safe when they don their costumes and go out to Trick-or-Treat.

Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and traffic accidents, so the Red Cross is offering the following tips to help make this Halloween safe:

• Look for flame-resistant costumes.
• Plan the Trick-or-Treat route and make sure adults know where children are going. A parent or responsible adult should accompany young children as they make their way around the neighborhood.
• Make sure the Trick-or-Treaters have a flashlight. Add reflective tape to costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags. Have everyone wear light-colored clothing in order to be seen.
• Visit only the homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door – never go inside.
• Instead of masks, which can cover the eyes and make it hard to see, consider using face paint.
• Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic. Look both ways before crossing the street and cross only at the corner. Don’t cut across yards or use alleys. Don’t cross between parked cars.
• Be cautious around pets and any other animals.

WELCOMING GHOSTS AND GOBLINS If someone is welcoming Trick-or-Treaters at their home, they should make sure the outdoor light is on. Other safety steps include:

• Sweep leaves from the sidewalks and steps.
• Clear the porch or front yard of any obstacles that a child could trip over.
• Restrain any household pets.
• Use a glow stick instead of a candle in the jack-o-lantern to avoid a fire hazard.

LEARN WHAT TO DO People can download the free American Red Cross First Aid App. Users receive instant access to expert advice for everyday emergencies whenever and wherever they need it. Features of the app include:

• Step-by-step instructions on how to handle the most common first aid situations;
• Videos and animations that make the skills easy to learn;
• Safety and preparedness tips; and
• Quizzes that users can take to earn badges which they can share with their friends on social media.

People can find all of the Red Cross apps in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/mobileapps.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

San Carlos Residents Encouraged to Get Flu Shot Early with Early Flu Season Upon Us

The following is a news release from the San Mateo County Health System:
Flu season is unpredictable and this year, flu season came early. San Mateo County health officials urge everyone six months and older to get vaccinated early this year.
“A flu shot early in the season increases your chances of staying healthy,” said Dr. Scott Morrow, San Mateo County Health Officer. “The flu vaccine is safe and can prevent flu-related illness, hospitalization and even death. It’s the best defense against the flu.”
Flu vaccine is now widely available throughout the county, and because the vaccine takes two weeks to become fully effective, residents should get a flu shot as soon as possible.
While everyone six months and older should get vaccinated, it is especially important that pregnant women, children younger than five, adults 65 and older, and those with chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, and diabetes, all get vaccinated.
Healthy people should also get a flu shot to avoid getting sick and to protect others by staying healthy. The flu is not fun for anyone but it’s important to remember that the flu can be very serious. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of 24,000 people die each year in the U.S. due to complications from the flu and another 200,000 are hospitalized.
People are encouraged to contact their health care provider to get their flu shot. The vaccine is also available at pharmacies, retail stores, and offered by some employers. For people who do not have a health care provider or insurance, the Health System and community organizations offer free flu vaccine at clinics throughout the county. No appointment is necessary for these clinics, and no I.D. is required. For more information on where to get your flu shot, visit www.smchealth.org/flu.
For more information about the flu, and for a schedule of community vaccine clinics in San Mateo County, visit www.smchealth.org/flu , or call the flu hotline at (650) 573-3927.

Introducing "Shape San Carlos" Open Town Hall

9/11/2014

Shape San Carlos is a new community engagement tool, developed by Berkeley-based Peak Democracy as Open Town Hall, to increase transparency and encourage the community to participate more regularly in civic governance.  As a bonus, a robust Cloud storage solution allows for the archiving of maps, plans and other large public documents related to a topic, making the online discourse even more dynamic.

Members join by registering for Shape San Carlos on the City's website.  Participants are then able to engage in moderated discussions with both City staff and other citizens on topics presented by the City. Comments and feedback are reviewed regularly by City staff and moderated by Peak Democracy to ensure that standards of respect and civility are upheld. 

The platform allows the City to gather a broad range of perspectives from residents, facilitate a more informed dialogue and generate greater community participation.  Topics will range from soliciting ideas for park improvements to gathering public comment on City budget priorities and more.