College Debt is Postponing Homeownership

This is not new news, and I already wrote about this earlier on this blog, but it is worth noting it again: college debt is a factor in postponing homeownership and a lot of other life decisions.

I just read this article from RISMedia, written by Suzanne De Vita (online news editor) which reiterates with fresh figures this pressing problem facing our youngest generation.  The National Association of Realtors is actively supporting efforts to find solutions and educate students as they take on new debt.  See the following NAR report on student debt.  As a result a majority of millenials are postponing several significant aspects of their life, such as marriage, starting a family, or starting any retirement savings.

Do you think getting a loan for your education should be more expensive than getting a loan for a car or a house?

Thank you for reading,
Francis

Trends: Local prices and graphs.
Check your Home Value
A worthy local non-profit to remember: Community Services Agency in Mountain View

Bay Area Real Estate Continues to Demand Top-Dollar

Market Watch | Bay Area Real Estate Continues to Demand Top-Dollar

November 13, 2017    Coldwell Banker  Market News  by Marketing Department

In September, the Bay Area maintained its position as California’s most in-demand region for real estate. According to the September California Association of REALTORS^® report, six of nine Bay Area counties had less than three months’ supply of inventory, and of the six – two had less than a two months’ supply. The report indicated that San Mateo took the No. 1 spot with the highest price per square foot at $883/sq. ft., followed by San Francisco ($875/sq. ft.), and Santa Clara ($687/sq. ft.). Read more about what’s happening from our Silicon Valley offices.

SF Peninsula – Half Moon Bay reported an all-time low in inventory supply. Although this makes the housing market tough for prospective buyers, many were still encouraged by low interest rates. Palo Alto downtown also saw low inventory that led to multiple offers on most, if not all properties.
Redwood City experienced a healthy demand and saw many sales exceeding asking prices. One instance was an uninhabitable house in southern San Francisco that listed for $550,000 and received 29 offers, selling well above the listing price. The luxury market remained active, although properties did not move as quickly.
San Mateo saw an increase in both inventory and prices. The luxury market was active, but slower with properties priced above $2.5 million. 

Silicon Valley 
Cupertino saw an active market, at times with more pending sales than active listings.  Buyers are encouraged to start house hunting as Silicon Valley is a uniquely strong region with exceptional demand. The luxury market remains active with several sales exceeding $6 million.
Gilroy and Morgan Hill saw low inventory and over 65 percent of the 54 available homes sold for over $1 million. Entry-level homes can be challenging to find, although the average list price of Gilroy is slightly lower. Overall, the area remains a sellers’ market with multiple offers and homes selling for above asking.
Los Altos experienced a continued sellers’ market with low inventory and multiple offers on most listings. The average days-on-market remained low, ranging from 13 days in Sunnyvale to 35 in Los Altos Hills. Sellers need to ensure their homes are priced and primed for a competitive sale. And buyers must be prepared with financing and a knowledgeable, trusted agent to represent their best interests. Buyers must also be aggressive as the market is highly competitive and sellers are more responsive to solid offers. The luxury market priced above
$4.5 million in Los Altos is steady and flat. On average, time on market is 44 days. Inventory is steadily increasing and the number of sales in the high-end market is down slightly.
Los Gatos saw a sustained sellers’ market, and luxury activity remains strong and active.
San Jose saw inventory at a record low. That coupled with low interest rates has created an increasingly competitive market for buyers. Even with the strong demand, sellers are encouraged to price their home competitively – at or slightly below market price – to avoid pushback from buyers. Because of the current competitive landscape, buyers should be ready to make an offer quickly because hesitation may cost them a great opportunity.
Saratoga saw multiple offers on most of its listings and a continued sellers’ market.  Buyers who are ready to make a move should have all financing in order. The high-end luxury market experienced an increase in listings with 24 properties for sale in September, a 9.1 percent increase from August 2017, and a 71.4 percent increase from September 2016.

Any questions about your real estate situation? Let me know!
Thanks for reading!

Francis Rolland

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Real Estate Ownership: how to hold title to your real estate

The question of how to hold title to your property comes up every time as you get ready to finalize the process of buying a home, "sign off", and tell the escrow/title company how to register that new home that you purchase.
This is not something that a Realtor can advise you on (nor the escrow officer BTW), because it is definitely a legal matter, and it does also have tax implications.  The various ways to hold title can be in good part summarized as indicated below:

-  Sole ownership –In this scenario, property is owned entirely by one person, who can do whatever he or she wishes with it without permission from another party. If the sole owner dies without a will, the property passes according to the state law where it is located. In some cases, the court that has jurisdiction will appoint an executor to oversee disposition of the estate.
-  Joint tenancy – As joint tenants, each person who has a share of ownership owns an equal share of the property. If one owner dies, that share passes automatically to the remaining owner(s).
-  Tenants in Common – In this case, a property is owned by two or more people at the same time, but the proportionate interests and right to possess and enjoy the property need not be equal. The owners can sell their share of the property if they wish and, upon death, the decedent’s interest passes to his/her heirs who then become new tenants in common with the surviving owners. (None of the tenants in common automatically receive, by default, the share of the decedent.)
-  Community Property – In the nine states that recognize community property, including California, any property you acquire while married is considered community property, and is equally owned between you and your spouse. This becomes especially relevant in the event of divorce.

-  Community Property with Right of Survivorship - this (more recent) method is very often used nowadays around here in California, as it combines some of the advantages of owning from both Joint Tenancy and Community Property.
-  and there are many other ways of holding title, among others in an LLC, or an LLP, or also, very common around our areas where properties are so high in value, in a Trust.

This is why it you are not certain how you want to hold title to your real estate asset, it is best to inquire ahead of time, ideally with a licensed California real estate attorney. 

I have found that even people who've owned a property for a long time should revisit this important matter, as needs and life situations change over time.
Contact me if you need some resources, and do not just base your decision on the information above ;-)

As always, thank you for reading!

Francis

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Local Market Update - Silicon Valley Real Estate

Market Watch

Low Inventory Still Impacting Northern California

September 11, 2017

Sparse housing inventory continues to affect the Northern California market. The California Association of Realtors’ latest report indicates that the San Francisco Bay Area endured a large drop in pending sales due to the lack of available housing. In fact, it dipped 11.5 percent since last July. The report also indicates that San Francisco and San Mateo counties were both down double-digits, 11.0 percent and 21.4 percent, respectively. For homeowners on the fence about selling, the lack of inventory makes it a great time to list because many patient home buyers are prepared to come in with solid offers. Read more about what’s happening, coming directly from our Northern California Coldwell Banker offices:

From the trenches...:

SF Peninsula – Half Moon Bay’s market remained competitive. The luxury market continued with strong demand. Average days on the market was just 17, with a median sales price of $2 million.
Menlo Park experienced a fast-paced market with no slowing. Sellers were encouraged to list their homes instead of trying to time the market or wait for a more optimal time.
Redwood City had a lack of inventory. Homes priced under $1 million brought in multiple offers. In the $1 million-plus market, homes sat on the market longer before closing.

Santa Cruz County- Offices in Santa Cruz saw a strong month. Average sales prices have been increasing steadily for the last five years by $30,000 to $90,000. This year is no different, with the average sales price of $950,000 and an average list price of $1,050,000. Buyers have been more aggressive in their offers. The luxury market in Santa Cruz peaked in comparison to the last few months with an average of just 50 days on the market (instead of 54 days), and experienced significantly more sales above the $1 million mark over past months.

Silicon Valley – Cupertino continues to experience a lack of inventory. However, the luxury market is still active up to $4 million. Low inventory was also a key factor in Los Gatos’ market, creating a similar dynamic as in Cupertino.
Gilroy and Morgan Hill also endured a lack of inventory causing multiple offers and high closing prices. Even in those markets favoring the supply-side, sellers should be prepared to choose quickly when presented with multiple offers. To submit a winning offer, buyers must put their highest offers first and make the transaction easier for the sellers.
San Jose remained active even with declining inventory. Because of the decreased supply, prices have slightly increased. Sellers can take advantage of the high demand. Buyers should think long term and be prepared to make a strong offer. Factors such as multiple offers or slightly higher asking prices should not deter them from putting in offers.
Saratoga’s market saw an increase of 21 percent in the average sales price year-over-year. The luxury market remained active with five listings and four sales.

My personal current market report allows you to check in for your own City, and area within your City.

Thank you for reading,
Francis

Your Home Value?

Trends: Local prices and graphs.
A worthy local non-profit to remember: Community Services Agency in Mountain View

Home purchases by foreigners in the US

What is the profile of the international home purchase activity in the US?

About a year ago I mentioned some of the characteristics of the types of properties foreign buyers were buying, depending on where they are from.  This blog here is more general in nature and shows how much, globally, each country participated in the buying binge in the US.

An image is worth 1000 words...  the National Association of Realtors put out a study and infographic that says it all, entitled:  Where are most international buyers from?
Please check out the NAR's  2016 International Profile.

.. which translates in the following figures:

Thank you for reading,
Francis

Silicon Valley real estate specialist
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Seasonality of real estate sales prices - Silicon Valley

To piggy-back on one of my earlier blogs on the evolution of prices in the Silicon Valley, here is an updated graph showing the median price of a residential piece of property in the County of Santa Clara, between a bit before Jan 1, 2015, and right now: July of 2017.





















Click on the graph to see it larger.

The green arrows point to a seasonal low in Aug./ September (corresponding to August sales) and a movement downwards in january, which corresponds to sales in November and December.
As mentioned in my previous blog, it does not mean necessarily that the same property will sell for less in December than in January, but it does mean that more properties of a lower value sold in November / December than in January.  One can see that in February the median price starts going higher (these are the January sales).

Will the same property sell for less during those times?  It is open to question, but my experience is that a prime piece of real estate, with good location, very good condition etc... will sell for about the same price.  By experience, if a property is not top notch, it may suffer somewhat from the timing.   Otherwise, these ups and downs relate to the fact that:
- many people are away during the months of July and August,
- many people wait for right after Labor Day to put a property on the market (feeling that fewer people will be in the market to buy a home, because away on vacation),
- fewer people are looking to buy in November and December because of the holidays and the weather.
- statistically, more homes go on the market during those slower times because they have to.  This can  also explain why the sales price is lower.

Thank you for reading!
Francis

Trends: Local prices and graphs.
Check your Home Value
A worthy local non-profit to remember: Community Services Agency in Mountain View

Perspective on the Real Estate Market - Silicon Valley - USA

A perspective on the real estate market in the US, and in the Silicon Valley - the Bay Area of San Francisco.

As I update this amazing graph every year around the month of April - May, I cannot stop being amazed at the evolution of prices in our corner of the world.
This graph makes me think somewhat about the technical progress of the past 3 decades  - also unique to our generation.  Although obviously it is not in direct correlation to scientific discoveries, since it is a reflection of other factors like supply and demand, economic upticks and downturns and geographic particularities, the graph is as extreme in its own way, and covers a time frame that is the same.

Click to see a larger graph.

What happens after the end of 2016?  For now the market is still a strong sellers' market in most of the US regions. 
Nationwide the median home value is now higher than right before the "Big Crisis", at $198,000, according to the April Zillow® Real Estate Market Reports (Svenja Gudell article).
However, let's not forget that this is not true of all of the US: in 17 of the 32 largest metropolitan housing markets prices are still below-peak (like in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami).

Here in the Silicon Valley the market remains very much a seller's market. At this point, I believe the annual appreciation will be easily around 6-8%.  The areas with the lowest average prices may even show a higher rate of appreciation.  Multiple offers are the norm, and cash is king...

Thank you for reading,
Francis

Trends: Local prices and graphs.
Check your Home Value
A worthy local non-profit to remember: Community Services Agency in Mountain View

8 facts about Mountain View, Google's hometown

Mountain View is the hometown of Google.  Have you ever been curious about the town that hosts Google?

Here are 8 facts about Mountain View that you've always been curious about, but never asked - ok, may be you checked before... ;-)

 In 2016:

• 573 homes sold - houses, townhouses and condominiums,
• Mountain View’s average home sales price is:  $ 1.384 million, roughly 6% over the asking price, and 4.3% over the average sales price of 2015,
• The average time for properties to sell was: 19 days
• Out of those 573 homes, 42% were single family residences.  The others were condominiums or townhouses,
• Overwhelmingly, properties sold in Mountain View were 3 bedroom homes (41%).  Then in order came the 2 bedrooms (29%) and the 4 bedrooms (18%).
• Nearly half of the homes were between 40 and 70 years old (45%).   (13 were over 80 years old, 37 were new or 1 yr old),
• The average size of all these sold Mountain View homes is 1493 sq.ft.
• Half of all the households of Mountain View made over $103k/year and half made under that.

Curious about more info on Google's town?  Check out my full neighborhood report.

Curious about your town, in the Silicon Valley? curious about the value of your home?  Let me know, I'll do the study.

Thanks for reading!

Francis

Your Mountain View Home Value

Trends: Local prices and graphs.
A worthy local non-profit to remember: Community Services Agency in Mountain View
Card Drawing by Francis