From our family to yours – Merry Christmas!
With love,
Susan & Sabrina
The Caton Team
Month: December 2018
Study: Half of Phishing Websites Use Padlock Security Icon
A common piece of cybersecurity advice is to look for the padlock icon to appear in your browser bar when you visit websites. This icon, ostensibly, indicates that the website is secure. But that advice may no longer be fool-proof.
New research from PhishLabs, a digital risk assessment company, shows that about half of all phishing websites use technology that displays the padlock icon to visitors. Thatâs an added challenge for real estate, which was the second-most targeted industryhit with malware events in the second quarter of 2018, according to a recent report from cybersecurity firm eSentire. Cybercriminals are increasingly attempting to infiltrate your transactions and steal your data.
The âhttpsâ protocol in website URLs usually signals that data is encrypted as it travels between browser and website. A poll of web users in December 2017 showed that more than 80 percent of respondents associated the padlock with a website that is either legitimate or safe. âBrowser makers are fighting back by working with security firms to identify and block new phishing sites, but some manage to evade being flagged,â TechSpot reports on the findings.â The safest option is to not input your details if you have any suspicions about a website, even if it does have a padlock.â
Source:
âHalf of All Phishing Sites Display the Padlock, Making People Think Theyâre Safe,â TechSpot (Nov. 27, 2018)
I read this article at: Â Realtor Magazine
Got Questions – The Caton Team is here to help.
We strive to be more than just Realtors – we are also your home resource. If you have any real estate questions, concerns, need a referral or some guidance – we are here for you. Contact us at your convenience – we are but a call, text or click away!
The Caton Team believes, in order to be successful in the San Fransisco | Peninsula | Bay Area | Silicon Valley Real Estate Market we have to think and act differently. We do this by positioning our clients in the strongest light, representing them with the upmost integrity, while strategically maneuvering through negotiations and contracts. Together we make dreams come true.
A mother and daughter-in-law team with over 35 years of combined, local Real Estate experience and knowledge – wouldât you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time.
Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com
Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200
The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?
The Caton Team Blog – The Real Estate Beat
How to Buy While Selling Real Estate
Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team
Visit us at:Â Our Blog * TheCatonTeam.com * Facebook * Instagram * HomeSnap* Pintrest * LinkedIN Sabrina * LinkedIN Susan
Thanks for reading â Sabrina
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices â Drysdale Properties
Sabrina DRE# 01413526 / Susan DRE #01238225 / Team DRE# 70000218/ Office DRE #01499008
The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.
Large, Small Markets See Diverging Pricing Trends
A tale of two housing markets is unfolding nationwide, with homes in large cities seeing deep price cuts while those in smaller markets experience growth, according to realtor.comÂźâs November housing report. âThe housing market is a âTale of Two Citiesâ as the divergence widens between high-cost, large urban areas and smaller, more affordable markets,â says realtor.comÂź Chief Economist Danielle Hale. âBuyers in large metros are seeing more homes on the market and listing prices decline, while those in smaller markets continued to see price increases.â
Twenty-two percent of listings nationwide saw price reductions last month, up from 19 percent a year ago, according to realtor.com©. Forty of the 45 largest markets in the country saw more price reductions in November, with the most in:
- San Jose, Calif. (up 16 percent)
- Indianapolis (up 15 percent)
- Seattle (up 12 percent)
- San Francisco (up 9 percent)
- San Diego (up 9 percent).
On the other hand, several smaller markets saw home prices still rising last month. For example, prices were on the rise in markets like Chattanooga, Tenn. (up 17 percent); Spokane, Wash. (up 15 percent); and Greensboro-High Point, N.C. (up 14 percent).
I read this article at: Â Reatlor Magazine
Got Questions – The Caton Team is here to help.
We strive to be more than just Realtors – we are also your home resource. If you have any real estate questions, concerns, need a referral or some guidance – we are here for you. Contact us at your convenience – we are but a call, text or click away!
The Caton Team believes, in order to be successful in the San Fransisco | Peninsula | Bay Area | Silicon Valley Real Estate Market we have to think and act differently. We do this by positioning our clients in the strongest light, representing them with the utmost integrity, while strategically maneuvering through negotiations and contracts. Together we make dreams come true.
A mother and daughter-in-law team with over 35 years of combined, local Real Estate experience and knowledge – wouldât you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time.
Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com
Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200
The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?
The Caton Team Blog – The Real Estate Beat
How to Buy While Selling Real Estate
Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team
Visit us at:Â Our Blog * TheCatonTeam.com * Facebook * Instagram * HomeSnap* Pintrest * LinkedIN Sabrina * LinkedIN Susan
Thanks for reading â Sabrina
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices â Drysdale Properties
Sabrina DRE# 01413526 / Susan DRE #01238225 / Team DRE# 70000218/ Office DRE #01499008
The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.
Resources for Buyers Struggling With Down Payments
First-time buyer surveys consistently show the top hurdle to homeownership is saving up for the down payment. But potential home shoppers may be misunderstanding the amount of money they really need to buy a home.
âPaying 20 percent down is, quite frankly, a myth,â Karen Hoskins, vice president at NeighborWorks, told HouseLogic. âMost buyers pay only 5 percent to 10 percent downâsome even pay zero.â
Several assistance programs exist to help buyers with down payment concerns break into homeownership. For example, 69 percent of about 2,500 homebuying programs tracked by Down Payment Resource offer down payment assistance. The average amount of assistance from these programs tops $11,000.
HouseLogic offers several places where buyers can search for down payment assistance, including through national government programs. The Federal Housing Administration offers loans to first-time buyers with down payments as low as 3.5 percent. Programs like the USDA Rural Development Loans and VA Home Loans offer eligible buyers zero down payment loans.
Mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offer eligible buyers loans where they can put down as little as 3 percent of the purchase price. When buyers put down less than 20 percent, they pay private mortgage insurance each month to protect the lenderâs interest.
Many state and local homebuying programs offer assistance programs too. There are many different forms of assistance, such as forgivable loans and grants (gifts for some or all of the down payment and closing costs) to soft mortgages (down payment assistance loans that are deferred for some period of time based on the programâs requirements).
To find a program, HouseLogic recommends NeighborWorks, which provides housing counselors to discuss mortgage options for free, and the Down Payment Resource, where buyers can check their eligibility for assistance programs. Mortgage brokers should also be able to supply buyers with information about programs in their area and help determine eligibility.
Read the full scope of your buyersâ options and share the available resources for down paymentsâor no down paymentsâon HouseLogic.Â
Source:Â
âKnown Ways You Can Buy a House With No Down Payment,â HouseLogic.com (December 2018)Â
I read this article at: Realtor.com
Got Questions – The Caton Team is here to help.
We strive to be more than just Realtors – we are also your home resource. If you have any real estate questions, concerns, need a referral or some guidance – we are here for you. Contact us at your convenience – we are but a call, text or click away!
The Caton Team believes, in order to be successful in the San Fransisco | Peninsula | Bay Area | Silicon Valley Real Estate Market we have to think and act differently. We do this by positioning our clients in the strongest light, representing them with the upmost integrity, while strategically maneuvering through negotiations and contracts. Together we make dreams come true.
A mother and daughter-in-law team with over 35 years of combined, local Real Estate experience and knowledge – wouldât you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time.
Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com
Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200
The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?
The Caton Team Blog – The Real Estate Beat
How to Buy While Selling Real Estate
Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team
Visit us at:Â Our Blog * TheCatonTeam.com * Facebook * Instagram * HomeSnap* Pintrest * LinkedIN Sabrina * LinkedIN Susan
Thanks for reading â Sabrina
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices â Drysdale Properties
Sabrina DRE# 01413526 / Susan DRE #01238225 / Team DRE# 70000218/ Office DRE #01499008
The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.
The Real Estate Beat 