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The best month and day to put a home on the market – well my birthday of course!

The best month and day to put a home on the market, according to Zillow

A study points to a Saturday in May as a seller’s peak opportunity

Key Takeaways

Homes listed between May 1 through 15 tend to sell nine days faster and sell 1 percent above the asking price, a new Zillow study says.

You may want to hide during the ides of March, but the ides of May are the perfect time to put a home on the market, says a new study by Zillow.

In 20 of the 25 metro areas studied, homes listed anywhere between May 1 and May 15 sold nine days faster and for up to 1 percent more than the asking price.

“With 3 percent fewer homes on the market than last year, 2017 is shaping up to be another competitive buying season,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell in a statement.

“Many [homebuyers] who started looking for homes in the early spring will still be searching for their dream home months later. By May, some buyers may be anxious to get settled into a new home — and will be more willing to pay a premium to close the deal.”

Mark your calendar for a Saturday in May

Moreover, Zillow’s research revealed the best day to place a home on the market is Saturday — listings that appear on Zillow’s site on this day garner 20 percent more views than early-in-the-week listings.

The second best day to list is Friday, when properties receive 14 percent more views.

Lastly, Gudell says sellers have to be cognizant of other factors, such as weather.

Sellers in Texas, California and Florida have more leeway in when to list their home due to warmer weather patterns. Also, sellers who live in areas without distinct seasonal weather tend to have little variation in sales price based on the month.

Are you thinking of selling? Call the Caton Team – it is what we do best! We’re available for a free consultation.

I read this article at: http://www.inman.com/2017/03/02/the-best-month-and-day-to-put-a-home-on-the-market-according-to-zillow/?utm_source=weeklyheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sundaysend&utm_content=20170310_readmore

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

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Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

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Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawendtcaton

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Understanding Solar Easements

There is no fooling around when it comes to solar power, solar easements and how they effect Real Estate. We recently had a bid on our home – it was eye opening. Enjoy this article on…

Understanding Solar Easements

Interest in solar energy is growing as more and more homeowners, as well as business, are taking long, serious looks at this alternative source of power. As with any new technology, however, there are potential problems. For example, the sun’s rays must reach the solar collectors in order to produce energy from either active or passive systems.

If the sun were always directly overhead there would be no problem. It is not, of course, and this brings up the question of solar access – the availability of sunlight to reach of buildings solar collectors. Resolution of this problem often involves access across adjacent properties, which, in turn, involves a neighbors airspace.

The building owner, access questions involve both the height and setback of adjacent buildings. That’s where negotiated agreement for solar easement come into sharp focus.

Under such an agreement, one property owner would receive assurances from the other that the sunlight which travels over the neighbors property would always be available. The neighbor, and all subsequent owners, would be restricted in building or planting trees which could obstruct the sunlight.

After agreement, if such solar easements are properly recorded, problems could arise if the property is subsequently sold and the new owners are either unaware of the easement or not in agreement with its conditions.

A solar easement establishes certain land-use conditions agreed to buy the property owners involved. Such an agreement includes:

– A description of the dimensions of the easement, including vertical and horizontal angles measured in the degrees of the hours of the day, on specific dates, during which direct sunlight is a specified surface or structural design feature may not be obstructed;

– Restrictions placed upon visitation, structures and other objects which would impair or obstruct the passage of sunlight through the easement, and;

– The terms and conditions, if any under which the easement may be revised or terminated.

It is important, of course, that all solar easements be officially recorded, just as other use and conditions are included in public records. Otherwise, such an easement might not be noted during the title search at the time of a real estate sale.

Such an omission could create serious problems at a later date when the new owner decides to make structural or landscape changes that would affect the path of sunlight across their property. This article was edited from an article by the California land title Association provided by North American Title Company.

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

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Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawendtcaton

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Spring housing already overheating—think 60 offers on one house

Spring housing already overheating—think 60 offers on one house

The spring housing market started early this year, not because of higher-than-average temperatures but because of hotter-than-average demand and overheating home prices.

This year may be the starkest example of a post-recession reality that is redefining housing as we know it.

“This spring housing market is shaping up to be another doozy for homebuyers,” said Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist for home-listing website Trulia. “Housing affordability is the key to helping break yet another year of gridlocked inventory, but all signs are showing that homes this spring will be much less affordable than last year.”

Affordability is being hit on several fronts: The foreclosure crisis is over, but it left behind an entirely new landscape for potential buyers. Entry-level homes are scarce because investors bought tens of thousands of them during the crisis and turned them into rentals. The number of single-family rentals jumped to more than 15 million, up from about 11 million in 2009, according to the U.S. Census.

Homebuilders continue to operate well below normal levels because of higher costs and a lack of labor, and thousands of construction workers left the business during the recession, never to return. Builders don’t focus on entry-level homes because the margins are simply too tight, and prices for new construction are also rising at a fast clip.

What’s more, credit is still tight, and the youngest cohort of buyers, the millennials, are delaying marriage and parenthood, the two biggest drivers of home ownership. The shortage of homes for sale has now pushed prices to a 30-year high, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller. Rising mortgage rates only add to the pressure.

“Home prices continue to advance, with the national average rising faster than at any time in the last two-and-a-half years,” said David M. Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “With all 20 cities [in the S&P/Case-Shiller Index] seeing prices rise over the last year, questions about whether this is a normal housing market or if prices could be heading for a fall are natural.”

At a Sunday open house in Los Angeles this weekend, nearly a dozen house hunters showed up before the scheduled start. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was reasonably priced, in a desirable neighborhood and move-in ready.

“Typically for a home like this we would expect to see upwards of 15 to 20 offers,” said Fabrizzia Perri, the Redfin agent showing the property. “Recently, I was at a similar listing that had 66 offers on it, of course only one person wins, so 65 homebuyers have to restart their home search.”

Emily Leach, 35, knows that story all too well. She has been looking for a few months, hoping that by getting in before spring she might have a better chance at an affordable home. So far, that has not been the case.

“We actually had a house that we saw that we really liked in South-Central Los Angeles, and we tried to make a move on that and we got outbid. South-Central!” she laughed.

Michelle and Derrick Jacob have been trolling the market for six months. They have a strict budget with little leeway, making it difficult for them to compete.

“The ones we want seem to be purchased in a snap, over asking price most of the time, well over asking price,” Derrick Jacob said.

Housing demand climbed considerably this year, even compared with last year, as the leading edge of the largest generation finally moves into homebuying and a stronger job market supports them. A monthly demand index from Redfin jumped to the highest level since January 2013, when the index began. Compared to January 2016, homebuyer demand was up 23 percent, led by a 26 percent annual increase in homebuyers requesting tours and an 18 percent increase in buyers making offers.

“Soaring stock markets, still-low mortgage rates, and a steady economy bolstered homebuyers at the start of 2017,” said Nela Richardson, Redfin chief economist. “Homebuyers were not just window shopping. They were serious about making offers and getting to the closing table. However, this uptick in homebuyer enthusiasm won’t guarantee strong sales in the coming months. With pending home sales down across the country in January despite strong demand, the lack of supply is a formidable foe for buyers this year.”

Higher home prices in some areas are supported by improving local economies and employment, but in other markets, too much demand pitted against too little supply is resulting in overheated housing. Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Portland, Oregon, are overpriced by 10 to 14 percent, according to a recent report from Fitch Ratings, which considers markets overheated when they exceed the areas’ supporting economic fundamentals. Los Angeles, Miami and Tampa, Florida, are close to 10 percent overvalued.

Analysts at Fitch don’t predict when any of these bubbles will burst, but they do point to certain warning signs.

“For Dallas, the current unemployment rate in the Fort Worth [Texas] region is 3 percent. You’d have to go back 30 years to go that low. We think it’s not sustainable. The business cycle will turn. Eventually, when it does, home prices will come down,” said Samuel So, director of research at Fitch.

Potential buyers today are facing tough new realities. Some houses are clearly overpriced, and renting is still a better financial option in some markets. Competition is fierce for the best homes, and buyers have to be ready to pull out all the tricks.

“You have to make an introductory letter, little story about yourself and you just hope that the home that you’re buying is not being sold by a flipper because they are much more neutral,” Leach advised. “If you have a home that’s being sold by the previous owners, you might be able to get that emotional human connection.”

Curious about our local Silicon Valley Real Estate Market – Contact The Caton Team for a one on one consultation.

I read this article at: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/28/spring-housing-already-overheating-think-60-offers-on-one-house.html

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: http://thecatonteam.com/mobileapp

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Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawendtcaton

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Guide to Buying a Home

The Early Bird’s Guide to Buying a Home

By Daniel Bortz

Edited by Sabrina

Planning to buy a home this year? Then – is the time to get rolling.

“Spring is peak home-buying season, which means you’re going to have a ton of competition from other buyers,” says Peggy Yee, supervising broker at Frankly Realtors in Vienna, VA. Hence, winter is the ideal time to get ahead of the curve. But life happens when you make other plans. Regardless of when you want to buy – follow these steps and you’ll be way ahead of the pack.

Step No. 1: Find a buyer’s agent

Teaming up with a Realtor is your first step. For starters, an agent can take the time to help you identify what type of home you want and educate you on the local market so that you’ll have realistic expectations of what you’ll be able to find in a few months.

Also, “your agent may hear of properties that are going to come on the market or sold off market, which could enable you to get a sneak peek at homes before other buyers.”

To find a real estate agent, you can ask friends or family for referrals, or use a reputable real estate database.

“If you’re laser-focused on a specific neighborhood, you’ll want to work with a neighborhood specialist—someone who knows the community like the back of their hand,” Yee advises.

Step No. 2: Get your financing squared away

Before you even lay eyes on a house, you should be looking at lenders. Why? Because lenders will help you get real about how much house you can afford. They will determine how much money they’re willing to lend you by checking out your financial details, from your income to your credit score and more. Plus, if your finances are less than perfect, you’ll be able to find out in plenty of time to make amends.

“Depending on what shape your credit is in, it may take a couple of months to raise your score,” says Richard Redmond, mortgage broker at All California Mortgage in Larkspur and author of “Mortgages: The Insider’s Guide.”

There’s no magic spell to banish poor credit; the strategy will depend on your financial situation.

“For some people, it might make sense to pay off their credit card balances over the next couple of months, but that might not be the right move if you’re going to need the money for closing costs,” Redmond explains. Thus, it’s beneficial to get credit advice from a mortgage professional at least two to three months before you plan to buy.

If your credit score is strong (760 and above will qualify you for the best interest rates), getting pre-approved for a home loan now makes sense.

“Pre-approval is usually only good for 90 days,” says Redmond, “but it’s easy to renew it if the borrower’s financial picture doesn’t change. And when interest rates are trending upward, which they currently are, it’s better to lock in your rate sooner rather than later.” And remember – you don’t lock a rate until you have an accepted offer. Now that’s a whole other blog.

Step No. 3: Start previewing homes

You’ll probably do an initial consultation with your agent to identify what type of home you want to buy. However, you won’t really know what type of home you’re looking for until you actually step inside some homes, says Lisa Cahill, co-owner of Evolve Real Estate in St. Petersburg, FL.

“Your criteria can change when you start to look at properties,” says Cahill. For example, you might think you need a home with 2,500 square feet of living space, but that number could change when you start seeing homes in person. Your real estate agent can alert you to open houses to attend so you get a feel of homes on your own. As you would in your own life.

Step No. 4: Scrutinize prospective neighborhoods

Have your sights set on a particular neighborhood? Check it out – to see if the community is going to be a good fit.

“You can tell whether an area has good schools on paper, but there are a lot of things you can’t judge unless you go there in person,” says Cahill.

For instance, online research won’t show you what the noise level is during rush hour or what the neighbors are like (e.g., is it more for young families or older residents?). Those are things that you need to assess with your own eyes. Concerned about traffic? “Go and test-drive your commute,” says Yee.

Step No. 5: Don’t rule out buying early or later

Even if you had originally planned to buy later in the spring, what if you find a home you absolutely love earlier or later? If you’re willing and able to move earlier or later, then keep an open mind with respect to buying a home.

If you’re thinking of buying this year – let’s sit down and chat. I’m sure you have questions and we probably have the answer – and if we don’t we know who does. Contact the Caton Team for a free Real Estate consultation.

I read this article at: http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/early-birds-guide-buying-home/?identityID=9851214&MID=2017_0217_WeeklyNL&RID=353497822&cid=eml-2017-0217-WeeklyNL-blog_2_earlybirdbuying-blogs_buy

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: http://thecatonteam.com/mobileapp

HomeSnap: http://www.homesnap.com/Sabrina-Caton

Visit our Website at: http://thecatonteam.com/

Visit our INSTAGRAM page: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

PINTREST: https://www.pinterest.com/thecatonteam/

Visit us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Susan-The-Caton-Team-Realtors/294970377834

YELP us at: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-caton-team-realtors-sabrina-caton-and-susan-caton-redwood-city

Or YELP me: http://www.yelp.com/user_details_thanx?userid=gpbsls-_RLpPiE9bv3Zygw

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawendtcaton

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Bidding Wars to Heat Up This Spring

Likely to be a hallmark of this year’s spring homeselling season: Bidding wars. As home listings are scarcer and buyer demand remains high, home shoppers are finding a lot more competition this spring, particularly in hot markets like the San Francisco Bay area, Denver, and Boston.

“Home buyers are going to find this spring that, in a lot of markets, the inventory of homes priced and sized at price levels they were hoping for will be very limited,” Thomas Lawler, a former Fannie Mae economist who’s now a housing consultant in Leesburg, Va., told Bloomberg. Even “unlikely places are getting significantly tighter.”

An improving job market, growing consumer confidence, and the threat of rising mortgage rates have Americans flocking to housing. But many markets remain tight for listings. Housing starts remain well below levels prior to the recession and are geared more toward the higher end of the market. Homeowners also are reluctant to sell their existing home because they’re unsure of where they’d move to with the dearth of listings.

Homes are selling at a rapid clip in places like Denver; Seattle; Oakland, Calif.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Boise, Idaho; Madison, Wis.; and Omaha, Neb., according to the real estate brokerage Redfin.

Grand Rapids has seen a 27 percent decrease in the number of homes for sale over the past year. One listing alone reportedly attracted 40 bids.

“People need to get their houses on the market, but they’re gun-shy,” Tanya Craig, an associate broker with the Katie K team at Keller Williams, told Bloomberg. “Unless they know where they want to go, everyone is hesitant.”

Home buyers certainly aren’t being hesitant, if they can find a home they want. They’re in a rush for financing too. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has risen by more than half a percentage point since November 2016. The Federal Reserve last week voted to increase its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point and strongly hinted it would do so two more times this year.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is expected to increase to 4.7 percent by the end of 2017 and could reach 5.5 percent next year, according to Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®.

“In today’s market, many buyers think the trough in rates is over,” says Sam Khater, deputy chief economist at CoreLogic. “If you don’t get in now, it’s just going to be worse later. Rates will be higher, prices will be higher, and maybe inventory selection will be lower.”

Don’t worry – this information is old hat to the Silicon Valley Real Estate Market. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home this season – contact the Caton Team. We’ll guide you each step of the way!

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2017/03/20/bidding-wars-heat-up-spring?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BY0Co2B9Zsr5UW&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: http://thecatonteam.com/mobileapp

HomeSnap: http://www.homesnap.com/Sabrina-Caton

Visit our Website at: http://thecatonteam.com/

Visit our INSTAGRAM page: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

PINTREST: https://www.pinterest.com/thecatonteam/

Visit us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Susan-The-Caton-Team-Realtors/294970377834

YELP us at: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-caton-team-realtors-sabrina-caton-and-susan-caton-redwood-city

Or YELP me: http://www.yelp.com/user_details_thanx?userid=gpbsls-_RLpPiE9bv3Zygw

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawendtcaton

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Tax Benefits of Owning a Home: Do You Know Them All?

Tax Benefits of Owning a Home: Do You Know Them All?

By Margaret Heidenry

The joys of homeownership are many: Your own house is a place to make sweet memories, build a financial nest egg, and whittle down your tax bill. Wait, what? Yep, it’s true: Your home can save you a bundle on April 15.

We’ve rounded up every last way to take advantage of the tax benefits of owning a home. Read on for the full rundown just to make sure you aren’t missing any, then pat yourself on the back for all the moolah you’ll save!

Tax write-off No. 1: Your mortgage interest

This is the biggie tax benefit of owning a home: the ability to deduct the mortgage interest you pay over the course of a year. And the more recent your mortgage, the greater your tax savings.

“The way mortgage payments are amortized, the first payments are almost all interest—so that’s why the mortgage interest deduction is worth the most in the first few years of the loan,” says Wendy Connick, owner of Connick Financial Solutions. (See how your loan amortizes and how much you’re paying in interest with this mortgage calculator.)

Here’s how this deduction looks for a married couple in the 28% tax bracket (that means a joint annual income between $151,201 and $230,450) who bought a home with a $300,000, 30-year mortgage at a 4% interest rate. They will pay $11,904 in mortgage interest their first year. Once you add in the other itemized federal deductions below, these homeowners can expect to save at least $3,333 in taxes during their initial year of ownership.

Tax write-off No. 2: Your property taxes

Generally, your property taxes are deductible on your tax return, says Brian Ashcraft, director of compliance at Liberty Tax Service. And that could be a hefty savings. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average household property tax is $2,127. If you have a mortgage, your taxes are built into your monthly payment.

You can also pay property taxes early and write off the entire expense if you’re staring down a large tax bill for any given year. Just note that you must claim the deduction in the year you wrote the check. For example, if you paid your 2017 property tax in 2016, claim that tax benefit on your 2016 return. Here’s more info on how to calculate property taxes.

Tax write-off No. 3: Private mortgage insurance

If you put less than 20% down on your home, odds are you’re paying private mortgage insurance, or PMI, which costs from 0.3% to 1.15% of your home loan. But Uncle Sam’s willing to give you a tax break here by allowing you to deduct this amount from your income, too.

How much you’ll save: If you make $100,000 and put down 5% on a $200,000 house, you’ll pay about $1,500 in annual PMI premiums and thus cut taxable income by $1,500.

Note: The deduction is due to expire this year, says Connick. “Unless Congress renews it, the deduction will not be available for the 2017 tax year.”

Tax write-off No. 4: Energy-efficiency upgrades

Don’t miss out on tax credits for any “green” updates you’ve done to your home in the past year, says Michael Banks, founder of FortunateInvestor.com. The Renewable Energy Efficiency Property Credit allows you to claim a credit for up to 30% of the cost of equipment you purchased that uses renewable energy sources (e.g., solar panels and wind turbines).

Other home upgrades like new HVAC systems, energy-efficient windows, and storm doors can also earn a tax credit of up to $500. For example, if you installed central air conditioning, you can claim a $300 credit. This credit for residential energy-efficiency improvements expired at the end of 2016, so hopefully you made these improvements last year. If not, there’s still time for solar panels, since this credit runs through 2019.

Tax write-off No. 5: A home office

If you work from home, your office space and expenses can be deducted from your income, too. According to Vincenzo Villamena, managing partner of Online Taxman, you can take a $5-per-square-foot deduction for up to 300 square feet of office space, which amounts to a maximum deduction of $1,500. Understand, however, that there are strict rules on what constitutes a dedicated, fully deductible home office space. Your accountant can lead you through it.

Tax write-off No. 6: Home improvements to age in place

Many older homeowners plan to stay put and age in place—and if that entails renovations such as wheelchair ramps or grab bars in slippery bathrooms, the cost of these improvements for you, a spouse, or dependent results in a nice tax break, says Jayson Mullin, owner of Top Tax Defenders.

“You can deduct the amount by which the cost of the improvements exceeds the increase in your home’s value,” says Mullin. To break that down, let’s say the cost of installing a ramp totals $10,000 and increases your home’s value by $7,000. Then the allowable deduction would equal $3,000.

Just remember, these “aging in place” deductions must cost more than 10% of your adjusted gross income. So if your AGI is $60,000, there’s no deduction for the first $6,000 of medical home improvement expenses. But if you’re 65 and older, the expense must exceed only 7.5% of your AGI.

Tax write-off No. 7: Interest on a home equity line of credit

If you’ve tapped into your home equity by taking out a home equity line of credit, or HELOC, the interest you pay on the loan is also deductible provided you use this money to pay for home improvements or repairs.

How much you’ll save depends on the amount borrowed, but let’s crunch some sample numbers: If you take out a four-year $20,000 HELOC at 4%, you’ll have an $800 deductible that will save you about $205 in the first year of your loan. Use this calculator to see how much you’ll save.

I read this article at: http://www.realtor.com/advice/finance/tax-benefits-of-owning-a-home/?identityID=9851214&MID=2017_0224_WeeklyNL&RID=353497822&cid=eml-2017-0224-WeeklyNL-blog_7_owninghometaxbenefits-blogs_trends

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

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28 Design Ideas Coming to Homes Near You in 2017

Looking for some great ideas for your home? How about a voice-activated assistant that will give you a weather update while you pour coffee into a preheated mug from a warming drawer? Not your style? No worries — there’s something for everyone in this preview of 2017 design trends. We plowed into Houzz data, sifted through popular photos and articles, and talked to industry leaders for this look at 28 things we think you’ll be seeing more of in the home in 2017.

Satin brass.Brass finishes have been making a comeback in recent years, cherished for their ability to bring shiny golden tones to a space without the high price tag. But more recently, designers like Elizabeth Lawson have been turning away from the reflective finish of polished brass and embracing satin or brushed brass, which is more muted and warm.
“I especially like a satinbrass finish because it’s transitional and can complement a number of styles,” says Lawson, who used the finish in the kitchen shown here. “It also looks amazing against almost any color of the rainbow. I think we’ll continue to see rooms with satin brass for quite some time and also possibly mixed with other finishes for a more eclectic look.”

Voice-activated assistants. There’s been a lot of talk about voice assistants in the home. It’s something Shawn DuBravac, chief economist of the Consumer Technology Association, which puts on the Consumer Electronics Show every year in Las Vegas (Jan. 5 to 8, 2017), says will be big in 2017.

Amazon’s Alexa, which is enabled in the Echo Dot shown on this side table, acts as a voice-activated interface for many smart home devices. Google Home’s voice assistant launched about a month ago.

These devices work through activation phrases like “Alexa” or “OK Google.” The devices, placed throughout your home, are always listening in somewhat of a dormant state. Say the activation phrase, and the device fires up and awaits your command. Ask it to give you the weather or play a song from Spotify or dim your lights or power up the hot tub.

Early last year, Amazon opened its platform to third parties and has since added thousands of integrated features from smart home companies like Lutron, Crestron, Philips Hue, Wemo, Honeywell, Nest, Samsung Smart Home to other services from Uber, Domino’s, NPR and more.

Google Home just launched its voice-activated assistant about a month ago, and DuBravac says he expects the company to open the platform to third-party companies soon.

“What you’re seeing is continued maturing of the smart home ecosystem,” he says. “It’s still a very nascent technology. Maturing isn’t something that happens instantaneously, but over time.”

Vanity conversions. If you’re having trouble finding the right premanufactured vanity for your home, try thinking outside the cabinet box. Many savvy homeowners are finding chests of drawers, old file cabinets, vintage consoles and more, and converting them into one-of-a-kind vanity

Hardworking kitchen storage walls. In search of more open space, many homeowners and designers are doing away with expanses of upper cabinets and pushing all that storage onto a single hardworking wall. This one-stop hub frees up the rest of the space to create a breezy look.

White with off-white. There’s just something refreshing about a room bathed in white. But when done in one stark white tone, things can start to feel clinical. Balancing a white palette with creamy off-whites and natural linen hues creates a breathtaking look that can be rich with character.

Greenery. Pantone’s verdant color of the year for 2017, Greenery, seems to be an instant hit for those looking for a revitalizing, back-to-nature hue that brings zest while still managing to work with warm wood tones.

Splurging on laundry rooms. Everyone knows that kitchens and bathrooms get the big remodeling dollars, but many homeowners are seeing value in making every space look great. And laundry rooms in particular are seeing more love. Design tricks to bring in more light, smarter storage and better function resonate with homeowners who realize that since they spend a lot of time doing laundry, why not do it in a space that makes them feel good?

According to the 2016 Houzz & Home Report, people remodeling their laundry rooms of 150 square feet or more will spend an average of $2,700. Take away appliances, and that’s a sizable budget to splurge on tile and other details.

Splurging on entryways. The entry, like a powder room, is a compact place where you can have fun with design without blowing a budget. Homeowners will spend on average $2,500 to make over their entryway or mudroom that’s 150 square feet or more ($1,400 for a space that’s less than 150 square feet), according to the 2016 Houzz & Home Report.

Sometimes all it takes is a small area to feature a fun piece of wallpaper, a statement mirror or a narrow table with a tray for shoes underneath. After all, first impressions matter.

Outdoor-feeling indoor showers. An outdoor shower is highly desirable but not practical year-round in most areas of the country. To get around the weather dilemma, designers and homeowners are looking to intimate courtyards and strategic site placement to create bathrooms that connect deeply to the outdoors while still maintaining privacy.

Counter-depth fridges. For small to modest-size kitchens, remodeling is often a game of inches. Counter-depth refrigerators sit flush with adjacent cabinetry and countertops, freeing up just a bit more space while creating a streamlined look.

Between-studs storage niches. Here, designer Robin Schwadron carved out space for hidden toiletry storage behind a wall panel.

High-tech toilets. Of the homeowners who are upgrading their toilet during a remodel, 20 percent will choose a model with at least one high-tech feature, according to a 2016 Houzz study of U.S. bathroom trends. Some of those features include self-cleaning, overflow and anti-clog protection, motion-activated seat and cover, built-in nightlight (as shown here), heated seating, self-deodorizer, and hands-free flushing.

Black steel-and-glass doors. These glass-paneled and steel-frame doors are great for dark entryways that could use some natural light, and they make a statement for shower doors when frameless glass just doesn’t cut it.

Contrasting islands. When it comes to cabinets and backsplashes, the color white dominates in kitchens. That’s according to a recent Houzz kitchen study. In larger spaces with islands, a white-on-white scheme can come off as too sterile-looking. Painting islands in darker colors helps bring contrast and balance.

Wainscoting in bathrooms. Twenty percent of bathroom remodelers will choose painted wood panels in their bathrooms, according to the Houzz bathroom survey. Whether it’s traditional wood wainscoting or tile with a chair rail to break up the room, this design feature is a terrific way to add interest.

Graphic floor tile in kitchens. Sometimes wall space is nonexistent in a kitchen, which diminishes the opportunity for a standout backsplash. To keep the airy feeling of your kitchen but still deliver visual impact, look to graphic floor tile, like the black-and-chalky white cement tile with a Moroccan-style pattern shown here.

Playful bedside pendant lights. Forget boring old table lamps. Pendant lights free up bedside space for nightstand essentials and are especially helpful in small rooms.

Kitchen entertaining hubs. If you’re lucky enough to have a spare wall in your kitchen, you may have debated about what to put there. Multipurpose is the name of the game, with designers looking to high-efficiency design that produces maximum function and style. Custom cabinets can transform a small wall into a storage and function workhorse, turning these previously cast-off areas into coffee and beverage centers, extra prep space, command and message kiosks, and much more.

Meanwhile, not skimping on design bears merit too. Backsplashes, glass-fronted cabinets, thoughtful lighting and elegant materials make these walls worth looking at.

Amped-up coffee stations. If you thought people couldn’t get more pumped (make that double-pumped?) for coffee, you might be surprised. With 10 percent of homeowners adding built-in coffee stations, according to the Houzz & Home survey, the upgrades being offered are getting hotter all the time. How about a dedicated warming drawer for your mugs, as seen here? Or storage carved out specifically for those Nespresso or Keurig pods?

Romantic bedroom colors. Most homeowners strive for a calm and cozy bedroom by sticking with walls painted in soothing blues, grays or yellows. But according to a recent Houzz survey, intimate or romantic is the third-most desired atmosphere for a master bedroom after calm and cozy. To achieve this mood, look to colors like raspberry pink, deep ruby red, caramel and even black.

White-and-wood kitchens. To keep the all-white kitchen look from becoming too cold, designers and homeowners are introducing wood accents to help break up the look visually and provide much-needed warmth.

Warm wood cabinets. Taking that concept a step further, warm wood cabinets in modern styles are gaining in popularity. These aren’t the honey-colored, off-the-shelf cabinets from the 1990s, but rather clean-lined, beautifully stained versions that celebrate various wood grains and species.

Perked-up side yards. Side yards get a bad rap. Often shaded, noisy from the air-conditioning unit and relegated to a holding area for junk you plan to throw away someday, these spaces see their fair share of neglect. But homeowners use these areas frequently as footpaths around the home, and some are seeing the potential for beautifying their side yards and creating more usable outdoor space.

Hexagonal tile backsplashes. If you’re looking for a break from the rectangular subway tiles or small square mosaics that seem to show up in almost every kitchen, then it’s time to think geometrical.

Walls of tile in bathrooms and kitchens. Many homeowners are eschewing the typical above-the-countertop, below-the-cabinets backsplash format and going a bit more dramatic with full floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall tile coverage.

In bathrooms, tile is going everywhere. Many designers and homeowners find that it’s a minor splurge to buy enough tile to cover the walls of a relatively small or medium-size bathroom or kitchen.

Dutch doors. Dutch doors let in breezes and light while keeping pets and small kids safe. We’re seeing these doors pop up in everything from kitchens to entryways.

Statement-making bathroom sinks. Eighty-eight percent of people remodeling a bathroom will change out the sink, according to a recent Houzz bathroom study.

Hanging chairs. Although these have been around for a while, they’re popping up more lately, and not just in living rooms. They’re a great way to add an extra seat with a fun statement to a room.

Your turn: What’s big on your design list for 2017?

I read this article at: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/76592040?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u4347&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery1&newsletterId=4347

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Attention Home Owners! You could get help with Earthquake Retrofitting

Attention Home Owners!

Could you use some help preparing your home for Earthquakes?

Visit https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com

You may qualify for up to $3000 towards seismic retrofit for your house!

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

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Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawendtcaton

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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What Can The Caton Team Do For You?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008

Will 2017 be a buyer’s market or a seller’s market?

Can you tell I have one thing on my mind this January? Where is this real estate marketing going? Enjoy this article from Inman News.

Will 2017 be a buyer’s market or a seller’s market?

Four economists weigh in on what the next year has in store for each group

Key Takeaways

Next year will likely remain a seller’s market in most markets, but buyers might have their day in 2018 or 2019.
Future buyers will be “less white and a little younger.”

In some years and some markets, the answer is obvious — in 2016, Denver was a seller’s market, and San Francisco’s been one for quite a stretch.

But sometimes, it’s not so clear, and with mortgage rates on the up-and-up and robust plans for the economy ahead, all the plans for 2017 seem to be out the window.

Here’s what four economists had to say about whether 2017 is leaning toward buyers or sellers.

The consensus is?

Most economists we talked to said that overall, they thought 2017 was going to continue to be a strong market for sellers — for now.

“While I expect inventory levels to rise in 2017, it will likely remain a seller’s market,” said Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Windermere. “New construction will pick up steam in 2017, but not to levels that will provide sufficient support to a stretched housing market. Sellers will likely find that it will take a little longer to sell, but demand will still outstrip supply on the back of a job market that continues to tighten.”

Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Zillow, opined that “2017 is probably going to skew more toward the seller’s market — most markets will skew more toward seller’s markets, and even in the Midwest there are probably more seller’s markets than buyer’s markets compared to their own history.”

Geography does play a role, however, said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at realtor.com.

“Ultimately, I do think it depends on where you are in the country — and not even at a market level,” Smoke said. “We’re seeing some clear patterns emerge within markets — one might be slowing down and cooling off where another part is really heating up. Real estate is so local that I would argue that a neighborhood view is really where you can see the differences and disparities and changes that are occurring around the country.”

Smoke noted that first-time buyers have been most successful in the Midwest this year, whereas markets in the West have seen the most significant price appreciation, making it difficult for first-time buyers to find success.

“We tend to have markets that are either above average in price expectation or sales expectation, and there aren’t many markets that have above-average expectations in both — supply constraint is driving the price movement in the strongest price markets, seller’s markets, but the buyer’s markets where buyers are getting a really affordable home, as a result, those markets are seeing a greater growth in sales,” Smoke explained.

“Either one is good for real estate,” he concluded.

Will we see a shift?

Gudell said that Zillow had just asked a panel of experts — more than 100 economists — “what they thought was going to happen to the tradeoff between buyers versus sellers.”

She said that among the economists surveyed, the most popular belief was that in 2018 or 2019, the bulk of markets will begin to shift from seller’s markets to buyer’s markets.

“In some markets, it’ll start to turn already in 2017, where demand isn’t quite so high and you get a little more inventory in and you have buyers better able to negotiate,” Gudell added.

What does the future buyer look like?

Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American, said that, “assuming an environment with modestly and predictably rising mortgage rates, it becomes a first-time homebuyer purchase-oriented marketplace.

“The question as a real estate agent is, how do you find and market to that first-time homebuyer?” asked Fleming. “Because that first-time homebuyer is going to be a young, technologically savvy millennial — and even more importantly, ethnically diverse. The demand for first-time housing is going to come from a different kind of individual than we’ve traditionally seen: Young, diverse, technologically savvy and much more likely to be college-educated.”

“The homeownership rate will grow, and they’ll be less white and a little younger,” said Gudell.

“Unfortunately, I think all of us will be spending more time in the car as more people have to look for more housing outside the city center as homes become much more expensive in the urban area,” she added. “During the recovery, it’s really picked up and the urban centers have appreciated much faster than the outerlying areas.”

“The potential is there for the market to have the most first-time buyers — certainly on an absolute volume basis, but also on a shared transactions perspective,” said Smoke.

“For the industry, this is the biggest shift we need to be able to contend with because it likely means elongated length of time that people are spending in that journey, especially the first-time buyer, but it potentially also means higher cancellation rates and lower conversion rates. You’re going to have more challenges with people contending with needing to qualify for and buy a home in the environment we’re in now than in the environment we were in the last two years.

“Highly qualified pent-up demand has been driving the market — now, it’s more organic activity at a time when interest rates are on the move-up,” he added. “The potential is there for an even bigger year than we’re forecasting, but it comes with challenges and that’s why we’re expecting only moderate growth instead of huge growth.”

“The thing about housing is that everybody needs it and you can’t outsource it,” said Fleming.

I read this article at: http://www.inman.com/2016/12/13/will-2017-be-a-buyers-market-or-a-sellers-market/?utm_source=weeklyheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sundaysend&utm_content=20161216_readmore

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

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