The Caton Team Testimonials

Testimonials From Our FANTASTIC Clients 2023 and beyond…

“Sabrina went above and beyond in helping us sell our home. Due to the pandemic, we were trapped across the country, and Sabrina helped us with virtually every aspect of prepping the home for sale before listing. She gave honest and excellent advice on what would be cost-effective to update prior to the sale. The home attracted a lot of attention, more than we anticipated, and we had showings every 30 minutes all day until our offer date was set. We were thrilled to sell our home way over our asking price, much higher than our expectations! We highly recommend the Caton team!” – Katherine 2021
– Talin in 2020 Outstanding relators. Sabrina was an excellent communicator with us, and a fierce negotiator on our behalf. Having Susan’s expertise made us stronger each step of the way. Sabrina and Susan first impressed us with their clear knowledge and strong experience, as well as their warmth. They showed clear willingness to  understand us as clients and support us in our goal of buying in SF, even when it appeared out of reach. Even though they are based on the Peninsula, they both demonstrated a strong understanding of the SF market  and instantly built an effective working relationship with the sellers agents, or strengthened an existing relationship. When it was clear we needed to make a change in our search, Sabrina was understanding and helped guide us to a house we ADORE. Sabrina and Susan quickly sized up properties we were interested in and provided us with factual, detailed responses to help us make decisions about proceeding with properties. Sabrina was clear, thorough and direct in reviewing disclosures with us and helped us as first time buyers to feel comfortable with the process, especially in managing contingencies and the risks involved. Sabrina is highly organized and timely in writing offers, she even knew how to make our letters to the sellers stronger. Sabrina wowed us with her negotiating and advocacy for us with the sellers agent. We were overall thrilled with Sabrina and Susan’s work and will definitely work with them again in the future. – J.R. in 2021
“The Caton Team was great. They took care of everything quickly and professionally. There were no surprises because they have an impeccable attention to detail. They pricing advice they gave us was spot on.” Cindy & Ryan 2021
“The Caton Team is UNBELIEVABLE! As first-time homebuyers, we had a lot of questions and worries. Sabrina and Susan guided us expertly through each step of the way. From start to finish, our journey with The Caton Team exceeded our expectations. Sabrina and Susan work tirelessly for their clients, have incredible communication skills, endless patience, and an incredible wealth of knowledge. They are both so personable, kind, and funny, which made working with them pure joy. Simply put, we would not be sitting in our dream home right now without them! I can’t recommend them highly enough – trust me when I say that you will be in the absolute best hands with Sabrina and Susan!” – Sarah 2021

Sabrina,  I’m very impressed by your dedication and how professional and respectful you are dealing with other agents.  I would pick you as my listing agent if I were a seller. Hope to work with you in the future.

– Fellow Realtor 2021

Sabrina and Susan are not only expert realtors with a wealth of knowledge of the Bay Area market, but they are also educators. They are patient, kind, and thorough as they guided us through buying our first ever home in the Bay Area. They also took the time to build relationships with other realtors that we met along the way and were always willing to share their knowledge and experience. They are also tenacious and always went the extra mile whenever needed to help us during all parts of the home-buying process. Sabrina and Susan really listened to what our priorities were as a family and guided us every step of the way. They worked at the pace we felt comfortable with and gave us positive encouragement when we needed it. Sabrina and Susan made the seemingly impossible, possible! We are forever grateful to them for helping us to buy our first home! We would and have highly recommended Sabrina and Susan to close friends. Thank you Sabrina and Sue!

 – Cori – 2021

Sabrina and Susan were amazing partners in our first home buying experience. They were always available for questions we had and guided us through the unique experience of buying a house during a global pandemic. Fantastic experience overall and we would happily recommend to anyone in the Bay Area!

– Art – 2021

Sabrina and Susan were an incredible help in selling our house.  They moved at the pace we needed and answered every question we had.  They adapted to the difficulties of selling in 2020 with ease.  FANTASTIC!  Thank you so much for all your did helping us.  I appreciate how patient you were throughout and how helpful you were to me personally. – Ben in 2020
Sabrina and Sue did a great job of helping us sell our townhouse in San Mateo. While real estate can be challenging during Covid 19, Sabrina and Sue were well versed in all of the regulations and made the process very smooth. They advised us on how to stage the house to show it to its best advantages.They also advised us as to the best pricing strategies as we were under a time constraint to sell our house and buy another one within a very short timeframe. It took approximately 3 days from the time our house was put on the market to obtaining an offer. They were with us every step of the way and also helped us to find our new forever home. – Pam in 2020 Sabrina and Sue were a great help in finding our new home in Danville. They sold our home in San Mateo within 3 days of listing it on the market. They were very knowledgeable about buying and selling during Covid 19. After deciding on our wish list of # of bedrooms and baths, desired location and price range; they worked with us to set up times for viewing within the scope of our wishlist. After viewing five homes, we decided to make an offer on one. We have now moved into our forever home, but it didn’t stop there. About three weeks after moving in, we experienced a problem with our air conditioner. Water leaking out of a light fixture in the ceiling! We texted Sabrina that evening and she contacted the home warranty company and made sure we had someone come and check out the problem the next day. The Caton team service did not stop with the handing over of the keys for which we are very appreciative. If you are looking to buy or sell, we would definitely give them a thumbs up! – Pam in 2020

“We were wowed by The Caton Team, their skills in evaluating properties, negotiating with sellers agents and guiding us through the home buying process were outstanding.”

– Alex 2021

Was very satisfied with the performance and decisions made on the sale and purchase of the properties that we made. I would strongly recommend this team again.

 – John 2020

“Sabrina and Susan were great advisors throughout the process of selling my old house and buying the new one. They helped me early on consider my options and timing, as well as helping me arrange my financial plan so I would be ready to pounce at the right opportunity. When the right house came along, they sprang into action, negotiating with years of local experience and knowledge of other realtors, but also ethics of honesty and fairness, which were important to me. I was particularly impressed with the professional, yet doggedly determined way they communicated with me and all the different partners in the process, from loan officers to escrow agents to the other parties’ realtors. In the end, I met all of my real estate goals thanks to their honest support and steady guidance.”

– Kit for Redfin Partnership with The Caton Team and Berkshire Hathaway 2020
“I have already recommended them to several people who plan to purchase homes in the next 5 years. They are wonderful, we consider them friends. My wife and I have worked with Sabrina and Sue to buy multiple houses and sell one. 11 stars. :)” – Sean 2020

Sabrina and Susan helped me evaluate my buying needs and counsel me on the appropriate buying strategy for a competitive market. They helped me wait for the right time , but were also ready to pounce when the opportunity came. They were on top of all communications, including tricky ones with the solar company and escrow agent, which they negotiated with pleasant but dogged determination. Their combined knowledge and experience of the local agents gave me confidence throughout the process, and I particularly appreciated their ethical standards for transactions.

 – Kit 2020 10C86821-BCD5-4914-80E4-B6A93AFEA1AD

“Susan and Sabrina, The Caton (Dream)Team –

Thirteen years ago, we met Susan Caton who so kindly helped us find our first home in the Bay Area. She was mindful of our budget and attentive to our wish list. We landed a great starter home fit to our needs and close to work. In 2012, when it came  time to relocate into a neighborhood with great schools, we once again called upon Susan, who now was partner with her daughter-in-law, Sabrina, to find the right house for our growing family. First, Susan and Sabrina helped sell our house within 2 weeks time at a price within our expectations. Then, they delivered BIG by helping us find our next dream home in a competitive market with little time to spare knowing Facebook millionaires would soon bring stiff competition to the housing market. All along, even when our first two offers fell through, Susan and Sabrina helped us keep our focus and always had our best interest in mind. Settling for less than our hearts desired was not the answer, and our patience combined with our trust in Susan and Sabrina paid off when we stumbled upon our dream home. We can honestly say that working with The Caton Dream Team has been a true pleasure as it has enabled us to find a wonderful place to call home, not only once, but twice. When the time comes, we will gladly call upon their services again, and we highly recommend them to anyone looking to find their first or next dream home.”

– Heather R – 6.18.2013 via Zillow – 5 Stars img_6899

Sabrina and Sue recently helped us both sell our old home and purchase our new forever home.  They were very knowledgeable about buying and selling during Covid 19.  They advised us on staging our property to it’s best advantage as well as pricing for a quick sale.  We were anxious to find another  property to purchase within a quick turn-around.  After setting the parameters of # of bedrooms and baths, location, and pricing; they worked with us to tour the homes in which we were interested.  After viewing 5 homes, we made an offer and were in the process of closing within days.  The service didn’t stop with the handing over of the keys.  After living in our new place for about 3 weeks, we experienced a problem with the air conditioner with water leaking from a light fixture in the ceiling!  We contacted Sabrina that evening and she worked with the warranty company to have someone come out to service it the next day!  We give the Caton team a big thumbs up

– Pam B. 8.31.2020 via Zillow – 5 Stars

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To The Future Clients of The Caton Team

Buying a house can be a very scary experience especially in the San Francisco Bay Area where very high stakes are involved.  I have purchased home in other states and nothing was quite like it is here.

The Caton Team helped smooth and ease the way whenever there was a ‘pothole-in-the-road’ on the way to owning my home.  It is nice having a “team approach” because I felt like I would receive two opinions that gave me different perspectives to look at.  I was then ale to see through their eyes the ‘diamond in the rough’ and, what I could do with it.

I found them to be kind, caring, understanding and sensitive to my needs, informative, diligent and sympathetic to my situation.  Their follow-through was great!  They didn’t leaving me hanging with “I’ll get back to you.”  They found the answers to all my questions and in a timely manner.

I felt they went above and beyond when I asked them to video tape an entire house, including a fuze box and “sniff” the craw space for me.  I happened to be in another state at the time and needed them to act quickly because the property I was looking at was very active.  This really helped because it made up my mind that I was gong to bid on it.

I liked the fact that, if I couldn’t reach Sabrina I could talk to Susan and, the messages got communicated between them. We were all on the same page!

I am so grateful that they were able to move quickly through the process so I could be in the game of the ‘biding war”.

And, as it turned out, with either advice I got the home I was bidding on and wanted!

Thank you Caton Team!

– Jenny B.

IMG_8422 Sabrina and team are fantastic.  Responsive, honest, transparent and efficient.  She’s also well-connected in the real estate community on the peninsula – whether buying or selling, you can’t ask for better representation.  I highly recommend her! – Kenny H. fullsizeoutput_9fd7 B7C7656D-1436-402E-A07F-970F02543A10.png

“The Caton Team were absolutely excellent. They are quick to respond to any issues or questions that I may had. They personally found places that were right for me in the places that I wanted to live in. I ended up buying a place at a much lower price than I initially thought I would have to pay. You can’t do wrong with them.”

– Tonton R. from Google – 5 stars EF96FAB2-82BA-42FB-B844-8985E2D7EF0F

“Sabrina and Susan were very helpful and made the buying and selling my condo a very easy process. Any issues that came up, they were on top of it and handle the problems. When I had any questions, they were quick to respond. I highly recommend the Sabrina and Susan Caton.”

– Frank 091FAAA0-BADD-4286-A592-54ABCC01E32A Testimonial of the Day – from Mike on Google – 5 stars

“I can’t say enough about this awesome duo of Sabrina and Sue!!  They are with you every step of the way.  Answering all the question as well as helping with the emotional side of selling your home.  Second time I have worked with them and would recommend highly!

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“Another Happy Client.”

-Sean M.

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“Sabrina was everything you want in a realtor…knowledgeable, courteous, went the extra mile , honest, patient and understanding to your needs. I would definitely utilize her services again if I ever needed them!”

– Jenny on Realtor.com

IMG_1957.PNG “Very honest.” – Fredric & Heather R. img_6899 “Sabrina and Sue are a wonderful team. I never once felt ignored or at a loss. They held my hand the entire time and I’m so grateful for their help and knowledge in making this process so easy.” – Brittany img_6892 To future clients of The Caton Team, The Caton Team is made up of Susan Caton and Sabrina Caton, or as I like to refer to them as the Dynamic Duo of Real Estate. They are trustworthy, honest, straight-forward, and experts in the real estate business. I might be a little biased, because of my friendship with them, but nothing will test a friendship more than the process of buying and selling a home. As everyone knows when you sell your home you want the most money for the least amount of effort and you want the process to be quick and smooth. The Caton Team will make sure you have all of the necessary information and knowledge to understand how to stage your home and what the process will be along with a realistic timeline of what you can expect. If you follow their directions and listen to what they say, your home selling experience will be painless and quick. For us this ended up being less than a week with our home selling for more than what we expected. The entire process from filling out the required paperwork to negotiating went smoothly and was overall painless on our end. At the end of the day we got more than what we wanted and were in a great position to start hunting for a new home. This brings me to how The Caton Team helped us buy a new home for what we wanted, while making sure that we got the home that we wanted. Since we had already bought and sold our first home with The Caton Team, using them again to buy another house did not require much thought, actually required no thought. We went into the process wanting the best of the best in the best location, because who does not want that for themselves? They were kind enough to listen to our wants and desires and showed us what we could afford in the areas we were looking. It took a few homes to realize that our expectations were not in sync with the market, because currently in early 2015 homes are going like hot cakes and for more than what they are listed at by a fair amount. This is when we sat down again and started looking at other areas that were just as nice, but we had ignored initially. The important part here is while they mentioned this information early on, they allowed us to realize it on our own that we needed to look outside of our ideal areas if we wanted our dream house. Once we realized what they were saying we expanded our search and found the home that we wanted. After our initial open house we contacted The Caton Team and informed them that we found the home that we wanted. This is when The Caton Team sprang into action, they immediately started requesting all of the disclosures from the seller’s agent and contacted the seller’s agent to gain any additional knowledge that might not be in the supplied paperwork. They then shared this information openly with us, as one would expect, and started laying down the groundwork of what we would need to do if we truly wanted this house. They supplied us with the tools necessary to make an informed decision and provided us with comparable sales (COMPS) in that particular area, so that we would have an idea of what houses were selling for and where the market was heading (spoiler alert, market was only going upwards). Their attention to detail and understanding of the market allowed us to make the best offer we could, while not overbidding or underbidding and making sure that we would have our offer accepted. As you have already guessed, our offer was accepted almost immediately and we are now homeowners of a home that we wanted in an area that is ideal. If you have made it this far, then you realize why The Caton Team is really The Dynamic Duo of Real Estate. They make sure you are provided with the proper tools and information to make the best decision for yourself. They will work tirelessly with you and will not be a 9-5 agent, they will be honest, trustworthy, and straight-forward. You will not feel like you are getting the short-end of the deal and at the end of the day you will feel great about your decision to work with The Caton Team. -The Liere Family img_7076 “Sabrina and Susan of Berkshire Hathaway, were the perfect real estate agents for me. As a first-time buyer, I had very little knowledge of how the process of purchasing a home actually worked. They are friendly, approachable, patient, strategic and persistent. Sabrina maintained great communication throughout the entire experience. They always got back to me quickly and they were willing to meet or discuss potential condos that I selected as potential buys. She even recommended a lending agent in the area, which I ended up using. Without them edging me along, I’m fairly certain I would have given up, thinking this whole “buying a house” ordeal was not for me. It’s simply too difficult for a working person to complete on their own. Now that I have purchased my condo, I’m happy to see that Sabrina is still involved. She has collected my new keys and mail, answered my escrow questions and will do the final walk through. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend or use them again.” – Ashley img_6900 “I worked with Sabrina and Sue a few years back and they were so professional. I was going thru a divorce and had to sell my condo. I was beyond upset. (Not because of the divorce but selling the condo) haha… Thru this difficult time they were so amazing and made me feel at ease. The housing market at that time was not the best but they did their best to make sure I got a good deal.  The condo wasn’t on the market for too long and I was able to sell it for a decent price. Thank you to both for making that transition in my life a little easier. Definitely will be using them again if and ever I can buy again.” -Elena img_6889 “We had a great experience buying a house through the Caton team. Sabrina and Susan were patient in answering our many questions, and helped guide us in the offer process to help win a bid on our second offer even in this crazy market! They are easy to get in touch with over email, text, or phone, and detail oriented to make sure nothing fell through the cracks. We’d highly recommend them!” -Katherine img_6798 Hi Susan and Sabrina, I just thought I’d take a moment to write you both to say how much of a pleasure it has been to once again have had another successful property transaction come to fruition with you both at the helm (yay, three now)! I can’t say enough how Victor and I have been so happy you’ve been our representatives in both our buying and selling transactions, and that your dedication and hard work, creativity and professionalism have always made a world of difference all throughout the process of buying and selling our homes. From the smallest details like your fantastic web page ads and captioning to your weekly and continuous updates and presence at the property for showings and repairs. You’ve left nothing to chance! It’s clear that experience counts, and your research and broad-based knowledge of the local real estate and larger markets in general, have always provided us with a solid backdrop from which we could make our decisions. You’ve always provided us with good information, solid recommendations, and I’m grateful that we had you both as our representatives. Additionally, I want to say on a personal note, that you are both so considerate and thoughtful, and I always feel that we are in good hands when you’re on the job.  Thank you again for this recent and very successful sale of our property, and we look forward to our continued relationship with you in future transactions. I did not have your Broker’s contact information, but if you would please forward him/her this e-mail, I’d appreciate it, because I’d like them to know that you have permanent fans! Thanks again,  Helen and Victor img_6911 “Susan and Sabrina, The Caton (Dream)Team – Thirteen years ago, we met Susan Caton who so kindly helped us find our first home in the Bay Area.  She was mindful of our budget and attentive to our wish list.  We landed a great starter home fit to our needs and close to work.  In 2012, when it came time to relocate into a neighborhood with great schools, we once again called upon Susan, who now was partner with her daughter-in-law, Sabrina, to find the right house for our growing family.  First, Susan and Sabrina helped sell our house within 2 weeks time at a price within our expectations.  Then, they delivered BIG by helping us find our next dream home in a competitive market with little time to spare knowing Facebook millionaires would soon bring stiff competition to the housing market.  All along, even when our first two offers fell through, Susan and Sabrina helped us keep our focus and always had our best interest in mind.  Settling for less than our hearts desired was not the answer, and our patience combined with our trust in Susan and Sabrina paid off when we stumbled upon our dream home.  We can honestly say that working with The Caton Dream Team has been a true pleasure as it has enabled us to find a wonderful place to call home, not only once, but twice.  When the time comes, we will gladly call upon their services again, and we highly recommend them to anyone looking to find their first or next dream home.” – Fredric and Heather R. img_6912 “I recently worked with The Caton team (Sabrina and Sue) to purchase my first home. I was referred to the team by a co-worker who had just purchased a condo with them. He had a great experience, and recommended them for their honesty, responsiveness and availability (even at night and weekends). I found this assessment to be 100% true. I first met Sabrina and Sue when I was interviewing realtors. They recommended I come to their office for the interview. They were the only ones to recommend this, which already set them apart in my mind. During the interview they shared their process and approach and how our relationship would work. I decided to work with the Caton team for several reasons. 1) A great referral 2) Their open and honest personalities 3) Their sincere concern that I find exactly what I am looking for 3) Their combined years of experience and specialization in the peninsula. After our first meeting, they set up their home search for the criteria we discussed. Part way through the search, my criteria changed, and they updated the search for the new criteria. Periodically, they would check in to see if I saw anything that I liked. We narrowed the search by going through what I liked and disliked about each listing that I reviewed online. Sabrina and Sue answered all of my questions along the process. They came to the home inspection and to sign papers at title company. The title company representative that I signed papers with commented on how lucky I was to have my realtors there, looking out for my best interests, as a lot of first time buyers come alone, signing papers they don’t understand. After receiving keys to my new home, the Caton team continued to support me. They referred me to painters their colleagues had worked with and found multiple contractors who would do the work I needed. Sabrina and Sue are really easy to work with. It’s like talking with friends when I reach out to them. They are very approachable, trust worthy and hard working. They always answer questions I have or research to find the answers if they do not have them right away. I highly recommend them and will use them again for future real estate needs.” – CJ T. img_6914 “The Caton team is awesome! Susan and Sabrina were an awesome fit for my husband and I as first-time homebuyers, but I highly recommend them for anyone at any stage of buying a home. They went above and beyond to help us locate a wonderful home and took us step by step through the often confusing short sale process. It felt less like we were working with realtors and more like we were working with good friends or family! Thank you, thank you, Sabrina and Susan!” -Marie B. img_6915 “If anyone can get it done quickly it would be you two. By far the best Realtors west of the Mississippi.” – Josh L. “The Caton Team is A-Number-One in our book.  Susan and Sabrina are consummate Pros.  They do exhaustive research, they know how to price a home in today’s competitive market, and they know how to stage a home for maximum buyer appeal.  They’ve sold two homes for us, and we’re completely satisfied with everything they do.  You go, girls!” -Russ & Elena H. img_6917 “I met Sabrina and Susan during our recent rental home search.  As we were not prepared for a move (current homeowners informed us that they were selling the house after 1 year of listing the home as a rental) we needed to act quickly and diligently to find our new home.  My initial communications were with Sabrina as she was hosting an open house.  Her emails were prompt and friendly and I got to know her a bit through email.  When I met up with her for the open house, she was just as friendly in person as was her partner, Susan.  They were welcoming throughout the process and provided wonderful thorough follow up on behalf of the homeowner.  Susan made herself available on a Saturday morning for the signing of the lease and has been in contact with us as we prepare for the move-in.  We have very much enjoyed working with the Caton Team and would recommend them for rental guidance and hopefully in the near future, home ownership!” – Angela J. “The Caton team has helped me find my perfect condo within a month of looking! And then later found me great tenants to rent it out. They work quickly and are very professional. Plus, these are just a pair of wonderful women to be around. They are very trustworthy and have their Clients’ best interest in mind. I will be using them again for all my real estate needs, and I recommend them to everyone else! Thank you so much!” -Caitlin G. img_6918 “The Caton Team are the best. They are very easy to work with and know what they are doing. Made a very stressful time much easier! I would recommend them to all. First time buyers and people that have sold many times will enjoy working with these wonderful ladies!” -Chris & Gary C. img_7046 “The Caton Team has helped us many times. Susan and Sabrina are wonderful and we will use them again when the time comes. They know everything about the bay area and never pressure you about making decisions. We couldn’t ask for a better team.” -Elisa D. “I’m pretty sure without The Caton Team we wouldn’t have been able to buy our house. We started looking right before the housing market crashed and was going back and forth on qualifying for a loan.   They made it happen-it’s a long story and I can make short and sweet. Please use The Caton Team for you house buying needs!  Really!” – Nisi C. img_6919 “I can’t say enough about what an incredibly professional job Sabrina did; she went above and beyond the call of duty! We would not be in our house today were it not for her tireless efforts. She’s so knowledgeable and works tenaciously for her clients. Thank you Sabrina! – Rip R. img_6997 “Great working with you guys!” -Aaron B. “I have worked with many realtors during my 15 years as a mortgage broker and Sabrina Caton is by far one of the best real estate agents I have ever had the pleasure of working with on a number of purchase transactions over the years. She is upbeat and personable with a great sense of humor. She consistently works with her clients best interests in mind and is not afraid to tackle the tough deals. I have personally seen her negotiate to lower the purchase price by $25,000 after the contract was already signed when the buyers’ appraisal came in below the purchase price. You can count on Sabrina for high energy, professional real estate services!” -Melanie Flynn – Windsor Capital img_7034 “Susan & Sabrina did an excellent job, I am very happy.  I highly recommend them.” – Heidi & Robert M. “Susan & Sabrina were great, very helpful, and understanding.  They were never pushy and made sure we were making the right choices at all times.  We would use them again for our next property purchase.” – Anthony D. & Elisa L. “Susan & Sabrina did a wonderful job, they are easy to communicate with, they were willing to put in extra time and work in getting our house ready to sell.” – Kathy & Rodney H. “I knew I wanted to work with Susan   immediately because she actually         listened to our needs, and gave sound, practical advice and information without a sales pitch. I would recommend her to anyone. She was absolutely helpful and made the whole thing easy and painless. I didn’t worry about anything as long as she was working on it.” – Alicia S. and John G. “Sabrina did an excellent job, she went above and beyond from the beginning to the end of the transaction making sure we understood every detail. She made things very easy on us – we appreciate all her hard work. We used them for both our real estate deals.” – Kathy & Rodney H. img_7038 “When we need to sale our home – we definitely will call them again!” – Loyda C. & Carol J. img_7040 “We loved working with Susan. I feel I have gained a new friendship. She was totally honest and trustworthy. She made selling our home a pleasant experience.” – Ken & Elain S. img_7052 “Susan went above and beyond what she had to do. She was the only help I had getting my parents home cleaned and emptied so I could sell. I live in Sacramento and didn’t have the time to get down to San Carlos. She truly was a “God Send”. She is FABULOUS! I can’t say enough about her! Please know you have one hell of a woman working for Prudential. Please make sure she receives kudos for a job well done!” – Andrew R. img_7054 “Susan was always available to us, providing information and assurance during the selling process of our home. Thank You! – Leo & Carlotta O. img_7059 “We felt very relaxed and trusted their personality.” – William & Helen G. img_7061 “They did an excellent job and we would recommend them! – Steve & Stacy G. “Thank you – Flawless Service!” – Danielle C. & Thomas G. img_7070 “I will recommend them to all my friends and family.” – Diane S. “We wanted to work with Sabrina. She was wonderful. She put up with lots of emotions / family dynamic around the sale of this home, as it was our families house. I appreciated her sensitivity and solid knowledge. We would be happy to work with her again and pass along any new clients as well. – Nancy R. “I highly recommend them!” – Derek H. “Susan helped us so much. She       advised us and “rode” with us though the entire ordeal. She is a very “real” person and shares concerns. She        advises and makes one feel extremely comfortable. I would recommend her to another person unconditionally. She is an excellent agent who goes above and beyond the call of duty.” – Russ & Elena H. img_7076 “They were great. They made the     entire process as fun and easy as it could be. Thank you!” – Matthew S. “Susan was extremely helpful in   making our first move in 44 years painless. It was a major undertaking. Thank you!” – Betty C. “Very thorough. Informed me of the newest listings. Made intelligent     recommendations and opinions on listings without being pushy. The attention given to me made me feel as if I were the only client. I am extremely satisfied with the service.” – Toshinari K. “They were very professional and helpful. We could not complete the   transaction without them.” – Takeshi & Nana M. “We selected Susan over two other agents because we liked her better.” – Daniel S. “EXCELLENT JOB! Lots of support throughout the process! Great             personalities and professionalism! Very responsive to our concerns during the sale – thank you!” – Mike & Lynn A. “Sabrina is a highly effective real-estate agent. She has in-depth of knowledge of the market, strong negotiation skills and provides highly personalized service…she really listens to the needs of her client and delivers based on those needs.” – Elif S. “I was impressed with the attention to detail throughout the sale process. True Professionals! – John K. “We were very happy with Susan as she helped us through a difficult situation. Thanks is just not enough to say for what she did!” – Donald & Roseanna M. “Definitely an asset to your company!” – Rosemary P. img_7068 “They are such real / genuine people. I felt I could lean and trust them particularly with some very important but difficult to understand questions. They are WONDERFUL!” – Patricia P. “Susan has impeccable integrity, what a great individual. Thank you for a wonderful transaction.” – Pamela G. img_7065 “What a great experience. I live 4 hours away and shopping for rentals is not easy. The Caton Team made my shopping experience less stressful. Always ready to answer any questions I had, anytime I had them. I highly recommend this Team.” – Julienne E. img_7062

THANK YOU to our wonderful clients for taking the time to share your experience with The Caton Team. We appreciate you.

Got Real Estate 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 – would’t you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time. Call | Text 650-799-4333 | Email Info@TheCatonTeam.com

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina A Family of Realtors Effective. Efficient. Responsive. What can we do for you?

The Caton Team Testimonials | The Caton Team Blog – The Real Estate Beat | TheCatonTeam.com | Facebook | Instagram | HomeSnap | Pintrest | LinkedIN Sabrina | LinkedIN Susan Want Real Estate Info on the Go?  Download our FREE Real Estate App:  Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008 The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts.  Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified. Copyright 2000-2022
Sabrina and team are fantastic.  Responsive, honest, transparent and efficient.  She’s also well-connected in the real estate community on the peninsula – whether buying or selling, you can’t ask for better representation.  I highly recommned her! – Kenny H. “Very honest.” – Fredric & Heather R. Sabrina and Sue are a wonderful team. I never once felt ignored or at a loss. They held my hand the entire time and I’m so grateful for their help and knowledge in making this process so easy. – Brittany To future clients of The Caton Team, The Caton Team is made up of Susan Caton and Sabrina Caton, or as I like to refer to them as the Dynamic Duo of Real Estate. They are trustworthy, honest, straight-forward, and experts in the real estate business. I might be a little biased, because of my friendship with them, but nothing will test a friendship more than the process of buying and selling a home. As everyone knows when you sell your home you want the most money for the least amount of effort and you want the process to be quick and smooth. The Caton Team will make sure you have all of the necessary information and knowledge to understand how to stage your home and what the process will be along with a realistic timeline of what you can expect. If you follow their directions and listen to what they say, your home selling experience will be painless and quick. For us this ended up being less than a week with our home selling for more than what we expected. The entire process from filling out the required paperwork to negotiating went smoothly and was overall painless on our end. At the end of the day we got more than what we wanted and were in a great position to start hunting for a new home. This brings me to how The Caton Team helped us buy a new home for what we wanted, while making sure that we got the home that we wanted. Since we had already bought and sold our first home with The Caton Team, using them again to buy another house did not require much thought, actually required no thought. We went into the process wanting the best of the best in the best location, because who does not want that for themselves? They were kind enough to listen to our wants and desires and showed us what we could afford in the areas we were looking. It took a few homes to realize that our expectations were not in sync with the market, because currently in early 2015 homes are going like hot cakes and for more than what they are listed at by a fair amount. This is when we sat down again and started looking at other areas that were just as nice, but we had ignored initially. The important part here is while they mentioned this information early on, they allowed us to realize it on our own that we needed to look outside of our ideal areas if we wanted our dream house. Once we realized what they were saying we expanded our search and found the home that we wanted. After our initial open house we contacted The Caton Team and informed them that we found the home that we wanted. This is when The Caton Team sprang into action, they immediately started requesting all of the disclosures from the seller’s agent and contacted the seller’s agent to gain any additional knowledge that might not be in the supplied paperwork. They then shared this information openly with us, as one would expect, and started laying down the groundwork of what we would need to do if we truly wanted this house. They supplied us with the tools necessary to make an informed decision and provided us with comparable sales (COMPS) in that particular area, so that we would have an idea of what houses were selling for and where the market was heading (spoiler alert, market was only going upwards). Their attention to detail and understanding of the market allowed us to make the best offer we could, while not overbidding or underbidding and making sure that we would have our offer accepted. As you have already guessed, our offer was accepted almost immediately and we are now homeowners of a home that we wanted in an area that is ideal. If you have made it this far, then you realize why The Caton Team is really The Dynamic Duo of Real Estate. They make sure you are provided with the proper tools and information to make the best decision for yourself. They will work tirelessly with you and will not be a 9-5 agent, they will be honest, trustworthy, and straight-forward. You will not feel like you are getting the short-end of the deal and at the end of the day you will feel great about your decision to work with The Caton Team. -The Liere Family “Sabrina and Susan of Berkshire Hathaway, were the perfect real estate agents for me. As a first-time buyer, I had very little knowledge of how the process of purchasing a home actually worked. They are friendly, approachable, patient, strategic and persistent. Sabrina maintained great communication throughout the entire experience. They always got back to me quickly and they were willing to meet or discuss potential condos that I selected as potential buys. She even recommended a lending agent in the area, which I ended up using. Without them edging me along, I’m fairly certain I would have given up, thinking this whole “buying a house” ordeal was not for me. It’s simply too difficult for a working person to complete on their own. Now that I have purchased my condo, I’m happy to see that Sabrina is still involved. She has collected my new keys and mail, answered my escrow questions and will do the final walk through. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend or use them again.” – Ashley “I worked with Sabrina and Sue a few years back and they were so professional. I was going thru a divorce and had to sell my condo. I was beyond upset. (Not because of the divorce but selling the condo) haha… Thru this difficult time they were so amazing and made me feel at ease. The housing market at that time was not the best but they did their best to make sure I got a good deal.  The condo wasn’t on the market for too long and I was able to sell it for a decent price. Thank you to both for making that transition in my life a little easier. Definitely will be using them again if and ever I can buy again.” -Elena “We had a great experience buying a house through the Caton team. Sabrina and Susan were patient in answering our many questions, and helped guide us in the offer process to help win a bid on our second offer even in this crazy market! They are easy to get in touch with over email, text, or phone, and detail oriented to make sure nothing fell through the cracks. We’d highly recommend them!” -Katherine Hi Susan and Sabrina, I just thought I’d take a moment to write you both to say how much of a pleasure it has been to once again have had another successful property transaction come to fruition with you both at the helm (yay, three now)! I can’t say enough how Victor and I have been so happy you’ve been our representatives in both our buying and selling transactions, and that your dedication and hard work, creativity and professionalism have always made a world of difference all throughout the process of buying and selling our homes. From the smallest details like your fantastic web page ads and captioning to your weekly and continuous updates and presence at the property for showings and repairs. You’ve left nothing to chance! It’s clear that experience counts, and your research and broad-based knowledge of the local real estate and larger markets in general, have always provided us with a solid backdrop from which we could make our decisions. You’ve always provided us with good information, solid recommendations, and I’m grateful that we had you both as our representatives. Additionally, I want to say on a personal note, that you are both so considerate and thoughtful, and I always feel that we are in good hands when you’re on the job.  Thank you again for this recent and very successful sale of our property, and we look forward to our continued relationship with you in future transactions. I did not have your Broker’s contact information, but if you would please forward him/her this e-mail, I’d appreciate it, because I’d like them to know that you have permanent fans! Thanks again,  Helen and Victor “Susan and Sabrina, The Caton (Dream)Team – Thirteen years ago, we met Susan Caton who so kindly helped us find our first home in the Bay Area.  She was mindful of our budget and attentive to our wish list.  We landed a great starter home fit to our needs and close to work.  In 2012, when it came time to relocate into a neighborhood with great schools, we once again called upon Susan, who now was partner with her daughter-in-law, Sabrina, to find the right house for our growing family.  First, Susan and Sabrina helped sell our house within 2 weeks time at a price within our expectations.  Then, they delivered BIG by helping us find our next dream home in a competitive market with little time to spare knowing Facebook millionaires would soon bring stiff competition to the housing market.  All along, even when our first two offers fell through, Susan and Sabrina helped us keep our focus and always had our best interest in mind.  Settling for less than our hearts desired was not the answer, and our patience combined with our trust in Susan and Sabrina paid off when we stumbled upon our dream home.  We can honestly say that working with The Caton Dream Team has been a true pleasure as it has enabled us to find a wonderful place to call home, not only once, but twice.  When the time comes, we will gladly call upon their services again, and we highly recommend them to anyone looking to find their first or next dream home.” – Fredric and Heather R. “I recently worked with The Caton team (Sabrina and Sue) to purchase my first home. I was referred to the team by a co-worker who had just purchased a condo with them. He had a great experience, and recommended them for their honesty, responsiveness and availability (even at night and weekends). I found this assessment to be 100% true. I first met Sabrina and Sue when I was interviewing realtors. They recommended I come to their office for the interview. They were the only ones to recommend this, which already set them apart in my mind. During the interview they shared their process and approach and how our relationship would work. I decided to work with the Caton team for several reasons. 1) A great referral 2) Their open and honest personalities 3) Their sincere concern that I find exactly what I am looking for 3) Their combined years of experience and specialization in the peninsula. After our first meeting, they set up their home search for the criteria we discussed. Part way through the search, my criteria changed, and they updated the search for the new criteria. Periodically, they would check in to see if I saw anything that I liked. We narrowed the search by going through what I liked and disliked about each listing that I reviewed online. Sabrina and Sue answered all of my questions along the process. They came to the home inspection and to sign papers at title company. The title company representative that I signed papers with commented on how lucky I was to have my realtors there, looking out for my best interests, as a lot of first time buyers come alone, signing papers they don’t understand. After receiving keys to my new home, the Caton team continued to support me. They referred me to painters their colleagues had worked with and found multiple contractors who would do the work I needed. Sabrina and Sue are really easy to work with. It’s like talking with friends when I reach out to them. They are very approachable, trust worthy and hard working. They always answer questions I have or research to find the answers if they do not have them right away. I highly recommend them and will use them again for future real estate needs.” – CJ T. “The Caton team is awesome! Susan and Sabrina were an awesome fit for my husband and I as first-time homebuyers, but I highly recommend them for anyone at any stage of buying a home. They went above and beyond to help us locate a wonderful home and took us step by step through the often confusing short sale process. It felt less like we were working with realtors and more like we were working with good friends or family! Thank you, thank you, Sabrina and Susan!” -Marie B. “If anyone can get it done quickly it would be you two. By far the best Realtors west of the Mississippi.” – Josh L. “The Caton Team is A-Number-One in our book.  Susan and Sabrina are consummate Pros.  They do exhaustive research, they know how to price a home in today’s competitive market, and they know how to stage a home for maximum buyer appeal.  They’ve sold two homes for us, and we’re completely satisfied with everything they do.  You go, girls!” -Russ & Elena H. “I met Sabrina and Susan during our recent rental home search.  As we were not prepared for a move (current homeowners informed us that they were selling the house after 1 year of listing the home as a rental) we needed to act quickly and diligently to find our new home.  My initial communications were with Sabrina as she was hosting an open house.  Her emails were prompt and friendly and I got to know her a bit through email.  When I met up with her for the open house, she was just as friendly in person as was her partner, Susan.  They were welcoming throughout the process and provided wonderful thorough follow up on behalf of the homeowner.  Susan made herself available on a Saturday morning for the signing of the lease and has been in contact with us as we prepare for the move-in.  We have very much enjoyed working with the Caton Team and would recommend them for rental guidance and hopefully in the near future, home ownership!” – Angela J. “The Caton team has helped me find my perfect condo within a month of looking! And then later found me great tenants to rent it out. They work quickly and are very professional. Plus, these are just a pair of wonderful women to be around. They are very trustworthy and have their Clients’ best interest in mind. I will be using them again for all my real estate needs, and I recommend them to everyone else! Thank you so much!” -Caitlin G. “The Caton Team are the best. They are very easy to work with and know what they are doing. Made a very stressful time much easier! I would recommend them to all. First time buyers and people that have sold many times will enjoy working with these wonderful ladies!” -Chris & Gary C. “The Caton Team has helped us many times. Susan and Sabrina are wonderful and we will use them again when the time comes. They know everything about the bay area and never pressure you about making decisions. We couldn’t ask for a better team.” -Elisa D. “I’m pretty sure without The Caton Team we wouldn’t have been able to buy our house. We started looking right before the housing market crashed and was going back and forth on qualifying for a loan.   They made it happen-it’s a long story and I can make short and sweet. Please use The Caton Team for you house buying needs!  Really!” – Nisi C. “I can’t say enough about what an incredibly professional job Sabrina did; she went above and beyond the call of duty! We would not be in our house today were it not for her tireless efforts. She’s so knowledgeable and works tenaciously for her clients. 
Thank you Sabrina! -
Rip R. “Great working with you guys!” -Aaron B. “I have worked with many realtors during my 15 years as a mortgage broker and Sabrina Caton is by far one of the best real estate agents I have ever had the pleasure of working with on a number of purchase transactions over the years. She is upbeat and personable with a great sense of humor. She consistently works with her clients best interests in mind and is not afraid to tackle the tough deals. I have personally seen her negotiate to lower the purchase price by $25,000 after the contract was already signed when the buyers’ appraisal came in below the purchase price. You can count on Sabrina for high energy, professional real estate services!” -Melanie Flynn – Windsor Capital “Susan & Sabrina did an excellent job, I am very happy.  I highly recommend them.” – Heidi & Robert M. “Susan & Sabrina were great, very helpful, and understanding.  They were never pushy and made sure we were making the right choices at all times.  We would use them again for our next property purchase.” – Anthony D. & Elisa L. “Susan & Sabrina did a wonderful job, they are easy to communicate with, they were willing to put in extra time and work in getting our house ready to sell.” – Kathy & Rodney H. “I knew I wanted to work with Susan   immediately because she actually         listened to our needs, and gave sound, practical advice and information without a sales pitch. I would recommend her to anyone. She was absolutely helpful and made the whole thing easy and painless. I didn’t worry about anything as long as she was working on it.” – Alicia S. and John G. “Sabrina did an excellent job, she went above and beyond from the beginning to the end of the transaction making sure we understood every detail. She made things very easy on us – we appreciate all her hard work. We used them for both our real estate deals.” – Kathy & Rodney H. “When we need to sale our home – we definitely will call them again!” – Loyda C. & Carol J. “We loved working with Susan. I feel I have gained a new friendship. She was totally honest and trustworthy. She made selling our home a pleasant                   experience.” – Ken & Elain S. “Susan went above and beyond what she had to do. She was the only help I had getting my parents home cleaned and emptied so I could sell. I live in           Sacramento and didn’t have the time to get down to San Carlos. She truly was a “God Send”. She is FABULOUS! I can’t say enough about her! Please know you have one hell of a woman working for Prudential. Please make sure she receives kudos for a job well done!” – Andrew R. “Susan was always available to us, providing information and assurance during the selling process of our home. Thank You! – Leo & Carlotta O. “We felt very relaxed and trusted their personality.” – William & Helen G. “They did an excellent job and we would recommend them! – Steve & Stacy G. “Thank you – Flawless Service!” – Danielle C. & Thomas G. “I will recommend them to all my friends and family.” – Diane S. “We wanted to work with Sabrina. She was wonderful. She put up with lots of emotions / family dynamic around the sale of this home, as it was our families house. I appreciated her sensitivity and solid knowledge. We would be happy to work with her again and pass along any new clients as well. – Nancy R. “I highly recommend them!” – Derek H. “Susan helped us so much. She       advised us and “rode” with us though the entire ordeal. She is a very “real” person and shares concerns. She        advises and makes one feel extremely comfortable. I would recommend her to another person unconditionally. She is an excellent agent who goes above and beyond the call of duty.” – Russ & Elena H. “They were great. They made the     entire process as fun and easy as it could be. Thank you!” – Matthew S. “Susan was extremely helpful in   making our first move in 44 years painless. It was a major undertaking. Thank you!” – Betty C. “Very thorough. Informed me of the newest listings. Made intelligent     recommendations and opinions on listings without being pushy. The attention given to me made me feel as if I were the only client. I am extremely satisfied with the service.” – Toshinari K. “They were very professional and helpful. We could not complete the   transaction without them.” – Takeshi & Nana M. “We selected Susan over two other agents because we liked her better.” – Daniel S. “EXCELLENT JOB! Lots of support throughout the process! Great             personalities and professionalism! Very responsive to our concerns during the sale – thank you!” – Mike & Lynn A. “Sabrina is a highly effective real-estate agent. She has in-depth of knowledge of the market, strong negotiation skills and provides highly personalized service…she really listens to the needs of her client and delivers based on those needs.” – Elif S. “I was impressed with the attention to detail throughout the sale process. True Professionals! – John K. “We were very happy with Susan as she helped us through a difficult situation. Thanks is just not enough to say for what she did!” – Donald & Roseanna M. “Definitely an asset to your company!” – Rosemary P. “They are such real / genuine people. I felt I could lean and trust them               particularly with some very important but difficult to understand questions. They are WONDERFUL!” – Patricia P. “Susan has impeccable integrity, what a great individual. Thank you for a         wonderful transaction.” – Pamela G. “What a great experience. I live 4 hours away and shopping for rentals is not easy. The Caton Team made my shopping experience less stressful. Always ready to answer any questions I had, anytime I had them. I highly recommend this Team.” – Julienne E.

8 Dumb Reasons People Can’t Buy a Home

Needless to say – this headline got my attention – so I had to read and share it.  Real Estate is a micro environment, and it takes time and guidance to figure out this journey – The Caton Team is here for you each step of the way.  I’ve added my two cents in italics.

8 Dumb Reasons People Can’t Buy a Home

By Daniel Bortz |

Buying a home—especially if it’s your first—can be a lot like losing weight in the sense that people end up doing, well, some pretty dumb stuff in the process. But while desperate dieters might waste money on “magical” weight-loss pills or silly exercise equipment (remember the shake weight?), misguided home buyers could be doing far more serious damage—like undermining their ability to purchase a house at all. Don’t be one of them! We asked real estate agents to shed light on some of the dumbest reasons people can’t buy a home. The good news? These flubs are easily avoidable. Read on and beware.

Dumb reason No. 1: Waiting to line up financing

This is so true – we wait thinking we can save.  But what we need to ask is – how quick is the market appreciating and can I match or beat that pace?  Chances are no.

Your first step in the home-buying process should be to meet with a mortgage lender to discuss your financing options, says Benny Kang, a real estate agent in Irvine, CA.

“You don’t truly know what you can afford until you meet with a lender,” says Kang. In other words, just because you think you can buy a $1 million house doesn’t mean you can actually get a loan to purchase a home that nice.

This is so true!  I meet so many clients that do not realize the importance of the home loan, the time it takes to get approved and so forth. 

Dumb reason No. 2: Using a fly-by-night mortgage lender

The mortgage industry is rife with scams—including a slew of fake or unreliable lenders. Placing your trust in a bad lender can cause a deal to fall through. That explains why “sometimes sellers reject offers because of the buyer’s lender,” says Philadelphia real estate agent Kathy Conway. To make sure your financing is rock-solid, ask your real estate agent for lender recommendations instead of, say, just Googling it. And read up to know your mortgage basics.

Online lending tempting you – stop right there and change the channel.  The Caton Team has a list of reputable, local lenders that know what it takes to own a home in the Silicon Valley.  You get what you pay for – be smart.

Dumb reason No. 3: Getting pre-qualified rather than pre-approved

Pre-qualification and pre-approval might sound similar, but they’re not. Essentially, anyone can get pre-qualified for a loan, because it only involves having a conversation with a lender about the state of your finances (no documents are exchanged). Getting pre-approved, meanwhile, involves the lender gathering all necessary documentation—your tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, and more—packaging the loan, and submitting the file to an underwriter for review. If everything checks out, the lender will issue you a written commitment for financing up to a certain loan amount that’s good for up to 90 or 120 days.

When you submit an offer on a home, you’ll need to include a pre-approval letter from your lender, says Conway.

“Educated sellers won’t even entertain an offer unless the buyer has a letter of pre-approval” from a reliable lender, Conway says.

Let me take this a step further, if an agent takes you to see homes and you’re not approved – you’re doing this all wrong.  The Caton Team strives to make the real estate journey as smooth as possible – meaning – get pre-approved for a home loan first – then look at homes.  Curious why?  Contact us and we’d be happy to share what it takes to be an owner and not a buyer in this market.  

Dumb reason No. 4: Shopping outside your price range

“It sounds obvious, but some home buyers just have trouble sticking to a budget,” says Kang. Therefore, resist the temptation to shop online for homes that are simply outside your price range (i.e., how much you’ve been pre-approved for).

By all means, window shop for homes all you want.  I do it – it’s fun.  But don’t waste your time day dreaming if you truly want to own real estate.

Dumb reason No. 5: Making lowball offers in a seller’s market

You need to rely on your real estate agent to determine whether a house that you’re interested in has a fair listing price. (Your agent will do this by performing a comparative market analysis, which entails looking at recently sold properties that are comparable to the house that’s up for sale.) If a home is priced well, it might make sense to offer full price, says Kang. Moreover, “if you’re in a seller’s market, making a crazy lowball offer can piss off the seller” and kill your offer, says Kang.

Dumb reason No. 6: Writing a bad personal letter to the seller

If you’re competing against other buyers, writing the seller a personal letter can help strengthen your offer. But Julie McDonough, a real estate agent in Southern California, says some home buyers are inclined to overshare, in which case a letter can actually hurt your offer.

“Stick to the fact that you love the house and the neighborhood,” says McDonough. “Don’t get into personal details” such as the fact that you’ve lost out on other homes or want to remodel the dated kitchen.

The letter is a great piece of the offer package.  Write it.  Need I say more?

Dumb reason No. 7: Making a big purchase while in escrow

Some home buyers make the mistake of opening new credit accounts while they’re in the process of buying a house. But purchasing a big-ticket item like a car or a boat while you’re buying a house can jeopardize your financing. Why? Because your mortgage lender’s underwriter is going to re-evaluate your finances and recheck your credit report shortly before closing in order to determine that you’re still able to qualify for the loan.

“Even buying a fridge can throw off your credit or debt-to-income ratio,” says Conway. Translation: Don’t make any big purchases until after you close on the house.

You’re buying a house – that’s all the money you can spend.  Hide your wallet till after escrow closes.

Dumb reason No. 8: Not budgeting for closing costs

If you don’t have enough cash to cover closing costs, you won’t make it to settlement; and if that’s the case, you could lose your earnest money deposit. Thus, make sure to get an estimate from your mortgage lender of what your closing costs will be before making an offer on a property (currently, this is legally required—just make sure to read it).

Closing costs vary widely by location, but they typically total 2% to 7% of the home’s purchase price. So on a $250,000 home, your closing costs could come to $5,000 to $17,500. Both buyers and sellers usually pitch in on closing costs, but buyers shoulder the lion’s share of the load (3% to 4% of the home’s price) compared with sellers (1% to 3%), so you need to make sure you have enough cash on hand to pay your portion.

All the more reason to sit down with a lender and a Realtor from the start.  We are here to map out your journey and make it as smooth as possible.  How can The Caton Team help you?

I read this article at: http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/dumb-reasons-people-cant-buy-a-home/?identityID=9851214&MID=2017_0714_WeeklyNL&RID=353497822

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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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

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

Thank you Nielsen Automotive!!!

I just need to take a moment and thank Nielsen Automotive on 888 El Camino in San Carlos for their awesome help.  Now and every other time I’ve rolled into full service with a nail in my tire.  These guys have been helping me with tires, smog checks, gasoline, and oil since I was a teenager in a junky car.  In the middle of looking at homes that tire light came on.  I had a late appointment and didn’t want to get us stranded – so I rolled into full service and they took care of me and my tire quickly.  It was fast, affordable and with a smile.  So thank you for taking great care of me!

You can find my yelp review here:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/nielsen-automotive-san-carlos?hrid=R29CEBqUwGKtAzOcONOplg

Here is their Yelp Page – with 5 stars of course!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/nielsen-automotive-san-carlos?hrid=R29CEBqUwGKtAzOcONOplg

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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

5 Most Common Home Buyer Regrets

5 Most Common Home Buyer Regrets

You can imagine the importance I felt when I came across this article on Realtor.com. I never want my clients to experience buyer’s remorse. I know the key to preventing that is education and a game plan. The Caton Team is dedicate to educating our buying clients every step of the way. Please enjoy this article and my 2 cents in italics. – Sabrina

Half of recent home buyers say that if they could repeat the homebuying process, they’d do something differently, according to a survey by financial website NerdWallet.com. Respondents indicate that their biggest source of regret when buying a home was not preparing enough financially for homeownership. Here are some of the most common reasons for buyer regret, according to the survey.

  1. Purchasing a home that’s too expensive.Millennials and Generation X members were more likely than baby boomers to say they overspent on their home purchase, according to the NerdWallet survey. A 2015 MacArthur Foundation survey also found that more than half of consumers had to make sacrifices in order to afford their mortgage or rent. About 20 percent said they took an extra job, 17 percent stopped saving for retirement, and 14 percent accumulated credit card debt, according to the MacArthur survey.

Especially in the Silicon Valley where our real estate prices are 300%* higher than the average. So yes, those buyers had to bite the bullet if they wanted to stay in the Bay Area. However, they probably already have equity! Truly, for a first time homebuyer – getting into the first home is always a challenge, it is always costs more initially but in the long run – investing in real estate is a solid investment – where else can you live in your investment and gain equity!

  1. Purchasing a home that doesn’t fit their needs.About 5 percent of respondents to the NerdWallet survey say their home didn’t align with their homeownership goals. Housing experts recommend avoiding common homebuying mistakes like forgoing a home inspection, ignoring commute time, or choosing the wrong neighborhood. Also, consumers need to know what amenities they need. That’s not always easy: 7 percent of buyers say the amenities and features they valued most changed after buying a home.

Ouch – that is a tough one. I see this happen during the buying journey. Truthfully, in our experience, what a buyer wants when we sit down for our first appointment is often very different from the house they actually buy down the road. The key to not buying a house you do not need is to truly write down what you want in your home, what you feel you need in the home and then compare it to your price point and what homes in that area and price offer you. Then re-evaluate. Sometimes you don’t need the extra bedroom today – perhaps a smaller home in a better neighborhood will fill your needs today and down the road. You’ve got keep an open mind; you’ve got to evaluate every step and be open and honest with your communications to yourself and to your Realtors. Together – we’ll figure this out!

  1. Not putting enough money down.Low-down-payment loans can help buyers without robust savings get into a home, but some may later regret not saving more before taking on the costs of homeownership. Twenty-eight percent of millennials and 27 percent of Gen Xers say they wish they had saved more before buying their house, according to the NerdWallet survey.

The down-payment can me the hardest money to save! Having at least 20% is ideal– a buyer will avoid Private Mortgage Insurance with 20% down. (Although there are loans where you can bring in less that 20%, take out a second mortgage avoid PMI.) So don’t give up right away. Saving for the down is important but you most also factor in your current real estate market. If you cannot save money as fast as the market appreciates – then we have some strategizing to do. It’s best to get the most information you can before you start house hunting. The Caton Team offers our buyer clients an free, initial consultation to help you through the journey.

  1. Not being organized.Many home shoppers say they wish they had gathered paperwork before the mortgage application process and developed a system for keeping it organized. That includes W-2 or tax return forms, profit-and-loss statements for business owners, brokerage statements, proof of Social Security income, and evidence of child support payments. Home shoppers also need proof of their assets, such as documentation of down-payment gifts and copies of bank statements, as well as information on outstanding debts.

When you jump into buying a home, the first step is getting a home loan. That requires copious amounts of paperwork. And!!! That same darn paperwork will need to be sent, multiple times throughout the journey. I could go on and on about the paperwork. So let me be frank for a second. Buying a home will feel like a second job. There is only so much your Realtor and your Lender can do FOR YOU – most of the work must be down BY YOU. You will need to have your documents in order and easy to access. You will need to know your budget, your boundaries. It is a lot of work, it is your journey but let me assure you – it’s the best journey!

  1. Not shopping around for a loan.Half of borrowers take the first mortgage that’s offered to them, according to a survey by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But shopping around for a mortgage with an interest rate that is even half of a percentage point lower can result in tens of thousands of dollars in savings over the life of the mortgage. Home buyers should compare more than interest fees, including the cost of private mortgage insurance and the loan’s APR (which is the interest rate, points, fees, and other charges all rolled into a yearly rate).

Here’s more work for the Buyer – but doing this work – this research – will pay off in the end. When The Caton Team meet with new buyers, we give them a list of our best lenders. Once you start applying for your home loan, you have 30 days to shop different banks and institutions. A Buyer will want to compare the Interest Rate offered (requires a formal loan application and credit check [Credit checks can cost the consumer money]), the fees charged by each bank, (loan fees, appraisal fees etc) and compare which is the best. Don’t forget to take into account customer service. The Caton Team would hate to see a deal fall apart because a buyer hired the cheapest lender they could find who didn’t respect the contract of the time lines. Time is of the Essence in the contract – it is even part of the contract. So don’t’ forget you get what you pay for.

 

Buying and Selling Real Estate is our Full Time Job – so if you have questions – we have answers. What can The Caton Team do for you?

 

Source: “The 10 Biggest Regrets People Have About Buying a Home,” CheatSheet.com (June 14, 2017)

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2017/06/14/5-most-common-home-buyer-regrets?tp=i-H43-Bb-Eg-32lY-1p-EHi7-1c-31VF-kLfrQ&om_rid=725620%20&Om_ntype=RMOdaily&om_mid=910

 

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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

Which Is the Best Home Security System?

Which Is the Best Home Security System?

Your clients may have questions about home security systems. If so, Reviews.com has compiled a thorough list of the best home security systems, based on studies and surveys entailing installation, customer reviews, costs, and reliability.

Review.com’s analysis recognized the following brands in the following categories:

  • Best for recognizability and professional installation: ADT
  • Best technology and mobile app: Vivint
  • Best for low upfront cost and initial phone call: Protect America
  • Best for customer service and businesses: Protection 1
  • Best for overall reputation, customization, and DIY installation: Frontpoint
  • Best for all-around value: Link Interactive
  • Best for flexibility and easiest barrier to entry: SimpliSafe

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2017/03/20/which-best-home-security-system?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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

 

3 Ways to Make Counteroffers Easier

People often think of Real Estate negotiations as having a strong arm.  Not true.  In fact, The Caton Team knows – Real Estate Sales is a meeting of the minds.  It should leave both parties happy and feeling as if they sold at the right price and bought at the right price.  Sometimes we’ll encounter people with a difference of opinion – so I thought I would share this article from realtor.com and Daily Real Estate News to share some insight on how to properly negotiate.  

3 Ways to Make Counteroffers Easier

No matter if your client is buying or selling, counteroffers can pose sticky negotiations from both sides. Here are three tips for successfully responding to counteroffers from Desare Kohn-Laski, broker-owner of Skye Louis Realty in Coconut Creek, Fla.

1. Ask for something in return.

Sellers and buyers alike should remember that counteroffers are made because the other party outlines something very specific they want in the transaction, Kohn-Laski says. For example, if your buyers find that appliances are specifically not included in the seller’s counteroffer, then your buyers might want to offer more money to include the appliances in their second offer.

2. Offer incentives.

If you are on the seller side, your client could offer to pay the buyer’s homeowners association fees for a specific period. “Capitalize on the primary truth that most buyers will need extra cash after the big purchase,” Kohn-Laski says. Incentive ideas for buyers include interior repainting or a year of free lawn services. For sellers, covering moving costs or repair costs from an issue found during inspection could also be useful incentives.

3. Know when to split the difference.

Meeting the other side halfway is usually a winning solution; it’s an art that leads to closing deals, Kohn-Laski says. When a few thousand or few hundred dollars appear to be the hurdle, you can counter by offering to split the difference. For instance, if the list price is $435,000 and your buyer wants it for $430,000, split the $5,000 difference to achieve $432,500.

The Caton Team prides ourselves with fair and honest dealings.  We know how to represent a seller to protect their best interests while managing the sale of their home.  We also know how to write the best offer for a buyer, in order to get their needs met and an agreeable contract for the seller.  In this competitive market – price isn’t always everything – curious why?  Call or email us – we’d be happy to share our ideas.  

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2017/07/11/3-ways-make-counteroffers-easier?tp=i-H43-Bb-KE-Da9A-1p-EHi7-1c-DZER-2A0rzW&om_rid=3237216%20&Om_ntype=RMOdaily&om_mid=1254

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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

Knowing what your home is worth….

Knowing what your home is worth….

You think you only need a Realtor when you go to buy and sell Real Estate. Turns out – we’re pretty handy resources too!  The Caton Team likes to set up our clients with a monthly search so they know – at any given time – about how much their home is worth.  Now, one would think this information is only relevant when it’s time to sell – turns out – knowing your homes value comes in handy… here’s how!

(If you’d like us to setup a custom search for your home – please let us know!)

MAYBE IT’S TIME TO REFINANCE?

Much like selling, knowing your home’s value can guide you to the right mortgage refinance opportunity.  Perhaps you need a lower, more manageable payment – I.E. a lower interest rate – knowing the value of your home will help you determine how much you can borrow.  If you need some guidance on where to turn – please let The Caton Team know and we can point you in the right direction.

THINKING OF HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Understanding the value of your home will help determine if a home improvement is worth it.  Considering a sale?  If your home is already worth top dollar for your area – perhaps an improvement isn’t the best bang for your buck.  On the flip side – if you know your home is a tad more dated than the neighborhood, and you know the oohs and aahs the Jone’s just got for their fixed up bath – then perhaps it is time to consider a home improvement that will maximize your return on investment.  Curious where to invest your money?  The Caton Team is happy to help!  We’re in the trenches with our buyers and know what they are looking for.  We are very cost conscious with our sellers – so we will steer you in the right direction.

KNOW YOUR PROPERTY TAX

The property tax you pay is assessed on the value of your home.  If the market is healthy or you’ve updated your home that will increase the value of you home and adjust your property tax upwards.  Have you noticed a change in your taxable value and curious if it is correct?  Let the Caton Team know and we’d be happy to provide you with an accurate, current value of your home.

NEED A LINE OF CREDIT

If you’re thinking you need to borrow against your home for a Line of Credit – you’ll need to know and understand the value of your home.  Most banks require up to 25% equity in your home in order to qualify for a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC).  When home values are on the rise and the real estate market is strong – that can create a great opportunity for a homeowner to capture and use some of their equity.  Perhaps pay off more expensive loans or pay for college tuition.

HOME OWNERS INSURANCE 

Did you know that your Home Owners Insurance is based on the appraised value?  If your home values go up you may be under-insured!  For instance, let’s say you bought a home with an unfinished basement and converted it into a high-end Man Cave with all the electronic bells and whistles.  Clearly you just added value to your home, added equity – so you’ll want to make sure your insurance covers these new renovations and reflects the new value of your home.  Are you curious if your renovations added value – let The Caton Team know and we’ll help!

The Caton Team is comprised of Susan and Sabrina Caton – a mother/daughter in law team.  We are full time, local Realtors with over 25 years of combined Real Estate experience.  How can The Caton Team help you?

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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

What Caused Real House Prices to Decline for the First Time in 8 months?

When I received this article from First American – I had to share – interesting!

What Caused Real House Prices to Decline for the First Time in 8 months?

Written by: Mark Fleming, First American Chief Economist

First American’s proprietary Real House Price Index (RHPI) looks at April 2017 data and includes analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming on the impact of wages and lower interest rates on real house prices.

“Despite the monetary tightening policies of the Federal Reserve, a dip in the average rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage and wage gains increased consumer house-buying power sufficiently to offset the gain in unadjusted house prices. The decline in real, purchasing-power adjusted house prices between March and April was the largest month-over-month decline since July 2016,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American.

For Mark’s full analysis on affordability, the top five states and markets with the greatest and smallest increases in real house prices, and more, please visit the Real House Price Index.

“The decline in real, purchasing-power adjusted house prices between March and April was the largest month-over-month decline since July 2016 and a respite from the 8-month-long trend of increasing real house prices.”

The RHPI offers an alternative view of the change over time of house prices at the national, state and metropolitan area level. The traditional perspective on house prices is fixated on the actual prices and the changes in those prices, which overlooks what really matters to potential buyers – their purchasing power, or how much they can afford to buy. The RHPI adjusts prices for purchasing power by considering how income levels and interest rates influence the amount one can borrow.

The RHPI is updated monthly with new data. Look for the next edition of the RHPI the week of July 24, 2017.

 

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I read this article at: https://firstexchange.com/June2017HousingUpdate

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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

Where to Donate Your Professional Clothes!

Where to Donate Your Professional Clothes!

Just recently I came to the sad realization that me feet, had in fact, grown.  A whole size.  Add to that a horrible bike accident and recovery – let’s just say comfort is now the number one factor when buying new, larger shoes.

Standing to my knees in shoeboxes of high heels one size too small I didn’t know the best place to donate them so I reached out to my Facebook friends.  Thank you Karen for the Urban League.  Currently located in Sacramento – here is their website:  http://nul.iamempowered.com

Thank you fellow NDB tiger, Aaron for Dress for Success, https://www.dressforsuccess.org, and Wardrobe http://wardrobe.org.

Dress for Success is having an event this Month –  Tuesday, July 25th from 1-4pm at 500 Sutter Street, Suite #218 in San Francisco.  Details can be found here: https://sanfrancisco.dressforsuccess.org/get-involved/donate/  They have a few dates in August too!

I found this article by Closet Factory about donating clothes and have shared it below.  It always feels good to help those in need.  Susan and I have cleared out our closets and are excited to donate our clothes to women in need.  We know – nothing makes you feel better than a pair of great looking and feeling shoes.

Pay it forward,

Sabrina & Susan

The Caton Team – A Family of Realtors

Declutter Your Closet: The Best Charities for Donated Clothing

When you declutter your closet, which should be at the top of your list of things to do when considering buying a custom closet, it can be hard to decide what to do with the items you’re parting with. Donating it to charity is the logical response, however, many Americans have thought twice about donating their used clothing after hearing news reports state that a large portion of their donations are shipped to third world countries and sold for a profit. Naturally, people are torn between wanting to help the less fortunate and knowing big business is profiting from their donations.

However, donating your decluttered closet items to charity is still a good idea. It certainly is a better alternative to throwing your once precious possessions in the trash. The trick is to choose a charity that directly distributes your clothing to people in need or if you donate to an organization that sells clothing, make sure that a large percentage of their profits goes directly to charity. Below is a list of organizations that donate clothing directly to people in need. If these charities don’t have a chapter located near you, don’t give up. Chances are, you have a local organization that is doing similar work, so all you need is a little research to make sure your donations go to a good home.

Dress for Success: With national affiliates all over the U.S., this is the perfect place to take all your work clothes and shoes that you no longer wear. Their philosophy is to promote self-confidence and economic independence for disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, mentor support and career development training. The organization distributes your donations to disadvantaged women who need business outfits for job interviews.

Career Gear: This charity does for men what Dress for Success does for women. They provide professional clothing, mentoring and life-skills to help low income men get the clothing and toiletries they need for job interviews. There are several locations on the East Coast and in various parts of the Southern U.S.

Cinderella Project: Here’s where you can take all those old bridesmaid dresses you’ll never wear again. This New York state based organization takes donated formal dresses and gives them to teenage girls who can’t afford to buy a prom dress. There are similar sister projects like this such as The Princess Project in California. Check your local community listings to see if you have a local organization that does the same thing.

Big Brother Big Sister Foundation: This foundation accepts any type of clothing in good condition and all donations go to the foundation’s resale stores. 100% of the proceeds benefit the charity which pairs adult mentors with at-risk kids. You can even schedule a pickup online and they will come get your donation.

Vietnam Veterans of America:
This national non-profit provides support and services for all military veterans returning home after serving and aid for homeless and disabled vets. They accept all types of clothing, shoes and accessories in good condition for children and adults.  Then they sell the donated items in their resale shops with the proceeds going directly to the VVA. They will also come and pick up your donation, which you can schedule online.

As you can see, there are many places to find good homes for the clothing you no longer have a use for. Decluttering your wardrobe closet not only helps you feel good but it can also help others feel better about their lives. Go to our Closet Factory blog for more tips on how to live a life free of clutter.

This was a fun blog – thank you for your help friends – let’s pay it forward.  -Sabrina

I read this article at: https://www.closetfactory.com/blog/declutter-your-closet-the-best-charities-for-donated-clothing/

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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Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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

One in Three Recent Homebuyers Made an Offer Sight-Unseen

When I came across this article – it stopped me in my tracks.  Would you buy a home sight unseen?

One in Three Recent Homebuyers Made an Offer Sight-Unseen—Up from Nearly One in Five a Year Ago

Written by Rachel Musiker on June 28, 2017

Yet many would be hesitant to move to a place where people have different political views; more than half of Arab, Asian and Latino respondents said immigration orders influenced their moving plans.

In May 2017, Redfin commissioned a survey of 3,350 U.S. residents in 11 metropolitan areas who in the past year bought or sold a home, attempted to do so or plan to do so soon. The purpose of the survey was to better understand the perspectives and experiences of people who were recently in the market to buy or sell a home, and to reveal trends over the past two years since we began commissioning similar surveys.

Following are six major findings:

1) Thirty-three percent of people who bought a home in the last year made an offer without first seeing the home in person. That’s up from 19 percent a year ago.

2) Affordable housing was the most prevalent economic concern, cited by 40 percent of buyers; 21 percent said rising prices led them to search in more affordable metro areas.

3) Forty-one percent of buyers would be hesitant to move to a place where people have different political views from their own.

4) Orders restricting immigration influenced the buying and selling plans of 52 percent of Arab, Asian and Latino respondents; 45 percent of minority buyers felt that sellers and their agents may have been less eager to work with them because of their race.

5) Buyers remain resilient amid the prospect of rising mortgage rates. Just 5 percent said they’d cancel their plans if rates surpass 5 percent.

6) Fifty-one percent of buyers and 46 percent of sellers saved money on real estate commissions.

“Millennials are already starting to set trends in the real estate industry,” said Redfin chief economist Nela Richardson. “They are three times more likely than Baby Boomers to make an offer sight-unseen, and they’re more likely than older buyers and sellers to negotiate commission savings. Despite their tech-savvy confidence, politics are seeping into Millennials’ decisions about where to live; nearly half cited hesitations about moving to a place where their neighbors wouldn’t share their views.”

1. More buyers made offers on homes sight-unseen.

One-third of people who bought a home in the last year said they made an offer on a home without first seeing it in person. That’s up from 19 percent last year and from 21 percent two years ago. Millennials were even more likely to have made an offer sight-unseen, with 41 percent saying they had done so, compared with 30 percent of Gen-Xers and 12 percent of Baby Boomers.

The abundance of photos–including interactive 3D photography like Redfin 3D Walkthrough that lets people virtually walk through Redfin listings–and other information available online about homes for sale helps buyers feel comfortable bidding on a home they haven’t set foot in. But the strong prevalence of sight-unseen bids this year is likely due in great part to the record-fast speed of today’s highly competitive housing market. The typical home that sold in May went under contract in just 37 days, a week faster than homes were selling a year ago and the fastest pace on record since at least 2010 when Redfin began keeping track.

This statistic shocked me.  I know virtual tours can help sell homes, I truly didn’t expect them to replace walking through homes.  However, my buying clients work so hard and such long hours I can see how hard it is for them to see a home during daylight and sometimes waiting till the open house is too late.

2. Buyers’ most common economic concern was affordable housing; one in five said rising home prices caused them to search in another metro area.

Affordable housing was the economic concern most commonly cited by people who bought or tried to buy in the last year, with 40 percent selecting that issue, followed by the income gap between the rich and the poor (38%) and the federal budget deficit (27%). Low on the list of concerns were the trade deficit (13%) and restrictive immigration policies (15%).

With affordable housing a frequent concern, rising home prices drove more than one in five (21%) people who bought or tried to buy a home last year to search for homes in another metro area where homes were more affordable. When asked how high home prices affected their search, buyers were more likely to say only that they searched in more affordable neighborhoods (32%), searched farther outside the city center (26%) or that they considered smaller homes (23%) or fixer-uppers (22%).

3. Many buyers reported hesitations about moving to a place where most people have political views different from their own.

Despite the fact that so many people were relocating for affordability and even making offers on homes they hadn’t seen, many buyers were wary about moving to a place where their neighbors were likely to vote for an opposing candidate. Forty-one percent of people who bought or tried to buy a home in the last year said they would have hesitations about moving to a place where most of the residents do not share their political views. This is largely unchanged from December. Like in the December survey, Millennials were more likely than their elders to be hesitant about this, with 46 percent indicating they had some or significant hesitation, compared with 29 percent of Baby Boomers.

If this trend continues, it would put our neighborhoods at risk of becoming more politically segregated, which could have implications for the electoral map. Redfin recently began reporting on U.S. migration patterns using data on where its website users were searching for homes, and from where they were searching. One of the most salient migration trends in the first quarter was movement from expensive metros like Los Angeles and the Bay Area in the blue state of California to more affordable metros in red states like Texas, Georgia and Arizona. Redfin analysts are conducting further research to reconcile the migration trends seen in its user data with this survey finding and to predict whether these migration patterns could ultimately play a role in future election outcomes.

4. More than half of Arab, Asian and Latino respondents said recent immigration orders influenced their buying or selling plans; 45 percent of all minority respondents thought sellers or agents may have treated them differently because of their race.

Forty-one percent of all respondents indicated that their home-buying or selling plans were affected by the recent executive orders on immigration and visa holder policies, with 6 percent saying they cancelled their home-buying plans indefinitely, and another 12 percent saying they took a step back from homebuying and plan to re-enter the housing market when there is more certainty. Nine percent said they were less likely to sell because of the orders’ possible effects on buyers in their area. The uncertainty also caused 13 percent to sell their home, worried about the possible effect the orders could have on their job or their ability to stay in the country. Meanwhile, 14 percent of respondents said they are more likely to buy, saying the restrictions would improve job prospects and the economy in their area.

Respondents who identified themselves as East Asian American, South Asian American, Arab American or Latino were more likely to have been affected, with more than half (52%) saying the orders influenced their plans, including 9 percent who cancelled their buying plans indefinitely, 16 percent who took a step back from homebuying, 20 percent who were selling because of the uncertainty and 10 percent who said they were less likely to sell because of the orders’ effects on buyers. Thirteen percent among this group said they were more likely to buy because they believe the restrictions will improve their job prospects and the economy in their area.

Redfin agents from many parts of the country reported that when the orders were first introduced at the beginning of the year, several of their buying customers who are originally from other countries backed out of the market due to the uncertainty of their ability to stay in this country long term. However, these departures were most often characterized as temporary, with affected buyers typically saying they were going to wait and see what would happen. In recent weeks, agents have reported that some of these customers have returned to the market, while other buyers have not. A Redfin agent in the Chicago area said this week that two of her buying customers in the country on H1B visas who had backed out of the market at the beginning of the year both recently returned to the market after finding out they’d be able to remain in the country for at least a few more years. Both are now under contract. She also reported that she just listed and sold a home for customers who were not able to renew their H1B visas.

Meanwhile, there was a slight drop in the prevalence of the perception of discrimination among minority homebuyers from December to May. In May, 45 percent of minority respondents who bought or tried to buy a home in the last year said they felt that sellers or their agents may have been less eager to work with them because of their ethnicity or race. That’s down from 49 percent in December, when still nearly half of minority respondents reported they may have been treated differently. The portion of self-identified white respondents who said they may have been discriminated against was largely unchanged from December (28%) to May (29%).

5. Few buyers will stop their search if mortgage rates top 5 percent.

Mortgage rates are expected to rise due to the Federal Reserve’s June 14 announcement that it would raise its benchmark interest rate. We don’t expect to see much of a reaction in the market.

The survey asked people who said they were still looking for a home to buy and/or plan to buy one in the next 12 months about the effect a mortgage rate hike above 5 percent would have on their home-buying plans.

A quarter said it would have no impact, while nearly as many (23%) said they would increase their urgency to buy before rates went up further. Twenty-nine percent said they would slow down their search and see if rates came back down; 18 percent said their urgency wouldn’t change, but they would look in other areas or buy a smaller home. Just 5 percent said they would cancel their home-buying plans altogether.

These results are similar to the breakdown of responses collected from buyers who were asked a similar question in December about how they would react if mortgage rates rose above 4 percent.

6. Half of buyers and sellers saved on real estate fees.

Just over half (51%) of buyers (excluding all those who worked with a Redfin agent) received savings from their agent in the form of a commission refund, a closing-cost contribution or another type of savings. That’s up from 49 percent in December and from 46 percent a year ago. Millennials were the most likely to receive savings, with 59 percent indicating they did, compared to 47 percent of Gen-Xers and 29 percent of Baby Boomers.

Sellers are not far behind. The portion of all (non-Redfin) sellers who successfully negotiated their listing agent’s commission to a lower price rose to 46 percent in May, up from 44 percent in December and 39 percent a year ago. Millennials were also the most likely generation of sellers to have negotiated their listing agent’s commission down, with 63 percent getting a discount, compared to 44 percent of Gen-Xers and 16 percent of Baby Boomers.

This follows a decades-long trend toward declining commissions, according to Real Trends, which reports that the national average real estate commission was 5.12 percent in 2016, down from 5.26 percent in 2015, and from more than 6 percent in the early 90s.

Consumers are likely paying less for real estate brokerage services in part because of the increasing prevalence of companies like Redfin that offer lower-cost alternatives to the traditional real estate model. In 2016, real estate tech companies received more funding than ever before, meaning the options for new, alternative and money-saving ways to buy and sell homes have never been more abundant, and the choices for consumers are likely to grow. Millennials’ expanding role in the housing market–paired with their increased tendency to save on fees–will likely drive a shift in the real estate industry toward these tech-reliant, non-traditional brokerage models.

Affordability continues to shape American communities and the real estate industry

As Millennials continue to enter the housing market, they are likely to drive changes in the way neighborhoods in our cities across the country look and feel, as well as in the way most people buy and sell homes. We now know that issues surrounding affordability and inequality drove major change in our government. The results of this survey reveal how these issues are affecting the way that segments of people are spreading themselves out geographically–with some people driven to new communities in search of affordable homes, others avoiding places where the neighbors would disagree with their politics and still others holding off on putting down roots due to the uncertainty of their future status in this country. If these trends continue, our cities will become less diverse. More inclusionary local zoning policies and builder incentives to create more affordable housing within desirable neighborhoods and near job centers would make these places more accessible to and welcoming of people of all racial, social and economic backgrounds. By enabling more different types of people to live comfortably in the same great neighborhoods, we may begin to narrow the gaps between these diverse groups that, joined together, are the essence of American society.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BUYING A HOME SIGHT UNSEEN?

I read this article at: https://www.redfin.com/blog/2017/06/one-in-three-recent-homebuyers-made-an-offer-sight-unseen-up-from-one-in-five-a-year-ago.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1001830_Blogs&utm_source=strongmail

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

HomeSnaphttp://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

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheCatonTeam

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancatonrealtor

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

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