Tag: real estate bidding war

For Sellers, Emotions Trump More Money

Home is where the heart is.  That will always ring true.  Part of how the Caton Team sets apart their buying clients from others – is how we prepare your offer package.  It is more than just money and terms.  It is so much more than that.  Curious how The Caton Team get’s their offers accepted for their buyers – ask us how.  Enjoy this article from the Daily Real Estate News.

 

For Sellers, Emotions Trump More Money

Home sellers today are twice as likely to choose an offer based on emotion rather than money alone compared to the years prior to the recession, according to a new survey of more than 1,500 home sellers released by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, which analyzed real estate trends in the past decade.

Since 2014, more than one in four sellers nationally sold their home in less than two weeks. But despite the higher prevalence of multiple bids and offers above asking price, sellers judge an offer based more on emotions than the extra money, the study found.

“There is a notable difference in seller psychology today compared to 10 years ago,” says Budge Huskey, president and chief executive officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “The national housing market has changed significantly over the past decade, and seller sentiments have evolved. Home sellers often want to feel emotionally connected to the buyer. These findings should give solace to buyers in highly competitive markets who may present a compelling story as to why they should be the next owners of the home.”

Before the recession, about 20 percent of sellers accepted an offer based on emotion rather than money alone. However, from 2006 to now, the number has climbed to 36 percent.

“While housing has clearly steadied, we have all wondered how the recession might impact home sellers, and we now have additional insight,” Huskey said. “During this recovery, sellers are more aware that their home, which played such a critical role in their lives, will have the same emotional impact on the next occupants. Today, they have more information than ever and want to more actively participate in the sale of their home.”

During the recession and its aftermath, more sellers accepted the first offer they received – a notable difference from today. Now, only 46 percent of home sellers accept the first offer they receive – which marks a 22 percent decrease, the survey found.

Source: “How Home Sellers Have Changed Over the Past Decade: Results of the Coldwell Banker Seller Survey,” Coldwell Banker (June 10, 2015)

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2015/06/11/for-sellers-emotions-trump-more-money?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BVeejGB9CnYC8V&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

 

Lenders Sniff Out Borrowers’ ‘White Lies’

Oh – I had to share this article from Daily Real Estate News.  Honesty is always the  best policy!

Lenders Sniff Out Borrowers’ ‘White Lies’

 

Borrowers who aren’t as forthcoming on their loan applications on certain items – such as occupancy status – may feel like it’s harmless, but lenders say such “white lies” constitute fraud.

Occupancy fraud is one of the most common lies from borrowers on mortgage applications. Lenders want to know if borrowers intend to actually live in the house they’re purchasing or whether it’s a primary, second, or investment property. If the home isn’t a primary residence, the person’s chance of default tends to be higher.

Borrowers who are dishonest are committing occupancy fraud.

“People will try to get an owner-occupied loan as opposed to an investment property loan because you can get a higher loan-to-value, meaning a lower down payment, on a primary,” says John T. Walsh, the president of Total Mortgage Services in Milford, Conn. “And you’re going to get a better interest rate on an owner-occupied.”

For example, a down payment on a primary residence could be as low as 3 percent while a loan for a single-family investment property could be at least a 15 percent down payment, Walsh says. What’s more, the interest rate could be as much as half a percentage higher, he notes.

Occupancy fraud comprised 19 percent of all mortgage misrepresentation on loans backed by Fannie Mae in 2013, the latest data available.

“Occupancy fraud is costly to lenders because it can raise the default rate and the risk that, if a fraudulent loan is exposed, the loan investor (like Fannie Mae) could require the lender to buy back the loan,” The New York Times reports.

Lenders are getting better at catching false occupancy claims, looking for such red flags as borrowers who have mortgage applications pending elsewhere or who have an unusually long commuting distance between their property and place of employment.

Many people think lying about occupancy is “the white lie of mortgage fraud,” Tim Coyle, the senior director for financial services at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which develops risk mitigation tools for banks. “But it’s extremely costly to the banks and financial institutions.”

Source: “White Lies’ on Mortgage Applications Are Costly to Lenders,” The New York Times (June 5, 2015)

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2015/06/12/lenders-sniff-out-borrowers-white-lies?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BVex4kB9Cpzh$V&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

 

Mortgage Rates Set New High for 2015

Mortgage Rates Set New High for 2015

Fixed-rate mortgages were back on the rise again this week, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rising above the 4 percent average for the first time in nearly a year, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey.

 

“Mortgage rates rose above 4 percent for the first time since November 2014 as Treasury yields surged,” says Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac. “Markets are responding to strong employment data. In May, the U.S. economy added 280,000 jobs. Moreover, job openings surged to 5.4 million in April, up over 20 percent from a year ago.”

Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending June 11:

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.04 percent, with an average 0.6 point, rising from last week’s 3.87 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.20 percent.
  • 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.25 percent, with an average 0.6 point, rising from last week’s 3.08 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.31 percent.
  • 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.01 percent, with an average 0.4 point, rising from last week’s 2.96 percent average. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.05 percent.
  • 1-year ARMs: averaged 2.53 percent, with an average 0.2 point, dropping from last week’s 2.59 percent average. A year ago, 1-year ARMs averaged 2.40 percent.

Source: Freddie Mac

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2015/06/12/mortgage-rates-set-new-high-for-2015?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BVex4kB9Cpzh$V&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

Will Lenders Need a Week to Get Closing Docs In?

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

 

Changes are coming in lending for Real Estate – thought I would share this article from Daily Real Estate News

Will Lenders Need a Week to Get Closing Docs In?

 

Big changes to the process and forms used in real estate closings are coming August 1 and many real estate professionals are wondering what it will take to ensure closings go smoothly in the new environment.

It falls to lenders to get a new closing disclosure form to buyers within a three-day time frame required by the Consumer Financial protection Bureau, which developed the new procedures and forms. But practitioners will play a key role in ensuring everyone is in communication to  make the process go smoothly. Phil Schulman of K&L Gates in Washington, an expert on federal closing rules, says lenders will likely have to put the closing disclosure form into the mail at least a week before settlement to help ensure the three-day deadline is met. If that’s the case, all the information that goes into the closing disclosure, which replaces the HUD-1 settlement form, will have to be finalized more than a week before settlement, he says. Because lenders will have to use the U.S. Postal Service date stamp as verification of when they sent the form to the buyer.

You can learn more about the issue in NAR’s latest news video, The Voice for Real Estate, which released yesterday.

The video covers other key news events, including NAR’s latest pending home sales release, which says closings are at their highest level in nine years. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says the trend in pending sales indicates a strong year for sales even though interest rates are likely to tick up this fall. He says the increase in rates should be modest, so sales shouldn’t be impacted much.

Also, NAR just released its 2015 Member Profile, which looks at how real estate professionals are doing, where they get their business, and other trends of interest to the real estate industry. Among other things, the report found the typical real estate professional doing 11 transactions last year, down from 12 the previous year. It also found practitioners jumping into social media in a big way, with almost two-thirds using social media, twice as many from just a few years ago. And among younger real estate pros, social media use is up to 80 percent.

 

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2015/06/12/will-lenders-need-week-get-closing-docs-in?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BVex4kB9Cpzh$V&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

Designer Living At Its Best!

For Sale – Stunning Atrium Style Condo in San Mateo

OPEN HOUSE – Saturday 6/20 from 1:30-4:00pm

Are you looking for a place to call home? Come visit The Caton Teams newest listing at 1919 Alameda de las Pulgas, Unit 144 in San Mateo. This stunning home is move-in ready. Featuring 2 bedrooms and 1 bath on a ground floor, atrium style condo. The kitchen as been beautifully updated with granite countertops, quartz tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances that overlooks the atrium courtyard. This unit also has inside laundry with the washer and dryer in the kitchen. The bath has updated with designer touches, glass tile backsplash, newer fixtures, mirrors and medicine cabinet. The master bedroom (currently used as the office) has a private entrance to the bath, while the second bedroom has glass sliding doors to the atrium. The atrium has a lovely tree planted at the heart of the space, a small water fountain and tiled flooring with drain. The afternoon light is divine, trickling through the tree. The atrium courtyard is private, with access from only the bedroom and living room and is a private space. This condo has dual paned windows, sliding doors, crown molding, laminate flooring in the living and dining room, tile in the kitchen, vinyl flooring in the bath, wall to wall carpeting in both bedrooms and designer lighting fixtures throughout. The Gardens condo complex has easy access to Highways 92/101/280, Silicon Valley and SFO. The Gardens is a gated community and its amenities include, lush landscaped common areas, 2 swimming pools (one indoor and one outdoor), exercise & community rooms. This unit is divine and a must see. If you cannot make our open house this weekend, we will also be open on Sunday 6/28 from 1:30-4:00 unless we get a spectacular offer. For a private showing, more information or questions please call Susan Caton at 650.568.5539 or email us at Info@TheCatonTeam.com

See more at: http://thecatonteam.com/IDX/1919-Alameda-De-Las-Pulgas-144-SAN-MATEO-CA-94403/81470710_REIL/0004010#sthash.Uuv2242w.dpuf

 

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

Open House for our Rental on McLellan in San Mateo

Open House Saturday 6/13 from 1-3pm

Look no further.  This charming two-bedroom detached house is perfectly situated in a cute San Mateo Village neighborhood.  Walk to CalTrain, Hillsdale Mall and Bay Meadows area restaurants and shopping.  Easy access to Hwy 101.  A commuter’s dream location.  The house has beautiful hardwood floors throughout the living areas and wall to wall carpet in the bedrooms and hallway.  There is a spacious updated bath with shower over tub and large vanity.  The kitchen features plenty of counter space, cabinets and newer appliances.  A small family room adjoins the kitchen.  An enclosed patio with laundry area expands the living space considerably.  The extra large yard is perfect for summer fun and entertaining.  A large detached storage building is available for all your extra storage needs.  Newly painted inside.  All new double pane windows.  Gardener included.  Tenant pays all utilities.  No Pets. No Smoking or Drugs.  Must have excellent credit.

Visit our website for photos:

http://thecatonteam.com/IDX/McLellan-San-Mateo-CA-940/2107728917/0004010

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

To future clients of The Caton Team,

It is moments like these where all the handwork of being a Realtor pays off.  I had to share this letter from Josh and Tina.  It truly touched my heart, even made me cry.  Helping our clients and friends attain their financial dreams – actually – their dreams – makes each long night worth every second!  Thank you Josh and Tina for taking the time to write this letter to us.  It was a beautiful way to start my day.  And a wonderful reminder why I do what I do.  Thank you so much – we wish you all the happiness in the world in your new home.  Cannot wait to hand you the keys.

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

VISIT OUR NEW INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE#70000218/ Office BRE# 0149900

FOR SALE – Brittan Heights San Carlos – Open Sat & Sun 1:30-4pm

3375 Brittan Ave #7 in San Carlos is for sale.

Open Saturday & Sunday from 1:30-4pm.

Nestled in the San Carlos hills, this beautifully remodeled, single level, 2 bedroom/2 bath condo offers tree top views of the western hills and open space area.  The home features laminate wood flooring in the living & dining rooms, surround sound in the living room, a gourmet kitchen with granite counters, tastefully updated baths & lighting, plus an inside laundry room complete with washer and dryer. Located in the Brittan Heights complex, owners can enjoy several pools & tennis courts, children’s play area and a club house. The complex is close to hiking trails & has easy access to Hwy 280.  Great San Carlos schools & parks are near by.

When you walk into this lovely condo and venture to the living area – you cannot help but notice the rolling hills and trees outside windows. It is breathtaking and peaceful. The large oak tree is lovely as the sun sets over the hills.  The galley style kitchen also enjoys this view from the dining room window. The natural light is both comforting and beautiful. Off the kitchen you will conveniently find the laundry room. Washer and dryer are included. The 2 bedrooms are good size, with wall-to-wall carpeting and large closets. The hall bath is tastefully remolded with slate colored tile, contemporary sink and faucet with shower over tub. The master bedroom features a huge closet area, updated bath with granite counters and walk in shower.

The unit comes with a deeded carport. All appliances are included with the sale.

The unit will be open Saturday May 16 and Sunday May 17 from 1:30-4pm. Pop over for a visit.

For price, disclosures package including home and pest inspection, offer details or to have a private showing please call Sabrina at 650-568-5522 or email me at info@TheCatonTeam.com

Visit our website for photos and details: http://thecatonteam.com/

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

 

 

 

Do Your Part To Conserve Water – Lawn Rebate Programs

Do Your Part….

As I drive around looking at all the beautiful listings coming on the market – I can’t help to notice who is and who is not doing their part for the drought.

I know a green lawn is a beautiful thing. But not during the drought. Check out Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency for their “Lawn Be Gone” rebate program. They are offering rebates from $1.00 – $4.00 a SqFt to remove your lawn! Check out the details, rules and restrictions below.

http://bawsca.org/conservation/lawn-be-gone/

And if you’re thinking of selling your home this season, look into drought tolerant plants – now that’s a beautiful thing! Green homes and thoughtful landscaping is always a plus!

Even if you are not a homeowner, we can all do our part. Shorter showers, using gray water to water our plants, collecting rain water (when and if it rains again) and taking the time to turn off the faucet when washing dishes or brushing our teeth helps. Each drop counts. So please – do you part.

(PS . Check online for other county and city rebate programs going on now!)

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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

Who You Work With Makes All the Difference

Who You Work With Makes All the Difference

Buying a home is a journey of a thousand steps. So it is imperative to step forward with your best foot first.

Before we even show a house, The Caton Team likes to sit down and meet our buyers face to face. You know talk to one another – no email between us. We like to get to know our clients, what they need and want in their home and match them up with lenders they will mesh well with. Which brings me to my blog topic – the lender you work with – makes all the difference.

I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials – for online lenders offering low low LOW interest rates and often no closing costs. Word to the wise – you get what your pay for

Unless you’re one of the many cash buyers out there these days – if you’re in the market to buy a home – you will need a lender. Banks are very competitive with interest rates as long as the candidate has good credit, a solid down payment and income/assets. But it’s whom you work with that makes all the difference.

I’ve been forced to work with the “as seen on TV” lenders – and sure it sounds like a good deal – low interest rate and no closing costs – until you actually have to work with them. My experience, there is NO customer service with these types of lenders. And customer service is critical when you’re trying to put a real estate deal together.

Around here, the San Francisco Bay Area – we are seeing very competitive offers – often with NO contingencies becoming the norm. The only way a buyer can perform such amazing feats is having a hard working team (their Realtor and their lender) working behind them.

These TV lenders often are not local – and often cannot move as quickly as a local lender who can. Time is of the essence in Real Estate. In fact, in the California Purchase Contract it is even clause #29. Time is serious business. Buyers have time frames to complete actions – sellers are counting the days to close escrow – it all ties in together. So whom you work with makes all the difference.

Allow me to tie this into my most recent purchase with a friend turned client. Brandon is a Veteran and the VA loan offered an amazing opportunity for him to buy a home with no down payment and NO private mortgage insurance. This saved him big bucks for her first California Home purchase. At first, I was having a hard time finding a lender who did VA loans. They are known to be cumbersome and time consuming and in our current market, time is critical and often sellers will choose a faster moving loan than the VA. (It’s sad really and with Brandon and our experience, we are trying to get legislation passed to improve the VA loan experience.)

I digress. I found my Wells Fargo rep – Bill Griffis – up for the challenge. So we took our first step together and got Brandon approved for his home loan. Then the condo hunt began. Much like the FHA Home Loan, the VA loan only lends to Condo Complexes that fit their criteria for a safe investment. In other words, the complex must be VA approved. It is a wise move on the VA’s part – however not many complexes around here try to get VA/FHA approved. So it falls on the Realtors to find complexes that may fit (we use the FHA approved condos as a guideline) and then find a seller willing to wait.

In Brandon’s experience, the stars aligned and we found a seller who was willing to wait it out. (Brandon wrote one hell of a letter to the seller – you can read more about what it takes to write a good offer on my last blog installment here: http://wp.me/p1GGbd-i0) So with their hearts warmed to the thought of helping a VA, and with a great lender on our team – The Caton Team presented Brandon’s offer and got it accepted. Now the real work begins.

It took the VA several months to approve the complex. We even got the office of Jackie Speier involved to help move this along (thus the plea for legislation to pass to make this easier for Veterans).

To make a long story short, there was a week we had to cancel the deal since no end was in sight and the sellers had waited their allotted loan contingency time frame with no concrete answer. So we had to do what we had to do – we had to cancel the deal. It was a heart-breaking week but thankfully it was only a week. The VA kept plugging along and a week after we had to walk away – we got Condo approval. So back in the offer seat – Brandon wrote a new offer (since by then another offer was in hand) and with some negotiations he got his place back into contract. I’m telling you the buyer letter to the seller really made all the difference here – the sellers were willing to give us another shot.

I could go on and on and the trials and tribulations we all endured trying to get this deal done. Thankfully in the end, hard work, determination and fantastic customer service allowed me to hand the keys to my friend – and that is what makes being a Realtor awesome.

So in closing, who you work with makes all the difference. Working with a lender who picks up the phone nights and weekends and goes the extra mile will make your journey towards homeownership much simpler. Working with a Realtor you can talk too, you can trust makes singing on the dotted line that much easier.

Sure you can save a buck or two working with discount lenders or Realtors – but truthfully you get what you pay for. Not all Realtors and Lenders are created equal.  And in this market – it pays to work with the best.  It makes the difference between chasing your real estate dreams and making them.

When we add a Lender to our team – we want them to be professional, knowledgeable, experienced, kind, patient and hard working. Real Estate is NOT a 9-5 job. And often, when in negotiations we Realtors will need answers for our clients so we can write the best offer with the best terms. Having a lender who takes time for us is critical. Not everyone makes the Team. But those who do – are awesome. If you are in need of a fantastic lender – let us know and we’ll connect you with the best.

Looking for a Realtor – we’d love to interview for the job! Please do not hesitate to call or email us your Real Estate questions, concerns and opinions.

Remember to follow our Blog 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

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

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

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

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

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

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

Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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