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Open Homes this Weekend with Lynbrook & Monta Vista High 11.07.09

Michelle Carr-Crowe, ABR ALHS ASP CDPE RECS SRES: Real Estate Agent in San Jose, CA

The updated, extended and expanded tax credit is making it possible for move-up buyers to also get a tax credit.

Below is a list of homes open this weekend with either Lynbrook High or Monta Vista High School. For more info on these and other home opportunities not yet on MLS, Just Call 408.252.8900.

Open House Schedules Bitmap
Street Address
List Price 1 Beds Baths Bldg SqFt Age DOM City Class MLS Num Lot Size
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Lynn Hanchett 22362 REGNART RD $2,395,000 3 2 1,974 SqFt 31 58 Cupertino 1 80943105 144,183 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: John Dozier 10421 SCENIC BL $2,179,000 5 4 (3/1) 4,200 SqFt 0 80 Cupertino 1 80939875 13,939 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Nisha Sharma 10952 STEVENS CANYON RD $1,898,000 4 4 (3/1) 3,830 SqFt 4 142 Cupertino 1 80929321 10,454 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:00-4:00 Host: Lily Miao 21011 GREENLEAF DR $1,880,000 5 4 (3/1) 3,815 SqFt 0 16 Cupertino 1 80950036 9,625 SqFt
Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Carolyn Cristofani 10280 PHAR LAP DR $1,800,000 5 4 3,746 SqFt 41 161 Cupertino 1 80945629 10,150 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Nicole Derner
Sat 11/14 1:30-4:30 Host: Sophie Tsang
Sun 11/15 1:30-4:30 Host: Hermes Guasch
Sun 11/8 1:00-4:00 Host: Sophie Tsang 15571 MONTEBELLO RD $1,799,000 5 4 3,000 SqFt 38 108 Cupertino 1 80950403 223,027 SqFt
Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Jeanne Rajabzadeh 12333 VIEWOAK DR $1,745,000 5 4 (3/1) 3,294 SqFt 42 28 Saratoga 1 80948428 10,455 SqFt
Sun 11/8 2:00-4:00 Host: Michelle O'Neal
Pict Sun 11/8 1:30-4:00 Host: Angela White 19465 ERIC DR $1,549,000 4 2 2,794 SqFt 9 37 Saratoga 1 80946740 10,200 SqFt
Sun 11/15 1:30-4:00 Host: Angela White
Pict Sun 11/8 1:00-4:00 Host: Yihua Li 1681 PROVINCETOWN DR $1,499,888 4 3 2,800 SqFt 0 160 San Jose 1 80936471 6,500 SqFt
Sat 11/14 1:00-4:00 Host: Yihua Li
Pict Pict Pict Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Judy and Jana Faulhaber 12415 DE SANKA AV $1,498,000 4 2 2,127 SqFt 58 108 Saratoga 1 80941812 11,550 SqFt
Sun 11/8 2:00-4:00 Host: Margaret Alegria 12010 SARAGLEN DR $1,489,000 5 4 (3/1) 2,954 SqFt 46 32 Saratoga 1 80947497 10,030 SqFt
Sat 11/7 1:00-4:00 Host: Jack Szeto 10170 PENINSULA AV $1,389,000 4 3 2,445 SqFt 0 66 Cupertino 1 80941997 6,534 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:00-4:00 Host: Jack Szeto
Pict Pict Pict Sun 11/8 2:00-4:00 Host: Carolyn Miller/Niki Maroko 22009 OAKDELL PL $1,335,000 4 2 1,952 SqFt 45 87 Cupertino 1 80938691 7,659 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Robert Chan 10501 STOKES AV $1,150,000 4 2 1,890 SqFt 40 129 Cupertino 1 80931537 7,725 SqFt
Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Larry Hoffart 10370 MANN DR $1,150,000 4 3 (2/1) 2,020 SqFt 52 94 Cupertino 1 80937548 10,320 SqFt
Sun 11/8 2:00-4:00 Host: Carolyn Miller/Niki Maroko
Pict Sat 11/7 2:00-5:00 Host: Marcie Lynn May 10048 ORANGE AV $1,148,888 2 2 2,200 SqFt 0 24 Cupertino 1 80951235 0.07 Acre
Sun 11/8 2:00-5:00 Host: Marcie Lynn May
Pict Pict Pict Sun 11/8 1:30-4:00 Host: Lynn North 22351 CRESTON DR $1,029,888 3 2 1,652 SqFt 50 235 Cupertino 1 80913256 13,334 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:00-4:00 Host: Jo Preston 1142 JOHNSON AV $1,010,000 5 2 1,904 SqFt 51 79 San Jose 1 80939851 6,549 SqFt
Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Vivian Wang 1432 YILUFA CT $999,950 4 4 (3/1) 2,309 SqFt 0 36 San Jose 1 80947069 2,171 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Vivian Wang
Pict Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Stephanie Chang 1272 POPPY WY $979,000 3 2 1,405 SqFt 47 7 Cupertino 1 80951634 6,250 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Stephanie Chang
Pict Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Terrance Brown 11510 BIANCHINI LN $949,000 3 3 (2/1) 1,788 SqFt 4 29 Cupertino 1 80948370 1,306 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Terrance Brown
Pict Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Rebecca Lin 1307 CENTENNIAL CT $899,000 3 2 1,176 SqFt 50 3 San Jose 1 80952105 7,102 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Rebecca Lin
Pict Pict Pict Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Robert Chan 1110 SCOTLAND DR $868,000 3 2 1,190 SqFt 48 211 Cupertino 1 80917688 5,994 SqFt
Sun 11/8 2:00-4:30 Host: Rowena Wong & Patrick Johnson 21970 MCCLELLAN RD $839,000 2 2 1,055 SqFt 65 44 Cupertino 1 80945603 7,680 SqFt
Sat 11/7 1:30-4:30 Host: Wilson Lu 7126 CLARENDON ST $728,000 3 3 (2/1) 1,448 SqFt 30 28 San Jose 2 80948509 720 SqFt
Sun 11/8 1:30-4:30 Host: Albert Ho
Pict Sat 11/14 1:30-4:30 Host: Erinna Tsai 1082 NORFOLK DR $688,000 2 2 (1/1) 1,149 SqFt 37 16 San Jose 2 80950031 1,600 SqFt
Sun 11/15 1:30-4:30 Host: Erinna Tsai
Pict Sat 11/7 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt 10745 N DE ANZA BL #309 $599,000 2 2 1,334 SqFt 0 144 Cupertino 2 80928989 59,241 SqFt
Sun 11/8 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/14 1:00-4:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sun 11/15 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/21 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Pict Pict Sun 11/8 1:00-4:00 Host: Robert Hughes 10475 MARY AV $589,000 2 2 (1/1) 1,216 SqFt 38 72 Cupertino 2 80941024 1,600 SqFt
Sat 11/7 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt 10745 N De Anza BL #114 $588,000 2 2 1,178 SqFt 0 92 Cupertino 2 80937835 1,294 SqFt
Sun 11/8 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/14 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sun 11/15 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/21 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Pict Sat 11/7 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt 10745 N DE ANZA BL #105 $489,000 1 2 (1/1) 1,194 SqFt 0 129 Cupertino 2 80931506 1,294 SqFt
Sun 11/8 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/14 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sun 11/15 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/21 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Pict Sat 11/7 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt 10745 N DE ANZA BL #103 $489,000 1 2 (1/1) 1,209 SqFt 0 18 Cupertino 2 80949747 1,294 SqFt
Sun 11/8 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/14 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sun 11/15 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt
Sat 11/21 12:00-5:00 Host: Gaylene Wyatt

Silent Saturday - I Love This Sign!

Bob & Leilani Souza: Real Estate Brokerage in Livermore, CA

Silent Saturday - I Love This Sign!

I took this photo at El Sol Winery in Livermore Wine Country, CA:

Unattended Children sign

Why working at home can be *MORE productive* than going to the office

David Dee, San Gabriel Valley (Los Angeles) & Orange County CA Real Estate: Real Estate Agent in San Gabriel, CA

"Why working at home can be *MORE productive" than going to the office"

I did a test run the past two weeks to make myself more productive. I went to the office for one week straight and worked from home the other week. I realized there is a BIG difference as far as production is concerned. Some may find that working at the office is better than working from home.

Working in the office does have its benefits. If you have a question, you can just drop by a colleague's office and ask a question or two. If you need to speak with escrow, they are a few steps away. You can learn a few new things by talking with other agents in the office. For example, if you have a particular situation you're having problems with you can run it by someone for an opinion. With its benefits there also comes a trail of disadvantages.

One of the main things in the distractions you get while in the office. People will stop by and chat. There is also office gossips. Gossips...really? Oh yes there is. I just don't feel that there is much progress being made by working in the office.

On the other hand, working from home provides you with the peace and environment to be more productive. There is no distractions. Yes, the bed and sofa is across the room for relaxation but if you have self discipline that is not an issue at all. I find that I accomplished more things and feel that I can tackle more jobs in a shorter time frame than going into the office. A big plus is that there is no need to beat the traffic and the time saved can be used to get other things done.

A drawback of working from home can be that you do not have the interactions with colleagues to address certain issues you may have. Well, my friend, that can be solved just by a phone call to your broker. Another great alternative is to browse through Activerain! Yes, there are many answers to questions you may have just find logging in and doing a quick search. The info is invaluable! So, as you can see, there is not much of a disadvantage when you factored that in. We are in the business of selling homes so why not work where we start each morning....right at Home!

Sending a client to a Lender (who's also a realtor) for a Loan Approval

David Dee, San Gabriel Valley (Los Angeles) & Orange County CA Real Estate: Real Estate Agent in San Gabriel, CA

"Sending a client to a Lender (who's also a realtor) for a Loan Approval"

When clients buy a home, they go to a Realtor.

When clients need a loan, they go to a Lender.

What happens when the lender you refer to is also a Realtor? Well, that was a situation I recently encountered. I had a client who was looking to buy a home but does not have an approval letter. They asked for a referral and an agent within my office mentioned that he used this one particular lender who is really efficient. I spoke with the lender and interviewed him before sending my client over. So, I sent the client there and we got an approval letter to start the house hunting.

All is fine until I later discover that he also is a Realtor. My suspicion aroused when I realized that it was very difficult to get a hold of him. He later mentioned that he is normally out on the field showing properties so hence the delay in response. I was flabberglasted to say the least as I was wondering why is he showing properties when he should be working on the loans. He stated that his broker allows him to do both Loans and Real Estate.

I don't know how everyone feels but I find that to be "double dipping". I would not mind him doing the loan and real estate as long as the loan gets done. Knowing how real estate is a contact profession, I don't see how a lender can juggle doing both simultaneously. Based from my experience, the communication was great initially until he started getting "busy" showing properties. There were items and conditions needed for the loan and I could not get a hold of this lender to finalize the details.

A Jack of All Trades but a Master of None. Personally, I feel that if someone is a Lender that should be the only thing they do. If they are a Realtor, they should stick to selling homes. When the two lines of the industry gets crossed, there is a conflict of interest. The best thing to do in this situation is to find a Lender who strictly perform the duties of Lending.

Tax Credit and Unemployment Benefits Officially Extended & Expanded

Michelle Carr-Crowe, ABR ALHS ASP CDPE RECS SRES: Real Estate Agent in San Jose, CA

Tax Credit and Unemployment Benefits Officially Extended & Expanded

By Michelle C. Carr-Crowe

The existing tax credit for first-time buyers, originally set to expire at the end of the month, has been extended, expanded and approved by the House, Senate and President Barack Obama.

The new measure benefits a larger group of potential home buyers. It allows both first-timers and existing homeowners to take advantage of thousands in the form of a tax credit. All properties must close by the end of April.

The measure would continue giving an $8,000 tax credit to first-time buyers. In addition, it provides a $6,500 tax break to qualified homeowners looking to move up to middle-market homes that cost no more than $800,000.

The legislation also significantly raises the qualifying income levels to $125,000 for individual income tax filers and to $225,000 for joint filers.

Finally, the bill would extend unemployment benefits 14 more weeks nationwide and 20 more weeks in California and other hard-hit states. That would give the long-term unemployed nearly two years' worth of benefits.

Reprinted with permission from the National Association of REALTORS®.