Gene Riemenschneider East Contra Costa Home Sales 01492725

In Search of the Elusive Blue Pumpkin!

Last week I wrote about Blue Pumpkins and how great they are for cooking. Some people thought I was joking. Well Sunday I hauled my Five Pumpkins off to the Pumpkin Patch. The farm on Clayton Valley Road is currently in it's Pumpkin Patch mode before being turned into the Christmas Tree Farm.

The boys got to play in the Hay Maze, the Bean Pools (Giant Plastic Tubs filled with Beans) and do rubber duck races at the water pumps. The littler boys went on the Train Ride. Dad bought them all some Kettle Corn and then we picked out the Pumpkin.

We got one Orange one (to carve) and two big Blue Pumpkins for cooking.

A good time was had by all and Dad was allowed to fall asleep peacefully in front of Sunday Night Football as his reward.

Discovery Bay Housing Market Report for September 2009.

This Discovery Bay Housing Market Report focuses on Home Sales in Discovery Bay California in September 2009 and compare them to sales in August 2009. It also provides information on Homes Currently for Sale in Discovery Bay California. This Discovery Bay Housing Market Report are based on Single Family Homes and taken from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on October 12, 2009.

Contrary to popular belief Prices in East Contra Costa County continue to head up in each and every community. If the number of sales is down it is because there are fewer homes on the market. There are some changes in the market reflected by the numbers.

The Discovery Bay Housing Market shows substantial increase in every area, cost per Square Foot, Average Cost, and Median Cost.

In August there were 25 Homes Sold in the Discovery Bay Housing Market the average price was $354,168.00.00 and the Median Price was $300,000.00. The average Listing Price Per SF on the homes sold in Discovery Bay California was $140.00, but the average Sold Price was $137.00 per SF. The average days on market for sold homes was 60.

In September the Average Price went up to 374,225.00 and the Median price went to $311,125.00. But, there were only 18 Home sold. The average days on market was 18. Listed price per SF was $143.00 and the sold price per SF was $141.00.

Currently there are 64 Homes Available in the Discovery Bay Housing Market with an Average Asking Price of $556,782.00 and a Median Asking Price of $369,450.00, with Average Days on Market of 82. The Average Asking Price Per SF is $195.00.

The Discovery Bay Housing Market sales figures are hard to trend due to the eclectic neighborhoods and homes, the small number of sales, and large number of high end luxury homes. But we are having steady upward sales trends. I suspect as good homes in Discovery Bay are hard to find this trend will continue.

Short Sales in Brentwood California

If you think you might need to sell your home in a short sale and you have questions we have a Free 19 Point Short Sale Report for you to read and consider before deciding what to do.

This Report will address specific points that include:

• Will I have to pay the difference after a Short Sale?
  
  
• Should I continue to pay my mortgage?
  
  
• Should I pay an Agent up front for a Short Sale?

And many more issues. When it comes to Short Sales you do not want to loose any time. Go get the Free 19 Point Short Sale Report and start making a positive plan today.

If you are thinking of buying a home and want to know about the possibility of purchasing a Short Sale Home we also have a Free Report on Buying Short Sale Home. There is also information on Bank Owned homes and traditional purchases; and a Free Home Search

Brentwood Housing Market Report for September 2009.

This Brentwood Housing Market Report focuses on Home Sales in Brentwood California in September 2009 and compare them to sales in August 2009. It also provides information on Homes Currently for Sale in Brentwood California. This Brentwood Housing Market Report are based on Single Family Homes and taken from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on October 12, 2009.

Contrary to popular belief Prices in East Contra Costa County continue to head up in each and every community. If the number of sales is down it is because there are fewer homes on the market.  There are some changes in the market reflected by the numbers.  Shifts to buying larger homes seems to be the Brentwood trend.

The Brentwood Housing Market shows a small decline in price per SF, but an increase in over all average price. In August there were 105 Homes Sold in the Brentwood Housing Market the average price was $293,618.00 and the Median Price was $271,900.00. The average Listing Price Per SF on the homes sold in Brentwood California was $129.00, but the average Sold Price was $132.00 per SF. The average days on market for sold homes was 30.

In September both the asking and selling price per SF declined slightly, while average and median price went up. The Average Price went up to 301,088.00 and the Median price went to $283,600.00. But, there were only 72 Home sold. The average days on market was 23.  Listed price per SF was $127.00 and the sold price per SF was $129.00.

Currently there are 147 Homes Available in the Brentwood Housing Market with an Average Asking Price of $540,297.00 and a Median Asking Price of $383,000.00, with Average Days on Market of 98.

The Active Homes Available number in the Brentwood Housing Market is skewed upwards by the number of homes over $1,000,000.00 with land attached.  If you remove the listings over $1,000,000.00 the numbers are a little different.  The average asking price is $395,416 and the median price is $370,450 with an average of 89 days on the market.

The supply of homes is less than 2 months. We are in a traditional slow season, but I suspect prices will hold steady if not continue up through the end of the year. It is hard to predict long term market trends with the flood of new initiatives to head of foreclosures.

Tax Strategies – Real Estate Investing – Part 14B

This is Part 14 of my Real Estate Investing Series. You can view the first 13 Parts here:

Are you planning for your Future? Real Estate Investing – Part 1

Starting at Home! Real Estate Investing – Part 2

Maintain Your Leverage! Real Estate Investing – Part 3

Picking Your Investment Property – Real Estate Investing – Part 4

Location * Location * Location – Real Estate Investing – Part 5

Cash Flow Analysis – Real Estate Investing – Part 6 A

Cash Flow Analysis – Real Estate Investing – Part 6 B

Cash Flow Analysis – Real Estate Investing – Part 6 C

Cash Flow Analysis – Real Estate Investing – Part 6 D

Passive Losses – Real Estate Investing – Part 7

Gross Rent Multiplier – Real Estate Investing – Part 8

Capitalization Rate – Real Estate Investing – Part 9

Comparable Pricing – Real Estate Investing – Part 10

Rates of Return – Real Estate Investing – Part 11

Growth or Income – Real Estate Investing – Part 12

More on Rate of Return – Real Estate Investing – Part 13

Tax Strategies – Real Estate Investing – Part 14A

The main tax issue we are going to be concerned with is the most unpredictable - Capital Gains Taxes. As I mentioned in the last installment on Tax Strategies the tax situation is always changing. If you are just starting to invest, more than likely by the time you sell what I will tell you will have changed. Right now I think most people would expect taxes to go up. At some point Capital Gains Taxes may go up, but there are always trends in the other direction. Follow the trends with your current and future needs in mind and try and time your decisions with positive trends. Very few people time the trends perfect, so do not beat yourself up too much on this.

Here are some long term ideas about avoiding or reducing Capital Gains Tax:

1. If you have lived in a property for the last Two out of five years you can take an exemption and avoid the Capital Gains Tax. If you are currently have a rental that you have lived in and meets this requirement you may want to sell while you still have those two of five years left. Or if you want to sell something in the future you could move into it for two years and sell. I have seen people who owned a series of rentals that want to get the cash out move every two years or so and sell them one at a time.
   
   
2. Right now Capital Gains Taxes are indexed to charge higher earners a larger amount. Sell in in years your income is low.
   
   
3. Selling the home on an installment basis may help you keep your tax burden low from year to year as you are paid for the home over a negotiated period of time.
   
   
4. If you are selling a number of properties and wish to liquidate your Real Estate holdings you may want to do like stock investing and dollar average.  If you are unsure of price and tax trends sell them one at a time over a set periods of time.  This way you can help avoid the cost of market fluctuation; you know you will sell some at good times to sell and some at less opportune times, but over all you will do well.
   
   
5. The last option to sell one property and buy another is a 1031 Exchange. We will cover that in the next installment.

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