Shirley Hulin

CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty agents recently attended a two-day seminar hosted by the Scenic Coast of REALTORS® in Morro Bay. The ‘Green Designation' program is administered by the National Association of REALTORS®. This course was first launched at the N.A.R. annual conference in November 2008.

The curriculum gives REALTORS® a broad understanding of green real estate principles--from the concepts of sustainability and smart growth. As a practical resource, this course shows real estate professionals how to explain to consumers what makes a home, building, or property green, energy efficient and how to obtain an energy audit. Agents will be able to advise clients on ENERGY STAR appliances, green grants, rebates and incentives for consumers to help off-set costs.

The CENTURY 21 agents were encouraged to be an advocates in spreading the green philosophy and be a positive force for creating sustainable and energy efficient communities of homes and commercial buildings. The new mantra around the office is, the ‘3R's', reduce, recycle, reuse.

CENTURY 21 Hometown Realty has 10 offices; each office is independently owned and operated. To reach one of our agents on the Coast 805-528-2000, in San Luis Obispo 805-541-1921 or www.c21Home.com

My local newspaper had a good article on the median home prices in San Luis Obispo County but I personally thought it was a bit confusing. In the news article the reporter wrote that the median price of all county homes including new, resale single family homes AND condominiums were $440,000 but pictured only single family homes. I understand that the stats accumulated followed the guidelines for national reporting but it still is confusing. It’s important for the buyer to have a true & clear picture of what they qualify to purchase so therefore it’s my opinion that we clarify median price single family homes from condominiums. If we don’t buyers will think we are playing the old bait and switch game and real estate in hard enough without clients believing or thinking we are playing games. When I am doing a Comparative Market Analysis for an owner of a single family home I would never include condos or PUD’s. So what is a median price home in my San Luis Obispo County? Taking today’s ‘active’ listings for single family homes in San Luis Obispo County NOT including condos changed the median price from $440,00 to $689,000, that’s a big difference. In San Luis Obispo the median home price including condominiums had 163 listings with a median price of $669,000. If you do not include condos there are 122 listings the median price changes for single family homes to $749,000. There are four homes in this price range from a 3 bedroom 2 bath 1800+ sq ft home to a 5 bedroom 3 bath 2400 sq ft home. The lowest price home in SLO is a 2/1 on Johnson Ave. with a garage conversion now a non-permitted bedroom, an 800 sq ft condo is listed at 265K and in the same complex a 900+ sq ft condo asking price 269k. Arroyo Grande, 142 single family residential listings median price $799,450. Six homes in this price range 1150 sq ft to a new construction 3100 sq ft home. In beautiful Cambria where the pines meet the sea we have 88 listings, median price $644,000. There are two homes in this range both 3 bedrooms, 2 baths from 2100 – 2500 sq ft. In the wine country of Paso Robles it is divided into four sections and has a total of 264 active listings. In the City of Paso Robles we have 152 listings, median price $421, 000. There are 5 homes in this range starting with a 2 bedroom 2 bath with a den/office 2100 sq ft built in 2007 up to a 2800 sq ft 4/3 built in 2006. The oldest home built in this range was 2000. North east of the City of Paso Robles we have 18 listings, median price $398,500. North West Paso Robles has 48 listings and a median price of $592,000. South Paso Robles, Hwy 46 and East of 101 are homes all on acreage with a median price of $950,000 which will buy you a lush landscaped 4 bedroom 3 bath home on 5 acres. In Nipomo there are 119 listings, median price 614k and you will be able to purchase a 2008 Trilogy 2 bedroom 2 bath 2000 sq ft home. Please allow me to register you, first for a Trilogy referral fee.  Pictured as an affordable home below the median price was a home in Nipomo listed at $139,000, I am sure the REALTOR® was thrilled to have his listing posted. Problem, this is a 1953 fixer with a cracked foundation and it does not qualify for a conventional loan. Instead look for this affordable 3 bedroom 2 bath, 1100 sq ft home built in 1993 for $192,000 located east of 101 near Orchard & Division. Another pictured home listed as affordable $225,000 was in Atascadero the potential problem here is that this home is for buyers that qualify for the government Affordable Home Moderate Income program. Instead look for 2 bedroom 1 bath home built in 2006 without any restrictions listed at $229,900. The last home pictured also slated as affordable was a home in Morro Bay listed at $369,500, it has been on the market for over a year. Check out a Short Sale listed in North Morro Bay at $299,000, a small cottage 800 sq ft with a single car garage. And my favorite is a 1953 recently updated vintage 2 bedroom 1 bath cottage with newly remodeled kitchen listed at $405,000. Los Osos was left out of the mix, the little jewel of the Central Coast so I have added it here. In Los Osos we have 55 active listings with a median price of $575,000. If you are looking for a clean & bright 2 bedroom one bath cottage close to the park you will find a home listed at $309,000. My favorite is another 2/1 home that is over 1100 sq ft on a large lot that sits on a knoll with great views and is located close to the bay. In San Luis Obispo County we have felt the impact of the decline in Real Estate sales and the recession but as you have read the median price home in this vast county is as different as the countryside. We are the lucky ones, people still want to live or relocate here. It has been written that San Luis Obispo is one of the most desirable places to live, come join us and live the “slo life”. “If this is your kind of town … let me show you the neighborhood. ® Live and experience the “slo Life” in San Luis Obispo County. Shirley Hulin is a full-time REALTOR® for Century 21 Hometown Realty she also manages an office in San Luis Obispo and Los Osos. Shirley works with a team of professionals who can help you meet all of your Real Estate needs. You can reach Shirley at ShirleyHulin@gmail.com or visit her website at http://www.ShirleyHulin.com

On Thursday I had to get up at 4:00 a.m. because I was joining my colleagues on a bus trip to Monterey, CA. I had to be at Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo by 5:15! There were already REALTOR® members from the first bus stop in Arroyo Grande, agents I knew and some new faces. Our next stop was Paso Robles where we picked up a friendly group of agents and food for our trip.

Once we arrived in Monterey there was never had a chance to visit the aquarium or fisherman's wharf because meetings were scheduled back to back. The day began for the Regional Directors and Committee & Local Board members at 7:00 a.m. We arrived at 8:30 so had just enough time to check our maps and locate our meeting rooms.

My goal as manager was to get as much information in one day as possible so we teamed up to compile as much information to present a report and share what we learned at our weekly Sales Meetings. One of my agents from the Los Osos office and I attended the Real Estate Finance Committee meeting while my agent from the San Luis Obispo office went to the Standard Forms Committee meeting.

After lunch, we all went to the MLS/Computer & Business Technology Committee Meeting where the new Statewide MLS system was introduced. The room filled up quickly and there was standing room only at the end.

This new MLS system appears to be very state of the art but user friendly. After the demo I wanted to give it a try but unfortunately this was a meeting notan Expo therefore no hands-on training. We will have the capabilities to search several pages at once so if you are in the middle of a CMA for a listing presentation and receive a call from a buyer wanting information on a different property you would be able to look it up without losing your information.

The big issue at the end of the day at our Region 31 Caucus was the Statewide MLS giving agents from different areas in California the ability to sell your listing. This already happens now with agents who do not want to refer their clients, retain control and the commission. The paperwork, local addendums knowledge of the area are all issues with the ‘locals' because we end up doing all the work. The statewide MLS will give you the ability to search your County, State Region and the whole state. If I have a client that is relocating to San Diego from San Luis Obispo, I would like to be able to search homes in San Diego and give my client an idea of that market. (And I would refer my client who in my opinion can better serve the needs of my client in San Diego.)

It was an exciting and exhausting day we arrived home at 11:00 p.m. but it was well worth the effort to see our state association in action. If you have not attended your state business meetings, I strongly suggest that when the opportunity presents itself you should sign up on the spot. See your membership dues and political action funds in action, listen to great speakers, and meet them face to face they are interested in what you have to say. As a local, state and national member of the association of REALTORS®, it's your professional duty to be more than just a ‘member'.