My Video Profile

Tent Cities: the original California housing tracts

 We all get that real estate is cyclical but I think that this cycle is taking us back to the beginning of all California real estate. If you have studied California history or watched enough History Channel then you have seen the photos (ddaguerreotypes) of Sacramento in the early 1850’s. Blocks and blocks and blocks of tents spreading as far as the eye can see.  From the Gold Rush to the Land Rush to the depression to the flower children we have a long history of Californians living on the land and off of the land in tents and shanties and lean tos.

I keep hearing that the “occupy” protesters are having a problem finding one voice, one goal or one cause. I think that the reason that Americans are living in tents across the United States right now is for the same reason that our forefathers lived in  tents in California in 1849; opportunity.  People may be homeless or jobless or hopeless but they come together for the chance of finding a way to change any of those things. 

There is power in numbers and our great, great grandparents successfully crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountain range by forming wagon trains with strangers to harness that power and survive. They came from around the globe to build the great state I have grown up in and enjoy living in today.

Things happen and things change and right now we are living through some grim times. I and the people that I know appreciate what we have much more and find that we can live with a lot less. And if we don’t have to live in a tent, or don’t choose to, we can still learn the lessons that are being played out on the front lawn of City Hall.

We can live in small spaces and be happy. We can share what we have and create a happy community. We don’t need a bedroom for every member of the family. We don’t need a house so big we can’t afford to furnish it, maintain it or even clean it. Our government can support us in creating communal living opportunities, cooperative housing, co housing projects and tenancies in common.

We and our environment all benefit from less and we can make the next real estate cycle be about better housing not a bigger house.

http://www.michelleromero.com/

Avoiding the Real Estate Hazards that matter most to you.

Check out a great new real  estate resource on the CA.gov sight.  /http://myhazards.calema.ca.gov/Default.aspx

Use this website to discover the hazards that exist in your area and learn how to reduce YOUR risk! Remember, the best way to recover from disasters is by reducing the risks before a disaster strikes.
Please note: This web site is for general purpose use only. Real estate disclosure information can be obtained from your local city or county government. 

This is a great way to find out if a neighborhood you like is in a floor area or requires additional hazard insurance. It is easy to use. You just type in an address and you get flood, fire, earthquake and Tsunami maps instantly! Another great tool at your fingertips.

For other real estate search tools contact me anytime.

http://www.michelleromero.com/

What Does Turnkey Cost?




Turnkey Flip

 

So I closed escrow Friday on a house that was purchased by an investor/agent at a trustee’s sale and flipped. My client needed a turnkey house of which there is a surprisingly large selection in Santa Rosa right now.  She chose this nice house in Rincon Valley and hopefully will love living in it for many years to come.

The interesting part of this story is that the house next door is also currently on the market. It is an REO. So side by side on the same street in Northeast Santa Rosa are the turnkey, ready to move in house and the distressed bank owned house. So what is the difference? Money wise $72,500.

What did my buyer get? She got a “new kitchen” with lots of new cabinets, wood floors, granite counter tops, and stainless appliances. Two remodeled baths, new paint and carpet and freshly landscaped front and back with a beautiful new deck. And the house next door? The yellow walls and the smell from years of cigarette smoke. It features roses on pink wallpaper, brown tile in the entry hall and baths with the coordinating 70's gold vinyl flooring in the kitchen.



Remodeled kitchen



future potential kitchen



So if you are willing to do the work do you get $72,500 in sweat equity?  Not quite.  My personal experience with sweat equity homes?  We buyers make some basic mistakes, first we never put our pencil to paper and write down our budget and second even when we say the budget out loud we never manage to stick to it. My usual tactic goes something like “if I’m going to live here I want…” regardless of how business like my husband tries to keep the remodel I usually win the day when it comes to the finishes and fixtures.

 

Needs love and care

The upside of buying the beat up home is that in the end you get the house you want, the way you want it and you can usually do it for less than the amount you would have spent buying the turnkey home. The downside is, doing dishes in the bathtub, living out of boxes and walking around on subflooring for a number of months/years.  Can I see a show of hands on how many people have ended up getting out a roller and painting the floor just because you couldn’t stand that press board beige for one more day?

The bottom line is there are some great deals on the market right now and whether you want a turnkey home to walk in and put your stuff away or a project that will be an investment in your future there is a house out there right now waiting for you.

 http://www.michelleromero.com/

Real estate and weather can change just that quick

It is a gloomy, overcast morning here in Sonoma County but weather forecasters are telling us that it is going to be 85 degrees and sunny over the weekend and Monday and Tuesday are going to be high fire danger watch days. It is amazing how quickly things can change.

It's the same way with Northern California real estate. Today it is kind of gloomy but it will become sunny and bright again and then it will explode like a firestorm. That is how our market operates.

If you are planning on buying and are on the fence about when to buy, I say buy now. We are the bottom of this cycle and affordability is high. There is inventory to spare and by the time you realize that sunny days are here the fire will already have ignited. 

www.michelleromero.com