In addition to your home security system, there are steps you can take to protect your home and family from burglary, fire and intrusion. Below are some basic tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

General Home Safety and Security

If out of the house for an extended period of time, create the illusion that someone may still be home. Leave a TV or stereo on in the room where a burglar would most likely break in. Use exterior lighting and motion detectors to minimize burglar concealment.

Make sure all exterior doors have good proper locks. Install 1-inch deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.

If you get an unexpected knock at the door, check to see who it is before opening it.

Do not leave extra keys under doormats, potted plants or any other obvious outdoor location. Thieves will generally find them. Find an inconspicuous place to hide the keys, or give a set to a neighbor you can trust.

Burglar-proof your glass patio doors by setting a pipe or metal bar in the middle bottom track of the door slide. The pipe should be the same length as the track.

Keep garage doors shut.

Keep drapes and blinds shut – especially in rooms where there is expensive equipment. Don’t advertise the items in your home.

Store cash, jewelry and other valuables in a safe or safety deposit box instead of leaving them lying around the home.

Don’t leave notes on the door for service people or family members. These alert the burglar that you are not home.  If you’re going to be away from home for a few days, adjust your telephone ring to its lowest volume setting. An unanswered phone may tip off a burglar that no one is home. Also, have a neighbor or friend collect your newspaper and mail. Never cancel delivery – you don’t know who will get that information.

Hopefully you found some of these tips helpful.  Let me know if I can assist with any of your real estate needs.

You may prefer to talk with the loan agent before house hunting to determine in advance how much you can afford and the mortgage amount for which you can qualify. This step is called pre-qualification and can save you time and trouble by making certain you are looking in the correct price range.

To get prepared, here are some of the items a lender might ask for:

* To complete the Mortgage Application, you will need to gather: A purchase contract for the house (if you have one)

* Your bank account numbers and the address of your bank branch, along with checking and savings account statements for the previous 2-3 months

* Pay stubs, W2 withholding forms, tax returns for two years, or other proof of employment and income verification

* Credit card bills for the past few billing periods, or canceled checks for rent or utility bill payments, to show payment history and amount of revolving debt

* Information on other consumer debt such as car loans, furniture loans, student loans and retail credit cards

* Balance sheets and tax returns, if you are self-employed

* Any gift letters, if you are using a gift from a parent or relative or other organization to help pay the down payment and/or closing costs. This letter simply states that the money is in fact a gift and will not have to be repaid.

Having these items on hand when you visit the mortgage company will help speed up the application process. Usually an appraisal fee will have to be paid when you submit the mortgage application. After you speak with the loan agent, you should have a general idea if you qualify for the size and type of loan you want. It usually takes a couple of days to find out how much you qualify for.

This message goes out  especially for you to make you  aware of recent trends happening in the market.  In the Tri-Cities especially (Fremont, Union City, Newark) and even Hayward, buyer frenzy has begun!  For a few weeks now, the prices have held steady, and rising.  If you found a house you liked, then chances are a few others have also found the same house and thus begins competition. Short sales are rising, and REOs declining.  I tell you all in hopes that it will give you more tools to decide on which way to go in the market. For instance, if  a few months ago, you had the luxury of deciding between five properties with similar layouts, those times are now a thing of the past.

Instead we are dealing with multiple offer situations, all cash offers and limited inventory of bank owned homes.

Will those times return?  It’s hard to say.  It’s summer now and fall is approaching.  By the end of summer you might expect fewer choices than at the start of the summer.  History shows that the market is cyclical.  Where are we in the cycle right now?  The California Association of Realtors reports

Median Price Up for Second Month in Row.  According to

Robert A. Kleinhenz, Ph.D., Deputy Chief Economist

The median price of a home in California rose two consecutive months for the first time in nearly two years, beckoning calls for a bottom in home prices. The statewide median price of an existing detached home rose from $253,040 in March to $256,700 in April.

The California median price experienced unprecedented volatility over the period from September 2007 through January 2009. During that period, monthly declines in the median price were consistently large if not record setting.

….. While recent rates of change were still large by historic standards, they are expected to diminish in magnitude over the course of the next few months.

Sales of existing detached homes remained in April with 540,360 homes sold on a seasonally adjusted and annualized basis, a gain of 3.2 percent from the March figure of 523,490 and 49.2 percent above last year’s April sales of 362,170 homes.

……..The high levels of sales over the first four months of 2009 may be attributed to large increases in sales in lower-priced inland markets where high concentrations of distressed sales have forced steep price reductions…..

So have prices hit bottom? There is no simple answer. The statewide median has remained at roughly $250,000 for four months running in what appears to be a bottom. If demand for homes continues at the present trend, the median price could hold at its present level or even experience some upward momentum.

…….the desire to get a home at the lowest possible price must be balanced with obtaining a favorable  mortgage rate and finding a home that will meet the buyer’s needs over a 5 to 10 year time horizon.

Some economists predict that the housing market will have several “false starts,” meaning that there may be periods when home prices reach a plateau, or may even increase for a brief period, and then decrease again.  Although home prices have not yet stabilized, home sales are increasing.  It also is important to note that real estate is cyclical and prices will eventually rebound, correcting the current market.

Now having said all this, and given you some fast facts from C.A.R. what need to happen is a change in approach.  Change and adaptation is required.

My advice is to consult with your favorite Real estate professional today.  Developing a long-term relationship with a REALTOR® is the best way to ensure you will be well armed and informed when making your housing decisions.

Many   homeowners are trying to find out what they should do and are feeling overwhelmed.

For example did you know that Homeowners with Chase mortgages can receive the following services at the events:
-Initial counseling for homeowners applying for a mortgage modification
-Counseling for customers who are current on their mortgage but are struggling
-Short-sale assistance for customers who cannot afford their home or don’t want to stay in it.  Homeowners can also:
-Drop off documents that they need to submit as part of their trial plan
-Sign final modification documents if they are ready to complete mod agreements.

Also did you know that (RISMEDIA, May 5, 2010)—Point2 Technologies recently released the results from its Real Estate Confidence Index (RECI) survey for the month of April that indicate improved market conditions.  This might mean that homeowners are more likely to receive higher sales prices for their home now than a few months back.  Demand for housing is likely to push pricing upward into the coming months.

As your real estate professional I am available to meet you at your home for a free consultation.  I know that sellers facing foreclosure are not necessarily going to go to a general real estate website to get information. You need to meet with an expert who can guide you and help you understand the process.

You can reach me by calling me direct, or via my website.

www.serenarussell.com

You can receive help so you don’t go into foreclosure.

HOME BUYERS WORKSHOPS starting in June.

FREE SEMINAR WORKSHOP

ARE YOU PAYING RENT IN 2010?

Get all your questions answered by experienced Loan agents and Real estate agents. Find out how to buy, and where to buy. Receive free materials to assist with your home purchase.

COME TO A FREE SEMINAR.

NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY.

WORKSHOP DATE : Saturdays starting in June.

After the workshop join a car caravan to look at available properties!

Call to sign up and reserve your space.

Call Serena to sign up today.

Phone: 510-303-2549
REALTY WORLD VIKING, office

2698 MOWRY AVENUE

FREMONT, CA 94538

We offer seminars to assist home buyers and sellers.  Seminars are offered on a regular basis.  One on one appointments also available.

The appraiser does not create value, the appraiser interprets the market to arrive at a value estimate. As the appraiser compiles data pertinent to a report, consideration must be given to the site and amenities as well as the physical condition of the property. An appraiser may spend only a short time inspecting the property, however, this is only the beginning.

Considerable research and collection of general and specific data must be accomplished before the appraiser can arrive at a final opinion of value.

Due to the many types of value, such as Fair Market Value, Insurance Value, Tax Value and Value In Use, the need to precisely define the purpose of the appraisal is essential.

The San Jose Cycling Classic will bring together more than 1,500 cycling athletes, 20,000 spectators and 40 cycling-related exhibitors. Join us and see why San Jose is a one of the best places in the world to cycle!

You can  join us for all of the action! From 9:30 to 11 a.m., Wed., May 19, at Park Ave. and Almaden Blvd., San Jose will be a host city for the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC) for the fifth year in a row—one of the few cities in California to be able to stake this claim.

And, San Jose will, for the second time, serve as a start city to one of the most challenging legs of the race. Festivities include a healthy lifestyle festival and “autograph alley,” a designated area where cycling fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite riders, including Lance Armstrong, who is taking part in the Amgen Tour of California as a member of the Radio Shack Cycling Team, and who is considered to be one of the greatest cyclists of all time.

Click here for more details.

To file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy:

* You must reside or have a domicile, a place of business, or property in the United States or a municipality.

* You must not have been granted a Chapter 7 discharge within the last 6 years or completed a Chapter 13 plan.

* You must not have had a bankruptcy filing dismissed for cause within the last 180 days.

* It must not be a “substantial abuse” of Chapter 7 to grant the debtor relief. Generally speaking, if after you pay the monthly expenses for necessities there is not enough money to pay the remaining monthly debts, then granting a discharge would not be an abuse of Chapter 7.

* It would not be fundamentally unfair to grant the debtor relief under Chapter 7.

The most common reasons for consumer bankruptcy are:

* Unemployment

* Large medical expenses

* Seriously over extended credit

* Marital problems

* Large unexpected expenses

Disclaimer:

This information deals with Chapter 7 consumer bankruptcy. Each state has its own bankruptcy laws, so you need to check withyour state for details. Information dealing with Chapter 13 bankruptcy and consumer debt restructuring is not discussed in theabove FAQs. The information contained in the following FAQs is provided for general information purposes only and is notintended to be a legal opinion nor legal advice nor is it intended to be a complete discussion of all the issues related to the area ofChapter 7 consumer bankruptcy. Every individual’s factual situation is different and you should seek independent legal adviceregarding specific information.

Section 203(k) is one of many FHA programs that insure mortgage loans, and thus encourage mortgage companies to make mortgage credit available to borrowers who would not otherwise qualify for conventional loans on affordable terms (such as first-time homebuyers) and to residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods (where mortgages may be hard to get).

Section 203(k) fills a unique and important need for homebuyers in another way as well. When buying a house that is need of repair or modernization, homebuyers usually have to follow a complicated and costly process, first obtaining financing to purchase the property, then getting additional financing for the rehabilitation work, and finally finding a permanent mortgage after rehabilitation is completed to pay off the interim loans. The interim acquisition and improvement loans often have relatively high interest rates and short repayment terms.

The extent of the rehabilitation covered by Section 203(k) insurance may range from relatively minor (though exceeding $5000 in cost) to virtual reconstruction.

The types of improvements that borrowers may make using Section 203(k) financing include:

* structural alterations and reconstruction.

* modernization and improvements to the home’s function.

* elimination of health and safety hazards.

* changes that improve appearance and eliminate obsolescence.

* reconditioning or replacing plumbing; installing a well and/or septic system.

* adding or replacing roofing, gutters, and downspouts.

* adding or replacing floors and/or floor treatments.

* major landscape work and site improvements.

* enhancing accessibility for a disabled person.

* making energy conservation improvements.

The Greatest Place On Earth, Yosemite is about traveling through and photographing some of its remarkable scenery.

Wintertime in Yosemite is so beautiful, fresh fallen snow blankets the valley and trees. This is a great time to visit Yosemite there are few visitors and little traffic.

On a recent home exchange trip, a friend who came along wrote back with her impressions of Yosemite.

“Yosemite is one of the most awe-inspiring places that I have been fortunate enough to visit.  We stayed in a beautiful house at Groveland with a view of Lake San Pedro. The drive to Groveland was beautiful but nothing can compare with the grandeur of Yosemite—the tall mountains, the rock formations, the cascading waterfalls are a work of such stupendous magnitude that only the Hand of Almighty God could sculpture. The majesty of Half-Dome, The Cathedral, The El-Capitan, the cascading Bridal Falls and a lot of smaller waterfalls are indescribable for their beauty. One has to experience this, to enjoy what words cannot aptly describe.

I shall never forget how this trip impacted me.  As for me, everything else pales to insignificance. Words cannot do justice to such unsurpassed beauty. Yosemite is a wonder of God’s creation. Its beauty is etched in my memory to enjoy in my quiet moments.”