An overview of Sunnyvale’s Single Family Real Estate market of April 2008 compared to April 2009 shows some interesting economic changes:
1.) The homes inventory rose to 186 this year from last year’s 203.The sold homes are lower from 42 last April to 38 this year.
2.) The average price of Sunnyvale homes this year has lowered to $639,043 from last years’ $902,244. The median price on Sunnyvale homes has dropped from $875,000to $639,043.
3.) It takes average 50 days to sell a Sunnyvale home, but last April was 23 days.
With all the numbers that show this month we have less Sunnyvale homes for sale and less of them actually sold. The average and median price for Sunnyvale homes both dropped about 40% from last April to this April. The price dropped due to a lot of lower end homes as short sales and REO (bank owned) homes sold. The above information came from the multiple listing services www.reil.com  If you are planning to buy or sell homes, I offer free consultation so you will have a clear picture of the current real estate market.

Drought in Santa Clara County

Nowadays I’m being more mindful of the water I use in my home, because I recently learned that we are in a drought. I no longer let the water run when brushing my teeth, and fill my vases and cups a little less these days. The Board of Santa Clara Valley Water District voted unanimously to implement a mandatory 15% in water use for its customers as the state enters spring in the midst of a drought. California is facing water shortage due to 2 successive dry years. The city of Sunnyvale has asked its residents to reduce their intake by 10% and have discussed ways to make sure that residents stay with this required rationing. There could be letters of warning sent to people who water their lawns and gardens between 8am and 5pm during the daylight savings time. Also people could get tickets for washing their cars without a shut off nozzle on the hose, and people who hose down their sidewalks instead of sweeping. This is the time where using extra water and being wasteful will not pay!

To help residents learn how to conserve water in the home, yard and inspect their homes for leaks and potential leaks, they can get a surveyor to come into their home and perform a free audit by contacting San Jose Water Co. 408-279-7900. They also will teach residents how to be more efficient with watering their gardens and yards like switching to a more efficient irrigation system and using a special hose attachment. You don’t have to be a homeowner to learn about all these water saving methods. You may learn more tips from the following link http://www.valleywater.org/Water/Water_conservation/Water_conservation_tips.shtm

An overview of Santa Clara Single Family Real Estate market of March 2008 compared to March 2009 shows some interesting economic changes. The left graph shows the city santa clara single family home price trean from March 2008 to March 2009:

1.) The homes inventory dropped to 201 this year from last year’s 202.The sold homes are lower from 26 last March to 22 this year

2.) The average price of Santa Clara homes this year has lowered to $582,515 from last years’ $710,236. The median price has dropped from 700,500$ to $542,000.

3.) It takes average 77 days to sell a Santa Clara home, but last March was 63 days.

      With all the numbers that show we have less Santa Clara homes for sale and less of them actually sold. The average and median price for santa Clara homes dropped about 18-22 %  from last March 2008 to March 2009. All the above information is from www.reil.com

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2009 is the Year of the “earth Ox”.  Today January 26 2009 is the 1st day of the new year- Earth Ox year. The Ox, symbolizes prosperity through endurance.  The typical Ox zodiac person will be a tolerant person with a strong character.   The Ox people work hard without complaints at either  work or at home.  They know that they will succeed through hard work and sustained efforts, and do not believe in get-rich-quick schemes. The Chinese astrologer Y C Sun made a speech at the Silicon Valley Association Realtors morning meeting, he predicted the global recession would be “very severe” in the first six months but said he is optimistic there will be a turnaround by fall 2009 – he sees the economy improving for the better by the end of January 2010.“We will have 10 to 11 months of business contraction, followed by the best expansion,” “We need to exercise a lot, inhale fresh air and prevent excess introspection, he said. It’s important that everyone remain positive, do positive things that will result in success,” Sun said.

The whole family get together to celebrate the new year. The celebration could last for 15 days.People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the year of the Ox, while also bearing the following elemental sign:

·     19 February 1901 - 7 February 1902: Metal Ox ·     6 February 1913 - 25 January 1914: Water Ox ·     25 January 1925 - 12 February 1926: Wood Ox ·     11 February 1937 - 30 January 1938: Fire Ox ·     29 January 1949 - 16 February 1950: Earth Ox ·     15 February 1961 - 4 February 1962: Metal Ox ·     3 February 1973 - 22 January 1974: Water Ox ·     20 February 1985 - 8 February 1986: Wood Ox ·     7 February 1997 - 28 January 1998: Fire Ox ·     26 January 2009 - 14 February 2010: Earth Ox ·     2021 - 2022: Metal Ox ·     2033 - 2034: Water Ox  

Sunnyvale Bank Owned home

1507 BEDFORD AV, Sunnyvale 
$949,900 Beds: 3 bedrooms Baths: 2 baths about 52 years old with large lot 8200 square feet and inside is 1508 square feet. The best part of this home is located within the

.

I will held an open house 2-5 PM January 24,2009.

Stocklmeir Elementary Schools expands for new school season.

Stocklmeir Elementary school, one of the most populous Sunnyvale elementary school, in the Cupertino Unified school District opened a new wing for this crowed K-5 campus. It is just in time for the 1^st day of the school on August 21. The student population closed to 1,000.

The interior of three buildings on the west side of the campus was reconfigured to created 13 new classrooms. It will be for the new home to fourth and fifth grade students and teachers. The principal Leslie Mains said:” We were just jam-packed at the time. It’s like to bringing two schools together now.” Those new rooms are up-to date to take advantage of the latest technology. “They are wired completely for just about everything.” Pathan said.

The other parts of the expansion include a new play area, a second office for the assistant principal, a conference rooms for teachers, and extra “break out” room where faculty can collaborate on lesson plans. The story and photo is from the silicon Valley Community Newspapers.

法拍屋

By grace keng

法拍屋

星島日報記者施秋羽布雷斯本報道

受次級房貸風暴影響，灣區阿拉美達縣以及帝利市的法拍屋如雨後春筍般滋長。連帶著很多打著提供法拍屋列表的網站，點閱率也節節高升，位於聖里安德魯兩房一廳的房屋，標價不到30萬元，讓人不心動都難，書店的架上也冒出了不少專攻法拍屋的新書。法拍屋似乎是撿便宜的絕佳途徑，但購買法拍屋的管道與程序繁瑣，一般民眾在買屋前，可得先做好功課了。

根據RE/MAX資深地產經紀耿竹萍(Grace Keng) 提供的DataQuick July24 2007數據顯示，灣區2007年第二季收到違約通知 (Notice of default) 的房屋戶數目前7696戶，比去年同期的2910戶成長了164.5%。

三藩市美亞輔鄰社的房屋發展部經理鄭柏健表示，「釋出法拍屋的屋主主要以拉丁裔與白裔為主，傳統上華人對自己辛苦供的房屋不會輕易放手，因此灣區法拍屋屋主華人所佔比率不到2%。次貸風暴引起的法拍屋效應在灣區阿拉美達縣與帝利市最為明顯，而三藩市的房價因居高不下，所以法拍屋的數目很少，也許一個月才兩三戶房子要法拍。」鄭柏健坦言，買法拍屋的確可以找到比較便宜的價錢，但也沒有如網站上面所寫的便宜到50%這麼誇張。

廣義的法拍屋(foreclosure)指是拖欠房貸款項，因而被債權人收回轉賣的物業。在美國法拍屋常常不是透過法院來拍賣，銀行、公家單位、地產公司、貸款公司、拍賣公司，都可能處理法拍屋業務的單位。

法拍屋通常有兩種情況，一種是欠稅法拍屋，主要因為拖欠土地、房屋稅款而遭法院拍賣，拍賣資訊會在地方政府的網站或公布欄公佈。而次貸風暴直接影響的，則是欠銀行貸法拍屋，屋主因為付不出房貸，房屋面臨被轉賣的命運。

一般民眾要購買法拍屋，有幾個主要管道：

地方的警長(Sheriff)辦公室主持法庭交付的拍賣業務，通常只站監督輔導的角度，真正的拍賣還是委託民間公司辦理，拍賣的資產複雜，商用建築、停車場、民宅，都是可能的拍賣項目。

拍賣會，大大小小的拍賣公司或物業公司針對不同的物產分類進行拍賣，法拍屋的產權項目與狀態都是民眾要事先注意的。拍賣會的節奏與程序非常的快速，一般非地產專業的民眾要參加可能會碰了一鼻子灰，最好是事先已經知道拍賣會上哪一棟房子是自己的目標，再來下手。

專業地產經紀，有專門負責拍賣屋的地產經紀，這些地產經紀或追逐拍賣通知尋找便宜的法拍屋，或代表買屋人參與拍賣會。負責拍賣屋業務的華裔地產經紀目前較少。

法拍屋網站，提供法拍屋資訊網站以會員制管理，會員一年約需付出600元左右來取得進一步的資訊。民眾使用法拍屋網站，主要是相信藉由網路的無遠弗屆，可以得到更多資訊，一方面也是存著「避開中間人」的心態，以節省層層附加下的成本，但事實上，大部分的法拍屋網站，在某種程度上也是仲介網站，列表的拍賣屋背後事實上都有地產經紀在處理。

政府機關如房屋與都市發展部 (HUD, Department of Housing and Urban Development)、退伍軍人局 (Veteran Administration, VA)、聯邦國家房貸協會 (Federal National Mortgage Association, 簡稱Fannie Mae)、聯邦住宅放款抵押貸款公司 (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ; 簡稱Freddie Mac)都會有房屋拍賣，其中HUD的房屋以1到4單位的民宅為主。一般民眾要與此類機關交涉買屋，通常需要透過該單位認證的地產經紀來下標，如果成交，部份機構如HUD也會支付地產經紀佣金。

法拍資訊除了可以透過上述的管道獲得，也可以多注意地方報紙的分類廣告欄的法拍屋資訊。更積極的買屋人，也可以注意離婚啟事、訃聞等消息，因為此類事件也常將房屋送入市場求售。

不 管透過何種管道找到理想的法拍屋，對於買屋人來說資金調度可能說是一大麻煩，因為法拍屋在理論上是以現金交易的。一般的房地產買賣，可以用買賣的房屋向銀 行抵押借貸，但是法拍屋就是因為在貸款上出了問題，債權人要的就是變賣房屋求現來解決爛帳，因此不可能先過戶到買屋人名下，再來貸款慢慢還清。

當法拍屋得標之後，必須先下訂金，之後在法拍單位規定的期限下要全額付清，這段時間通常很短，最短可以短至14天。由於短時間內就需要結清款項，因此事前先確定有現金來源就顯得格外重要，目前部份銀行提供代墊服務，先替買屋人付款，等到房屋過戶後，再轉成一般房貸處理，但切記事先取得銀行的貸款核准，免得好不容易等到的房子，卻因為付錢付慢而給飛了。 短時間內要籌措大量現金，但偏偏又不是每個人都有良好信用，銀行的效率也不一定可以跟上買屋進度，所以透過短期融資(hard money) 借貸，是常見手法，這樣的借貸方式可想而知，利率比起一般貸款要高得很多，最高可以到29%。由於次貸風暴的源起即是不良信用借貸，因此在追求好價錢的同時，買屋人也必須多注意自己的財務規劃，量力而為。

另外與法拍屋相似的選項還有銀行或是貸款公司未拍賣成功房屋，此類銀行稱為銀行擁有屋REO (Real Estate Own)，銀行擁有屋的資訊通常不易讓一般的買屋人取得，通常銀行會委託房地產經紀人處理。銀行擁有屋通常銀行虧錢廉售（short sale），因為原屋主常已拖欠5個月以上的貸款，銀行需要錢不需要房屋，銀行將房屋以低於未還貸款的金額賣掉，房地產經紀人可以幫助你尋找這種廉售房屋。

耿竹萍表示，由於銀行是廉售交易的最後決定者，礙於銀行運作等結構性問題，廉售交易曠日費時，拖上數個月並不稀奇，有時銀行還會出爾反爾，因此買屋人可得多用上一點耐心了。

2549 Butch Dr. Gilory CA 95030 5 bedrooms 4+ baths was sold for 2.4 Millions in March 2006.This 3 year new custom home on the hills of Gilroy is bank owned now and the asking price is $1.325 Millions which is about half it was sold in 2005.

Can you picture yourself live in a large home 6207 sf on the lot of 491,792 sq ft for only 1.325 Millions dollars?

It has2 master bedroom suites,beautiful chandeliers almost every rooms , with magnificent foyer,a large swimming w/spa,4 balconies w/mountain &city light view!

If I have the money, I will love to own this mansion.

July 26th to July 27 9 AM to 3 PM the Goodwill of Silicon Valley and Electronoic recyclers International are hosting a FREE Electronic E-Waste Event today and tomorrow. The E-waste contain hazardous lead and mercury, and these toxic substances eventually leak and contaminate landfills. It is illegal to dispose of e-waste in the trash.

The location will be the following two locations:

Almaden Goodwill Mountain View Goodwill

3069 Almaden Expressway SJ, CA 408 265-5692 855 E. El Camino Real MountainView, CA 650-969-3382

If you need more information please contact 1866-861-4883

This Cupertino bank own/REO homeis just on the market for $684,5000. This one is lowest priced 3 bedrooms 1 bath and 1 car garage and it is located at the most affordable area Rancho Ricinconada. This area has the excellent Cupertino schools.

 There are many other bank owned listings in the surrounding areas such as Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose and Campbell. The San Jose has the most bank own and short sales homes available.

There is another bank owned property in this area. It is a 3 years old Sunnyvale home with 1483 sf and 3 bedrooms and 3 baths for $599,900