Living in Contra Costa County: December 2009

History of Antioch California

Antioch California was established 1850 by two brothers; William and Joseph Smith and originally called Smith's Landing.  In 1851 the towns first preacher persuaded the residents to change the name to Antioch after the city in the Bible.

Coal was discovered in the nearby hills in 1859.  Copper was discovered in 1863 and oil in 1865; neither proved to be a long term viable commodity in the Antioch area.  The City was incorportated in 1872.

The first newspaper; the Antioch Ledger was established on 3/10/1870 and went it's first 47 years without missing an issue.  In 2005 it was absorbed in the Contra Costa Times.

Living in Antioch

Living in Antioch provides people with many exciting community events, parks, fine dining, golf and social opportunities. Antioch homes are some of the most affordable in Contra Costa County.  Antioch with almost 100,000 people is the hub of East Contra Costa County.

Right now there are a number of Antioch Bank Owned Homes. Living in Antioch offers entry level properties and many Luxury Homes in planned communities. Homes in Antioch provide homeowners with easy access to our classic and charming downtown featuring many fine eating establishments, unique stores and shops, fine parks, library and community services.

Living in Antioch puts you right on the exciting Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta for boating, fishing and other water sports.

Homes in Antioch

Antioch is a bedroom community in Contra Costa County and offers a combination affordable housing with a fine community. Located in East Contra Costa County it is next to upscale Brentwood and Oakley to the east and Pittsburg to the north.

If you are looking at Homes in Antioch you may click here to Search Antioch Homes. Homes for sale in Antioch include nice starter homes up to 4000 SF plus Luxury Homes. When looking at Homes in Antioch you will want to make sure to see all of our exciting neighborhoods to find our where you fit best. Antioch is an Excellent Community for First Time Home Buyers.

Bank Owned Homes in Brentwood

Bank Owned Homes are a very large section of the Brentwood Housing Market and the portion of the market that seems to attract the most buyers.  If you are interested in Buying a Bank Owned Home this Post will provide you with the information you need to save thousands of dollars.

Right now there are 29 Bank Owned Homes on the market in Brentwood.  The average asking price is $305,351.00 with a median asking price of $289,900.00.  The average asking price per SF if you are Buying a Bank Owned Home in Brentwood is $133.00.  These homes spend an average of 23 days on the market.

In October 48 Bank Owned Homes sold in Brentwood at an average price of $294,900.00 and a median price of $295,000.00.  The average price per SF was $123.00.  The average days on market was 23.

In November 41 Bank Owned Homes sold in Brentwood at an average price of $285,528.00 and a median price of $285,000.00.  The average price pre SF was $128.00.  The average days on Market was 18.

Keep in mind many homes are moving on and off the market fast; far more than 29 Bank Owned Homes have come on the market this month.  Although average price was down in November the price per SF was up; this probably represents a trend in the upward sale of smaller homes.

Click here if you want more information on Buying a Bank Owned Home.

Short Sales in Brentwood

Short Sales Continue to be one of the most Dynamic parts of the Real Estate Market in Brentwood California. About 40% of the Homes on the Market in Brentwood California are Short Sales.  This Post Provides Market information or link here on How to Short Sale a Home.

This report looks at Active Short Sales and compares Short Sales in October and November.  This looks at all Short Sale Properties.

There are currently 66 Short Sale Homes on the Market in Brentwood.  The Average Asking Price is $334,537.00 and the Median Asking Price is $322,450.00.  The homes currently listed have been on the market an average of 97 days and have an Average List Price of $139.00 per SF.

In October there were 28 Short Sales in Brentwood with an average price of 309,664.00 and a median price of $285,000.00.  The Average Days on Market was 41 and the Average Sold Price per SF was $128.00.

In November there were 27 Short Sales in Brentwood with an average price of 290,731.00 and a median price of $275,000.00. The Average Days on Market was 27 and the Average Sold Price per SF was $128.00.

Although the Average and Median Prices seem to be going down, the trend is minor and could be seasonal.  The key price of $128.00 per SF on Short Sales stayed the same.  This mirrors other trends showing smaller homes selling faster.

Go here for more information on Buying Short Sale Homes and Selling a Short Sale Home.

There is a lot of guilt in our culture about Christmas excess, both from the secular side and the religious side.  I understand that our thoughts should not be focused on personal pleasure, we need to be mindfull of the Reason for the Season, and take care of those in need.

But my wife and I always celebrate Christmas to the full extent of our ability and our kids will be spoiled.  Now most celebration is not about money.  You can put out a real nice spread fairly cheap for a Christmas Dinner.  It is the attitude you bring to it.  My kids can hardly wait for Christmas dinner and we will have some nice food this year.  But what really makes the meal special is the effort we take in seating the dinning room table, the gathering of the family and friends joining us, the reading of Scripture and finally a big old fashioned family dinner.

We do not spoil our kids with a lot of toys over the year, but tomorrow there will be a lot of toys.  Many we find on sale or buy at a discount on ebay.  In the past I have given my kids used toys buried in the garge.  The kids just like to see a big pile of presents under the tree.  Unwrapping them is a great surprise.  This year we have tried to move away from toys with small parts (You can never do this completely).  The exception to this is Lego's which we already have lots of; but can just join the Lego pile without creating a new mess.  We have tried to add to things the kids already have rather than start on new things.  My kids have many board games and toys we have bought ad ons for.  We have also bought a lot of small nick naks and toys that are cheap but they need.  School supplies, play do, markers, crayons, etc. . .  These are all cheap, but really make the holiday look bigger (we would have to buy many of these things any way.)

My wife and I love our family and both of us did not think we would be so blessed.  We love Christmas and doing all the holiday things with the kids.

Without getting too preachy even the Bible allows excess at times, but you need to be focused on the Reason for the Season.  In wealth or poverty I will celebrate it as best I can.

I love Christmas but also know it can be a painful time for some.  I have had my own share of pain associated with Christmas:

• When I was young my mother became ill shortly after Christmas and died.  She left behind me at 5 and my brother 3 and sister 2.  My dad was never the same.  My grandmother refused to celebrate Christmas for years.  For years this hurt me, and not just around Christmas.  It effects you growing up in ways you cannot imagine unless you have been there.
  
  
• As an adult there were many times I spent Christmas alone.
  
  
• After loosing one child my wife and I were trying hard to have our first child.  On Thanksgiving we found out she was pregnant again.  We decided to wait to tell people.  On Christmas eve I started to call Grandma to tell her, but noted it was late in the mid west and decided to wait until morning.  Christmas Morning my aunt called; Grandma had died in the night.  I never got to share that joy with her.

I do not let any of this ruin Christmas for me.  I love Christmas.  I celebrate it as big as I can.

At this time of year a lot of people will read from the Gospels Mathew and Luke about the birth of Jesus.  I love these stories, but I think of the Gospel of John.  That says in part John 1:4 In him was Life and that Life was the Light of men.  1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth.

Now you may think those words are moving or you may not.  But consider this.  Jesus was not actually born on December 25.  The early church fathers wanted to replace pagan holidays with Christian ones.  What better way to Celebrate the Light Coming into the world than at the darkest point of the year.

Those pains of mine have been healed.  Although I miss my mom and wish I knew her, I would not change the life that has brought me the wife I love so much and my wonderful children.  Those hurts have been turned into strengths.  Sometimes when I get overwhelmed with the kids I am reminded of how lonely I am.  We try to include others in our celebration that may be lonely.  I know Grandma is in the hands of the Lord, she knows my joy.  I am reminded never to put off sharing joy with others.

Merry Christmas and even if you feel you are alone you are not.  If times seem dark there is a light.

I love Christmas and I love Tradition.  I do not break routine easy.  Here are some things that just stay the same:

• Presents are opened on Christmas Morning.
  
  
• The stockings are opened in the morning before the ones under the tree.
  
  
• I start decorating the house on Thanksgiving weekend (or shortly there after).
  
  
• There is an Orange or Tangerine in the toe of each stocking on Christmas Morning.
  
  
• Cookies and Milk are always left out for Santa.  A carrot for the raindeer.  (As an aside here I have speculated Santa might prefer Hot Wings and Beer but this has not caught on with the kids.)
  
  

But over the years we have made some changes or added new traditions.

• A few years ago we stopped doing a big Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day.  Instead we started having it on Christmas eve.  With all the kids it was getting to hard to be up late wrapping and getting stuff under the tree, then up early with the kids opening everything, then clean the house, then fix a big dinner.
  
  
• A couple of years ago our church started doing a Christmas eve service at 6 PM.  Made it hard to do a Christmas Dinner on Christmas eve.  So we do an early dinner at around 2 or 3.  Friends or Family generally come over early.  In short Christmas is now a two day event.
  
  
• Christmas morning after the presents are open we will make a big breakfast for the kids.  The rest of the day it is snacking on left overs and Christmas goodies.
  
  
• My wife always sews a new pair of PJ's for everyone in the family for Christmas.  Up to 7 pairs now, next year 8.  It keeps getting tougher, but she is determined to stick with it.  The kids love them and it is an ingrained tradition now.
  
  
• We take the kids out a number of times to go drive around to see lights.  After Church we make one more visit to our favorite lights on Christmas eve.  We drink coco and eat Christmas snacks while driving in the Mini Van/sleigh.
  
  
• When we get home (and it always happens when I am off doing something else) Santa pops in with a big bag full of packages.  Why it is pajamas!  Santa passes them out and tells the kids to get to bed.
  
  
• The Christmas Pickle.  Apparently this is an old German custom.  My aunt gave us a decorative Christmas Pickle.  We put it on the tree after the kids are in bed on Christmas eve.  However finds it gets a prize. 

These are just a few of our traditions.  Do you have your own?  I am sure you do.  Tradition is so important to a family.

Merry Christmas!

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 7 - The Team - Putting it together

This is Part 7 in a Series. You may wish to look at the other parts first:

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 1 - Defined

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 2 - A State of Mind

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 3 - Make a Plan

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 4 - The Team - Home Inspector

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 5 - The Team - The Termite Inspector

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 6 - The Team - The Stager

When you decide to use the team as recommended above to sell your Luxury Home get all the initial reports and inspections together and decide what you are going to do.

The reason I wanted you to get all the members of the teams initial reports first is to keep you from having to redo work. If the termite inspector finds Section 1 work to complete and Section 2 work you want to do in order to get the house in good order you might as well do repairs cosmetically consistent with what the Stager reccomends. It makes no sense to paint the front door as part of a Section 2 repair to then have the Stager tell you it needs to be a different color. Remember we are talking about Selling a Luxury Home; we need to show Uniqueness, Status, and Luxury.

The Termite and Home Inspection Report (along with any other inspection reports) should be placed out for review by potential buyers, along with documentation of repair. You could put them in the same packet with a Preliminary Title Report (more in these latter). The reports should also be posted on the MLS where member agents can access the report. Having this information available will help you sell your Luxury Home.

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 6 - The Team - The Stager

This is Part 6 in a Series. You may wish to look at the other parts first:

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 1 - Defined

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 2 - A State of Mind

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 3 - Make a Plan

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 4 - The Team - Home Inspector

Selling a Luxury Home - Part 5 - The Team - The Termite Inspector

At this point someone is thinking that their home looks just fine, they do not need anyone to tell them how to clean, and stagers are a waste of money. I am going to disagree and tell you why staging is very important for Luxury Home Sales.

Stagers hate to tell you how much the cost as it really varies from home to home and job to job.  It depends on how much furniture they bring in, how long it stays on site, and what remodeling they have to do.  Speaking very generally I have scene Luxury Homes expertly staged for less than 1% of the sales price.  One percent sounds like a lot, but it is actually very cheap as it will maximize your ability to show your homes Uniqueness, Status, and Luxury; the 3 things that will drive the value of your Luxury Home. Many people will rapidly cut the price of a home by 5 to 10% or more in order to get it to sell; but are reluctant to spend a much smaller percentage in order to get it to get quality offers.

A quality Home Stager will help you to sell your Luxury Home by:

• Helping you to get the home updated style wise.
  
  
• Provide neutral decorating tips.  The purpose is not to reflect your style, but to provide a blank canvas that shows potential to buyers.
  
  
• Show you how to decorate to get the small room to look larger.
  
  
• Help you declutter the home.
  
  
• Provide furniture for empty homes
  
  
• Sometimes homes will have bonus rooms or space that is hard for a buyer to define what it is for.  A good Stager will help the buyer define the room with the decor.

Stagers offer a variety of service levels and most will give a free initial consultation.  Hiring the right stager is one of the most important steps in Selling a Luxury Home.