Renee Grosz's Real Estate Blog

 More news from  Forbes.com!   Stockton California has made Forbes.com  list again this time it’s regarding “ Solid housing markets, relatively stable employment, enviable cost of living and quick commutes make these metros among the country’s most affordable to live”.  We didn’t rank 1^st this time. We did rank higher on the list then Sacramento, CA who ranked 91^st and Fresno, CA ranked 78^th. Modesto, CA  at 48^th  which put them ahead of Stockton, CA which came in at 59^th.  See where your city ranked. Remember just a few weeks ago Forbes had Stockton California as second on the most miserable cities to live.

This year I spent Valentines Day in sunny Pomona CA at the NHRA Winternationals! It was awesome! The weather was perfect and the racing was exciting. This years events featured some great legends of racing at the track, Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Joe Amato and Shirley Muldowney just to name a few…………….  The racing accidents in  Chandler AZ this  weekend were horrible,  Our hearts and prayer to the family and friends involved ….. If you like drag racing check out the NHRA schedule. OK I’m a big NASCAR fan too. Check out NASCAR schedule. For Die hard fans in Stockton  The New Stockton 99 Speedway our local racing track schedule starts  in March.  We are hoping to fit a couple of races in this year……………..If we aren’t at the track racing we will be watching see you there!

While watching the local news this morning  I was not surprised to hear that Stockton CA made the Forbes business news #2 for most miserable cities to live  in America! We were ranked # 1 last year. Cleveland beat us out of the #1 spot. They gave Stockton Kudos for having great weather, which moved us to the #2 spot! Thank goodness for  great weather. They also said we have high taxes, high crime and a high foreclose rate!  We do have some very good things going for us too! It would be nice to make a more positive list some day!

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• Cleveland Nabs “Most Miserable” Honors  cbsnews.com)

 

Interesting  article By Dina ElBoghdady and Dan Keating ! From the Washington Post this is a must read if you think that the housing market has recovered. Did you know that About 9.1 percent of about FHA borrowers had missed at least three payments as of December, up from 6.5 percent a year ago, the agency’s figures show.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/01/AR2010020103527.html. When will the foreclosures End?

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 Today is Ground Hog Day……… Which On February 2nd of each year the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the beloved groundhog with a festive. At which time Phil will emerge from his temporary home on Gobblers Knob.  According to tradition if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, We will have six more weeks of Winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow we will have a early Spring! It looks like we are in for six more weeks of winter! 

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It’s time to start thinking about your homes curb appeal especially  if  your thinking about putting your home on the market to sell. Today’s buyers do take in consideration the way the home looks at 1^st glance. Dollars signs start clicking in there heads even before they get to the front door. Here are a few ideals that are easy and inexpensive to get you started in thinking about your homes curb appeal. You don’t have to wait until spring!

Maintain and mow your lawn. Mow! Lawns don’t stay very wet for long here in  California so make sure to mow.

Prune large bushes that have taken over or grown on to walkways and pay attention to area at the entry.

Clean windows inside and out! Add curtain panels which can be picked up at discount store very inexpensively.

A fresh coat of paint on the front door can be very inviting.. Most paint stores have OPPPS  paint………which is paint that has been discounted because for some reason it  was either never purchased or it was returned.   

Brighten up dark areas of your yards with containers of color. (Did you read my Blog on container gardening?)

Pull weeds and plant inexpensive  flowers in the flower bed, add a mixture of flowers, ground cover and wild grasses. It will really take off in the spring and you will find you don’t need has many flowers.

Don’t forget around the mail box! Paint if need and some wild grassaround the base which you will not have to mow!

 Accent architectural focal points, depending on the accent it could be as easy as some cleaning and or paint. Maybe a bird bath etc……………It’s as easy as that!

In December the interest rates on a 30 year fix dipped to a 38 year low! How long will they stay this low? The clock is ticking, In September 2009; the feds said it would gradually wind down the purchase program that has been purchasing mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae in an effort to stabilize the housing market which will be ending March 30, 2010. This has the mortgage lending industry worried. Home buyers should be excited  right now with interest rate being low, housing prices at a low and the expanded federal tax credit which will expire in the spring!  

 I’m considering myself lucky right now!  We are having a series of Storms in California this week and here in the Central Valley! It’s only Tuesday and we have had lots of rain already.  I did lose my willow tree this morning!  Luckily it fell towards the street and not my home.  Good news no cars were driving by at the time! Better news the San Joaquin country road service was quick to respond and to get the street cleared. Thank you. This afternoon another storm rolls in! Check out the weather channel to see whats happening near you. Still riding the storm out!

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 It’s already the middle of the month. I’m already behind with one of my goals for the New Year. The New Year has definitely started off with a bang! We are already seeing big changes in 2010. The earth quake in Haiti so much devastation. So Sad! There are big changes in  real estate and in the  lending industry.  Bloomberg reported that “HUD is investigating 15 mortgage firms for possible fraud involving FHA-backed loans in a probe that could expand to other lenders. The department has subpoenaed those with the highest default rates, although it stressed that there is no evidence of wrongdoing and that no accusations have been leveled.”  I’ll keep you updated!