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	<title>Burlingame Real Estate - The Wilkas Group &#187; First Time Buyers</title>
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	<description>Making Real Estate Dreams your Reality</description>
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		<title>Consider Bike Scores When Buying a Home in Foster City</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/consider-bike-scores-when-buying-a-home-in-foster-city/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/consider-bike-scores-when-buying-a-home-in-foster-city/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 May 2012 15:47:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[County of San Mateo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foster city bike path]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foster city homes for sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foster city walk score]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.virtualresults.net/?p=20489</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We all know the mantra when looking to buy a new home, Location, Location, Location. When buying a home location is what matters most &#8212; and for good reason, too  In fact, the concept of Walk Score was created just for that purpose. Dedicated to the idea that &#8220;less time in the car means more&#8230;<a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/consider-bike-scores-when-buying-a-home-in-foster-city/" rel="nofollow">Read More &#187;</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2012/05/Screen-shot-2012-05-16-at-2.53.25-PM1.png"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-20502" style="border-width: 3px; border-color: white; border-style: solid;" title="Bike scores" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2012/05/Screen-shot-2012-05-16-at-2.53.25-PM1.png" alt="Bike scores" width="178" height="191" /></a>We all know the mantra when looking to buy a new home, Location, Location, Location. When buying a home location is what matters most &#8212; and for good reason, too  In fact, the concept of Walk Score was created just for that purpose. Dedicated to the idea that &#8220;less time in the car means more time for the things you love,&#8221;  Walk Score, developed in 2008, has made it easier for home buyers to find a home that is closer to the activities and places they love.  Foster City has a high walk score of 83 so it&#8217;s a good guess that the new bike scores they&#8217;ve just developed, will be just as high. Foster City has no hills, loads of bike paths and is very bicycle friendly.</p>
<p>Providing ratings from 0 to 100 to determine a neighborhood&#8217;s walkability, buyers can decide if the area they are considering is more Car-Dependent, Very Walkable, a Walker&#8217;s Paradise, or somewhere in-between. If you are searching for a home, you will also enjoy visiting tools such as Transit Score which helps in calculating the cost of your commute and the even newer Bike Score!</p>
<p>Bike Score was introduced this week in honor of Bike to Work Week and suggests areas that are best suited and not so desirable for bike riding. Considering such issues as hills and bike lanes, along with &#8220;road connectivity&#8221; and a town&#8217;s biking population, communities have been rated using the same type of scoring system, with 70-100 being named Very Bikeable. Topping that list were Minneapolis, Portland, and San Francisco, seen above in the picture to the left.</p>
<p>The goal of Bike Score is to help cities measure and then improve their bicycling ridership. Check it out and see where your town rates by <a href="http://www.walkscore.com/bike/" target="_blank">clicking here</a>. If you would like more in-depth information about places where you can walk and ride in our local community, please contact me.</p>
<p>Want to live near the Bay Trail that rings Foster City?  Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s for sale right now to help you find the, just right home.</p>


<p>Showing properties
	1 - 8 of 8.
	
	See more <a href="/idx/city/foster-city/?idx-q-PropertyTypes&lt;0&gt;=275">city of Foster City real estate</a>.
	<br />
	(all data current as of
	5/24/2012)
</p>

<ol style="padding-left: 0; margin-left: 0;">
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$899,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81219535-1390_ribbon_st_foster_city_ca_94404">
				1390 Ribbon St, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81219535-1390_ribbon_st_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://cdn3.diverse-cdn.com/api/images/dsidxpress/photo-unavailable-w250.jpg/8c2fb5" 
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,860 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 6,175 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1966</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$949,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81218672-261_loon_ct_foster_city_ca_94404">
				261 Loon Ct, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81218672-261_loon_ct_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81218672/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 261 Loon Ct, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218672)" title="Photo of 261 Loon Ct, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218672)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>4 beds, 3 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,450 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 5,429 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1966</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$890,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81218487-188_flying_cloud_is_foster_city_ca_94404">
				188 Flying Cloud Is, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81218487-188_flying_cloud_is_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81218487/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 188 Flying Cloud Is, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218487)" title="Photo of 188 Flying Cloud Is, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218487)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,120 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 7,740 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1966</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$1,295,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81217932-643_matsonia_dr_foster_city_ca_94404">
				643 Matsonia Dr, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81217932-643_matsonia_dr_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81217932/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 643 Matsonia Dr, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81217932)" title="Photo of 643 Matsonia Dr, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81217932)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,430 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 6,612 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1972</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$809,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81121480-786_marlin_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				786 Marlin Av, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81121480-786_marlin_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81121480/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 786 Marlin Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81121480)" title="Photo of 786 Marlin Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81121480)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,890 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 5,734 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1967</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$1,288,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81207952-602_bridgeport_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				602 Bridgeport Ln, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81207952-602_bridgeport_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81207952/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 602 Bridgeport Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81207952)" title="Photo of 602 Bridgeport Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81207952)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,940 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 4,560 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1977</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$700,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81149873-716_crane_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				716 Crane Av, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81149873-716_crane_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81149873/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 716 Crane Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81149873)" title="Photo of 716 Crane Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81149873)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>4 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,760 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 5,700 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1965</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$1,089,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81145696-760_coronado_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				760 Coronado Ln, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81145696-760_coronado_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81145696/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 760 Coronado Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81145696)" title="Photo of 760 Coronado Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81145696)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,110 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 4,857 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1977</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>

</ol>

<p>Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. <a href="http://api.idx.diversesolutions.com/DisclaimerNoAuth/4413/40"
	rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read full disclaimer</a>.</p>

]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Americans Still Prefer Buying a Home to Renting &#8211; San Mateo CA</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/americans-still-prefer-buying-a-home-to-renting-san-mateo-ca/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/americans-still-prefer-buying-a-home-to-renting-san-mateo-ca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 15:04:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[County of San Mateo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Mateo California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buying versus renting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo county homes for sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Mateo real estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.virtualresults.net/?p=20412</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Owning a home still has more appeal than renting for Americans, according to Fannie Mae. A sign of stability, safety, family and community, home ownership is an essential component of the &#8220;American Dream&#8221; of success and happiness and has been for many generations. The recent National Housing Survey (Q4, 2011) conducted by Fannie Mae found&#8230;<a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/americans-still-prefer-buying-a-home-to-renting-san-mateo-ca/" rel="nofollow">Read More &#187;</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://virtualresults.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Flags-on-houses_2.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-4821" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" title="Flags on houses_2" src="http://virtualresults.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Flags-on-houses_2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" /></a>Owning a home still has more appeal than renting for Americans, according to Fannie Mae. A sign of stability, safety, family and community, home ownership is an essential component of the &#8220;American Dream&#8221; of success and happiness and has been for many generations. The recent National Housing Survey (Q4, 2011) conducted by Fannie Mae found that this is still true.</p>
<p>The majority of those surveyed (at all education and demographic levels) still believe that owning a home is preferable to renting. The study, conducted from over 3,000 interviews, also showed that 64% of the renters surveyed planned on a future home purchase. Most of the survey participants listed high-ranking schools and safety as prime concerns when considering the location of that future home.</p>
<p>About 34% of those interviewed felt that &#8220;now&#8221; is a very good time to buy a home, but only 5% felt it was very likely that they would be purchasing a home in the next 12 months. The majority of survey participants (53%) felt that the housing market was likely to stay the same in the next year, but nearly all realized that the possibility of rental prices decreasing was unlikely. In fact many of those surveyed recognized the possibility of rental prices increasing, with 43% believing rents would increase and 47% believing they would stay the same. The majority of the respondents listed income, amount of down payment or job security as the largest obstacle to home ownership.<br />
<a href="http://www.fanniemae.com/resources/file/research/housingsurvey/pdf/datasummary-q42011nhs.pdf" target="_blank">Click here</a> to review the entire survey.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s for sale in San Mateo right now.</p>

<p class="dsidx-error">Sorry, but we couldn't find any results in the MLS that match
	the specified search criteria.</p>

]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Terms to Know When Buying or Selling a Home</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/terms-to-know-when-buying-or-selling-a-home/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/terms-to-know-when-buying-or-selling-a-home/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:40:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[County of San Mateo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Mateo California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate terms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo ca homes for sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo county real estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.virtualresults.net/?p=20305</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The real estate industry, like most others, uses jargon that is sometimes difficult to understand. Consider this a primer to learning a few of those terms.  Here&#8217;s a step by step definition that will make you sound “in the know” when buying or selling a home. &#8220;CLOSING&#8221; - Closing refers to the final steps in securing&#8230;<a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/terms-to-know-when-buying-or-selling-a-home/" rel="nofollow">Read More &#187;</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://virtualresults.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mortgage-Definition.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-4487" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" title="http://images.frontdoor.com/FDOOR/articles/402-Mortgage-ABCs/Mortgage-Definition.jpg" src="http://virtualresults.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mortgage-Definition-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="159" /></a>The real estate industry, like most others, uses jargon that is sometimes difficult to understand. Consider this a primer to learning a few of those terms.  Here&#8217;s a step by step definition that will make you sound “in the know” when buying or selling a home.</p>
<p><strong>&#8220;CLOSING&#8221; </strong>- Closing refers to the final steps in securing a home purchase.  When a property is sold, it is referred to as &#8220;closed.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>“OFFER” -</strong> Buyers “offer” a contracted rate on a home for sale. A seller may receive many “offers” and is not required to accept any.  This is why when a home buyer finds their dream home, it is important to get the “offer” in quickly.  Full price &#8220;offers&#8221; are looked upon favorably, but even &#8220;offers&#8221; of up to ten percent beneath the asking price may be an acceptable practice, too.   There are several variables to discuss with a knowledgeable Realtor before submitting a low “offer,” however, so do your homework.  Comparing a home to others in the local market and recognizing the length other homes have been listed are helpful to consider prior to submitting or accepting any “offer” in real estate.</p>
<p><strong>“DEPOSIT” - </strong>The “deposit” or earnest money pledged with an &#8220;offer,&#8221; illustrates a commitment from the buyer to the seller.  Generally the “deposit” amount in our area is 3 percent of the home&#8217;s purchase price and applies to the final purchase price of the home for sale. This deposit is held “in trust” until the purchase is completed with a local Escrow company. As a potential home buyer, your “deposit” will only be accepted if your “offer” is accepted. Occasionally a home buyer decides not to move forward with the home sale which can result in the loss of the “deposit” unless they have probable cause to remove themselves from the contract.</p>
<p><strong>“CONTINGENCIES” - </strong>Contingencies are requirements outlined in the contract that must be fulfilled prior to “closing,” often relating to financing or the house inspection. Contingencies generally last for 17 days, although the time frame depends greatly on market conditions and the contract used.</p>
<p><strong>&#8220;CONTRACT&#8221; - </strong>When a home seller accepts an &#8220;offer,&#8221;  the &#8220;contract&#8221; is then created.  A legal and binding document which guarantees the buyer will purchase the property when all contingencies are met. Transaction details are included in the contract, such as the property selling price and description, any important dates and contingency clauses.</p>
<p><strong>&#8220;CLOSING STATEMENT&#8221; - </strong>Required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure accountability of all finances relating to the sale and purchase of a home this is referred to as the HUD-1.  Real estate commission,  escrow  securities and deposits, and any other fees must be outlined in this document. The buyer and seller will each receive a copy of the &#8220;Closing Statement&#8221; per the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act prior to &#8220;closing.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>&#8220;CLOSING COSTS&#8221; - </strong>These are the actual costs of &#8220;closing&#8221; and include securing title, loans, appraisals, credit reports, inspections,brokers, taxes and document preparation and transfer fees.</p>
<p>Hopefully this tutorial has helped you feel a little more familiar with some of the major real estate terms we use, so that whether you are buying or selling a home, you can feel a bit more at ease.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Here&#8217;s Where to Get More Data When Buying a Home: Foster City CA</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/heres-where-to-get-more-data-when-buying-a-home-foster-city-ca/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/heres-where-to-get-more-data-when-buying-a-home-foster-city-ca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:23:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[County of San Mateo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foster city homes for sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City lifestyles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo county real estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.virtualresults.net/?p=20173</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Realtors are prohibited by federal law from steering buyers to locations or homes, and included in what we can not say is what the demographic of a community is all about.  Sure we can give nuances and use buzz words that are benign but give an idea to some, but we really can never tell&#8230;<a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/heres-where-to-get-more-data-when-buying-a-home-foster-city-ca/" rel="nofollow">Read More &#187;</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.picketreport.com/map?hp=true"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-20174" style="border-width: 3px;border-color: white;border-style: solid" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2012/01/Screen-shot-2012-01-04-at-8.22.04-PM-145x300.png" alt="" width="145" height="300" /></a>Realtors are prohibited by federal law from steering buyers to locations or homes, and included in what we can not say is what the demographic of a community is all about.  Sure we can give nuances and use buzz words that are benign but give an idea to some, but we really can never tell you that one place is better for you than another for blah blah blah reasons.</p>
<p>Finally, a website has come along that aggregates demographic data including census data, and research data to provide a picture of a community.  Take Foster City for instance.  I ran a report on this city and some of the information being provided includes General Lifestyles, Neighborhoods, Schools, and Crime.  The website is <a href="http://picketreport.com">PicketReport.com</a> and as someone who has always loved data, this site is cool.  The picture on the left is a heat  map of the demographics in our immediate area.</p>
<p>According to the PicketReport, Foster City is made up of Flourishing Families (affluent middle-aged families and couples earning prosperous incomes and living very comfortable active lifestyles).  Foster City has a high walk-score, high school scores, and almost no crime.  Now, this is a lot of the data I can legally give about Foster City and do, but it also drills down further about the demographics, which is the stuff I can&#8217;t legally give.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re a data wonk, and want to know more about the communities around Foster City such as San Mateo, Hillsborough and Burlingame, this will give you the info all in one place.  You will love this site if you are in marketing.  It&#8217;s not 100 percent accurate but it does give you an idea of what our communities are all about in one place.  The ask you to sign in but if you register I don&#8217;t see any value to you as the end user.  You can get your snap shot of the zip code you&#8217;re interested in without registering.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a free service and you can get the information by zip code just keep in mind it isn&#8217;t totally perfect.  Then again, almost nothing is perfect, is it?</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s for sale in Foster City today.</p>


<p>Showing properties
	1 - 8 of 8.
	
	See more <a href="/idx/city/foster-city/?idx-q-PropertyTypes&lt;0&gt;=275">city of Foster City real estate</a>.
	<br />
	(all data current as of
	5/24/2012)
</p>

<ol style="padding-left: 0; margin-left: 0;">
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$899,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81219535-1390_ribbon_st_foster_city_ca_94404">
				1390 Ribbon St, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81219535-1390_ribbon_st_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://cdn3.diverse-cdn.com/api/images/dsidxpress/photo-unavailable-w250.jpg/8c2fb5" 
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,860 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 6,175 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1966</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$949,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81218672-261_loon_ct_foster_city_ca_94404">
				261 Loon Ct, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81218672-261_loon_ct_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81218672/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 261 Loon Ct, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218672)" title="Photo of 261 Loon Ct, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218672)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>4 beds, 3 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,450 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 5,429 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1966</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$890,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81218487-188_flying_cloud_is_foster_city_ca_94404">
				188 Flying Cloud Is, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81218487-188_flying_cloud_is_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81218487/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 188 Flying Cloud Is, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218487)" title="Photo of 188 Flying Cloud Is, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81218487)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,120 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 7,740 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1966</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$1,295,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81217932-643_matsonia_dr_foster_city_ca_94404">
				643 Matsonia Dr, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81217932-643_matsonia_dr_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81217932/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 643 Matsonia Dr, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81217932)" title="Photo of 643 Matsonia Dr, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81217932)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,430 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 6,612 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1972</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$809,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81121480-786_marlin_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				786 Marlin Av, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81121480-786_marlin_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81121480/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 786 Marlin Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81121480)" title="Photo of 786 Marlin Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81121480)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,890 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 5,734 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1967</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$1,288,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81207952-602_bridgeport_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				602 Bridgeport Ln, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81207952-602_bridgeport_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81207952/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 602 Bridgeport Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81207952)" title="Photo of 602 Bridgeport Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81207952)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,940 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 4,560 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1977</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$700,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81149873-716_crane_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				716 Crane Av, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81149873-716_crane_av_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81149873/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 716 Crane Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81149873)" title="Photo of 716 Crane Av, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81149873)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>4 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 1,760 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 5,700 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1965</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>
	<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative;">
		<div style="margin-bottom: 3px;"><b>
			$1,089,000
			: <a href="/idx/mls-81145696-760_coronado_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				760 Coronado Ln, Foster City</a></b>
		</div>
		<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden;
			min-height: 188px;">
			<a href="/idx/mls-81145696-760_coronado_ln_foster_city_ca_94404">
				<img src="http://mls-photos.diversesolutions.com/163/81145696/0-medium.jpg" alt="Photo of 760 Coronado Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81145696)" title="Photo of 760 Coronado Ln, Foster City, CA 94404 (MLS # 81145696)"
					style="border: 1px solid #666; width: 250px;" />
			</a></div>
		<div style="white-space: nowrap;">
			<div>3 beds, 2 full baths</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Home size: 2,110 sq ft</div>
			<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Lot size: 4,857 sqft</div>
			
				<div style="overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">Year built: 1977</div>
		</div>
		<img src="http://cdn1.diverse-cdn.com/idx-v2/mls-icons/reil.png" style="position: absolute; width: 120px; height: 40px;
			bottom: 6px; right: 0; border-style: none;" alt="Broker reciprocity icon" />
		
		<div style="clear: both;"></div>
	</li>

</ol>

<p>Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. <a href="http://api.idx.diversesolutions.com/DisclaimerNoAuth/4413/40"
	rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read full disclaimer</a>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>The 10 Things NOT to do Before You Buy Your Home</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/the-10-things-not-to-do-before-you-buy-your-home/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/the-10-things-not-to-do-before-you-buy-your-home/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:42:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[County of San Mateo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo county homes for sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo county real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what NOT to do when buying a home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.realestatetomato.com/2008/11/23/the-10-things-not-to-do-before-you-buy-your-home/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Things Not to Do When Buying a Home Here are Ten Things a future Home Buyers Should Never Do Before Closing on a Home.  If you do any one of them, it could cause a huge delay in your closing.  Lenders are very tough on borrowers today and they check and double check your credit&#8230;<a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/the-10-things-not-to-do-before-you-buy-your-home/" rel="nofollow">Read More &#187;</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1><strong><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2008/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-27-at-7.03.25-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-20093" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2008/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-27-at-7.03.25-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>Things Not to Do When Buying a Home</strong></h1>
<h1></h1>
<p><em>Here are <strong>Ten Things</strong> a future Home Buyers Should Never Do Before Closing on a Home.  If you do any one of them, it could cause a <strong>huge</strong> delay in your closing.  Lenders are very tough on borrowers today and they check and double check your credit and work history prior to lending.  They don&#8217;t like surprises and you shouldn&#8217;t give them any.<br />
</em></p>
<p>The process is well underway for buying your new home. You&#8217;ve made the offer and the sellers have accepted it.  Your escrow has been opened. You&#8217;re counting the days until you close escrow and get the keys to start to make the house your home. Your lender pre-approved you and sent your application through underwriting, so buying the house is a sure thing, right?</p>
<p>Not quite. Nothing is certain until the keys are in your hand and the deed is recorded. There are still hurdles to get past before it&#8217;s yours, and your actions between now and closing can create headaches, slowdowns and even stop the transaction. Yes, stop the transaction cold.</p>
<h2><strong>1. Don&#8217;t Make a Major Purchase of ANYTHING without talking to your lender first<br />
</strong></h2>
<p>You&#8217;ve just found out your credit is A+. That&#8217;s great news, because a new car would look fantastic in the driveway of your new home. But hang on&#8211;if you are depending on a mortgage to move in, you&#8217;d better wait until after closing to buy that car.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">An increase in your debt to income ratio reduces the amount of monthly income available for your mortgage payment.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">If you tack on a higher car payment, the bank might decide you can&#8217;t afford the home.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">Using cash to purchase the car could also create a problem, since banks consider cash reserves when approving your mortgage. <strong>If you must make a major purchase before closing, talk to your loan officer before you do it.</strong></p>
<h2><strong>2. Don&#8217;t Change Jobs Unless It&#8217;s Necessary </strong></h2>
<p>Lenders like to see a consistent job history. They didn&#8217;t used to be nervous if you changed jobs within the same field, but it&#8217;s better to stay put until the house is yours. If you do need to change your job, your escrow will slow down while the lender waits to see four (4) pay stubs to make sure your new income will allow you to still purchase that home.  That slow down could effect not only your seller but others if the seller is buying a new home, too.  The seller could ask you for additional funds because of the delay.  Don&#8217;t do it unless it&#8217;s absolutely necessary.</p>
<h2><strong>3. Don&#8217;t Give an Earnest Money Deposit Directly to a For-Sale-By-Owner Seller</strong></h2>
<p>Your good faith deposit should go into a trust account. Some for sale by owner sellers don&#8217;t understand that funds are not their&#8217;s to spend until closing. The only place a trust account should sit is with a Title &amp; Escrow Company.  Escrow Companies are neutral third parties to a purchase and they take their instructions from the buyer and the seller.  They are impartial and if you buy that For-Sale-By-Owner home write your deposit check out in an escrow company&#8217;s name only.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve heard many stories about sellers who spent the deposit money prior to closing. When the transactions didn&#8217;t take place for valid reasons&#8211;such as financing or repair issues, the buyers had to fight for a refund.  That can&#8217;t happen when the funds sit in an escrow account.</p>
<p>Find an attorney or escrow company who will hold the deposit for you until closing day and make sure your contract dictates what happens to the funds if the transaction doesn&#8217;t close.</p>
<h2><strong>4. Don&#8217;t Let Your Emotions Take Over</strong></h2>
<p>Keep a cool head during the entire home buying process, especially during and after a home inspection. Be realistic. No home is perfect, especially older homes. It&#8217;s not unusual for new owners to take care of some repairs themselves. Don&#8217;t let the seller&#8217;s refusal to do a small repair kill the deal on a home you truly love.  Realors are able to negotiate for things you might not be able to do so ask your agent if some things are possible and let them work on it.</p>
<p>On the other hand, don&#8217;t fall so much in love with the house that you&#8217;ll buy it no matter what needs to be done&#8211;unless you&#8217;re sure you can handle it emotionally and financially. Decide what type of repairs you can realistically tackle, then stick with the decision.</p>
<h2><strong>5. Don&#8217;t Forget to Switch Utilities</strong></h2>
<p>That sounds simple, but you&#8217;d be surprised how many people forget to apply for utility service at their new home. Call the utility companies as soon as you have a contract. Find out how many days lead time they need to switch the service, then get back with them when you have a firm closing date.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t forget to discontinue services at your old home.  That doesn&#8217;t mean to shut off utilities it means to make sure the new owner&#8217;s have their name on the bill from the day of closing forward.  If they haven&#8217;t done this call your Agent to help.</p>
<h2><strong>6. Don&#8217;t Forget to Line Up Your Fire &amp; Hazard Insurance</strong></h2>
<p>A no-brainer, right? But it&#8217;s another often-forgotten task that buyers scramble to take care of at the last minute. Before closing, your lender will want to see an insurance binder showing you have coverage for the new home. Get it as early as possible so that closing isn&#8217;t delayed.  Your Escrow Officer will need the name of your Insurance Agent for her files, too.</p>
<p>In some locations, additional types of insurance coverage might be necessary such as Flood Insurance. Talk to your lender about insurance requirements well before the closing date.</p>
<h2><strong>7. Don&#8217;t Become Best Friends with the Seller</strong></h2>
<p>I&#8217;ll get some flack on this one. It&#8217;s great to be friendly, but don&#8217;t get into too many long discussions with the sellers, because personality conflicts often cloud judgments.</p>
<p>Remember, this is their home. You&#8217;re excited about moving in, and if you didn&#8217;t like the house you wouldn&#8217;t have offered to buy it. But you&#8217;ll make changes&#8211;everyone does. A casual statement about &#8220;ripping up that ugly carpet&#8221; might be hurtful enough to keep the seller from negotiating with you about repairs or other issues that crop up.</p>
<h2><strong>8. Don&#8217;t Panic if the Appraisal Comes in Low</strong></h2>
<p>At least not at first. There are some things you (and your agent) can do to correct the problem. Study your options and talk with your agent about the best things to do. Today it&#8217;s very difficult for an Appraiser to do his/her job with prices dropping significantly in some areas.  If your appraisal comes in really low, you can ask for a second appraisal from a second person.  Appraising is not done with computers so everyone doing it does it a little differently.  Lenders are also asking for sales comparisons closer to your purchase date and that isn&#8217;t always easy to provide today.</p>
<h2><strong>9. Don&#8217;t Go It Alone</strong></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;re working with an agent, it&#8217;s the agent&#8217;s duty to track many of the day to day details that involve the lender, the seller, or the seller&#8217;s agent. Be sure your agent schedules a final walk-through just before closing. At this final walk-through make sure everything is the same as it was when you made your offer.  It is the Seller&#8217;s responsibility to keep their home the same all during the escrow period.  If it isn&#8217;t, this is the time to find out, not after you own it.</p>
<p>Should you find additional problems during this walk-through, it&#8217;s not too late for additional inspections and negotiation with the seller.</p>
<h2><strong>10. Don&#8217;t Ignore Lender Requirements</strong></h2>
<p>Know what is expected of you and take care of it. For instance, a Certificate of Eligibility is required to move forward on a VA loan. That&#8217;s something you must handle yourself. Answer your lender questions and make sure that you provide required paperwork as quickly as possible&#8211;moving into your new home depends on it.</p>
<p>Your lender will call your employer to verify your employment.  They are likely to do this several times so don&#8217;t be surprised.  The lender talks with HR if you work in a large company or with your boss if it&#8217;s a small company.  The lenders do this to make sure you are still employed before giving you your loan.  They expect you to be able to pay them back and being employed is a large part of this.</p>
<p>If you follow these 10 things during your escrow period, you&#8217;ll get those keys and own your new home without any hiccups.</p>
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		<title>A New HomeBuyer Assistance Program in Millbrae</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/a-new-homebuyer-assistance-program-in-millbrae/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/a-new-homebuyer-assistance-program-in-millbrae/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:21:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[County of San Mateo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Millbrae California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home Buyer Assistance Program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Millbrae CA real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo county real estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.com/?p=19932</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It's sure been a while since I've seen anything like this one, so if you want to buy a new home and are in need of some financial assistance to do so, you just might want to check this out.  If you qualify, there's a $15,000 cash assistance program for  you.  There is a catch, though.  Isn't there always one?  You must be buying a new condo at Belamor Millbrae Paradise and it must be done before November 30,2011.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-26-at-4.12.15-PM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19933" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-26-at-4.12.15-PM.png" alt="" width="581" height="545" /></a>It&#8217;s sure been a while since I&#8217;ve seen anything like this one.  If you want to buy a new home and are in need of some financial assistance to do so, you just might want to check this out.  If you qualify, there&#8217;s a $15,000 cash assistance program for  you.  There is a catch, though.  Isn&#8217;t there always one?  You must be buying a new condo only at the Belamor Millbrae Paradise and it must be done before November 30,2011.</p>
<p>The good news is that BMR units, that&#8217;s Below Market Rate units are included in this program!  This condo property is really beautiful and the condos are done with all of the bells and whistles you&#8217;d hope to find in a high-end property.  They&#8217;re close to the transit hub in Millbrae for CalTrain or BART commutes.</p>
<h3>Here are the Rules.</h3>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">1.  If you intend to buy a unit you need to download an application for this program <a href="http://www.LFGeorgeProperties.com">here</a>.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">2. Be Pre-Approved for a loan before you apply for this program but make sure your lender is aware of this program and has seen the application.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">3. Go to 151 El Camino Real in Millbrae and pick your new home.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">4.  Sign the contract for the purchase.  If you need a Realtor to represent your interests, and I suggest you have one, call us.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">5. You also must bring your application, which has been filled out in full, along with you when you&#8217;re ready to buy your new condo.  Make sure you have made a copy of it to give to your lender.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">6. Once you&#8217;ve been approved by your lender, you must notify Belamor Millbrae Paradise that the loan underwriter has approved you so they can proceed with the paperwork with the City of Millbrae.  The City will deposit $15,000 into your escrow account.  You will not be able to choose the title and escrow company for your purchase so be prepared to work with the company Belamor Millbrae Paradise has selected.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px">7.  Once you have signed all paperwork at the Title company, and have been notified that you are on record with the County of San Mateo as the home owner you then go to the sales office of Belamor Millbrae Paradise to get your keys and a home warranty.</p>
<p>This really is the first home assistance program I&#8217;ve seen in several years.  Don&#8217;t expect the offer to last long.  Once the amount of money Millbrae has set aside for it is used up, you&#8217;ll be out of luck.</p>
<p>If you need help with this contact us.</p>
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		<title>$4,320 Down to Buy a $432,000 Home, Really? : San Mateo CA</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/4320-down-to-buy-a-432000-home-really-san-mateo-ca/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/4320-down-to-buy-a-432000-home-really-san-mateo-ca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:33:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Main category]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CALFHA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home purchases San Mateo CA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jed Thibodeau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.com/?p=19600</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Thanks to the California Housing Financing Agency (Cal HFA), first-time home shoppers can finance the purchase of their home with just about the same amount of money needed for a security deposit and first month’s rent required to move into a rental home.

Cal HFA currently provides 1.0% down payment, below market interest rate financing along with a little closing cost assistance to help home buyers finance the purchase of their first home.  This program combines the Cal HFA FHA 30 year fixed rate mortgage currently (as of December 17, 2010) at 4.0% (APR 4.81%) with the California Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program (CHDAP) simple interest, silent mortgage at 3.25% (APR 3.25%).  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><strong>Yes, only for California first-time home buyers! </strong><span style="font-weight: normal"><span style="font-size: small">by <a href="http://www.bankerspreferred.com/staff_bio_482643.html">Jed Thidbodeau, Bankers Preferred Mortgage</a></span></span></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left"><strong>It gets even better with a below market interest rate on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage.</strong></h3>
<p>Thanks to the California Housing Financing Agency (Cal HFA), first-time home shoppers can finance the purchase of their home with just about the same amount of money needed for a security deposit and first month’s rent required to move into a rental home.</p>
<p>Cal HFA currently provides 1.0% down payment, below market interest rate financing along with a little closing cost assistance to help home buyers finance the purchase of their first home.  This program combines the Cal HFA FHA 30 year fixed rate mortgage currently (as of December 17, 2010) at 4.0% (APR 4.81%) with the California Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program (CHDAP) simple interest, silent mortgage at 3.25% (APR 3.25%).  The CHDAP loan amount cannot exceed 3.0% of the lessor of the purchase price or appraised value.  To take advantage of the low interest rates, the Cal HFA FHA and CHDAP programs must be used concurrently.  The numbers…</p>
<h3><strong>Down Payment &amp; Loan Amount</strong></h3>
<p>The maximum loan amount for this program adheres to the national conforming loan limit of $417,000.  With this loan amount and the minimum down payment requirement, a $432,000 purchase price reaches just below the upper limit for use of this program.  Let’s look at some numbers based on a $432,000 purchase price.</p>
<p><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/12/Rate-Payment.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19603" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/12/Rate-Payment.png" alt="Rate &amp; Payment" width="480" height="385" /></a></p>
<p>The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan serves as the foundation for the Cal HFA program.  FHA loans require a minimum 3.5% down payment.  The CHDAP program allows up to 2.5% of the 3.0% maximum loan to be used for down payment assistance, which leaves a 1.0% down payment requirement for the first-time home buyer!  With this $432,000 purchase example, the down payment equals $4,320.  Additionally, the home buyer who negotiates their purchase contract such that the seller covers their closing costs can potentially purchase a $432,000 home for nothing more than $4,320 out of pocket.  That’s exciting!</p>
<h3><strong>Rate &amp; Payment</strong></h3>
<p>As mentioned above, this first-time buyer loan boasts a below market interest rate of 4.0% (APR 4.81%).  Here’s how the monthly payment figures look for a $432,000 purchase…</p>
<p><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/12/Down-payment-Loan-Amts.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19602" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/12/Down-payment-Loan-Amts.png" alt="Down payment &amp; Loan Amts" width="458" height="414" /></a> On the 1<sup>st</sup> mortgage, the principal component of the monthly payment actually equals $606.66!  The below market rate of 4.00% drives the principal reduction amount up to this level.  At over $600 principal balance reduction per month, the unpaid principal balance shrinks quickly.  This means that when the home owner sells their home the unpaid principal balance absorbs less of the sales proceeds, putting more money in the home seller’s pocket upon sale.</p>
<p>The CHDAP loan sometimes goes by the moniker of “silent second” in that the loan does not require monthly payments.  The loan becomes due in full upon either the end of the first mortgage 30 year term, upon transfer of title to the property securing the loans (e.g., sale of the property), or upon refinance of the 1<sup>st</sup> mortgage.  Terms of the CHDAP provide the borrower with the liberty to make payments without penalty at any time during the life of the loan.  Payments apply to reduce accrued interest first, then to reduce principal.</p>
<p>Interest on the CHDAP loan accrues via simple interest. The principal balance of this loan does not increase.  Without principal reduction payments the CHDAP loan in our example accrues $421.20 annually.  A monthly payment of $35.10 covers the accrued interest, leaving the principal balance undiminished.  Payment of $56.40 or $91.07 includes principal reduction and retires the entire principal balance in 30 years or 15 years, respectively, via amortization.</p>
<h3><strong>Below-Market Rate vs. Market Rate Comparison</strong></h3>
<p>Aside from the minimal down payment feature, Cal HFA FHA &amp; CHDAP program provide interest rates lower than a rate available in the general market place for non-first-time buyers.  As of the date of this writing, the market rate for an FHA 30 Yr. Fixed program hovers around 4.75% (APR 5.567%).  Interest rate markets currently move with a high degree of volatility for a variety of reasons, therefor, the rates shown in this comparison may become obsolete shortly after this writing.  However, this comparison does illustrate the relative benefit of a lower interest rate mortgage.  The following numbers represent the total interest expense and mortgage insurance expense over the first seven years of these loans.</p>
<p><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/12/BMR-rates.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19601" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/12/BMR-rates.png" alt="BMR rates" width="595" height="249" /></a></p>
<p>These numbers illustrate the benefit of lower interest rates.  The Cal HFA FHA program provides 99% financing vs. 96.5% finance with standard FHA programs.  Essentially, a first-time home buyer borrows more money with Cal HFA FHA and CHDAP, but pays less interest.  Interesting, isn’t it?  The below-market rate feature provides this long term benefit for the entire life of the Cal HFA FHA and CHDAP loans.</p>
<h3><strong>First Come, First Serve</strong></h3>
<p>California has limited funds available for this program.  The funds will be disbursed to qualified loan applicants on a first come, first serve basis.  Take advantage of the low interest rate, 30 year fixed rate mortgage while funds last.</p>
<p>Contact the Wilkas Group at <a href="mailto:info@wilkasgroup.com">info at wilkasgroup.com</a> to start the search for your first home today.</p>
<p>You’re welcome to contact me at <a href="mailto:jedt@bankerspref.com">jedt at bankerspref.com</a> to determine you eligibility for this first-time home buyer program.</p>
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		<title>Attend a Webinar about First Time Home Ownership Tomorrow</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/attend-a-webinar-about-first-time-home-ownership-tomorrow/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/attend-a-webinar-about-first-time-home-ownership-tomorrow/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:26:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Burlingame California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Main category]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Mateo California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[burlingame]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loan programs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[san mateo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.com/?p=19387</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Home Ownership Workshops (HOW) are a series of free web classes designed for First Time Home buyers to educate them on different aspects of the home buying process. The webinar will cover the following topics: ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/178474792"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19388" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/06/12.png" alt="Webinar " width="684" height="653" /></a></p>
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		<title>Only 65 Days Left to Qualify for the $8000 Tax Credit &#8211; San Mateo CA</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/only-65-days-left-to-qualify-for-the-8000-tax-credit-san-mateo-ca/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/only-65-days-left-to-qualify-for-the-8000-tax-credit-san-mateo-ca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:03:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Main category]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Selling a Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[$6500 move up tax credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[$8000 tax credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[first time home buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[move up buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Mateo homes for sale]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.com/?p=19303</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are exactly 65 days left to qualify for the $8000 First Time Buyer's Credit.  You must be in contract by April 30,2010 and close escrow by June 30th.  You can buy a home up to $800,000 and have an income as high as $225,000 for a couple or $125,000 for a single person.  We have homes to show you, so why aren't you looking?  Seriously.  This price range is hot, hot, hot and we are seeing multiple offers, once again, which means you must be out looking every weekend.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/02/dali-clock-500x500.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19304" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/02/dali-clock-500x500.jpg" alt="dali-clock-500x500" width="500" height="500" /></a></p>
<p>There are exactly 65 days left to qualify for the $8000 First Time Buyer&#8217;s Credit.  You must be in contract by April 30,2010 and close escrow by June 30th.  You can buy a home up to $800,000 and have an income as high as $225,000 for a couple or $125,000 for a single person.  We have homes to show you, so why aren&#8217;t you looking?  Seriously.  This price range is hot, hot, hot and we are seeing multiple offers once again, which means you must be out looking every weekend and writing offers.</p>
<p>Uncle Sam has even gifted move-up buyers.  If you purchased your first home five or more years ago, you too, can qualify for a tax credit of $6500 or 10% of the purchase price of the new home.  If you own a condo this is your opportunity for FREE MONEY by moving into a larger home.  What are you waiting for?  We have people who want to buy your condo and you can go out looking for a house.</p>
<p>The clock is ticking every minute of every hour of every day.  Uncle Sam is giving away cash.  This is money you can use to furnish your new home, or off-set your current tax bill if you want to file an amended return for 2009.  We have forms for this, so ask us and we can email them off to you.</p>
<p>There is a catch on this credit, as you would expect.  You&#8217;ll need to remain in this house for 36 months before selling or you&#8217;ll have to pay the credit back.  That&#8217;s fair.  If you file for one of these credits, be prepared for a possible IRS audit to verify that you qualified for the credit.  This is part of new anti-fraud rules and the IRS has already identified over 100,000 returns with potentially fraudulent home buyer credits from last year alone.  You will need to attach a properly executed real estate settlement sheet to your tax return to show proof to the IRS.  Your Realtor and Lender can help you with this.</p>
<p>Tick-Tock.  Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.  The Wilkas Group is here to help you but you need to move on it.  Your lost time can not be replaced.  There are only 65 days, 1560 hours, 93,600 minutes left to do this.</p>
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		<title>Rates Will Be Moving Up This Year, Don&#8217;t Wait to Buy: Foster City, CA</title>
		<link>http://wilkasgroup.com/rates-will-be-moving-up-this-year-dont-wait-to-buy-foster-city-ca/</link>
		<comments>http://wilkasgroup.com/rates-will-be-moving-up-this-year-dont-wait-to-buy-foster-city-ca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:35:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lenorewilkas</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying a home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Time Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foster City California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Main category]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wilkasgroup.com/?p=2286</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[    Conforming Rates - 30 Yr Fixed

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been a good ride.  Low interest rates have been here for a long time.  Beginning with Greenspan's Fed, and continuing through to today.  But folks, they won't stay for much longer.  My crystal balls, ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_2288" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 194px"><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/01/30-yr-fixed-rate.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-2288" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/01/30-yr-fixed-rate.png" alt="30 yr fixed rate" width="184" height="131" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Conforming Rates - 30 Yr Fixed</p></div>
<p>Ladies and Gentlemen, it&#8217;s been a good ride.  Low interest rates have been here for a long time.  Beginning with Greenspan&#8217;s Fed, and continuing through to today.  But folks, they won&#8217;t stay for much longer.  My crystal balls, remember I collect them, tells me the rates could rise up to 7% before the year ends.  Just look at the chart on the left to see that conforming rates have, indeed, risen of the past 90 days.</p>
<p>Wow, you say that&#8217;s a huge interest rate, and yes it is, for first time buyers or move-up buyers who got into the market within the past 8 years.  But guess what?  It was the interest rate I generally saw with every single property I&#8217;ve ever purchased.  So if you are still toying with the idea of buying your first home, what are you waiting for?  This is a GREAT time to buy with the $8000 tax credit still available until April and interest hovering around 5.5%.</p>
<div id="attachment_2287" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 177px"><a href="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/01/30-yr-fixed-jumbo.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-2287" src="http://wilkasgroup.com/files/2010/01/30-yr-fixed-jumbo.png" alt="30 yr fixed jumbo" width="167" height="122" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jumbo Rates - 30 Yr Fixed</p></div>
<p>If you have been in your first home for about 5 years, Uncle Sam has given you a gift as well.  You are eligible for a $6500 tax credit if you move up into a house less than $850,000.  Yes, I know that is hard to do in Foster City, or San Mateo, but it can be done if you are diligent in your search.  If you are willing to do sweat equity on a property you will gain in equity and get a better buy.  The majority of buyers today don&#8217;t want to get their hands dirty.  They want it all done for them when they buy, so they pay for that in the price of the house.  Be smart and find a house that you like that has been on the market for a while, and take advantage of that. Now,  jumbo rates won&#8217;t be needed if you are able to find a house within the price range Uncle Sam has set for this tax credit.  So it is worth a look and we&#8217;d like to help you look, too.</p>
<p>What are the consequences for waiting?  Higher interest rates will lock more and more people out of the market.  Housing prices have not gone down and further in the past couple of months, so if you were thinking you could time the market, you have already lost that bet.  Your personal afford-ability index is all that counts and you can talk to your lender, or one of ours, for a free review of your situation.</p>
<p>Houses begin to come on to the market just after Super Bowl Sunday and our market begins to heat up at that time.  Not only will there be more to choose from, but there will be more buyers competing for the same houses, and yes, we are seeing multiple offers again, so it&#8217;s silly to wait if you are thinking about buying.</p>
<p>The Wilkas Group is certified to help buyers and sellers of Short Sales and Bank Owned Properties. These are the sweat equity properties that will get your the most bang for your buck.  The Fed has kept interest rates low and it will be a real shame if you don&#8217;t take advantage of this while it lasts.  It will not last through this year. My guess is we will see increases begin by mid-year.  What are you waiting for?</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s some of what&#8217;s for sale in Foster City now.</p>
<p>[listingpress citystate='Foster City,CA|' zipstate='' proptype='Single Family|' beds='0' baths='0' minprice='700000' maxprice='0' features='' /] </p>
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