Are you a “Do-It-Yourselfer” when it comes to making repairs and improvements to your home?

May is National Home Remodeling Month and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers are using increased seasonal awareness to outline risks that a DIY approach can bring in terms of safety, time and hidden costs.

Reports from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau show that 37 % of home remodeling projects completed in 2010-2011 were done by homeowners themselves.

“Remodeling can be complex and often times full of surprises, even for experts like our members,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bill Shaw, GMR, GMB, CGP. “DIY projects should be rewarding and fun, but if your DIY can’t be completed in the planned price range or your safety is at risk, leave the work in the hands of professional remodelers.”

NAHB suggested a review of these tips before commencing a remodel project on your home.

Safety - If it requires licensing to complete or compromises the integrity of your structure, walk away and hire a professional. Wear proper protective gear and be especially careful when using new tools as unfamiliarity increases risk.
Cost - Review quality and warranty specifications of your purchases. Incorrect installation can result in a warranty being disputed.
Time - Contractors are required to provide timelines, progress updates, and projected finish dates. If time is important to you, a recommended contractor can get the job done according to your schedule. Would you be able to do the same?

Click here to access the Directory of Professional Remodelers.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and if you want to find the perfect gift for your Mom or wife this year, it’s time to start thinking (and be sure to avoid buying something useful for your home)! The list below outlines some traditional gifts, but if you are really adventurous, consider checking her Pinterest account for more personalized ideas of what appeals to the woman in your life.

Moms everywhere are moved by personalized jewelry and lockets, memory keepers, and photos of their children. That’s not to say that a trip to the spa or a get-away wouldn’t be gratefully received, but when a mother has to coordinate the care of small children to use the gift, it can be difficult, so make sure you plan those details along with the gift.

If a trip away from your home isn’t possible, bring treatments direct to the Mom in your life with a collection of pampering lotions, skin care or makeup collections. Or, try a virtual vacation of sorts, and purchase an e-reader or tablet for the special Mother in your life. If your Mom already has one that she uses, then consider a gift card to Amazon or iTunes or a similar service where books are available for instant download, providing a chance for quick escape from life’s daily cares which staying physically inside your home.

Gifts to Bring a Smile To Your Mom (and Your Home):

• Thoughtful Note of Gratitude (include with a gift below for best results)
• Personalized Jewelry (lockets, engraved charms, birthstones, etc.)
• Personalized Gifts Featuring Her Children (large laughing photos, artsy representations, framed art created by the kids)
• Get-Aways (that she doesn’t have to coordinate)
• Tickets to Experience Life (theatre, gourmet cooking class, hang gliding, yoga – search sites like Groupon for ideas)
• Gift Cards (to services or shops she wants to patronize)
• E-Reader or Tablet Device (working and loaded, ready to go)
• Spa Services to a Local Favorite (manicure & pedicure, massage, wraps, etc.)
• Beautiful Flowers (everyone can appreciate a little vibrancy)
• Chocolate (but be careful not to sabotage known fitness plans)

Buyers for your home may be interested in more than just the number of bedrooms and baths, reported the National Association of Realtors® in their just released survey results. The 2013 Profile of Buyers’ Home Feature Preferences study studied trends in home buying over the two year period ending in 2012 and gave some insight you may want to consider when selling your home.

While location is always a factor in home buying, the study showed that recent home purchases averaged home sizes of 1,860 square feet. Many of the homes were newer too, with the typical home purchased having been built in 1996, and more than half of the homes bought being single story.

Depending on the area of your home, different features are more highly valued. In the South, for instance, central air conditioning is a must-have, while results of the entire survey only revealed it to be of prime importance to 65 percent of home purchasers. In fact buyers still searching for a home actually stated that they would be willing to pay an average of $2,520 more for a home with central air conditioning.

Hardwood floors were another much loved feature, and considered a big value to those living in the Northeast. Garages, however, and other storage was determined to be needed across the nation, with 78 percent of recent home buyers requiring garages and 39 percent of home buyers requiring a walk in closet in the master bedroom.

According to NAR President Gary Thomas, “Deciding where to live comes with a lot of options, but buyers quickly realize that some features are more important than others when it comes to choosing the right house for them.” He further explained that when searching for homes, “Buyers need to have a clear idea of what features are important to them and know where they are willing to compromise; in this respect, Realtors® can bring buyers home. Realtors® visit hundreds of homes with buyers each year, and have a unique understanding of what buyers value in their local markets.”

You can read more of the details outlined in the 2013 Profile of Buyers’ Home Feature Preferences by clicking here.

St Patrick’s Day is a time for laughter, tradition and celebrating good fortune, so if you happen to be selling your home, this could be a great day for you.

In honor of this fun-loving holiday, we’re sharing some tips to help you and your home as you embrace the luck of the Irish!

Top 10 Lucky Do’s & Dont’s in the Selling of Your Home

1. DO wear green or risk being pinched.
2. DO make sure your Burlingame home is clean for potential buyers using scent-free, “green” cleaning solutions,  but do not feel that you need to repaint or redecorate your home for the holiday.
3. DO stage your home to make it appealing for your buyer (no Leprechaun tricks, please).
4. DO NOT leave a pot of gold abandoned in a closet or the front entry of your home.
5.  DO mow your lawn and perform landscaping before your home is toured.  While shamrocks and four-leaf clovers can be lucky, an unkept lawn will likely not be seen as fortunate.
6. DO NOT ask your real estate professional to sing or dance a jig.  It won’t get your home sold any faster unless you live in Ireland, like this real estate agent, and even then it’s questionable.
7. DO eat corned beef & cabbage, if family tradition dictates.
8. DO NOT prepare corned beef & cabbage in your home if potential buyers will be stopping by.  Home scents are very powerful and while your traditional fare may be delicious, others may find the aroma makes them feel a little green.
9. DO offer snacks and refreshments if hosting an open house on St. Patrick’s Day.
10. DO NOT suggest green beer as the beverage of choice no matter how much you want to sell your home.

As a home buyer or home seller, when it comes to your home, you expect your real estate agent to be up to date on the latest technology. You want us to have an active web presence and list your home on social media so that you can get the most exposure possible for your home.

But were you aware that many single-family home builders and remodeling professionals are tech savvy, too? Do you research the contractors you hire to complete your home renovation projects online before having the work completed? These days you can.

In a recent study from the National Association of Home Builders, more than 80 percent of construction professionals utilized smart phones and computers and most, over 70 percent, used laptops to conduct business operations and manage projects, as well.

Many of these service providers seek ratings and pay attention to client satisfaction, but only about 20 percent allow customers to track project progress through technology. Still, this is one area where technology has experienced huge increases in the last two decades.

As consumers have become more comfortable with their technology, they’ve come to expect it from their construction professionals, many of whom they even connect with on Facebook and LinkedIn. In fact, the study revealed that it may be possible for some remodelers and small builders to double their share of business by using downloadable brochures and sharing new home buying details on their websites.

As a consumer, do you agree? Do you want and need technically proficient builders and remodelers? Do you enjoy looking through website portfolios when deciding on your contractor or do you make your decision on a face-to-face meeting?

We are sure it’s much the same as being a real estate agent. Our clients love searching for homes on our  website, doing their own research on our communities and calling us as they have questions or are ready to actively pursue home buying and home selling. Still, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting!

If you are curious about how technology has changed the construction and home building industry, see the full report here.

If there is even a slight chance you may want to sell your home, now is the time to act!

Housing has definitely shifted to a seller’s market, with inventory at a 13 year low. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports the January Pending Home Sales Index as being at 105.9% which is the highest rate for contracts (not closings) in years, meaning that homes that are available are being sold quickly.

According to NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, home pricing will likely be on the upswing as less homes are on the market. “Over the near term, rising contract activity means higher home sales, but total sales for the year are expected to rise less than in 2012,” he said. “While home prices are projected to rise more strongly because of inventory shortages,” Yun concluded.

Throughout the United States pending sales have increased, with the largest gains seen in the Northeast and Midwest. Moderate increases in pending sales occurred in the South and the West has stayed pretty much the same in the last month.

On the San Mateo County Peninsula, we are  starting to see an increasing number of multiple offers, in one instance that we participated in,  their were 49 offers made on a single family home.

Over five million homes are expected to be sold in 2013. Will your home be one of them? To find our more about how to start the process of selling your home, please contact us at info@wilkasgroup.com , we are your local experts in real estate.

News of an asteroid touching down in the Chelyabinsk Ural region of Russia last week may have you wondering if your home is insured against such a calamity.

If you haven’t heard about the incident that demolished glass buildings and caused nearly 1,ooo injuries, the asteroid strike took place on Friday, February 15th.

And, although NASA identified it as a “tiny asteroid,” you’ll still enjoy the news about to be shared.

Your home is more than likely insured against asteroids by homeowners insurance.

Of course individual policies vary, so you’d need to verify with your respective agent and company, but according to State Farm Media Specialist, Robert Villegas, asteroids are an event covered by homeowners insurance.

According to the Homeowners and Business-owners policy guidelines, “Both ‘Falling Objects’ and ‘Aircraft’, which includes self-propelled missiles (meteors) and spacecraft are covered as well as damage to property inside the building would be covered if the falling debris first damages and penetrates the building roof or walls, then damages the property on the inside.”

And, in case you were wondering, State Farm insured cars are covered, as well, if they carry comprehensive coverage. Villegas shared that, “Comprehensive coverage includes losses due to missiles, falling objects and a whole range of other incidents. However if you do not have comprehensive and have only state mandated liability or collision only coverage you would likely pay for the damage yourself.”

Should you find yourself in the path of an asteroid or even as a witness to a flyby like the football field sized 2012 DA14, please stand clear and do not try to protect your home. More than likely your homeowner’s insurance has got you covered!

If you’re in the market to buy a Burlingame home you are well aware of what’s going on in the Burlingame market.  We don’t have enough homes for you to choose from and because of this, you’re in a multiple offer situation. It’s not a fun place to be, you don’t get the time to think about the largest purchase of your life, research the property history or have any kind of contingency.  In short, it’s a Sellers Market.  Here are the latest stats on the Burlingame real estate market.  In short, there are few new homes on the market and prices have jumped up.

Believe it or not, this is not a healthy market.  We want to have more homes for sale with prices that are fair and allow the buyer to take time to select a home and investigate it.  We don’t like markets that have multiple offers that feel like a lottery with upward of 50+ competitors.  It’s not fair to either the buyer or the seller.  Really.

90-day stats for Single Family properties in BURLINGAME, CA 94010 as of May 17, 2013
Median List Price:	$1,610,885	Average List Price:	$1,808,258
Total Inventory:	37	Price per Square Foot:	$708
Average Home Size:	2,370	Median Lot Size:	6,791
Average # Beds:	3.68	Average # Baths:	2.77
Homes Absorbed:	6	Newly Listed:	7
Days on Market:	86	Average Age:	60

If you are thinking about moving and selling your home this is the time to do it.  We can help you whether you’re downsizing, or transferring out of the area with a huge network of agents across the country.  Would you like a free property analysis?  Please call us or email us with your request and we’ll be happy to talk with you about your options.  Some times, waiting is the best answer. Some times it’s not.  Let’s talk.

The Rebounding Housing Market May Mean Opportunity for Home Sellers in San Mateo Not Seen in 6+ Years

As 2013 gets underway, Northern California’s housing market is set to continue the steady recovery that began last year. Home sales and the median sale price rose in all of our local communities last year. We’re the talk of the rest of the country and leading the real estate boom.

Foreclosures and short sales continue to decline. The only problem seems to be that many potential sellers don’t realize that things have changed so dramatically since the downturn of the housing market, and they’re missing out on a tremendous opportunity. There’s a severe shortage of homes for sale in many of our areas, which means that homeowners savvy enough to list their home right now are often getting multiple offers – and sometimes at prices we haven’t seen in several years! Available inventory of homes for sale in much of our region is down 50 percent or more just in the past year.

Right now, there are more qualified and eager buyers out there than homes on the market to meet their demand, and, these buyers are fully qualified to buy! With an imbalance between supply and demand, homebuyers have been fiercely competing with each other, and that’s great news for sellers. The California Association of Realtors announced in its November 1, 2012 report that 57 percent of home sales in California received multiple offers, the highest percentage of multiple offers in at least the past 12 years, with each home receiving an average of 4.2 offers, which was up from 3.5 offers in 2011.  In the San Mateo area market the number of homes receiving multiple offers is quite similar to those of the state. This seller’s market is rapidly driving up prices.  According to DataQuick the price appreciation was quite high in the Bay Area, which saw the median price in December spike by 32 percent.

	California Association of Realtors Unsold inventory index for existing single-family homes (in months)

		Source: California Association of Realtors

The same trends that we are seeing here in San Mateo County are occurring in markets across the country, according to the National Association of Realtors. Zillow economist Stan Humphries agrees that tight inventories will push up prices, encouraging more people to list homes. So where does this all leave you? If you’ve been putting off selling your home, you may want to seriously consider getting back into the market now. As the new year gets under way, the pendulum has swung back into a seller’s market. But there’s no guarantee how long that will last.

As qualified buyers are out there looking, prices are climbing once again and there just aren’t enough good home listings to go around. With such strong buyer demand and a shortage of listings, this may be the best time to sell your home. We’re ready to help you get started today! What does this mean for you if you’re thinking of selling? If your home is market ready and it’s and priced right – not too high or too low – you will probably see multiple offers.

We’d love to talk with you about the advantages of selling today.  Give us a call or send us an email. Here’s what’s for sale in San Mateo right now.

Showing properties 1 - 10 of 67. See more Real estate in the city of San Mateo.
(all data current as of 5/26/2013)

1. $1,050,000 : 3418 Kettering Ct, San Mateo
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,130 sq ft

   Lot size: 13,800 sqft

   Year built: 1957

   Parking spots: 2
   
2. $930,000 : 446 W 25th Av, San Mateo
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,960 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,500 sqft

   Year built: 1951

   Parking spots: 2
   
3. $1,010,000 : 1431 Alameda De Las Pulgas, San Mateo
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,830 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,000 sqft

   Year built: 1939

   Parking spots: 1
   
4. $349,500 : 800 N Delaware St #207, San Mateo
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 693 sq ft

   Lot size: 25.60 ac

   Year built: 1965

   Parking spots: 1
   
5. $699,000 : 1310 S Claremont St, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,239 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,600 sqft

   Year built: 1948

   Parking spots: 1
   
6. $895,000 : 1506 Kalmia St, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,170 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,000 sqft

   Year built: 1941

   Parking spots: 1
   
7. $705,000 : 4108 Branson Dr, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,110 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,550 sqft

   Year built: 1951

   Parking spots: 2
   
8. $949,000 : 224 Del Rosa Wy, San Mateo
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,700 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,000 sqft

   Year built: 1948

   Parking spots: 1
   
9. $719,000 : 101 Arroyo Ct #2, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,475 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,993 sqft

   Year built: 1980

   Parking spots: 2
   
10. $399,000 : 1615 Marina Ct #H, San Mateo
    
    2 beds, 1 full bath

    Home size: 1,000 sq ft

    Lot size: 3.97 ac

    Year built: 1961

    Parking spots: 1
    

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR)  released a quarterly report detailing the “strongest year-over-year increase in seven years.” Whether you looking to buy or sell your home, this is good news.

Buyers who question why increased home prices are of benefit to them can reference another report by NAR that revealed “record high housing affordability conditions for metro areas in 2012.” Low interest rates and slightly higher, but still desirable home prices mean home buyers have the resources to purchase the homes they desire.

According to NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun, “Home sales are on a sustained uptrend, mortgage interest rates are hovering near record lows and unsold inventory is at the lowest level in 12 years.”

Yun went on to state that, “Our population has been growing faster than overall housing stock,” which leaves a need for more inventory and new home construction and illustrates that, “supply and demand dynamics are very much at play.”

If you are in the market to sell your home, this news is very welcome, as well. Statistically speaking the 2012 fourth quarter showed  the average single-family home in the United States priced at $178, 900, an increase of 10% from fourth quarter reporting in 2011, and providing the “strongest year-over-year price increase since the fourth quarter of 2005.”

Chances are homes prices are increasing in Burlingame, Foster City and in most of the Peninsula city’s as well. Call us at 650-867-2909 or email us at: info@wilkasgroup.com  to determine the current market value of your home. We can provide you with the knowledge you need to get your home sold while interest rates are still down.

You can also read the actual report from the National Association of Realtors® here.