Ask Erin: Wood Destroying Pests...

I am often asked about pest inspections...here is a great document from the California Structural Pest Control Board website that answers many of the questions and concerns I hear most often...

Link:
http://www.pestboard.ca.gov/forms/brochures/inspctns.pdf

Sacramento area Farmer's Markets

Sacramento County
Saturdays
8 a.m.-noon year-round; Robertson Community Center, 3525 Norwood Ave.
8 a.m.-noon year-round; Citrus Heights, Sunrise Mall behind Sears, 6041 Sunrise Blvd.
8 a.m.-noon year-round; Country Club Plaza, Watt and El Camino avenues

Sundays
8 a.m.-noon year-round; Eighth and W streets, under the freeway
8 a.m.-noon May through October; Cosumnes River College parking lot D

Tuesdays
10 a.m.-2 p.m. May through October; Fremont Park, 16th and P streets
10 a.m.-2 p.m. May through October; Roosevelt Park, Ninth and P streets

Wednesdays
10 a.m.-2 p.m. May through October; Cesar Chavez Plaza, 10th and J streets
4-8 p.m. June through August; Elk Grove Regional Park on Elk Grove-Florin Road

Thursdays
10 a.m.-2 p.m. May through October; Downtown Plaza, Fourth and K streets
8 a.m.-noon year-round; Florin Sears, 65th Street and Florin Road

I guess folks do not like to shop for fresh veggies on Fridays?

Links:
http://www.marketlocations.com/
http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/
http://www.california-grown.com/

Characteristics of Home Buyers...

According to the National Association of Realtors in a 2006 study:

Characteristics of Home Buyers:
-The typical home buyer was 41 years old. Among first-time buyers, the median age was 32.
-More than one-quarter of buyers reported a 2005 household income of at least $100,000.
-Sixty-one percent of recent home buyers were married.
-For repeat buyers, the most important reason for their purchase was a desire for a larger home.

Characteristics of Homes Purchased:
-One in five homes purchased by recent buyers was newly built.
-Three-quarters of homes purchased were detached single-family homes.
-Neighborhood quality was the most important factor for buyers in selecting a location.
-The typical buyer purchased a home that was slightly more than 1,800 square feet in size.

The Home Search Process:
-Eighty-five percent of home buyers used a real estate agent during their durch for a home.
-Nearly three-quarters of buyers viewed the internet as a very useful tool in their home search.
-A majority of buyers reported that they drove by a home they viewed online.
-Typical buyers searched for eight weeks before finding the home they purchased.

Home Buying & Real Estate Professionals:
-Over three-quarters of buyers used a real estate agent to purchase their home.

Links:
http://www.Realtor.org

Sacramento Jazz Jubilee

If you have never experienced the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, there is no time like this year! The weather is going to be just beautiful this Memorial Day weekend, and if you like jazz, swing, blues, zydeco, or really just music in general, this is a great place to spend the day. Plus the barbequed oysters are delicious! Tickets for one day are $40 for Saturday or Sunday per the website, and only $20 on Monday. A word to the wise though - take a shuttle, walk or ride a bike...parking from my experience is a major hassle!

Link:
http://www.sacjazz.com/

Just Charge it!...hmm...

An interesting concept...hopefully people who use this are just trying to boost their frequent flyer miles... American Express is now going to allow its customers (who must pay a one-time fee of $395) use their credit cards to make their monthly mortgage payments automatically, and earn points that can be redeemed for services or cash. The program applies only to "participating" prime loans, both purchase and refinance, and cardholders must be pre-authorized by the lender to make monthly payments using their American Express card.

Link:
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070523005203&newsLang=en

Neighborhood Spotlight: Land Park

Land Park is lies just south of Downtown Sacramento - bordered by the I-5 Freeway to the west, Freeport Blvd to the east, William Land Park / Sutterville Road to the South, and Broadway to the North. This vintage neighborhood features homes built primarily from the 1920's to 1940's, and is well known for its serenity, tree-lined streets, unique architectural character, and close proximity to downtown Sacramento.

Land Park was named after former mayor and hotel owner William Land, who in upon his death in 1912, bequeathed $250,000 to Sacramento to develop an urban park where the general masses of the public could go. In 1918, after six years of debate, the city council voted 3-2 to purchase the 238 acres known as the Swanston-McKevitt tract on Riverside. in 1924, the tract was planted with 4,000 trees and 6,000 shrubs, and it became William Land Park. On May 25, 1924, William Land Golf Course opened for play. This was the first municipal course in Sacramento to have planted grass, yet it remained a 9 hole course.

There are many wonderful schools in and near Land Park, including Crocker/Riverside Elementary on Riverside between Robertson and Perkins, California Middle School on Vallejo and Land Park Drive, and CK McClatchy High School on Freeport between Bidwell and 7th.

Homes in Land Park oringially sold in the range of $3000 - $7500. Nowadays, you can purchase a home in Land Park for $300k - $400k on the less expensive end, and upwards of $1M on the high end.

Feel free to contact me for more information on this wonderful community in the 95818 zip code! I can be reached at erin@erinattardi.com or http://www.erinattardi.com/.

Links:
http://www.sacramentohistory.org/
http://www.landparknewsweb.com/
http://momsclubsacramento.googlepages.com/
http://www.saczoo.com/
http://www.fairytaletown.org/
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=9898
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandrecreation/parks/sites/land_map.htm http://www.landparkrealtor.com/
http://www.sachistoricalsociety.org/

Sacramento second for entry-level housing affordability

The Sacramento region is the second most affordable area in the state for first-time homebuyers, according to a report released Thursday by the California Association of Realtors. In Greater Sacramento, 43 percent of households could afford to buy an entry level home, up from 40 percent last year. The first-time buyer median price was $310,670, with a minimum qualifying income of $62,640. The percentage of households who could afford to buy an entry-level home in California stood at 25 percent in the first quarter, down slightly from 26 percent for the same period a year ago. Statewide, the minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home for $480,670 in the first quarter was $96,910, based on an adjustable interest rate of 6.3 percent and assuming a 10 percent down payment. At 44 percent, the High Desert region was the most affordable in the state, followed by the Sacramento. Santa Barbara was the least affordable region in the state at 12 percent, followed by the Monterey region at 19 percent.

Link:
http://www.sacrealtor.org/
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/05/14/daily39.html?f=et76&hbx=e_du

CalHFA Loan Programs...

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) has some outstanding loan and down payment assistance programs available to those who may qualify. If you are planning to purchase a home in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, or Yolo County for $429,619 or under, or in Yuba County for $382,212 or under, this may be a great program to take advantage of.

In order to qualify for a CalHFA loan, certain requirements must be met. They are:
-Be a first-time homebuyer. (CalHFA considers you a first-time homebuyer if you have not owned and occupied your own home during the last 3 years.). (This requirement is not necessary if the property is located in a Federally designated " Targeted Area *”
-Have an annual household/family income within CalHFA’s income limits for the family size and county in which the home is located.
-Purchase a home that is within CalHFA’s sales price limits for the family size and county in which the home is located.
-Live in the home you are purchasing for the entire term of the loan, or until the home is sold or refinanced.
-Meet credit, income and loan requirements of the CalHFA lender and the mortgage insurer.
Be a citizen or other national of the United States or a qualified alien.

CalHFA is not a direct lender, and of course you must use a CalHFA Approved Lending institution to take advantage of these programs. I highly recommend Marlena Olson of the Vitek Mortgage Group. She can be reached at 916-486-6900 or molson@teamvitek.com.

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) has supported the needs of renters and first-time homebuyers by providing financing and programs that create safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities for individuals within specified income ranges. Established in 1975, CalHFA was chartered as the State’s affordable housing bank to make below market-rate loans through the sale of tax-exempt bonds. A completely self-supporting State agency, bonds are repaid by revenues generated through mortgage loans, not taxpayer dollars.

Links:
http://www.calhfa.ca.gov/
https://wp11.calhfa.ca.gov/EasySteps/Default.aspx
http://www.calhfa.ca.gov/homeownership/bulletins/2007/2007-12.pdf
http://www.erinattardi.com/financing.htm