Request Pay Off Early In A Santa Clara Probate Sale In Foreclosure

It is a common occurrence in the Silicon Valley for homes that are in Probate to also go into default. For many older home owners there is scant cash in the bank, they may still have a mortgage, and without a trust a home goes to Probate. When that happens the bills, including the mortgage do not get paid until a Personal Representative is appointed by the court. This can be a lengthy process if there is a disagreement amongst heirs as to who should be in charge. Unfortunately that is a very common occurrence in Santa Clara probate sales.

So while the relatives are arguing over who rules the Santa Clara Probate roost, the mortgage does not get paid and the lender starts the foreclosure process.

Once at least three payments are missed a Notice of Default may be filed on the Santa Clara Probate Sale. This notice will give you three months to cure the default. If the owned money on the Santa Clara Probate home is not paid during that three month period a Notice of Trustee Sale can be filed and the Santa Clara Probate home can be sold three weeks after that.

The attorney for the Santa Clara Probate home can go to court and get an order to temporarily stop the foreclosure process while the estate is being settled, but this takes some time as well.

Because the inventory is so low and the demand for homes is so high in Santa Clara, most Santa Clara Probate Sale homes can be sold and ownership transferred during the Notice of Default period. The defaulted loan on the Santa Clara Probate home can be paid off, and the rest of the equity used to pay the other bills and then distributed to the heirs.

Sounds simple, but sometimes it isn't. Once a loan on a Santa Clara Probate sale goes into default it is transferred to the loss mitigation department. Sometimes that is the equivalent of going into a black hole. These departments are overwhelmed and under staffed. It can take many weeks to get pay off information from them. In a traditional sale the title company will order pay off information less than a week before closing which is more than enough time to determine exactly how much is owed by the seller to pay off their loan.

In a Santa Clara Probate sale when the loan is in default it can take many weeks to get the pay off information. The title company should start the pay off demand as soon as there is a contract. That way, maybe 30 days later they will have the figures to pay off the loan.

If it is a short escrow period for the Santa Clara Probate Sale it is possible that everyone might be ready to close and there is still no pay off demand from the lender. When this happens, the escrow can still close and title can be transferred, but the money can not be distributed until the mortgage is payed off, and the estate will have to pay for a mortgage on a home it no longer owns until the bank gets its money.

So if you are involved in a Santa Clara Probate Sale and there is no money to pay the mortgage make sure that the process is started right away to get the pay off demand for the loan or the estate will be paying on the loan after the escrow is closed.

If you have any questions about Probate Sales in Santa Clara or San Mateo County please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer
Keller Williams Realty
www.marcymoyer.com
marcy@marcymoyer.com
D.R.E. 01191194
650-619-9285

How To Choose A Palo Alto Real Estate Agent to Help You Sell Your Home

If you need to, or want to sell your home in Palo Alto you should hire a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent. Yes, you could probably put a piece of cardboard on your front lawn saying "For Sale" and get 10 offers, but this is a complicated transaction, and finding a buyer is just one part of a very large undertaking.

So I will make the assumption that you have already decided it is in your best financial and peace of mind interest to hire a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent and will give you some ideas on what you should consider.

Palo Alto has no shortage of good Real Estate Agents, so you have plenty from which to choose. I always say that being in a relationship with a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent is like being married, just for a shorter period of time than most marriages. (Brittney Spears' 1st marriage excluded here) You really need to love your Palo Alto Real Estate Agent, and even more important: YOU NEED TO TRUST YOUR REALTOR. Trust is important, because you will be listening to advice that has huge financial and legal implications. Pick someone who you feel can be discrete with your financial information, and who you believe is knowledgeable about your home, the market, local schools and activities, the contract process, the home preparation process, inspections, and any other aspect of Your home that may be unique to Your circumstances.

You also need to like your Palo Alto Real Estate agent because you will be spending a lot of time together. This person should be someone who does not get on your nerves, because little annoyances can seem bigger in stressful situations. If you do not like idle conversation and the Palo Alto Real Estate Agent you are considering is a non stop talker, walk away. This will drive you crazy! If your animals are important to you and the Palo Alto Real Estate Agent you are considering is afraid of dogs, walk away. Selling a home with pets can be tricky and you need someone who understands both sides of the equation and can deal with your animals.


It is very important that you can communicate with the Palo Alto Real Estate Agent you are going to choose. By communicate, I don't mean express your innermost feelings. I mean physically communicate. Do you want personal contact with your Palo Alto Real Estate Agent on all aspects of the sale, or do you prefer a team approach with multiple people participating in the process? If you are completely commuter illiterate make sure your Palo Alto Real Estate Agent is easy to reach by phone and not just by text or e-mail. If you do not like phone communication make sure your agent is available by text or email or Facebook or instant messaging.

Does the Palo Alto Real Estate Agent who you are considering like your home? Can they appreciate the good qualities which can be highlighted to the potential buyer? Do they have suggestions on how to make the negatives of the property less of an issue. If you have an Eichler and the Palo Alto Real Estate Agent does not appreciate the clean lines, indoor outdoor living, and the hipness of mid century architecture right now; but instead emphasizes the lack of insulation he or she is not the right person. If you have a home built in 1908 and the Palo Alto Real Estate Agent you are considering gushes over the glass door knobs, gorgeous built ins, and high ceilings rather than the musty smell or drafty windows; then that person should get bonus points.

Are you a gambler? Different agents have different philosophies about pricing a home. Some want to price a home as low as possible to generate as many offers as possible so you have more choices and could possibly get a higher price than if you list higher. Some like to list high and see if you can achieve that number. Some like to list at what they feel is market price and then let the market decide if it is priced high, low, or just right. Ultimately it is your decision as to what the list price is going to be. Is your potential Palo Alto Real Estate Agent ok with that or do they want to make the decision. Are you ok with leaving that decision up to the agent?

When choosing a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent to sell your home in Palo Alto there are many things to consider. You can get recomendations from friends, check out blogs and reviews on line, or look at ads in local papers; but the intimacy of this relationship calls for more. It is probably better to look deeper, and see if the person you are considering has the qualities most important to you to get your house sold with as little stress as possible as well as for as much money as possible.

If you have any questions about choosing a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent please feel free to contact me (a long time Palo Alto resident and Real Estate Agent)

Marcy Moyer
Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto
www.marcymoyer.com
marcy@marcymoyer.com
D.R.E. 01191194
650-619-9285

Window Coverings and Selling A Palo Alto Home: What Should You Do?

When you sell your home in Palo Alto you want it to look as good as possible. Yes, if it is old and small it may be torn down; but chances are someone who wants to keep the house will also be interested in making an offer on your Palo Alto home. So, you want to make it as attractive as possible, while keeping it neutral. As a Palo Alto real estate agent I can assure you neutrality is important when selling a home in Palo Alto because the potential buyer needs to be able to picture themselves and their furnishings in your house. This is much easier if you do not have something like thick velvet red curtains or broken plastic shades.


There are two big potential problems with window coverings when you sell your Palo Alto home.
There are few things more specific and less neutral than window coverings.

Window coverings are designed to block out light and most buyers are looking for homes that have abundant natural lighting.

If you are a Palo Alto seller who happens to have Hunter Douglas shades that are gorgeous, modern, and add privacy while still letting in light, read no further. If you have wood or plantation shutters make sure to leave them open, the whole shutter and not just the slats open to let light in.

However, if you are like most people who are selling Palo Alto homes you should get rid of your window coverings. They are old, broken, ugly, dusty, or smelly. They may make it easier for you to sleep, or prevent people from looking in at you eating, but they will turn off potential buyers.

In the living spaces like your living room, family room, or dining room you do not need to have window coverings while you are selling your Palo Alto home. If you are still living in the home while it is for sale you can get something light and modern from Bed Bath and Beyond or Penny's for the bedrooms. Just get a neutral color curtain and keep them open during the days.

When selling your Palo Alto home the goal is to get as many people as possible into the house and allowing them to picture themselves living there. Since most buyers of Palo Alto homes want light then you should do as little as possible to prevent light from coming through the windows. Keep the window coverings light and neutral when you sell your home in Palo Alto and you will have a more successful sale.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me. I am a Palo Alto real estate agent who lives and works here

Marcy Moyer
Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto
www.marcymoyer.com
marcy@marcymoyer.com
D.R.E. 01191194
650-619-9285

Thought I Was Out of a Redwood City Probate but I Was Pulled Back In

As a Redwood City Probate real estate agent I am always amazed at how new issues always come up. I thought I was finished, but someone else did not. (Remember the line from The Godfather which was repeated in Sopranos) My Redwood City Probate sale did not want to end.

Here is the back story. The owner of this Redwood City probate sale died last June, leaving no cash in her estate, but a home with some equity. She did have a loan with Wells Fargo. I was hired by the Personal Administrator of this Redwood City Probate to sell the home. The week the home went on the market I was contacted by a company called LPS who had been hired by Wells Fargo, the mortgage holder to make sure the Redwood City probate home was not left vacant and unattended. As requested I faxed LPS the listing agreement and my statement saying I was going to be caring for the home and it would not be abandoned. The field service supervisor at LPS assured me everything was fine. I told him they would have their money in January.

At the end of December Wells Fargo recorded a Notice of Defualt against the property, but since we were going to close in a few weeks I was not worried. The Notice of Default gave us three months to pay Wells Fargo off. LPS did not contact me so I was not concerned that there would be any issues with this Redwood City Probate home.

The buyer used Wells Fargo to obtain their loan and escrow was delayed two weeks, entirely because of Wells Fargo delays. We closed last Friday. Today, which is Martin Luther King's Holiday the new owner showed up at his new home to find LPS there changing the locks and the field service worker refused to stop, even when he was told that there is a new owner and Wells Fargo has no more say over what happens to this Redwood City probate home.

I tried to call LPS, but since today is Holiday no one was there. I called the LPS Field Service Supervisor I originally dealt with and his phone was disconnected. I suggested the new owners of this Redwood City Probate sale change the locks and call the police. i am hoping the police can post something saying that if LPS tries to enter the house again they will be guilty of trespassing. I am not sure that this is possible.

So what have I learned from this Redwood City Probate sale debacle? 

1. Just because one person at LPS said everything is fine make sure and check in with them during the escrow process and keep them updated on any Redwood City Probate sales when there is no money to pay the mortgage.

2. Have the Redwood City Probate sale lawyer keep in regular contact with the mortgage company, especially if it is Wells Fargo, who is the most aggressive about trying to protect their investment by changing locks and winterizing vacant homes that are in default. I don't blame them, but in this case it was definitely over kill!

3. Confirm with the Title Company of a Redwood City Probate sale that they let the lender know we have recorded even though the money will not be at the bank the next day because of a holiday.

Hopefully the next time I think I am out of a Redwood City Probate Sale I will not get pulled back in.

If you have any questions about Redwood City Probate sales please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcumoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

South San Jose Homeowners: B of A Co-op Short Sales Big Change!

While prices are rising in the Silicon Valley there are still homes that are underwater and you may need to short sale your South San Jose home. If this is the case, don't wait!

Bank of America has instituted some new policies which can have a major influence on your South San Jose short sale.

Co-operative Short Sales: Bank of America has a program where they will let you know ahead of time how much they are willing to accept for you South San Jose home in a short sale. Once you agreed to do the short sale they would put a hold on foreclosure activity and give you some money at close of escrow.

The new policy is that there will be no holds on foreclosure until the offer is fully accepted by Bank of America. What this means is that if you can not make your payments  on your South San Jose home and want to short sell you can not wait. You will not be allowed to stay in your home for months trying to modify your loan and trying to get a new job. Once the notice of default has been recorded you will have 3 months to get your South San Jose home sold as a short sale before the notice of trustee sale is recorded. At that point you have another 3 weeks before foreclosure on your South San Jose home.

As any real estate agent familar with south San Jose short sales knows, they take time for approval. Even a Bank of America co-operative short sale can take time. 4 months is not unheard of to obtain approval on a South San Jose Short Sale, so if you can not make your payments, do something or you could lose your home to foreclosure.

If you have any questions about Short Sales in Santa Clara or San Mateo County please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

When Selling Your Palo Alto Home When Should You Have An Open House?

When you sell your Palo Alto home your real estate agent will discuss with you when you should have open houses. This is an extremely important part of the Palo Alto home sale, so you must take this very seriously.

Most likely the first open for your Palo Alto house will be the Broker's Tour. This happens on Friday, and most of the homes that are being offered for sale in Palo Alto will be open for other real estate agents to see. Some may also bring potential buyers with them. This open house happens on Friday morning from 9:30-1. Many agents will offer an enticement for agents to come to the open house such as a catered lunch, coffee cart, or gift certificate. When selling your home in Palo Alto this broker's tour is a great opportunity for agents to see your home, and let their clients know if it may suit their needs. It is customary for the Palo Alto seller not to be home during the Broker's Open, so find a nice place to be that morning and allow the agents to give open feedback about your home, the price, and how it is prepared.

When selling your home in Palo Alto the week-end is the next opportunity for an open house, this time for the public. I always recommend holding open houses on Saturday and Sunday for as many hours as possible in order to give as many buyers as possible a chance to see the Palo Alt home you are selling. The traditional hours are from 1:30-4:30

Sometimes agents will suggest additonal open houses, such as early evening opens during daylight savings hours. If the home you are selling in Palo Alto looks particularlly beautiful at night, an evening open house may be suggested.

When you sell your home in Palo Alto having as much time for exposure is really in your best interest. You want to get as many people in the house in as short a time frame as possible so your home can sell and your life can get back to normal.

However, you may be selling your home because of advancing age, decreasing mobility, or illness. if this is the case it may not be convenient for you to leave the house for open houses. If this is the case you may be able to get the benefits of an open house by staying home and confining yourself to just one room while people are coming through.

The purpose of an open house while selling your home in Palo Alto is to get as many people as possible in your home in as few hours as possible. So it is really in your best interest to agree to open houses, and help yourself get a quick sale.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

Living in Palo Alto has options in town and near for great Theatre

Theatre is alive in the Bay Area. Not only does Palo Alto have many options, but also not far is San Jose, which is also full of viable options.

San Jose Repertory Theatre shows current, beautiful shows. Their seasons consist of 7 shows. For the last two years, this has included Rick Lombardo's, the artistic director, adaptation of The Christmas Carol. The actors are consistently superb. The house is a comfortable size where the view is great from almost any seat.

To make theatre more accessible they offer a number of events and discounts.

Seniors; people who are 65 years and over, teachers, ASL, and military members receive $6 off their tickets. Students generously receive 50% off their tickets. Out N' About night saves $10 off a scheduled day of the performance.

Pay What You Will night is an opportunity for everyone to buy tickets at what they can afford, with the suggested price of $10 a ticket, to the mainstage show. It is the first public showing of the play. Usually it is on a Thursday before opening night unless it falls on a holiday.  The Rep sees this as a way to share theatre with anyone who would like to come. They only ask to have people use social media after to share their reviews of the show. It is a fantastic, unique way to see a show.

Currently, Next to Normal is a Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical that is running until February 3, 2013. It is co-produced with the Arizona Theatre Company. It is a remarkable show about a mother who is dealing with her growing mental illness, how the medical society treats mental illness, and how the woman's family copes. It is a touching, hilariously truthful story told by brilliant actors.

So, if you live in Palo Alto you can take a short drive (or Cal Train)  to San Jose and experience world class theatre.

 If you have any questions about living in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

If I Sell My Home In Palo Alto Can I Stay There Until School Is Out?

In case you have not noticed this is an amazing time to sell your home in Palo Alto. However, if you have children who are still in school you may not want to disrupt their school year so you may be thinking of putting off selling your Palo Alto home until school is out. This may not always be necessary.

There are dozens of people who just want to buy in Palo Alto. It does not matter to many of them if they have to wait a few months for possession because it could take many more months to get an offer for a Palo Alto home accepted.

If you are selling your home in Palo Alto and you want to stay until school is out you need to tell your agent to explain to buyers that while you are able to close before June, the house will not be available for the new buyers until the end of June. You may have to pay the buyer rent for the time between the close of escrow and when you leave your Palo Alto home, but you may not. Some very motivated buyers may offer to let you live in the home for free in order to entice you to take their offer.


The only potential snag when you are selling your home in Palo Alto is that some lenders will not allow a rent back longer than 30-60 days so if your buyer is getting a loan you may need to adjust the close of escrow for those number of days. If you have a cash buyer this will not be an issue.
So if you want to take advantage of the unbelievably low number of homes for sale and Palo Alto, and the huge number of people looking for homes in Palo Alto then by all means, if you want to sell your Palo Alto home now, then do it. Just make sure everyone involved knows your wish to stay put for a few months, and it will be granted.


If you have any questions about selling a Palo Alto Home please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer
Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto
www.marcymoyer.com
marcy@marcymoyer.com
D.R.E. 01191194
650-619-9285

When Selling A Palo Alto Home What Is The Purpose Of A Title Company?

When selling a Palo Alto home your real estate agent will suggest that you open an escrow account with a title company before you put your home on the market. Most agents have title companies they prefer to use and an escrow officer with whom they like to work. For example I always choose Lee Kocjan with Fidelity National Title in San Carlos.

Most agents will have worked with a specific escrow officer so if you have someone you want to work with be sure and let your agent know.

When selling your home in Palo Alto title and escrow are handled by the same company even though title and escrow are two separate things.

The escrow officer will order a preliminary title report. This will confirm who has the right to sell the property, who has a lien on the property (your mortgage and property taxes, and possibly someone else), and will show any easements on the property. All of these things should be reviewed before you put your Palo Alto home on the market to make sure you have plenty of time to deal with any issues that may show up on the title report. For example there may be a lien on there you know you have paid off, but for some reason did not get recorded. The escrow officer can help you with that. You will be purchasing title insurance to protect the buyer in case there are any future claims by anyone who says they have an interest in the Palo Alto home you are selling.

When selling your Palo Alto home the escrow account will be the place where all the monies are held before being dispersed after close of escrow. The buyer's deposit, down payment, and loan proceeds will be help in escrow until ready for disbursement. The escrow officer will figure out the prorations for taxes and paying off your liens before dispersing the money from selling your Palo Alto home.

After all monies are in escrow and both parties agree the title company will take the deed from the person selling the Palo Alto home to the county and record it in the name of the new buyer.

To summarize when selling your home in Palo Alto the title company makes sure the new buyer has clear title to the property and records the deed.  The escrow branch collects the money and then disperses it a close and makes sure everyone who is owed money gets it, and then the seller of the Palo Alto home gets the rest.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

Redwood City Probate Home in Foreclosure: What do I Do?

If you are the Personal Representative for a Redwood City Home in Probate that has a delinquent mortgage, but there is equity in the home, DON'T BE AN OSTRICH!!!!!!

It is now very common for Redwood City homes that are in Probate to have mortgages. Many homeowners were enticed to refinance in the last decade because of easy money or low interest rates, many seniors have reverse mortgages on their Redwood City Probate homes, and some people did not refinance because of low interest rates, but because they were helping out family members.

When a mortgagee dies the mortgage still needs to be paid. Death does not eliminate the obligation. So what do you do if the mortgage is late, the home is in foreclosure, and the estate has no money to pay the mortgage? It is very common for Redwood City Probate estates to be house rich but cash poor.

The first thing that has to happen in a probate with this situation is that a personal representative needs to be appointed. This sounds like a no brainer, but sometimes there are fights within a family as to who that person is going to be, and while people are fighting the bank could be foreclosing. So stop fighting and get someone appointed. 

Once the Personal Representative is appointed he or she should hire a real estate agent. This agent should have experience in both probate and short sales. Probate experience is a no brainer, but the reason for short sale experience is because that person will know who to talk to to postpone the foreclosure.

You will need to give authorization to your agent to speak with the bank and that takes a few days, so do this right away.

Once the postponement is granted get your Redwood City Probate home on the market and get it sold. Postponements generally are only good for 30 days at a time, and you may not get a second one if the home does not have an offer, so don't delay.

If the home has no equity then you should speak with the bank about a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure. You may be able to negotiate the bank giving the estate $5,000 to $10,000 if you give them the keys and empty out the Redwood City Probate home. However, prices are appreciating so rapidly right now that you may believe your Redwood City Probate home is underwater when it really isn't.

So, if you have a Redwood City home in Probate and there is no money to pay the mortgage, don't just stand there, do something. Take the necessary steps to get help to make sure the estate's home is not lost to foreclosure. If you hide your head you could lose hundreds of thousand of dollars in equity.

If you have any questions about selling a Redwood City Home in Probate please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

When Selling A Palo Alto Home, Do I Need to Tell Buyers About The Area?

When you sell your home in Palo Alto do you need to tell potential buyers about Palo Alto? The answer is no you don't have to, but I think it is a good idea. 

Palo Alto is a wonderful place to live, and not just because the schools are so good. Many of today's buyers are trying to buy a home in Palo Alto because of the schools, but if they knew about some of the other wonderful aspects of Palo Alto they may be even more motivated to purchase your home.

When selling your Palo Alto home I would suggest that you leave information about some of our community treasures like the Palo Alto Children's Theatre, the California Ave and downtown Farmer's Market, the 4th of July Chilli Cook-Off, Stanford Theatre, Stanford Shopping Center, Theatre Works, soccer and t-ball teams, the Children's library, the Children's Zoo, local restaurants, or our incredible parks.

Even if leaving this information for potential buyers does not change their offer, it may make them even happier about their decison to buy the Palo Alto home you are selling, and a happy buyer is the best kind.

So when you sell your home in Palo Alto in addition to the standard disclosures, I suggest you add some information about local events and institutions, along with API scores, to show the potential buyers they will be getting much more than just a home.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

I Can't Find You a Mountain View Town Home That Doesn't Exist

Inventory is low, employment is high, and buyers are out in force. The Silicon Valley is loaded with young professional people who are looking for a place to call home. Many are looking for homes that do not exist. It is sad, and I want to help, but I can only help those who are realistic.

We have a joke in the real estate business. We make fun of people who want 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 1600 square feet, less than 5 years old in Mountain View for $400,000 or less. When I hear this I have to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.

This is an extreme case. $400,000 will get you a 2 bedroom 40 year old condo with less than 1,000 square feet in Mountain View. 

What about the the less extreme cases? How can you tell if what you want is realistic.

It is not that difficult, even in a market with historically low inventory.

Make a list of your priorities.

Check the MLS ( or better yet have a real estate agent check the MLS for you) with these parameters sold in the last 6 months.

Increase the price by 10%.

If what you are looking for has sold i the last 6 months and you can afford the additional 10% price increase ( as prices are appreciating in Mountain View) then you are being realistic and your patience is likely to pay off.

If your parameters +10% do not produce results you are likely unrealistic and your dream town home in Mountain View does not exist.

You may believe in the power of positive thinking, goal setting, positive thinking, or any other mind over matter technique, but in the world of real estate, real is the operative word. Either something exists, or it doesn't. If a Mountain View town home does not exist, even I am not good enough to find it for you.

If you have any questions about buying or selling a town home in Mountain View please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

DRE  01191194

650-619-9285

When Selling A Palo Alto Home What Is The True Lot Size To Disclose?

When selling your Palo Alto home you need to disclose everything you know, including the lot size. One would think that informing the potential buyers of your Palo Alto home how large the lot is would be easy, but in fact it can get a little tricky. Also the exact size can be very important to a potential buyer of the Palo Alto home you are selling for a variety of reasons.

1. The buyer may want to build a new home and the lot size determines the square footage of the new home to be built.

2. The buyer may want to expand your home and again an exact lot size is needed to know how much expansion is possible.

3. The buyer may want to put up an accessory building or sub divide a large lot and needs the exact lot size to know if it is possible.

The problem with disclosing the lot size when selling your Palo Alto home is that there is very often discrepancies between what the county says and what the city says is the lot size. When this happens, just disclose both. Ultimately the city's figure is what determines what can built so it is important for the buyer to get that number. 

There are a few reasons why there may be a discrepency. These include:

1. Poor record keeping

2. A difference in where the line is drawn. For example, when the lots were divided on Colorado Ave they included up to the center of the street for lot size. However, the city does not use that line when figuring buildable space and takes it back to the edge of the sidewalk.

There is a website you can go to to get the city records on lot size.

Go to this address and you can request a Parcel Report for any home in Palo Alto. 

http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/pln/parcel.asp

It will also give the buyer great information on set backs, how large the home can be, and the city drawings of lot lines and what structures are currently on the lot.

When selling a home in Palo Alto you do not need to get a survey or measure the lot yourself. Just get the county records and the city Parcel Report, give those to potential buyers, and let them decide if the lot meets their requirements.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please fell free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

Should I Leave The Sound System On While Selling My Palo Alto Home

If you are selling a home in Palo Alto your real estate agent may suggest that while the home is available to show you should leave the sound system on with some genre of music playing. Should you?

The answer to this question is very personal. Personally I do not like showing a home where the stereo is playing, even when it is music I love (like Broadway songs) Unlikely staging, which helps a Palo Alto buyer imagine what the rooms are for, and how much furniture can fit in a room, music does not help me imagine anything except what is the noise like without the music?

Some buyers may love having soothing music and feel like it makes the home more homey and relaxing.

So here is your problem. If when selling your Palo Alto home some people like the music and some don't, and you play music, you will turn some people off and make some people happy. The ones you turn off may not consider your home.

If you do not play music while selling your home in Palo Alto the people who do not like it will not be turned off, and the ones who do like music will not know what they are missing.

Even more important when you are selling your home in Palo Alto, no one will think you are trying to cover up a noisy street, a freeway in the background, Cal Train whistles, or anything else that causes noise.

If you are selling a home in Palo Alto where noise is a problem, then the sound should be muted by something that is obvious, and that can be used by any potential buyer. If there is freeway noise put a water feature in the back yard. If there is street or train noise double pane your windows and install an air conditioner so that the windows do not have to be opened as much.

When selling a Palo Alto home having non stop music may be appealing to some buyers, can annoy others, and even worse make buyers think that you are covering something up.. So save the Mozart or Rogers and Hammerstein for your own enjoyment.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.E.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

Is This a Good Time To Sell Your Palo Alto Condo or Town Home?

Is this a good time to sell your  Palo Alto Condo or Town Home? The answer is YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!! I can not stress this enough. If you have a condo or town home in Palo Alto you are thinking of selling, don't hesitate! The market is screaming for you to get it done, now.

There are currently 5 town homes/condos on the market in Palo Alto. I did not forget a zero. 5. In a seller's market there would generally be 15 units for sale. In a buyer's market you need to have over 25 units for sale. 5 is so low there are no words to describe the market.

Apple and Google are growing like the plant in Little Shop of Horrors, and like the plant, would love to take over the world. The number of people moving into the area with good jobs and the need of a place to live is astronomical. They are often young, busy, and not necessarily looking for a lot of garden space to look after. So it is just a numbers game. Hundreds of young professionals are looking for homes and only 5 people  selling a condo or town home in Palo Alto 

 

If you are planning on selling your Palo Alto condo or town home this year, do it now, while there is so little inventory and so much interest. You won't be sorry! 

If you have any questions about selling a condo or town home in Palo Alto  please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285

When To List That Slightly Odd Palo Alto Home

The real estate market in Palo Alto is probably one of the best ones for sellers in the county. There are many times more buyers than sellers in Palo Alto, but that does not mean every home sells instantly with multiple offers for hundreds of thousands of dollars over asking price.

If you are a Palo Alto home seller and own a home that may have a limited market appeal there are some things you can do to help you get a better price and terms when you sell your Palo Alto home. 

There are several reasons why your Palo Alto home may have a limited market appeal. these include:

1. Located on a busy street

2. Located very close to the Cal Train tracks

3. Located very close to 101

4. Having an odd floor plan, like having 2 bedrooms on one floor and 2 bedrooms on another floor

5. Located close to electric transformer towers

The general rule is any home in Palo Alto can sell for the right price, but you want to optimize the price you get for selling 

your Palo Alto home. So here is a great piece of advice:

SELL YOUR PALO ALTO HOME AT A TIME WHEN YOU ARE LEAST LIKELY TO FIND OTHER PALO ALTO HOMES LISTED. THIS WAY YOU WILL HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF COMPETITION AND THEREFORE THE ATTENTION OF THE MOST BUYERS.

The times when there are the fewest new listings competing with the Palo Alto home you want to sell would be:

1. On a holiday week-end

2. In the month of Aug or the second half of December

The number of buyers looking for homes in Palo Alto is always high. If the home you are selling in Palo Alto is priced right and has less competition you are more likely to get a better price and terms.

So, if you sell your Palo Alto home at a time when other Palo Alto sellers are on sidelines, you will have the best chance of getting the best price and terms.

If you have any questions about selling a home in Palo Alto please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

D.R.E. 01191194

650-619-9285