The Manteca Bulletin is reporting 143 homes in Manteca alone with sales contracts pending, in comparison to January’s 16 homes sold.

Allison Chinchiolo of PMZ Real Estate said she wasn’t surprised at the figures noting that now is “an opportunity of a lifetime,” for long-term home buyers looking for an investment or income property.

She also notes that “It’ll probably be six months before the major media makes note” of the positive market shift in the Real Estate industry. “By then, it will have been well underway,” said Chinchiolo.

Interest rates are at historic lows and selection throughout every market has increased, creating competitive pricing and incentives to get buyer’s into homes.

Try a home search on PMZ.com and see what you can find.

Tags: fallinghome prices, manteca bulletin, deals, investment

I was doing some research today on how to update the look of our blog template. I think it looks drab and needs an update.

After performing a Google search for “real estate wordpress” I came along this website that sells a VERY professional looking template that you can run on your own Wordpress blog.
Find out more details here.

Tags: wordpress, real estate theme

Congratulations Stacey Boyers on your recent election to the board of directors for Haven Women’s Center. It’s great to see our Real Estate Professionals active within our community.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this organization, the Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus County is a catalyst for individual empowerment and societal change.  Haven promotes safety and healing for women and children that are impacted by domestic or sexual violence.  They offer counseling, legal services, support groups, case management and a shelter as well as a transition home for these women and their children.

The Haven Women’s center is also a non-profit organization that receives some grant funding from the United Way, however, it is often not enough to provide the care and support that these women need.

Throughout the year, the Haven Women’s Center hosts several events to help fill in the gaps.

April 26th, the center will be hosting their annual Garden Party at the home of Buz and Shareen Carnes at Del Rio River Nine. The festivities will begin at 4:00 p.m. and include appetizers, beverages and live and silent auctions.  For more information, contact Stacey or Terri Western (209) 548-4528.

Tags: havenwomen’s center, garden party

As the presidential primary in Ohio approaches, Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are highlighting their different housing proposals. Voters in Ohio especially are concerned about the housing proposals because the state has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation.

Clinton insists that government intervention is necessary. She proposes ceasing foreclosure proceedings for 90 days to allow borrowers and lenders to work on modifications, instituting a five-year interest-rate freeze on adjustable-rate subprime mortgages for primary residences only, and the use of government-backed mortgages to refinance borrowers who can no longer manage their monthly payments.

Meanwhile, Obama says that government involvement will force lenders to put the brakes on making new loans and modifications. Instead, he is focusing on stricter penalties for predatory lenders, tax credits for mortgage interest, and a $10 billion fund dedicated to preventing foreclosure and assisting first-time buyers.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos (02/20/08)

If you plan on attending the funeral service for Patricia, here are the details:

Friday, February 15th, 2008

• Viewing and Rosary at Allen Mortuary, 247 North Broadway, Turlock, CA (map)
  • Viewing: 2:00pm to 5:00pm
  • Rosary: 6:00pm

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

• Church Service: 10:00am
  • Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1301 Cooper Avenue, Turlock, CA (map)
• Burial to follow at Hilmar Cemetery
• Lunch to follow at Dan Ramos Community Center in Hilmar

U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), after a private meeting with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, said the central bank chief anticipates signs of a rebound in the housing market by the end of 2008.

Concerns remain that the market downturn will cause an economic recession, which prompted the Fed to cut interest rates recently.

Meanwhile, despite an “unusually uncertain” economic outlook, San Francisco Fed President Janet Yellen says the country will avoid an “outright recession.” A survey of economic forecasters by the Philadelphia Fed indicates slightly less than 50-50 odds of a recession.

Source: Investor’s Business Daily (02/13/08)

PMZ mourned the loss of Patricia Campbell on Friday, January 8th, 2008.

Campbell was born and raised in Turlock, California. She enjoyed a successful career as an agent here at PMZ Real estate for nearly 6 years.  Campbell believed that giving back to her community was important and stayed active in her church and community activities.

She is survived by her sons, and her beloved grandchildren.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Campbell family.

Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, 77 percent of homeowners believe that their homes are worth as much or more as they were in 2006, according to a Harris Interactive survey conducted for Zillow.com.

And 36 percent say their homes increased in value in 2007.

The slow market also isn’t discouraging homeowners from major transactions. Despite what they read and hear about the real estate market, 34 percent say they are equally or more likely to consider selling their homes this year, and 35 percent are just as likely as before to take out a home equity loan. 36 percent would consider a second mortgage.

Homeowners continue to forge ahead on projects that they believe improve the value of their homes. In 2008:

82 percent will spend the same or more on minor home improvements (install new garbage disposal, repaint or wallpaper a room).
67 percent say they will spend the same or more on major home improvements (replace the roof, remodel the kitchen).

Are people just in denial? Not really, says Stan Humphries, Zillow.com vice president of data and analytics. “This likely reflects the fact that most Americans have not realized home-related losses because they’re staying in their homes,”

Source: Zillow.com (02/07/2008)

Do you love the Wizard of Oz?  Maybe you have a few little tykes who you think might.  Well come on down to The State Theatre tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 to get your free tickets.

That’s right, FREE!  For the first 100 children under the age of 12, at the 4:30 showing of The Wizard of Oz, PMZ Real Estate will foot the bill for the ticket.  That’s 100 kids, and 100 free tickets.

So take off work a little early tomorrow and bring your kids down for a special treat!