Brian Ripp ~ Your Bay Area & Fremont Real Estate & Financial Agent

Street trees are a great asset to the community, as well as individual property owners.  For many years, the City of Fremont has maintained street tree and repaired the damage caused by them to residential sidewalks as a service to the adjoining property owner.  This approach was always contrary to State law, which maintains property owners are responsible.  Now, due to budget  and staffing reductions, these services will no longer be provided.

Beginning June 24, the responsibility will now shift to property owners to maintain their street trees and sidewalks.  In addition, property owners will be responsible for damages caused by improper tree maintenance.

To view the new Street Tree Guidelines and Sidewalk Repair Guidelines, go to Fremont.gov Or call the city maintenance at 979-5700

information from Fremont’s summer 2010 “Fremont City News”

Here are a few tips you can do to help in the quest to ‘go green’.

1. Reduce, recycle, reuse, and buy recycled.  We use a ‘blue’ bin and recycle paper and bottles & cans.

2. Turn off your computer & lights when not in use.

3. Recycle ink cartridges.

4. Use you notepad wisely. Use the entire page, then turn it over and use the other side.

5. Watch what you print.

6. Install motion sensor lights.

7. Buy “energy star” office equipment.

8. Open the blinds. Turn down the lights and let the sun shine in.

9. Recycle old cell phones.

10. Do it yourself.  If the office doesn’t recycle, you can lead the way.

One of the best ways to select a contractor is to ask friends or relatives for recommendations.  Make sure they have worker’s compensation insurance and general liability insurance in case of accidents on the job. 

Building codes set minimum safety standards for construction.  Generally, a building permit is required whenever structural work is involved.   The contractor should obtain all necessary building permits.

• Hire only licensed contractors.
• Contact the Contractors State License Board at www.cslb.com.gov or at 800-321-2752 to verify the contractor’s license.
• Get three references and review past work.
• Get at least three bids.
• Get a written contract and don’t sign anything until you completely understand the terms.
• Pay 10 percent down or $1,000 whichever is less.
• Don’t let payments get ahead of the work.
• Don’t pay cash.
• Don’t make a final payment until you are satisfied with the job.
• Don’t rush into repairs or be pressured into making an immediate decision.

Spring and summer projects are getting underway.  Good luck with your home improvements!

Governor Schwarzenegger today signed AB 183 providing $200 million for home buyer tax credits.  The bill allocates $100 million for qualified first-time home buyers who purchase existing homes and $100 million for purchasers of new, or previously unoccupied, homes.

Eligible taxpayers who close escrow on qualified principal residences between May 1, 2010 and December, 31, 2010, or who close escrow on a qualified principal residence on and after December 31, 2010 and before August 1, 2011, pursuant to an enforceable contract executed on or before December 31, 2010, will be able to take the allowed tax credit.

This credit is equal to the lesser of 5 percent of the purchase price or $10,000, taken in equal installments over three consecutive years. Under the bill, purchasers will be required to live in the home as their principal residence for at least two years or forfeit the credit (i.e. repay it to the state).  Buyers also must be at least 18 years old and be unrelated to the seller.  First-time buyers are defined as those who have not owned a home in the past three years.

 A new study by the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate finds that more immigrants are choosing to put down roots in mid-size cities rather than larger gateway areas, in part because many smaller metro areas feature established, growing neighborhoods of fellow immigrants and less competition for entry-level jobs. The study, “Immigrants and Housing Markets in Mid-Size Metropolitan Areas,” finds that mid-size markets, such as Nashville, Detroit, Colorado Springs, Colo., Minneapolis, Sarasota, Fla., and El Paso, Texas, had an average 27 percent increase in new immigrant population at a time when the major gateway cities are losing residents. The largest numbers of immigrants came from Mexico and China. The study estimates that immigrants and their descendents will make up 82 percent of U.S. population growth over the next 40 years. re Immigrants Choose to Live in Mid-Size Cities A new study by the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate finds that more immigrants are choosing to put down roots in mid-size cities rather than larger gateway areas, in part because many smaller metro areas feature established, growing neighborhoods of fellow immigrants and less competition for entry-level jobs. The study, “Immigrants and Housing Markets in Mid-Size Metropolitan Areas,” finds that mid-size markets, such as Nashville, Detroit, Colorado Springs, Colo., Minneapolis, Sarasota, Fla., and El Paso, Texas, had an average 27 percent increase in new immigrant population at a time when the major gateway cities are losing residents. The largest numbers of immigrants came from Mexico and China. The study estimates that immigrants and their descendents will make up 82 percent of U.S. population growth over the next 40 years.

from CRS member connect newsletter

The City of Fremont uses a Community Alert System, CodeRED®, which is provided by Emergency Communications Network. The CodeRED®system is a high-speed notification system that gives City officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency alerts and non-emergency notifications to targeted geographic areas or the entire city.  CodeRED® is a “reverse 911” system that currently contains land-line phone numbers for most residents and businesses.  The community is encouraged to enroll additional information to receive notifications by email, SMS (text), and cell or work numbers.

Additional information visit: http://www.fremont.gov/index.aspx?NID=1024
 information obtained from the City of Fremont’s website

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker – your Bay Area Realtor
www.BrianRipp.com  serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities.
Real Estate & Property Management.

Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6% to 94.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May, and is 6.7% above June 2008 when it was 88.7. The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was in July 2003.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a combination of positive market factors is fueling the gains. “Historically low mortgage interest rates, affordable home prices and large selection are encouraging buyers who’ve been on the sidelines. Activity has been consistently much stronger for lower priced homes,” he said. ”Because it may take as long as two months to close on a home after signing a contract, first-time buyers must act fairly soon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit because they must close on the sale by November 30.”

November is coming soon, if you’d like to start your home search – contact me or visit my web site and search yourself.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker – your Bay Area Realtor

www.BrianRipp.com  serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

Plumbing problems like a clogged drain or smelly garbage disposal can be inconvenient, but are fairly simple to correct on your own.  Other problems require you to hire a professional and can be quite costly.  To avoid plumbing problems, both small and extensive, keep the following maintenance and preventative suggestions in mind:

In the kitchen:

·         Never pour grease down the drain. Wipe congealed grease from pans with a paper towel before rinsing in the sink.

·         Do not put such foods in your garbage disposal as coffee grounds, celery, corn husks, pumpkin or squash, banana peels, raw meat, bones, rice or pasta.

·         Vacuum your refrigerator’s coils regularly to help it cool more efficiently.

In the bathroom:

·         Put strainers in your tubs and showers to trap hair and keep drains flowing smoothly; be sure to clean them regularly.

·         Do not attempt to flush facial tissues, sanitary products or diapers.  Anything other than toilet paper should be thrown away in the trash, not the toilet.

In the garage:

·         Check your water meter when no water is being used, then check it again several hours later. If you notice a significant change in the reading, you may have an undetected water leak.

·         Annually check the hoses on your washing machine for signs of creacking or weak sots.  Replace if needed.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker – your Bay Area Realtor

www.BrianRipp.com   Serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

The evening news is beginning to sound more and more like the children’s fable, Chicken Little – who proclaims “the sky is falling!”  With unemployment on the rise and an uncertain economy, buying a house may be the last thing on your mind.  But if you’ve been waiting to purchase a home, now may be the perfect time.  Here’s why:

* It’s actually more affordable now.  According to the National Association of REALTORS, the housing affordability index, which measures home prices, mortgage interest rates and family income, is more favorable now than any other time since NAR started the index 1970.

* You get a break on taxes.  As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, first-time buyers (anyone who has not bought or owned a home in the past three years) can take advantage of a tax credit up to $8,000.

* Big selection and big discounts.  There is a large inventory of homes on the market, so you have a variety from which to choose.  Many builders and home sellers are also offering incentives to help move inventory.  Not only are home prices low, but mortgage rates are lower than they’ve been in years.

* Price of ownership.  Want to paint your bedroom midnight blue? Go ahead.  In your own home, you get to make the decorating decisions that reflect your personal sense of style.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker – your Bay Area Realtor

www.BrianRipp.com  serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

Home sales increased 35.2 percent in May in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home declined 30.4 percent, C.A.R. reported last week. “With affordability for first-time buyers at a record high, sales of existing, single-family homes continued to remain above the 500,000 level for the ninth consecutive month,” said C.A.R. President James Liptak. “Buyers are beginning to realize that the combination of favorable home prices, historically low mortgage rates, and first-time home buyer tax credits, may not align again for many years.
“The sales gains over last year have diminished in recent months,” he added. “This trend is expected to continue through the end of the year, as limited inventory at the moderate and low end of the market constrains sales activity,” he said.

I read this great information from my Calif. Association of Realtors e-mail update. www.car.org   

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker – your Bay Area Realtor

 http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp