Bay Area REBlog

On the CBS Early Show there was a spot about granite countertops emitting radon gases.  Radon is a “cancer causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste”. Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Now some experts are claiming that radon gases are being released in possibly toxic amounts by granite and that certain [...]

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At least in one respect, it looks like the FHA has come to the rescue of neighborhoods which have been plagued by abandoned houses due to foreclosure. There has been a 90 day antiflipping rule which states the FHA will not insure a mortgage loan if the property had been transferred within 90 days from [...]

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Here’s a great map (courtesy of Paul Kedrosky) showing the first wave of Starbucks 600 proposed closures. They correlate rather well with areas impacted by foreclosures due to subprime mortgage resets. 

Foreclosures from the New York Times

You can read more about the Starbucks reorganization in the Atlanta Business Chronicle. We’ll have to wait and see if the next [...]

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I think one important thing that consumers need to be reminded about is that you can’t and shouldn’t play the housing market like the stock market.  It’s not a quick-in, quick-out type of investment.  Real estate is meant to be a long-term investment–one that historically speaking, yields positive results.  If buyers intend to be in [...]

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I’ve just put my new listing at 1556 Todd Street in Mountain View on the market. It’s a great house – Three bedrooms/ 2 baths with Los Altos schools, remodeled kitchen, hardwood floors, new roof, private back yard with lots of fruit trees. Listed at $998,000 it is going to sell quickly.
It’ll be on broker’s tour on [...]

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