Everything you need to know about commuting in Sacramento.

The old adage “Location, location, location,” applies to home buying not just because we want to live in a good neighborhood, but because of where we need to go from there. Most people still have to commute to and from work every day, so navigating the roads and highways and sitting in traffic can constitute a significant portion of our time each week.

Add in our need to drop the kids at school, take them to sports and activities, run errands around town, and maybe even drive somewhere fun on the weekends, and the locationx3 adage rings truer than ever.

In fact, the average daily commute for those living and working in the greater Sacramento region is now almost 90 minutes – or an hour and a half each and every work day!

So, to ensure that you’re factoring in commute times when you decide to buy a house in a certain area, here is some great information on how long it takes to drive to and from work in Sacramento.

Although it’s slightly outdated now, a 2015 article in the Sacramento Business Journal entitled “Worst and Best Cities for Commutes” analyzed average commute times among 20 popular neighborhoods and cities in the greater Sacramento area. Using Google Maps, they determined the typical time to drive to work, and then come home in the afternoon or evening (AM and PM commute times were often very different).

Highlights of the list of commute times in the Sacramento region:

1. West Sacramento

Average round trip: 65 minutes

2. Sacramento (Midtown, East Sacramento and on the Grid)

Average round trip: 65 minutes

3. Rancho Cordova

Average round trip: 73 minutes

4. Citrus Heights

Average round trip: 78 minutes

5. Davis

Average round trip: 82 minutes

6. Folsom

Average round trip: 82 minutes

7. Carmichael

Average round trip: 84 minutes

8. Roseville

Average round trip: 85 minutes

9. Fair Oaks

Average round trip: 85 minutes

10. Rocklin

Average round trip: 94 minutes

11. El Dorado Hills

Average round trip: 97minutes

12. Granite Bay

Average round trip: 99 minutes

13. Elk Grove

Average round trip: 106 minutes

14. Auburn

Average round trip: 108 minutes

15. Lincoln

Average round trip: 114 minutes

According to various studies, here are some interesting facts about Sacramento roadways and commute times:

Last year, the busiest traffic day of the year in Sacramento was Thursday, December 15.

In total, we travel more than 1,382,908 miles on Sacramento’s 13,841 miles of roads (highways are only 171 miles of that!).

The average person spends an extra 28 minutes per day, or 106 hours per year, commuting because of traffic congestion. That’s more than four whole days we sit in traffic unnecessarily because the roadways are too crowded!

Friday after work traffic? Research shows that when it comes to evening commute times, Wednesday and Friday are second only to Thursdays – while Mondays and Fridays are lowest.

Sacramento suffers a 22 percent congestion level, which means that it takes approximately 22 percent longer to get from Point A to Point B because of traffic congestion Notably, that’s up 3 percent from just last year.

However, there is a story within a story for that congestion percentage.

In fact, Sacramento’s traffic congestion rate for:

Morning peaks times +38%

Evening peak time (after 5 PM) +54%

Highways +15%

Non-highways +26%

There’s another dynamic we have to mention when we talk about Sacramento traffic and commuting: The Bay Area. Specifically, there are plenty of people who now live in Sactown and make the long drive (or train ride) down to San Francisco or even the Silicon Valley for work.

At last estimate, there were about 120,000 Sacramento residents who have jobs based in the Bay Area. While many of them may work virtually, just go down to the Bay every few days, or stay overnight there during the week, approximately 17,000 people who live in Sacramento make the long commute to the Bay every working day.

To put it in perspective, that’s about the same number as a sell-out at a Sacramento Kings game!

Of course, with all of the benefits of growth and enrichment in the Sacramento region (including a boon to home values), there is a significant downside on the traffic situation, prolonging our commutes.

In fact, Sacramento was the fastest-growing city in all of California last year!

Not only is the Queen City growing organically, but a large portion of people moving to Sacramento for the first time are actually coming from the Bay Area, choosing to live in Sactown and commute back to San Francisco or Silicon Valley every day.

The swelling street traffic and clogging congestion weighs heavily on Sacramentan’s minds. In fact, a new poll by Valley Vision and Sacramento State’s Institute for Social Research (ISR) find that reducing traffic (and therefore, commute times), is the regions “most serious” transportation issue.

“The findings of this transportation poll offer valuable information to local policy makers on investments and priorities for advancing transportation and mobility infrastructure for our communities at a time when improvements are of increasing importance,” said Valley Vision chief executive Bill Mueller. “Valley Vision believes that having a greater understanding of residents’ transportation uses, needs and challenges will serve to better direct regional planning and goal-setting.”

Speaking of which, what are the viable solutions on the table to help reduce Sacramento resident commute times? The first (and best) one to look at is an investment in public transportation, as even a 10% decrease in cars on our roads and highways during rush hour will ease traffic flow.

Ridesharing is also an important stopgap measure. However, research shows that 69% of respondents (nearly 7 out of 10 people) drive alone most of the time!

So, why don’t people use public transportation more? In this same poll, respondents cited safety concerns and stops that were too far from their homes as the major reasons why they didn’t take advantage of public transportation more.

“Capitalizing on residents’ willingness to increase use of public transit is imperative to congestion relief strategies,” said Henry Li, Sacramento Regional Transit District General Manager/CEO. “As the region’s population continues to grow, our ability to coordinate planning, inject new investment, and assert needed policy actions are all vital to delivering public transit that serves residents’ needs today and in the future.”

It just goes to show that the old adage is true – and choosing your location wisely is paramount when buying a house. But, more than ever, that also includes factoring in your commute times to and from work.

 

Small home? Here are 20 hacks to make it look and feel bigger!

Square footage is always at a premium when you buy a home, but that’ even more so as prices climb and centralized neighborhoods become more attractive.

In fact, the average square footage of new homes has gone down since the zenith of McMansions in the mid-2000s. In neighborhoods like East Sacramento, Arden, midtown, Curtis Park, and more, we often find a lot of smaller homes – often with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and maybe only around 1,000 square feet – that are otherwise charming and perfect.

So, how can you make the most out of a small home, and make it look and feel much larger than it really is? Here are 20 hacks that “solve” your small home dilemma.

Hint: I can even help you with #20!

1. Install floor to ceiling bookshelves to make your rooms look taller. It’s also great for additional storage and you’ll look well read!

2. Add outdoor living spaces to extend the use of your home. This can be a wrap-around porch, an outdoor eating area, a covered patio, or a sitting area to enjoy your wine/coffee and greet your neighbors in the front of your home.

3. Remove unneeded walls, opening up the floorplan and making it appear bigger. (For instance, many smaller homes in East Sacramento have a wall separating the kitchen from the living area that can be taken down with the addition of a new header beam by a licensed contractor.

4. Add a breakfast bar across a window or even “floating” on the wall. Breakfast bars and counters save you a lot of space by eliminating the need for a whole table.

5. Use large mirrors to trick the eye into seeing the room as much larger than it really is. Mirrors are also great for spreading natural light.

6. Turn your eyesore fence into the highlight of your yard by covering it with vines, stone, colorful paint, strings of outdoor lighting, or other decorations.

7. To maximize space and add more storage, install a loft over your desk or office, in the spare bedroom, or over your main garage area.

8. If you have a two-story home but are cramped for space, a contractor can transform your plain staircase into a storage dream. The stairwell is particularly spacious, and each riser can be turned into a separate drawer, too.

9. If you can’t remove walls (because of load-bearing issues), you can easily swap doors for sliding walls, opening up options for multi-purpose spaces.

 

10. Or, reconstruct walls with interior glass panes, windows, or opaque materials that allow natural light to go pass.

11. Adding a nice shelf over your kitchen sink (even across the window) frees up a lot of countertop space.

12. Too often, people think that they need to paint small rooms all-white to make them look larger and brighter. However, a fun and funky paint color can revive old cabinets, adding personality and interest in the kitchen.

13. For bedrooms and living areas, try the opposite: go with a white motif and color pattern. Your place will look more modern and airy, and any color that you do have (like paintings, pillows, etc.) will really jump out!

14. Just about any window can be expanded to a floor-to-ceiling window or French door!

15. Floating, fold-down, and floor-to-ceiling shelves are all great, but they still take up valuable airspace in your small home. However, you can easily build shelves into the recesses of each wall, so they’ll only slight protrude—or not at all.

16. Small bedroom with very limited storage space? Dreaming of a bigger bed—and a walk-in closet. You can actually have both by building a large sleeping loft in the bedroom that with a full closet underneath!

17. Postage stamp-sized backyard? Dreaming of a swimming pool on hot days? A small pool is better than no pool, and they make all sorts of easy-to-install pools that fit in any corner of your yard.

18. I love this idea;- make use of empty corners by building in small shelving. You can even hang rods in the bedroom and closets across corners to hang clothing.

19. Not only can you use a floating desk, nightstand, or breakfast bar to save space, but they can actually fold down from the wall—and go back up again when you need the room.

20. Buy a bigger house! Problem solved!

 

 

Seller’s Paradise in Sacramento

If you’re a homeowner in the Sacramento area and thinking about putting a For Sale sign in your front yard, the perfect storm of market factors is now in your favor – a veritable seller’s paradise.

No matter if you’re listing your home with the ultimate goal of cashing in on a half-decade of rising prices, relocating to a more desirable neighborhood, or even selling and downsizing, now may be the ideal time to get started.

If you live in Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, or other surrounding counties, don’t worry – your ship has come in, too, with much of the same rise in equity that Sacramento homeowners have seen.

But this won’t last for forever.

Already we see one key indicator of a healthy cool-down, the average Days on Market, increasing slightly. Add in the fact that mortgage interest rates have nudged higher (but are still great), and it’s clear that your window to sell for top dollar is wide open at this moment, but may start to gently close.

Let’s look at why it’s a home seller’s paradise in Sactown right now:

Homes in the greater Sacramento area have seen an unprecedented run of price appreciation. In fact, median residential real estate prices have gone up every single month over the last six years – at least 72 months of positive growth!

For instance, if your home appreciated only 1% every month during that 72-month spell, your house would now be worth 72% more than it was back in 2012.

However, homeowners should be overjoyed that we’re not talking about only marginal increases. In fact, as of the April 2018 resale home report, Sacrament county prices jumped to $356,000 year-to-year, an impressive 13% annual increase.

Likewise, Placer County now boasts a median home price of $479,500 – up 7.9% from this time last year, and El Dorado County homes sit at a $450,000 median that’s 4% higher than a year ago.

Remember that example I gave above of a home that is worth 72% more than in 2012 (assuming that it only went up 1% every month)? Well, the true appreciation could be much more than that. In fact, the median home price in Sacramento County hit the skids in late 2011 and early 2012 at only $155,000! That also means that we’ve seen prices double -and then some- over in that same period.

There’s even more room to grow, as the Sacramento median price still sits below the all-time high that was recorded in the mid-2000s, pre-real estate crash and mortgage meltdown. In fact, the median property price was $360,00 in 2006.

At first glance, it may look like we’re close to that all-time high number. However, economists point out that if you adjust for inflation (2006 dollars versus 2018 dollars), the Sacramento median back then was probably closer to $442,000 in today’s value.

So, why not sit tight and wait for homes to keep appreciating?
Aside from the Average Days on Market statistic (that I mentioned earlier) ticking up, we’re also experiencing increases in available home sale inventory. More inventory = more options for buyers + less competition, which results in less upward pressure on prices.
Additionally, a good deal of these rosy appreciation and sales volume numbers include new home sales, which were unusually vibrant early this year after a long pause in new home building.

Don’t forget, too, that summer is HOT home buying season, as most families prefer to buy and move in before the school year starts. So, the summer and fall are always the most active times of the year for listings, buyers, and price bumps.

But what will the market look like this fall and into the winter?

Will the Days on Market continue to increase, forcing sellers into more price reductions? Will mortgage interest rates edge up again, bringing this seller-friendly market back in balance? Will demand wane as Sacramento wage earners can’t justify paying prices that are inching closer to those in the Bay Area?

Remember that there is never one exact, perfect time to sell your home since so many factors are in play (including the desire to buy a different house here once you sell!).

Therefore, this is no dire warning that you NEED to sell now or that there’s another real estate bubble ready to pop soon. (You don’t and it’s not.)

However, statistical evidence and market trends all point to the fact that the top of the home price mountain is in sight, so if you want to cash in and get top dollar (without the risk of selling as the market softens), we should list your home very soon!

Love thy neighbor? We don’t like or even know our neighbors according to new surveys.

Do you love your neighbors? How about like them? Even know them on a first-name basis?

Maybe not, according to a new study. In fact, your relationship with those who live around you may not even be amicable according to a new study, which reveals that 42% of Americans surveyed admit to having some sort of dispute, issue, or problem with at least one of their neighbors.

So, today, we wanted to look past the anger and resentment and look at the actual statistics on neighbor disputes.

36% of people polled admit to having issues with their neighbor that was so serious that they grew into full-scale arguments. About one in ten of these even erupted into physical confrontations!

These arguments often linger into prolonged feuds, as 1 in 4 has a long-running conflict with one of their neighbors.

Sometimes, petty disputes between fellow homeowners or renters can escalate into all-out battles. For instance, problems grow so profound that 1 out of 5 survey respondents admitted calling the police on their neighbor.

And 1 in 4 (25%) said that their neighbor’s aggrievances were so grating that they “significantly reduced” their daily happiness and cause “serious stress.”

According to numerous studies, these are the top reasons people argue or don’t get along with their neighbors:

1. 1. Noise
2. 2. Parking dispute
3. 3. Trash
4. 4. Dogs, pets, and animals
5. 5. Ill-acting guests
6. 6. Children
7. 7. The physical appearance of their home
8. 8. Property boundaries
9. 9. Suspected criminal behavior
10. 10. Health or safety issues

Sometimes, we don’t necessarily want a confrontation with our neighbors, just to avoid them. Research shows that up to 40% – or 4 out of every 10 – people try to purposely avoid bumping into or talking with their neighbors.

But we shouldn’t always take it as a personal affront if our neighbor doesn’t stop and chat or even say hello. Studies show that the top reason people avoid their neighbor is that they’re too busy, themselves, to exchange pleasantries.

However, the next four reasons fall into the “it’s not me, it’s you” category:

2. 2. The neighbors are too noisy
3. 3. They are too weird
4. 4. We don’t get along
5. 5. Other reasons

Sometimes, problems between neighbors never get resolved, and both parties just find an unhappy peace. Or, in extreme cases, homeowners may even sell their homes and move because of problematic residents next door.

In fact, 16% of respondents have moved houses or apartments because of a bad neighbor (or that was one of the factors), and 20% are now considering moving, or have done so in the past.

Problems, disputes, and strained relationships between those living side-by-side certainly seem to be worse in cities, where people are crowded in more tightly (and more likely to share walls in apartments, etc.) In fact, a report shows that city residents are twice as like to have their personal items stolen by one of their neighbors (or so they suspect).

However, while we might guess that noise disturbance complaints would be much higher in cities, they occurred at almost the same rate as in the suburbs and countryside.

The cliché of nosey neighbors sometimes can be true, as 20% of those polled – or 1 in every 5 – said that their neighbor spies on them at times, watching their home, peeping at their windows, and paying attention to who else comes and goes.

Sometimes, things get a little more than friendly between neighbors. For instance, 1 in 6 surveyed admit that they’ve had a neighbor flirt with them at some point – or flat out make a move!

That trend of is even worse in cities, where 1 in 4 reports that they’ve fended off advances from flirting neighbors.

Amorous advances aside, how did most people deal with irritating and disrespectful neighbors? 86% of people who answered the poll said that “they took some kind of action.”

Those steps to rectify the problem included:

• 49% Discussed the issue with the neighbor directly.

• 27% Called the police.

• 15% Notified the homeowners association.

• 14% Just let it be and took no action.

• 12% Sued them, filed a legal complaint, went to court or some sort of mediation.

• 11% Sent a note, letter, or email to the neighbor with their complaint.

But it’s not all bad when it comes to neighborly relations.

In fact, 23% of respondents say that they have neighbors who they consider their friends,

30% admit that they trust their neighbors a lot and 86% rate themselves as good or very good neighbors! (Although the folks that live around them might not agree.)

Maybe, we just need to reach out and spend more time with those who live around us, fostering a sense of togetherness and community? According to data, only about 20% of Americans regularly spend any time at all with their neighbors, and about 33% report having never spent any time with the folks who live around them! In fact, about one in three

That’s a far cry from a few decades ago, as polls from the 1980s reveal that our neighbors were often our best friends, when a similar one-third share of Americans used to hang out with their neighbors socially at least two times per week.

So, once you’re done reading this, go say hi to your neighbor!

No “Ragrets!” Avoiding these top home buyer real estate regrets.

Think back to when you bought your current home. For some of you, that was years and years ago. But for others, it’s been just a few months and you’re still settling in. Regardless of when you purchased your last home, is there something that you wished you did differently?

It could be something small, like choosing a home with ceiling fans (darn Sacramento summers) or one where you didn’t have to paint four coats to cover those bright pink bathroom walls. Or, it could be big regrets, like buying a home that you’re already outgrowing or (gulp) buying in a neighborhood that you don’t really care for.

Whatever they are, a surprising number of homebuyers report having ragrets…oops, I mean regrets…about their last purchase. So, today, we’re going to uncover those regrets in hopes that you can avoid them when you’re making your next home purchase.

According to comprehensive surveys of homeowners and recent home buyers, 53% report having at least one regret concerning their last home purchase, and a significant number had multiple misgivings about their purchase.

What do homebuyers regret the most?

34% of homebuyers regret not buying larger home, with more square footage and/or more bedrooms and bathrooms. Only 11% of buyers say that their current home is too big and they wish they’d bought a smaller house.

For those of you keep score at home, that’s a 3-to1 ratio of buyers who wished they’d gone bigger instead of smaller.

Other regrets:

14% of homeowners surveyed wish they’d shopped around for a better mortgage, including a better interest rate.

Speaking of mortgages, about 12% of homebuyers regret not investing a large down payment when purchasing, or answered, “I wish I had borrowed less against my home.” (Interestingly, only 4% wished they had put less money down for the down payment.)

And 14% expressed that they should have chosen a different real estate agent for that purchase (probably the same 14% that want a new loan officer!).

Financial regrets:

When it comes to financial can-do, home buyers express some past reservations, too. In fact, 16% said that they should have been more financially secure before they purchased a home, and 12% admit that they didn’t fully understand the costs that came with owning a home.

However, considering the alternative of renting, nearly all home buyers (89%) report that they made a wise financial decision for the long term.

House regrets:

The condition of the home – or how much they needed to fix it up – also weighed heavily on their minds. In fact,
27% of home buyers regret not doing more remodeling right when they bought the home, compared to only 5% that say they’d remodel less.

To put it in perspective, that’s 5x the number of homebuyers that would remodel more instead of less if they could do it all over again!

Neighborhood regrets:

It’s worth noting that a lot of homeowner regrets focused on the three principal home buying priorities, “location, location, and location.” In fact, 15% of homebuyers wish they’d bought in a neighborhood that’s closer to their work because the commute is too long.

9% would have chosen a neighborhood with less crime,
7% choose a neighborhood with better schools if they can do it again,
and a significant 14% regret not getting more information about the neighborhood before buying there.

First-time homebuyer regrets:

Of course, by the time you’re ready to buy your second and even third home, you’re practically a seasoned pro when it comes to making prudent real estate decisions. So we see the highest prevalence of homebuyer regrets among first-time homebuyers. In fact, at least one in five first-time homebuyers (or 20%) surveyed expressed at least one regret.

62% wished they’d bought a bigger home because they outgrew it too quickly,
38% were surprised by how much it took to maintain a home,
24% feel they should have negotiated more or shipped around for a better mortgage rate,
and, regretfully, 25% found out AFTER they bought the house and moved in that they didn’t really like the neighborhood!

That last item is worth a closer look, so what kind of neighborhood/property regrets did these first-time buyers have?

Of those with regrets, 24% had qualms related to their yard (about half of them wished their yard was bigger, while the other half want a yard that’s easier to maintain).
And 17% expressed regrets about their parking situation, both the ease of street parking and the prevalence of others parking in front of their property.

Homeowners aren’t the only ones with regrets:

While only a minuscule 3% of homeowners wished they had rented instead of buying, at least 42% of all renters express regret that they haven’t bought a home.

There were also some notable “non-regrets,” too!

Overall, only 4% of homebuyers surveyed said that they’d bought a house that was too expensive, which is such an insignificant percentage.
And only 5% of all homebuyers reported that they bought too soon, and should have waited longer to purchase a home.

Homebuyer regrets and age differences:

Understandably, there’s a natural curve of home buyer regrets based on age bracket, as younger buyers are less inexperienced and make more errors. Over time, they have the chance to get it right, so their level of regrets go down – but it doesn’t always follow that pattern.

In fact, home buyers from Generation X (42 to 54 years old) are the most likely to have regrets, as 61% report wishing they could do something differently when they purchased (Millennials were next with 57%).

A top regret among Millennials and Gen Xers was not saving more for a down payment (which is different than wishing they put more down when purchasing). Gen Xers also led the regret race when it came to wishing they’d done more research (19%), being better informed about the mortgage process (19%), and learning more about buying a home ahead of time (16%).

What we can learn from past regrets:

Homebuyers, no matter what age or how experienced they are, should make sure to do plenty of research, work with a professional they trust, and ask plenty of questions. But they should also never be shy about buying a home that’s a little bit bigger and in a better neighborhood than they think they need or want right now. They also almost universally agree that right now is the time to buy so there’s no need to wait!

The Sacramento guide to Lady Bird

Have you seen the movie “Lady Bird” yet?

This coming-of-age story of a Catholic high school senior, Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, is taking the film world by storm, with a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a nomination for Best Picture in the upcoming Oscars.

Lady Bird was also written and directed by Greta Gerwig, who grew up in River Park and graduated St. Francis High School. In fact, Lady Bird is Gerwig’s semi-autobiographical, self-professed “love letter” to Sacramento (based in 2002), which she refers to a Midwest city in California.

“I grew up in Sacramento and I love Sacramento,” Says Gerwig. “So the initial impulse to make the film was a desire to write a love letter to a place that only came into focus after I left.”

Much of the film was shot on location right here in the heart of Sacramento, with movie viewers catching a glimpse of plenty of local landmarks, sites, and neighborhoods. In fact, according to the Sacramento tourism board, the Lady Bird’s success has invigorated interest in the city, with visitors paying homage to the real-life locations shown in the film.

Whether you’ve seen Lady Bird already or plan on catching it soon, here’s a list of Sacrament sights and venues you’ll spot in the film:

The Fabulous 40s

Of course, much of the film focuses on the theme that Lady Bird is from the “wrong side of the tracks,” and tries to fit in with her East Sacramento boyfriend and schoolmates.

And the most visible house in the movie is a beautiful blue colonial in the Fab 40s, the neighborhood between J Street and Folsom Boulevard steeped in tradition with some of the nicest homes in all of Sacramento. The real home is on the 1200 block of 44^th Street in East Sacramento, which Lady Bird views longingly until she finds out that her beau’s grandmother owns it.

When they all do sit down to Thanksgiving dinner at that house, the turkey used in the movie was donated by Corti Brothers, another East Sacramento institution!

We also get a glimpse of a beautiful home located at 1341 45^th Street in the movie, which is well known by Sacramentans as the home of Ronald and Nancy Reagan during his time as Governor from 1967 to 1975. They broke tradition and choose to live in this East Sac house instead of the Governor’s Mansion because Mrs. Reagan thought that the mansion was “a fire trap.”

McKinley Park

Speaking of East Sacramento, the epicenter of live past midtown is McKinley Park, which is also featured in the film, It’s within the colorful confines of the park’s rose gardens where Lady Bird and her new boyfriend first professed their mercurial couple love.

American Market & Deli

2331 N Street

In the movie, Lady Bird bought a lottery ticket, cigarettes, and a Playgirl magazine after just turning 18 years old. Gurpreet Singh, the real-life store co-owner, played the proprietor in the film, too, and says that people now come in every day to take photos of the store and with him. “They are excited they know a person in the film,” says Singh.

Club Raven

3246 J Street

The 71-year-old East Sac watering hole, affectionately called the “Dirty Bird,” made an appearance in the movie when Lady Bird attempted to purchase alcohol. Even a glimpse of the recognizable Club Raven neon sign in the movie is bringing in new business to the bar, including writer Gerwig’s mother, who donated an “I Love Lady Bird” button to the ‘Bird.

Gunther’s Ice Cream

2801 Franklin Boulevard

We see the iconic ice cream shop Gunthers in a quick drive-by scene in the movie but have to think that Gerwig purposely included it. In fact, in “Frances Ha,” a 2013 movie that she co-wrote and starred in, we see the characters eating ice cream at Burr’s Fountain in East Sac, which sells Vic’s ice cream – Gunther’s rival!

Thrift Town

410 El Camino Avenue

In the movie, Lady Bird and her mother go to this second-hand store in Carmichael to pick out her dress for Thanksgiving. They end up fighting, as usual, but not before they do find a gown for her to wear at the first Turkey Day with her new boyfriend.

“We’ve seen an uptick in all of our stores these past few months,” says Wendy Steinmetz, Thrift Town co-owner. “The store where it was filmed is seeing and hearing more – definitely exciting for us.”

Wide Open Walls mural

This colorful street art mural makes a dynamic backdrop in the movie, but it’s a new addition, as it was added during the Wide Open Walls art festival that kicked off from August 9-19, in large part thanks to Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s advocacy.

The Tower Bridge

Probably Sacramento’s most identifiable landmark, the now-golden Tower Bridge (it was originally a gray silver color) is pictured in Lady Bird.

Although fleeting, you can also spot the Crest Theater and East Sac’s Pasty Shack in the movie, among others.

***

Did you see any other businesses, locations, or homes in Lady Bird that I missed? Feel free to share them with me!

 

 

 

10 Ways to sell your home for more money.

When it comes time to selling your home, everyone wants to walk away with as much profit as possible when the ink dries. So, I’ve put together this list of 10 ways to do just that based on my experience selling homes for top dollar, housing sales data, and industry research.

Here are 10 ways to sell your home for more money:

1. Address inspections early

When someone purchases your house, they’ll conduct inspections throughout the process to make sure it’s on good shape and free of significant defects. These almost always include a home inspection, a pest inspection, and possibly a roof inspection and more. What will they find? Instead of blindsiding them with termites in the foundation, a malfunctioning HVAC system, or a leaky roof, it always makes sense to address these things early, before we even list your home for sale.

If the buyer finds these things mid-way through the transaction, they may ask for a dramatic price reduction (in addition to having you pay to fix everything), or even get cold feet! But if your house has a clean bill of health going into their inspections process, all will run smoothly – and you won’t have to compromise on price.

You don’t necessarily need to pay for a complete round of inspections for no reason, of course, but if you detect a problem area or a system or feature is getting old, it may make sense to at least get a good contractor to take a look.

2. Carefully craft the listing description

We want to paint your home in the best light possible for the listing description, that short blurb that will appear on the MLS and other online sites. Photos are critical, too, but crafting the perfect listing description is beneficial so that your home will show up in searches and attract buyer attention. We can go over the wording together, but research shows that homes with these terms sell for higher prices:

“Move-in condition” sell for 12% higher than average.

“Gorgeous” sell for 15% higher than average.

“Landscaping” (often in the context of describing new or beautiful landscaping, etc.) sell for 20% higher than average.

Likewise, these words in your listing may correlate to a higher sales price:

“Fenced backyard.”

“Open concept.”

“Natural light.”

“Updated kitchen.”

Needless to say, just throwing these words into the text won’t guarantee your home sells for more, as the descriptors need to be accurate, too!

However, studies show that some words in your listing description won’t be as warmly received. In fact, if we use the terms “gourmet kitchen,” “ceramic tile,” “gold course,” or “custom built,” your home will take more Days on Market to sell!

3. Fix up the kitchen and bathrooms

When a buyer first walks into your home, there are several things they’ll focus on. But none is more important than the state of your kitchen and bathrooms.

In fact, research shows that when it comes to improving your home before selling, putting money into kitchens and bathrooms yields the highest Return on Investment (ROI).

Replacing outdated floor or shower tile (and definitely replace linoleum), adding a new sink vanity kit, a nice new towel rack and light fixture and a fresh coat of clean, neutral paint and you have a bathroom worthy of a design magazine – and a higher asking price.

Likewise, laying new tile in the kitchen, painting over worn cabinets (much cheaper than replacing), adding new fixtures and lighting, and adding a little wine fridge will typically equate to more views, offers, and a higher net profit when your listing sells.

4. Sell neighborhood amenities

People do not buy homes in a vacuum. They’re not just looking for a physical structure to provide a roof over their heads. (The days of the McMansion far out in the suburbs or even in an undesirable part of town are long gone.) Instead, home buyers are focusing on the greater experience and lifestyle their new home will afford them, and that means we should sell them on the neighborhood amenities.

Are there plenty of restaurants, cafes, and other fun shops nearby? Can they walk to their favorite coffee shop every morning, or even walk their kids to school? Is there a nice park in the vicinity? Are they half an hour closer to downtown or their job every morning in this new location? Are there amazing fairs, events, and block parties in the summertime?

All of these things no play a huge roll in a home buyer’s decision, and if we’re smart, we’ll make sure to sell them on these amenities to encourage the asking price of your home.

5. Price it right the first time

Your ultimate goal is still to receive the biggest check possible when your home sells, but homeowners sometimes misunderstand how to achieve that. Their first instinct may be to price the home unusually high in hopes of finding a buyer that agrees with their lofty opinion. But that’s actually the worst way to sell your home for top dollar, as it will be counterproductive in several ways.

First, overpricing your home means that it will receive less views, fewer buyers walking through, and only sporadic offers (if any). So, you’ll basically have to take whatever offer comes your way without much leverage in the negotiation.

Pricing your home too high also means that it will sit on the market much longer, and time is money in home sales. According to home sales research, the longer your home is on the market, the more likely your final sales price will be lowered. And you’ll probably be making additional mortgage payments if it sits without selling for extra months, which means you just lost the profit you were hoping to recoup.

Instead, we’ll sit down and carefully go over a Comparative Market Analysis before your home ever goes on the market, reviewing the Active, Pending, and Sold properties in your area that are similar to your home. Those are your competition, and any buyer (and, more importantly, the bank’s appraiser) will gauge your sales price against those other homes.

By pricing it right the first time, we can actually create quite a buzz the moment your home hits the market, attracting far more eager buyers and maybe even creating a bidding war!

The result will be top dollar for your home, as well as a smooth and efficient sales process!

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Look for part two of this blog, where I’ll cover the next five strategies to sell your home for more money. If you have questions about selling your home or how much it’s worth, please contact me anytime!

Your East Sacramento real estate market report.

It’s been called the Paris of Sacramento, the cultural epicenter of the region, and the best neighborhood in the City of Trees. There’s no denying that East Sacramento is one of the premier places to live, work, and play in all of Northern California.

Affectionately known as “East Sac,” those of us who live here enjoy its spacious, tree-lined streets, vibrant restaurant, café, and bar scene, myriad local fairs, festivals and events, eclectic architecture, and throwback family vibe.

But when it comes to real estate in East Sacramento, it’s all out business, as it’s also one of the most desirable and highest-priced areas in the capital city of California.

Here is a current real estate snapshot for East Sacramento:

The current median sale price for homes in East Sacramento is $575,000.

That’s an increase of approximately 8.2% from this time last year, and a significant jump from 2015 when the median home sale price was $460,750.

That’s a total recovery from when East Sacramento’s prices bottomed out five to seven years ago during the real estate crash and recession. In fact, the median home sale price in East Sac was only $350,000 as late as 2012!

Analysts expect East Sacramento will continue its healthy price increase, with conservative forecasts anticipating a 5.1% price increase throughout 2018.

Sizable lots are always in high demand in this premier Sacramento neighborhood, as are homes with significant square footage. For instance, the median price per square foot is 465, which is nearly double the Sacramento median $209 price per square foot!

Since East Sac is such a desirable area to live, even rental prices reflect the hot demand. The current median rent in East Sac is about $2,100. But that represents a wide spectrum of properties, as there are smaller apartments, modest one and two-bedroom homes, and many more available for rent, all the way up to larger houses and even mansions.

With well less than a hundred available homes for sale in East Sacramento at any given time, competition among home buyers is fierce – and sellers look to capitalize on that fact. Right now, the median list price (not yet sold) for all homes for sale in that neighborhood is a lofty $672,000. Larger homes, those located in the iconic “Fabulous 40’s” area, and other sought-after pockets of East Sacramento often sell for well over a million dollars.

In fact, a report by ABC 10 recently named East Sacramento as the #6 most expensive neighborhood in greater Sacramento. Out of all Sacramento zip codes, their report listed only Richmond Grove, Land Park, Poverty Ridge, Southside Park, and Med Center as having higher average listing prices.

However, sellers don’t have carte blanche to overprice their homes in East Sacramento when selling, and savvy buyers, with the help of Realtors who are area specialists like myself, ensure that prices remain fair and equitable.

To that point, 6.7% of the current listings in East Sacramento have undergone at least one price cut, signaling that not every single home sells quickly and easily without proper pricing.

Homes also sell in a timely fashion in East Sacramento – when priced correctly. In fact, the current average Days On Market (DOM) is 50, meaning that from the time a home first is listed on the MLS to when an offer is accepted and it goes Pending, an average of 50 days pass.

Over the last twelve months, the average DOM in this neighborhood has ranged from a high if 65 days to a low of 43.

That’s also about average for the DOM in East Sacramento over the last few years, although we have seen some anomalies. Whether it’s a seasonal slowdown or sellers just pricing their homes beyond reasonable expectations, the DOM in January 2016 was 88, and it took 106 days for a home to sell in January 2015!

At the time of this writing, the East Sacramento listing with the highest asking price is a $1.8 million multi-family on Elvas Avenue. Among single-family homes, a fully remodeled 4-bed, 3-bath 2,800+ square foot home on H Street is going for an asking price of $1.135 million.

But before you think that you’re priced out of buying a home in East Sacramento, there are three listings in the mid $400,000 range in family-oriented areas with charming designs, good sized-lots, and one of them even has three bedrooms!

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Contact me if you’d like more information about buying or selling a home in East Sacramento!