If you've been holding off on buying a home because you assume assistance programs are only for a narrow slice of buyers, it's worth a second look. The numbers just came out for the second quarter, and they tell a different story. Down Payment Resource, which
If you've been watching San Francisco home prices lately, you've probably seen the headlines. Homes selling for millions over asking. Bidding wars breaking out on properties that would have sat quietly on the market just a couple years ago. It's easy to assume this
I recently walked through the broader trends across Alameda County, and the short version was a cooling, more balanced market with some real strength at the top end. But just like Contra Costa, Alameda County isn't one market. It's a patchwork of cities that each tell
Last time I wrote about the broader Contra Costa County market, I talked about a county-wide cooling trend, more inventory, and a shift toward balance. But "Contra Costa County" isn't really one market. It's six or seven distinct ones stitched together, and the
If you've been watching the market this summer and feeling a little unsure what to make of it, you're not alone. I've been fielding a lot of questions lately from buyers and sellers who sense something has shifted but can't quite put
If you have a son, daughter, or grandchild who has talked to you about wanting to buy a home but feeling like the math just doesn't work, you are not imagining that things have changed. A recent piece I came across made the national picture clear: there are
I get this question a lot these days, usually from clients who watched a few too many renovation shows or remember a friend who made a small fortune flipping a fixer in Walnut Creek a few years back. The honest answer is that flipping hasn't gone away, but
Real estate investing is one of the most reliable ways to build long-term wealth, but I talk to a lot of people who feel intimidated before they even get started. The truth is you don't need a fortune or a finance degree to begin. You need a
If you have spent any time with me talking real estate in Danville, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, or San Ramon, you know I cannot separate the neighborhoods I sell from the tables I love to eat at in them. Buyers ask me all the time where to go for a celebration
San Jose gets a reputation as a city where only tech executives can afford a front yard, and I understand why. The citywide median sale price is sitting around $1.5 million right now, and that number alone is enough to make a young family give up before they start
If you've been keeping an eye on mortgage rates lately, you've probably noticed something a little frustrating. They haven't spiked. But they haven't dropped either. For buyers in Danville, Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and across Contra Costa County who've been
If you've been house hunting in Concord, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, or anywhere else in Contra Costa County this year, you've probably felt the competition. A new federal law that just went into effect adds another piece to that puzzle, and I want to walk you through