Bryan Myers Real Estate

I normally don’t slam other agents on my blog but this one just begged for it.

I found this photo while browsing the MLS the other day.  Yes this is for real- the ONLY photo for the property was this one.  I have to wonder what the agent was thinking.  Was it that since this was a distressed property it deserved less attention?  Was it that they had 50 listings to photograph and going inside was just going to take too much time?  Was it that they knew the price was so low it would make up for substandard marketing?

What is behind that door?  A torn up kitchen? Mold and graffiti on the walls?  Carpet that would be too dirty to use in a monkey cage at a zoo?  These are the questions that go through a buyer’s (and a buyers agent’s) mind. 

We’re all working very hard these days and quite often don’t have time to look at a property before we’re out with a client to show it.  A good set of photos and a property video are very important to helping the buyer to feel positively about a property before they visit it.  Those key things also help MORE buyers find the home while simultaneously weeding out buyers who won’t visit the home based on the pictures.  Think about that… photos and video equal more insterested buyers.  Lack of photos equals fewer buyers overall and the ones who do show up will be skeptical from the beginning.

So what has your agent done for your property?  Better take a look!

Priced well, this home is adjacent to the Arana Gulch open space.  The home is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac and really feels like a garden.  Arana Gulch leads right to the upper harbor and from there to the beach.  Home is listed by Monterey Bay Properties. Don’t like it? Click here to search all homes for sale in Santa Cruz County.

Really sweet deal on a large westside beach home just steps away from West Cliff Drive and only a few blocks to Natural Bridges state park.  Definitely my pick of the week of homes for sale in Santa Cruz, CA.  Don’t like what you see? There aren’t many homes on the market right now but everything for sale is searchable here.

Here we are again.  The Christmas season is over, the weather is in the 60’s and Calendar-quality waves are pounding into the coast much to the delight of the local surfer population.

Here we are in the new year and there is a lot of optimism among agents which is great.  Whether it is warranted or not is another story.  As I’ve been talking about all through 2009, Santa Cruz real estate has been making big gains.  The funny thing is when I go to other real estate blogs, they are still talking about how their areas are just starting to, or about to recover.

Also in the rumor mill is a lot of talk about another dip in real estate prices is expected for several reasons.  First is that there is a backlog of foreclosed properties that need to be sold.  These were held back through the second half of last year.  Second is that about 50% of all loan modifications are failing within 6 months so we expect to see more short sales and foreclosures happening.  Thirdly, is the rumor that rates have nowhere to go but up.  I’ve been hearing stuff like this since June of last year and it hasn’t come to fruition.  However if there is any truth to it, an impending dip in prices means selling now is a good idea.  If rates are going to go up, it is also a good idea to buy now.  Now if you don’t need a loan and you plan to buy… hold back if you believe the rumors.

That’s my .02.  I expect that the downward trend in the number of homes for sale will turn around here real soon.

Before I jump into this I wanted to pass something that a very wise man told me.  Would you make an important decision based on what you know, or what you don’t know? 

What do we know about the market right now? (see my market updates)  Very few homes for sale though the numbers sold are still high- lots of buyers, few sellers.  This means faster sale times and more money for you the seller. 

What do you not know about early next year?  How about this… which home on my block is going to be short sold?  Which one foreclosed on?  What are rates going to do?  Lots of scary unknowns that could result in less money in your pocket.  By the way… I can tell you which homes on your street are in default and may end up being your next worst nightmare a few months from now as a seller.  Give me a call and I’ll fill you in.

Ten Reasons to Sell Your Home During the Holidays vs. Waiting Until January:

(1) While there may be fewer buyers out there, people that are looking for a home during the holidays are serious buyers and ready to buy.

(2) There are fewer homes for buyers to look at during the holidays, which mean there is less competition for you as a seller. Less competition =more money

(3) After the holidays, the supply of listings increases substantially, which lowers the demand for your home. More competition = less money

(4) Your home shows better when decorated for the holidays.

(5) Many buyers have more time to look for property during the holidays. Typically more time off from work. Partners can look together.

(6) For those sellers concerned about showing during holidays, we will restrict the showings on your home to the times you want it shown. You will remain in control.

(7) You can sell now for more money and not have to physically move until January or February as opposed to getting the process started later. Lost in other listings, it could take longer to sell.

(8) Buyers think there is less competition from other buyers during the holidays.

(9) Relocation buyers are still out there. Companies not concerned about holiday time and if they have kids they want to get them into school after the holidays.

(10)Virtual tour will look better this time of the year.

Here we are settling in for the winter El Nino-driven wet season here in Santa Cruz. Time to stock up on firewood, hot chocolate and maybe some Schnaps.

So who says that summer is the only time that homes sell for more in Santa Cruz? The latest numbers show that prices in November continue to rise, topping out at $550,000 bringing the total gains since Feb 09 to 31%. Wow. Now we’re in for some heavy rains between now and February which will put a damper on things but as I’ve said before, what actually happens to prices is a mix of factors and rarely dominated by just one variable. Right now the number of homes sold each month is still holding strong at 141 (it peaked in July at 180) and the days on market is holding steady as well. Look at that inventory line though… the number of homes for sale is steadily dropping which will be a strong upward factor in prices.

If your thinking of selling… now is a great time. Your home will look great decorated for the holidays and there is little in the way of competition. I’d be happy to give you a no hassle consultation if your so inclined.

I’m thankful that I finally got MLS searching added to this website. Click on “Search MLS” just below the title bar on the right hand side to do so.

I’m thankful for my health. I have only been sick once in 2009 thus far.

I’m thankful for my daughter. Having her in my life is like living in color vs black and white.

I’m thankful for my wife. She is my partner and teammate in our family. Her calm strength during the last few years have helped me to stay focused during this rough economy.

I’m thankful for my boat. It’s far enough away from the water to require a 4 foot white beard and a lot of religeon to go sailing but it gives me a great mental project far removed from my day to day stresses and promises a lot of fun in the future.

I’m thankful for where I live. Where else can my daughter and I see Whales, Dolphins, Otters, sailboats, surfers, a gorgeous sunset while just going outside for a few minutes?

I’m thankful for Legacy Men’s Division. Without you men I would either go crazy or down the suck hole. Pure and simple.

I’m thankful for everything, known and unknown, that has shaped who I have become over the last 37 years.

I’m thankful for a chance to spend a few minutes comtemplating the year and writing about it. This felt really good! Really… reply with a comment and do the same!

Here’s a note on how I can help you or somebody you know who lives outside of Santa Cruz and needs to buy or sell a home here:

I just signed up for a system that allows me to very quickly post electronic documents on a secure web page which a client  can easily click through to place their signature.  Here’s a real world success story:

Problem:  A listed property was scheduled for auction and I received an offer on the same day of the auction.  This document could save my seller from a foreclosure if I could get it signed right away and get it to the short sale lender.  To make matters worse,  the agent submitting the offer had forgotton to sign it themselves, the seller was currently traveling in the midwest, and my short sale negotiators were in San Diego.

Solution: First I scanned the purchase offer and used my own PDF system to place my signatures.  Then I uploaded it into my new service.  I defined the signature, initial and date fields, who needed to sign it, and what to do with it when done.  After that I turned my attention to other matters.  The document was sent automatically back to the agent for his signature, then to the seller for their signatures, then to the short sale negotiators.  The resulting electronic file was a perfect copy of the original without all the degredation multiple faxes would have caused… and from start to finish (with a phone call to prompt the seller to log in) the short sale negotiators had the signed offer in less than 15 minutes!

There is no way I could have gotten the offer to the negotiators that quickly any other way.  Everybody involved (especially the seller) was absolutely thrilled.

Here we are in winter in Santa Cruz and the weather is still beautiful.  As I sit here writing this I’m looking at an incredible winter swell breaking along West Cliff Drive under firey clouds lit by the dawn.  Amazing! 

Ok, down to business.  As you can see from the trend line below the current inventory of homes for sale is continuing to drop off for the winter.  This will help keep prices up, or at least from falling as much as they would otherwise.  Supply and Demand.  Take a look at the Days On Market line.  It’s kind of hard to see but notice how every time prices fall days on market jumps up?  That’s why it’s such an important indicator.

In the big picture we’re seeing the Median Price of Sold homes bounce a bit as it levels out for the winter.  I expect we’ll see this sort of behavior continue into next year.