• Drive the coast! We don’t HAVE to go as far as Santa Cruz! There are lots of cool beaches for us to stop off at. Just need to pack homemade sandwhiches, plenty of apples and bannanas and water. Am I right? Am I right?!
• Drive Golden Gate Park from the windmills at the beach to the Children’s Playgroud off 7th. We can hit up various picnic grounds, playgrounds, ponds, climb trees, Stow Lake, etc…
• Fort Point: http://www.nps.gov/fopo/index.htm It’s FREE and only open on Fri., Sat., and Sun. I used to like going on filed trips there as a kid. We’ll see what it’s like now! Ha!
• Japan Town: Anime, Pokemon, Yugio, and Dragon Ball Z….and they have GOT to have a ramen house and what kid doesn’t like Top Ramen? I can’t imagine it being very expensive.
• China Town: Lot’s of walking and wandering to do! “Fortune Cookie” alley, Trans America Pyramid, some of the cheapest trinkets in the world can be found here.
• Cliff House Caves: The walk down to the old Sutro Baths brings back my fondest memories of exploring as a kid. It’s a pretty quick hike so a picnic at Kelly’s Cove where I used to hang out as a teenager is a must!
• Russian River: With an early start, it could be a great day trip! Johnson’s Beach is still there and waiting for us to jump in the river! There has GOT some inexpensive hotels, just in case we get tired!
• Kids Bowl Free!: I have never taken advantage of these coupons that get sent home from school but we will this year!
• Rinconada Pool in Palo Alto: This place looks like so much fun! The weather is usually nice there during the summer, too!http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/csd/activities_and_recreation/aquatics/default.asp

So, budgeting for GAS, food and sometimes bridge toll, I think we could manage a great summer vacation and make some awesome childhood memories. If you have any economical ways to spend a vacation in the Bay Area or Northern California, feel free to add to the list. I’m sure a lot of people could benefit besides me! Talk soon!

Karin Cunningham

When people enter your home they usually look down before up, so that first step is vital for attracting a homebuyer and making a great first impression. This is one reason why more people are installing hardwood floors in their homes.  

            Hardwood flooring enhances the look of any room and can create a classic ambiance that will beautify the interior design of your home. Residential real estate agents agree that homes with wood floors hold their value better, sell faster and fetch higher prices.

            Last year, 99 percent of real estate agents responding to a national survey conducted by the National Wood Flooring Association agreed that homes with hardwood floors are easier to sell. The survey also found that 82 percent believe that homes with hardwood floors sell faster and 90 percent said they would sell for more money.

            The American Hardwood Information Center adds that restoring hardwood flooring in the home is one of the best long-term investments to be made.

            “Hardwood floors are environmentally friendly, forever fashionable, and will last for generations,” said Pembroke Jacobs, president of the Hardwood Manufacturers Association. “Plus, with an expected life span of up to 100 years for certain premium hardwood flooring, you can be assured that that the hardwood really is a one-time investment with a very long-term payoff.”      

            Real estate agents also agree that carpeting does not impress potential buyers, but hardwood floors are always a draw. Engineered wood floors impart warmth, depth and richness to a home’s decor that cannot be matched by carpeting, tile or vinyl flooring.

            Despite the existence of modern architectural trends in flooring, hardwood can still compete with floor tiles and other artificial materials. It comes in a variety of colors and grains; light, medium, or dark shades; and a variety of sizes, styles, finishes and species.

          Maple, mahogany and oak are the most popular woods, but some homeowners are investing in exotics such as Brazilian cherry and purpleheart.

            The Environmental Protection Agency has said that indoor air quality is one of the top health threats and wood floors can help contribute to a healthy living environment. In fact, a recent EPA study found that pesticides used in gardens and homes accumulate on floors and other surfaces in the home, but that wood floors greatly reduce the accumulation of such toxins. Hardwood floors also do not trap or harbor dust mites or molds.

            Though wood floors will probably need to be refinished at some point, when properly taken care of they are much easier to maintain than other floor surfaces.

            The NWFA recommends regular sweeping of hardwood floors with a soft-bristle broom or dust mop to remove surface dirt and debris. If your floor contains beveled edges, it recommends using a vacuum with a soft bristle brush attachment to remove dirt and debris from between the floorboards.

            Having hardwood floors could be the difference between selling your home or watching a potential buyer walk out the door on a less-appealing type of flooring.

 Mark Hasha
Prudential California Realty
DRE 01214225
www.MarkHasha.com 

 Mark Hasha can be reached at (650) 799-0731. Prudential California Realty is an independently owned and operated member of  BRER Affiliates, Inc

There are only 10 houses for sale in San Bruno and 5 condos! This is the least amount of homes for sale that I have ever seen here in my 14 years of real estate. No wonder there is so much competition. I imagine if you had equity and wanted to sell, this woul be the right time!

It’s strange that there are only 5 condos for sale in San Bruno when there are 1200 units in Shelter Creek and almost the same in Peninsula Place. People have asked me if banks are holding on their inventory? Are people not selling because the values have come down? MayBE!

It is frustrating having people who want to buy houses and condos and not being able to show and sell them anything!

            You may also want to consult Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for a breakdown of typical returns on renovation projects large and small. The  24^th annual edition published earlier this year contains input from some of the country’s top remodeling professionals and ranked 35 remodeling projects for highest returns. 

            In many cases, smaller-scale renovation projects recoup more of their initial cost than larger, pricier ones, according to the report. For example, a minor $20,000 kitchen upgrade returns 72.8% of renovation costs, but a more expensive $58,000 kitchen remodel only retains 68.7% of its value on resale.  

            Surprisingly, the report noted that exterior upgrades recoup more of their costs than interior renovations — a trend that’s been building for the past five years. What’s the hottest exterior upgrade according to this year’s report? Replacing the front door with a steel entry door, which typically returns more than 100% of its cost.

            The report also lists garage doors as a wise investment, returning up to 83% of their original cost when the home sells.  Other prudent outdoor renovations include siding and window replacement, returning 80% and 72.4 %, respectively.

            Interior improvements retaining the most value include attic renovations and basement remodels, recouping 72.2% and 70%.

            “Just like an addition to the home, an unfinished space—such as the attic or basement—will instantly add value and livability to your home, as it increases the square footage and changes the way your family lives in it,” said Will Tomlinson, owner of North Carolina-based greyHouse Inc. Renovation and Remodeling. “You will be transforming a space that likely gets very little use into a fully functional area for your family to enjoy.”

            The report also notes that non-essential features have less resale value. Sunroom additions recoup only 48.6% of renovation costs; home office remodels, 45.8%; and backup power generators, 48.5%.

            Of course, homeowners’ needs and budgets dictate their choice of home-improvement projects. Still, it helps to know projects’ cost vs. return ratio when making the final decisions.

           If you are interested in a complimentary market evaluation of the current market value of your home and recommendations on how to prepare your home for sale please give me or one of my colleagues a call.

Mark Hasha
Prudential California Realty
DRE 01214225
www.MarkHasha.com

 Mark Hasha can be reached at (650) 799-0731. Prudential California Realty is an independently owned and operated member of  BRER Affiliates, Inc

Before arranging for a new mortgage to finance a home purchase, veterans should consider some of the advantages of VA home loans.  The most important consideration is that no down payment is required in most cases. Loan maximum may be up to 100 percent of the VA established reasonable value of the property. Due to secondary market requirements, however, loans generally may not exceed a certain amount set by the VA

* Flexibility of negotiating interest rates with the lender.
* No monthly mortgage insurance premium to pay.
* Limitation on buyer’s closing costs.
* An appraisal which informs you of the property’s value.
* Thirty year loans with a choice of repayment plans:
* Traditional fixed payment (constant principal and interest; increases or decreases may be expected in property taxes and homeowner’s insurance coverage);
* Graduated Payment Mortgage – GPM (low initial payments which gradually rise to a level payment starting in the sixth year); and
* In some areas, Growing Equity Mortgages – GEM (gradually increasing payments with all of the increase applied to principal, resulting in an early payoff of the loan).
* For most loans for new houses, construction is inspected at appropriate stages to ensure compliance with the approved plans, and a 1-year warranty is required from the builder that the house is built in conformity with the approved plans and specifications. In those cases where the builder provides an acceptable 10-year warranty plan, only a final inspection may be required.
* An assumable mortgage, subject to VA approval of the assumer’s credit.
* Right to prepay loan without penalty.
* VA performs personal loan servicing and offers financial counseling to help veterans avoid losing their homes during temporary financial difficulties. 

For more information on VA loans, visit http://www.drlending.com/Library/VA_Loans.html

Dean Rizzi
www.drlending.com

The Merimont Development is the old Carl Sandburg School site closed in 1978. Below is a link from 2008 that I found interesting. I also find it interesting that I am doing am open house there this weekend. This Sunday, April 29 2-4 pm, to be exact! The address is 213 Marbella Lane, San Bruno. It is actually a pretty awesome looking community!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/27/RE5EUI2K7.DTL

The paragraph below is from the Summer Hill website…

“This community sold out in 2011. Located in the hills above San Bruno with many homes offering Bay Views, Merimont offered 70 single-family homes with 3 to 5 bedrooms in approximately 1,785 to 2,289 square feet. A new neighborhood park with play structure, barbeque, and picnic facility offer a wealth of outdoor activities for children and adults alike. Merimont is only minutes from I-280 and BART for easy access to work or recreation in San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area. Merimont was priced from the high $700,000s to the high $900,000s.”

Karin Cunningham

Prudential California Realty

650-438-3504

The same day, San Bruno is hosting its first Relay for Life event for the fight against cancer. This event will be held at the Capuchino High School football field which has a track that people will be walking around. There are a bunch of teams this year, 26 from San Bruno alone including the Parkside Leos, the San Bruno Chamber of Commerce, community individuals, and various clubs! Click on this link to join and check out who is participating!

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=42708&team_id=1105597

Relay for Life starts its opening ceremonies at 10:00 am on Sat., April 28 and continues for 24 hours until 10:00 am on Sunday, April 29th.

I hope to see you there!

Karin Cunningham

650-438-3504

The market has been going for two weeks now.   I have personally bought the absolute best pita chips I have ever had, as well as some delicious hummus (both made fresh by Hummus Heaven in San Leandro) at this market.   Today, I purchased 3 tubs of huge, delicious strawberries for $5.00, as well as lemons and swiss chard, all grown here in northern California.   I also purchased a gluten free, vegan chocolate fritter that is terrific.    

Thursday’s are now a perfect opportunity for people who have never experienced this quaint little community (the population is only about 4,000) to visit a place many have never seen.    The weather is normally very sunny in Brisbane, so you can come to purchase your goodies and then take a lovely walk through the town.   Experience our hidden staircases leading to San Bruno Mountain or simply walk throughout the beautiful hills to check out our many very unique homes.    If you have time or feel like a more level type of walk, please check out the beautiful Brisbane Marina.   It is a delightful and peaceful place to visit.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how to get here and what you will find when you arrive!

 Kathy Wall
Prudential California Realty
(415) 608-4168
California Real Estate License #01163766