A New Place for Pampering in Blackhawk
Tired? Stressed out? You might want to check out one of the newest places to get pampered in town, the Jellyfish Spa in Blackhawk Plaza. Its convenient location and clean and fresh atmosphere make it a wonderful place to indulge in a variety of facial treatments, waxings, massages, and manicure/pedicures.
The indulging does not have to be a special treat, once-in-a-blue-moon thing, either. Recently named a Best of the East Bay editors pick for unlimited spa treatments in Diablo Magazine, Jellyfish Spa is part of YOLO Industries, and innovative concept in pampering.
YOLO, which stands for You Only Live Once, offers a membership with unlimited services spa services such as manicures, pedicures, facials and more at Jellyfish Spa, as well as partner shops Dabble, Glo Tanning, Route 66 Barberspa and Salon Forty Sixty Two. Can you imagine unlimited massages and manicures? For $99/month, that’s definitely worth considering.
July 29, 2010
Carlton Oaks Pleasanton Market Update July 2010
Demand does not appear to be the problem in the Carlton Oaks neighborhood of Pleasanton, only supply. Homes that do come on the market sell quickly. The pending sales and closed sales combined have been on the market for only nine days, on average. There are no active listings and three pending sales in Carlton Oaks. There have been only two closed sales during the past six months, compared to five during the previous six month period. Three of the properties shown below are short sales; the pending sale on Royal Creek Court and the two closed sales.
The three pending sales have been listed for an average of eight days at an average price of $1,026,000 or $300 per square foot. The two closed sales were on the market for only six and 14 days, respectively. They sold for an average price of $977,500 or $287 per square foot, which was more than 101% of the asking price.
Located off Bernal Ave near Foothill Rd, these homes are luxurious and offer outstanding amenities. The neighborhood is in a convenient location, close to I680 and downtown Pleasanton.
July 29, 2010
Where to Get Your Fro-Yo Freeze in the Danville area
The mercury is rising and we?re finally starting to feel those seasonal hot temperatures that makes us crave ice cold treats. In the last year or two, San Ramon Valley has seen a remarkable influx of frozen yogurt shops, and they have been welcomed with open arms. The selection of flavors and toppings is vast, and the self-serve, pay-per-ounce approach means you are in control of your portion size.
A refreshing alternative to ice cream, it is also better for you, so it?s nice to know we can indulge in these tasty treats without too much guilt. Here are some of the popular frozen yogurt shops in the area, which include some old standing institutions, as well as the brand new. My personal favorite is Yogurt Shack in downtown Danville
Yogurt Shack
(Downtown Danville)
290 Hartz Ave
Danville
Tutimelon
(Blackhawk Plaza)
Danville
Yogofina
(Near McDonalds and Starbucks)
11000 Crow Canyon Rd
Danville
Yogurtland
(near Bishop Ranch, Whole Foods, Target)
152 Sunset Dr
San Ramon
Tutti Frutti
(near Trader Joe?s)
37 Railroad Ave.
Danville
July 29, 2010
Sevillano & Ponderosa Legacy Livermore Market Update July 2010
The real estate market in the Sevillano and Ponderosa Legacy neighborhoods of Livermore looks stronger now that it was during 2009. Homes are selling more quickly, at a higher price per square foot, and closer to their asking price than they were during the second half of last year. Furthermore, none of the homes in this neighborhood are distressed sales (short sale or REO).
There is only one active listing at this time. On Saratoga Ct., it is listed at $1,475,000 or $329 per square foot. It has been on the market for 170 days.
The two pending sales have been listed for only 13 and 2 days, respectively. The average asking price is $1,285,000 or $293 per square foot.
There were four closed sales during the past six months, compared to five during the previous six month period. The four homes sold for an average price of $1,157,500 or $282 per square foot, which was 98% of the asking price. The homes that closed during the second half of 2009 sold for 87% of their asking price. The $282 per square foot sales price for recent sales looks very good compared to the $234 per square foot received on homes sold during the second half of last year. On average, the recent closed sales were listed for 30 days, compared to 111 for homes closed in late 2009. My listing at 2802 Barouni Ct had 3 offers on it, and sold for over the asking price ($1,130,000)
Both Sevillano and Ponderosa Legacy are luxury home developments set in the vineyards of south Livermore, with exquisite homes, many backing to vineyards.
July 29, 2010
How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Refinance
With interest rates at historical lows, many people are refinancing their mortgages. Perhaps you?re considering it. If you refinanced your home before, you may think it is an easy process. And if you have a huge salary, no debt, high credit scores, and lots of equity, you might be right. But for the rest of us mortals, refinancing is not as easy as it used to be.
Remember the headlines about record mortgage defaults, upside down loans, and delinquent borrowers? Well so do banks, and thanks to a slew of new regulations, both those imposed by federal regulators and enacted internally by overly cautious lenders, the process of obtaining a new loan is now roughly equivalent to getting a root canal in many cases.
The Contra Costa Times has provided a list of ?Five ways to mess up a mortgage refinance.? Here are the highlights.
Fool yourself - Deluding yourself about the value of your home is an excellent way to ruin a refi. Too many homeowners ignore falling home values in their neighborhood, convincing themselves their houses are worth at least what they paid for them.
Delay - Homeowners who delay locking a good mortgage rate risk making a refi uneconomical.
DIY disaster - Taking a sledgehammer to the interior of your home before the appraiser arrives is a good way to get turned down for a refi.
Disappearing act - Want to throw your home loan into limbo? Go on vacation and don’t tell the lender. Lack of communication will throw a pending mortgage into turmoil. Remain accessible.
Go for broke - If you want to do long-term damage to your personal finances, start all over again by refinancing for a full, 30-year term. That way, you spend thousands of dollars on interest that you otherwise could have saved.
Yes, it is a great time to refinance your mortgage. But be smart about it. Be realistic about the appraised value. For a quick summary of the online valuations for your home, you can go to the Online Home Value Estimate page. Also, be sure your credit score is good. And carefully consider exactly how much money you will be saving.
If you?re considering a refi but think you may need some help or if you want the name of a good mortgage broker, give me a call and I?ll be happy to connect you with one.
July 29, 2010
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