Attention Home Buyers! 377 Open Homes in the East Bay for 10/21/2010 Now Posted

Every Saturday I try to post as many of the East Bay Open Homes as I can find.  Unfortunately there are some realtors who make it difficult by not advertising their opens.  I'm doing my best for you by posting what I can find.  This week I've found 377 Open Homes in the East Bay for Sunday 10/31/2010.  The complete list is on my website CLICK HERE. You can search with anonymity.  I hope you'll find it useful. I have the open houses sorted alphabetically by City.  The list includes address, cross street, thomas brothers map coordinates, price, size, number of beds and baths, and type of property ie. condo, detached, duplex etc. and if you need a great realtor I'd love to interview for the job!  Have a great weekend. By the Way, If you are in Berkeley on Sunday for Halloween, Russell Street near College Ave. is worth checking out! And don't forget to check out my website: http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/.

East Bay Open Homes for 10/24/2010 now posted

I have just posted open homes for the East Bay for Sunday 10/24/2010 on my website. There are over 400  open houses in cities such as Albany, Berkeley, Oakland, Kensington, El Cerrito, Walnut Creek and more listed on the site and sorted alphabetically by city, with information such as prices, cross streets, Thomas Brothers map coordinates and more.  Click Here to get the info directly or go to http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/ and click on Open Homes. Search with anonymity.  Email me if you need assistance.  Happy Hunting!  bill@billfletcherhomes.com.

The Central and South Berkeley Real Estate Report, October, 2010

We are solidly into the 2nd half of the home buying/selling season. And from all accounts it appears to be anything but robust. If you are looking to purchase a home or investment property in South or Central Berkeley there may never be a better time. We know that interest rates are low and will stay that way at least until the elections in November. And inventory is higher than it has been for quite a while. And most importantly, there are fewer committed buyers out there right now.  (I think most buyers are not sensing any kind of urgency.) These three facts represent a strong buyers market, perhaps for the first time in South and Central Berkeley.

Our area has shown tremendous resilience throughout this economic downturn. Nevertheless, expect prices to drop a bit even more as we enter the fourth quarter. Remember you heard it here first.

Over the past few years we have helped many individuals with trust sales, probates, short sales, home loan modifications, reverse mortgages, property valuations and more. If you need help please feel free to give me a call. I live in the neighborhood and am happy to offer my assistance.

Address             Type      Bedrooms Baths      List Price     Sold Price      Days
2550 Dana St    Condo        1 1                     $280,000     $280,000       36
3113 Shattuck   Condo        1 1                      $319,500     $319,500      44
2628 Telegraph. Condo       2 2                      $579,000      $588,000     5
1314 Harmon    Detached    2 1                      $234,900      $245,000    26
1723 Derby St   Detached    2 1                     $449,900      $429,000     62
1631 Allston     Detached     2 1                     $449,000      $450,000      15
2909 Dohr St    Detached     2 1                    $449,000      $450,000       8
2722 Acton St   Detached    2 1                     $465,000      $465,000     16
1625 Tyler St    Detached     2 1                     $509,000      $535,000     14
2611 Mabel St Detached     2 2                      $549,000      $554,000     24
1209 Parker     Detached     2 1                     $599,000       $579,000     22
1534 Dwight     Detached     2 1                     $550,000       $590,000     12
1526 Julia St     Detached     3 1                      $250,000      $225,000     25
2751 Park St     Detached    3 2                      $288,666      $300,000     11
2759 Dohr St    Detached    3 2                      $499,000      $530,000     12
1542 Blake St.   Detached    3 2                       $549,000    $555,000     19
2229 Blake St    Detached    3 1                      $625,000     $650,000      7
1807 Blake St   Detached     3 1                      $619,000     $660,000      9
2730 Milvia St   Detached     3 2                      $699,000      $720,000    14

I’m always walking the streets of south and Central Berkeley with my daughter, my wife, and our dogs. If you see me please say “Hi.” – I promise to say “Hi” back!

For more information about the real estate markets in the Easst Bay please check out my website. http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/.

If you want to find out whatt your home is worth in todays market feel free to call or email me for a home valuation. bill@billfletcherhomes.com, 5100-368-2854.

How to avoid prying eyes while surfing the internet!

Every once in a while I post something that is not related to Real Estate or living in the East Bay. This is one of those times. So if you just want real estate, or neighborhood information about Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville or other East Bay communities this particular post is not the one for you.

This article should be read by everyone who uses the Internet. We're always hearing about how "private info got leaked on FaceBook or some other website. but most of us are not aware that profiles of our online behavior are being created while we surf the web. The article below addresses this and gives strategies for keeping our online selves private. Much thanks to Jennifer Valentino-Devries for the article.

How to Avoid the Prying Eyes
The Internet is rife with surveillance technology,By JENNIFER VALENTINO-DEVRIES
Visitors to almost every major website are tracked online, a Journal investigation has found. But there are ways to limit the snooping.
Step by Step
Almost every major website you visit is tracking your online activity. Here's a step-by-step guide to fending off trackers.
Web browsing activity is tracked by use of "cookies," "beacons" and "Flash cookies," small computer files or software programs installed on a user's computer by the Web pages that are visited. Some are useful. But a subset ("third party" cookies and beacons) are used by companies to track users from site to site and build a database of their online activities.
Simple Steps
Major browsers including Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer, Mozilla Foundation's Firefox, Google Inc.'s Chrome and Apple Inc.'s Safari, have privacy features. To have the most privacy options, upgrade to the latest version of the browser you use.
Check and delete cookies: All popular browsers let users view and delete cookies installed on their computer. Methods vary by browser.
Dig Deeper
The Web's New Gold Mine: Your Secrets
Personal Details Exposed Via Biggest U.S. Websites
The Journal's Methodology
What They Know About You
Digits: Your Questions on Digital Privacy
Digits: Analyzing What You Have Typed
Digits: Lawsuit Tackles Files That 'Re-Spawn' Cookies
Full Coverage: wsj.com/WTK
For instance on Internet Explorer 8 (the most widely used browser), go to the "Tools" menu, pull down to "Internet Options" and under the "General" tab there are options for deleting some or all cookies. There might be hundreds, so deleting all might be easiest. But the next time you visit a favorite site, you may need to retype passwords or other login data previously stored automatically by one of those cookies.
For guides for all major browsers, go to WSJ.com/WTK.
Adjust Browser Settings: Once you've deleted cookies, you can limit the installation of new ones. Major browsers let you accept some cookies and block others. To maintain logins and settings for sites you visit regularly, but limit tracking, block "third-party" cookies. Safari automatically does this; other browsers must be set manually.
There are downsides to blocking all cookies. If you frequent sites that require logins, you will have to log in each time you visit.

WSJ's Jennifer Valentino-DeVries offers some advice on how to avoid prying eyes online. Plus, consumer spending data released Tuesday shows that Americans are spending more on electronics like iPads and flatscreen TVs. WSJ's Emmeline Zhao joins Simon Constable on Digits to talk about why Americans love electronics.
Internet Explorer lets you set rules for blocking cookies based on the policies of the cookie-placer. One option blocks cookies that don't include a privacy policy; another blocks cookies that can save your contact information without your approval. The control is under "Tools/Internet Options/Privacy."
No major browsers let you track or block beacons without installing extra software known as "plug-ins," as described under advanced steps.
Turn On "Private" Browsing: All major browsers offer a "private browsing" mode to limit cookies. Chrome calls it "Incognito." Internet Explorer calls it "InPrivate Browsing," but this option is available only in the latest version, IE8.
Private browsing doesn't block cookies. It deletes cookies each time you close the browser or turn off private browsing, effectively hiding your history.
Private browsing isn't selective. It deletes all cookies, whether useful or not. So you might want to use private browsing selectively, such as when looking at health-related information.
Monitor "Flash Cookies": Another kind of cookie uses Adobe Systems Inc.'s popular Flash program to save information on your computer. Flash is the most common way to show video online. As with regular cookies, Flash cookies can be useful for remembering preferences, such as volume settings for videos. But marketers also can use Flash cookies to track what you do online.
To identify the Flash cookies on your computer and adjust your settings, you need to go to an Adobe website: www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager.html. You can delete Flash cookies stored on your computer and specify whether you want to accept future third-party Flash cookies.
The downside of blocking third-party Flash cookies: Some sites won't let you watch videos or other content.
Advanced Steps
Install Privacy "Plug-ins": Small programs called "add-ons" or "plug-ins" can help maintain privacy. Some let you monitor trackers that can't be seen through the browser; others allow you to delete cookies on a regular schedule.
Not all browsers can use all plug-ins. And some plug-ins can be tricky to set up. With those caveats, some plug-ins may be worth a look:
Abine: Developed by a Cambridge, Mass., start-up of the same name, it attempts to control several types of trackers. Once installed, the program will warn you when a site is placing cookies or Flash cookies on your machine. You can also see and block a third type of tracker called a Web "beacon" (sometimes called a "bug"). This is an invisible object embedded in a page that can interact with cookies. It's available only in "test" versions, so this is only for people who don't mind experimenting a bit with software. For Firefox, go to addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11073/. For Internet Explorer, users need to request an invitation at getabine.com.
Better Privacy: This plug-in offers control over Flash cookies. It doesn't block them, but lets you set rules for deleting them—a distinction that can be helpful if you frequent sites that require you to use third-party Flash cookies to see their content. Better Privacy (available only for Firefox) is at addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6623/.
Ghostery: Available at ghostery.com, it helps control beacons. It alerts you when there's a beacon on a page you're viewing, tells you who placed it and details the company's privacy policy. With Internet Explorer or Firefox, you can then block the beacon from capturing information on your computer. That feature isn't available for Chrome.
Controlling Ads
Users troubled by targeted advertising can block or limit the ads being shown. Note: These tools don't necessarily restrict tracking. Some ad networks may still collect data on your browsing behavior and share it with others, even if you instruct them not to show you targeted ads.
The Network Advertising Initiative, an industry group of marketing companies, lets computer users opt out of targeted ads from about 50 ad networks at networkadvertising.org.
If you opt out, you won't be shown ads tied to your browsing behavior from the member networks. But you'll still see ads, which may be placed based on criteria such as your location.
PrivacyChoice LLC, an independent group, maintains a Web site (privacychoice.org/choose) that covers 152 ad networks. You can opt out of most by clicking a button there. For some, you'll need to download a plug-in, but it works only with Firefox.
Ironically, these opt-out systems work by installing a cookie on your computer. That cookie tells ad networks to stop sending targeted ads to your computer. Because these systems rely on a cookie to work, you'll need to opt out all over again any time you delete cookies from your machine.

Complete List Of Sunday Open Homes Now Posted for 10/17/10 East Bay

Open Homes for Sunday October 17, 2010 in Berkeley, Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, Piedmont, Kensington, Alameda, Emeryville and all East bay communities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are now posted on my website CLICK HERE.  And check back often for Real Estate News and Updates affecting the East Bay.

For Neighborhood and Real Estate Information Check back often and check out my website http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/
For Home Valuations, Short sale information, property searches and more.

Open Homes for sunday 10/10/2010 Now Posted

Open Homes for Sunday October 10, 2010 in Berkeley, Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, Piedmont, Kensington, Alameda, Emeryville and all East bay communities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are now posted on my website CLICK HERE.  And check back often for Real Estate News and Updates affecting the East Bay.

http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/

Sunday Open Homes Now Posted!

Over 600 East Bay open homes are now posted on my website, http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/.  If you are planning on buying a home in the east bay or if you are planning on selling a home in  the east bay this information should prove valuable to you. Go to my website, http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/ and click the Open Homes tab. Or you can simply click here. Open homes include all East Bay communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties including, Berkeley, Oakland, Orinda, El Cerrito, Piedmont as far north as Crocket and as far south as Newark.  The list contains Thomas Brothers map coordinates, list price, type of building, number of beds and baths, cross streets, square footage and more.  If you are selling a home see what the competition is doing.  If you are buying a home use this weekly guide to help you find the perfect place.  If you need a great realtor, call me: 510-368-2854 or email if you prefer: bill@billfletcherhomes.com

Real Estate Sales Statistics for September 2010 Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, Oakland and Piedmont Posted

I just posted sales graphs for Berkeley, Albany, Oakland, Kensington and Piedmont on my website. Each posting is about 20 pages and contains comparative data for the previous year for median sales price, sales price vs list price, months of inventory, average days on market and more.  I intend to post Emeryville and El Cerrito as soon as I have a chance.  In the meantime you can get a lot of info by visiting http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/ and then clicking the "Market Update" tabs.  Or you can simply click here. If you are planning to buy or sell a home in the communities of berkeley, Oakland, Albany, Piedmont Kensington or other parts of the East Bay it is important that you have this data.  You always want to be ahead of the curve when you are pricing a property whether to buy or sell. Please come back often as real the markets are volitile right now and information changes daily.  If you would like a chart for your particular zip code or MLS area plese let me know and I'll see what I can do.

New Short Sale Bill signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger

I want to let you know that Gov. Schwarzenegger just signed the attached bill into law, which prohibits deficiency judgments on first deed of trust on residential property (4 units or less), where the property is sold through a short sale.

The law hasn't allowed deficiency judgments on foreclosure sales (ie., lender can't recover from the borrower the difference between the amount owing on the loan and the amount the lender recovered from selling the property) since the 1930s, but that wasn't the case with short sales (unless the borrowers negotiated a deal otherwise with the lender) until now.  With this new law, a lender cannot recover a deficiency judgment following a short sale.  However, this protection only applies to natural persons (individuals, not corporations), and only applies on first trust deeds.

If you are interested in selling your house please contact me.  If your home is underwater and you are considering a short sale, contact me.  If you are thinking about pursuing a loan modification, contact me. If you are thinking about buying a home in the East bay, now is a very good time. Rates are low. Lots of inventory keeping prices down.  Check out my web site for a great search engine and searches already set up for you.  In the meantime, have a great day and enjoy what you have.  Everything passes, everything changes. ...including you and me
http://www.billfletcherhomes.com/
bill@billfletcherhomes.com