http://chrisblesch.com/blog Chris Blesch's Southern California Real Estate Blog Sat, 15 May 2010 16:41:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Calif. median home price: March 2010: $301,790 (Source: C.A.R.) Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region March 2010: Santa Barbara So. Coast $890,000(Source: C.A.R.) Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region March 2010: High Desert $122,970 (Source: C.A.R.) Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index - Fourth Quarter 2009: 64 percent (Source: C.A.R.) Mortgage rates - week ending ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/the-latest-20/ RadioShack’s online electronics trade-in program allows customers to exchange used, portable electronics for a RadioShack gift card. Accepted items include GPS devices, MP3 players, notebooks, and game consoles. Visit http://radioshack.cexchange.com/online/home/index.rails to learn the trade-in value and download the prepaid shipping labels. Gift cards arrive within 10 to 14 days. http://chrisblesch.com/blog/e-recycling-pays/ National vacancy rates for owner-occupied housing decreased 0.1 percentage points in the first quarter of 2010 to 2.6 percent, according to the Dept. of Commerce’s Census Bureau.  Meanwhile, vacancy rates nationwide for rental housing increased 0.5 percentage points to 10.6 percent during the same period.  The homeownership rate of 67.1 ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/vacancy-rates-decline-in-q1-2010/ Home values in most U.S. markets continued to decline in the first quarter of 2010, according to  the Zillow Home Value Index which decreased 3.8 percent year-over-year, and 1 percent quarter-over-quarter. However, home values in several California markets showed signs of improvement, according to the report. Housing market conditions varied across ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/home-values-decline-nationwide-in-first-quarter/ Fannie Mae recently announced it is extending its seller assistance incentive on all Fannie Mae-owned HomePath properties. Buyers will receive 3.5 percent of the final sales price, to be used toward closing cost assistance or their choice of selected appliances. The offer is available to any owner-occupant who closes on ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/fannie-mae-extends-seller-assistance-program/ Calif. median home price: February 2010: $279,840 (Source: C.A.R.) Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region February 2010: Santa Barbara So. Coast $795,000(Source: C.A.R.) Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region February 2010: High Desert $122,580 (Source: C.A.R.) Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index - Fourth Quarter 2009: 64 percent (Source: C.A.R.) Mortgage rates - week ending ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/the-latest-19/ Who needs a decorative pail on the counter to collect compost—and odors—when you can use a castoff container, such as a margarine container or a cardboard milk carton? Put the container in your freezer, add kitchen scraps until full, dispose scraps (and milk carton) on the compost pile, and repeat. ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/green-tip-2/ Sales in new-home communities of 10 units or more in California declined 12 percent in January compared with a year ago, according to the monthly California Building Industry Association (CBIA)/HanleyWood Market Intelligence report (HWMI).  Though still at a lackluster pace, the decline was less steep than the 15 percent year-over-year ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/sales-of-new-homes-down-12-in-january/ The median home price of an existing single family home in California rose 14.1 percent to $279,840 in February compared with February 2009 and home sales decreased 11.7 percent during the same period C.A.R. reported yesterday.  “The federal tax credit for home buyers, low mortgage rates, and affordability at record ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/home-prices-up-sales-down/ Attorney General Edmund G. Brown this week closed two fraudulent foreclosure-assistance companies--U.S. Foreclosure Relief Corp. and H.E. Servicing, Inc.--and secured a court judgment of more than $1 million in restitution for homeowners who paid upfront fees for nonexistent loan-modification services. Under the judgment, a court-appointed independent receiver will oversee the ... http://chrisblesch.com/blog/judgement-against-false-loan-modification-companies/