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TAM Blog

Woodland Road Can Kill Ya (or at least me)....

April 25th, 2009 4:29 PM

Decided to make my way through Kentfield today and ended up on Woodland Rd...hills and all! Knowing there were two homes for sale on the street, I envisioned running by them at a leisurely pace, soaking in their surroundings and picking out little details of the street. Little did I remember, one of the homes was at the beginning of the street, while the other was clear up at the end of the hill. And, in case you were wondering, the hill is brutal at spots (at least to me) and doesn't cut through or go back down...

Off to buy a new pair of running shoes. I think I wore mine out!

Posted by Kira Swaim on April 25th, 2009 4:29 PMPost a Comment (0)

Running The Streets

April 21st, 2009 9:53 PM

What in the world have I gotten myself into?

A couple days back, after a euphoric run, I made what seemed like a relatively sound commitment to myself. At least, at the time. Afterall it had been years and a couple babies to boot since I had felt so good. The undescribable runners high had been conveniently forgotten until that moment. Perhaps it should have stayed that way.

But, no such luck. There I was replaying my run in my head. That day, while unsuccessfully looking for a trail a colleague had told me about, I decided to just park, get out of the car and run the streets. I "toured" streets of Ross, Kentfield and even a few in Larkspur. I tried to get lost. Not an easy task for an owner of a real estate company.

My run took me to small side streets that I hadn't been down before. Instead of just running past I turned down one to discover one of the most amazing Tudor style homes I'd ever seen complete with a stone pathway. I also noticed how much farther and a bit hillier Woodland seemed when you are on two feet instead of two wheels.

Needless to say, I saw each block of each neighborhood in a different light. The details of the homes stood out, small paths here and there were discovered. It is my business to know the ins and outs of the areas where I help to buy and sell real estate. I've done it the traditional way over the years and..."driven the streets".

But, "running the streets", that is all together different. It gives me the time (I'm not known for my speed:) to see things I haven't seen before and take in elements of a neighborhood that previously have been lost.

So, my commitment is quite simple, yet quite extensive at the same time. I am going to "run the streets" of Marin. I will know them in a different way...an intimate way. I will try to run them all. I'll start closer to home (San Anselmo) and work my way out from there. I will learn something new about a neighborhood and share my path and my observations on my blog...even just the little things...like who knew about the cool red mailbox on Butterfield?

What other realtor can say they know the neighborhoods that intimately?

Posted by Kira Swaim on April 21st, 2009 9:53 PMPost a Comment (0)

FHA Loans Are Starting To Gain Popularity Again

April 17th, 2009 3:51 PM

From a lender we work closely with....we are seeing a resurgence of FHA loans...

FHA has become the backbone of the purchase market again. FHA loans offer the most flexible combination of down payment and credit requirements. With loan limits as high as $729,750, the majority of transactions can be handled using FHA financing. FHA purchase loan originations were the only sector of the market that grew last quarter. Understanding the limitations and working with an expert who can help navigate them are critical to help create more transactions for you and your buyers.

FHA still does high expense ratios and low down payments--Last week, Radian, the last hold out for private mortgage insurance tightened their guidelines significantly. In many situations, like with a 705 FICO score or a 50% expense ratio, private mortgage insurance is no longer available in CA--AT ALL. This means a client on the edge must either do 20% down conventional or do a 3.5% down FHA loan--easy choice.

Doing an FHA loan, most clients get approved up to about a 55% expense ratio and sometimes as high as 65%. This allows someone showing about $5,500 p/month income to purchase a home for $440,000 home with only about $15,000 down. The seller can cover all transaction costs, including prepaid expenses like taxes and interest paid in escrow. If income is shallow we can add a coborrower's income to help qualify.

Each loan situation is unique and requires a specialized expertise. Rates right now are at about 5.0% for a 30 year fixed.

Kira Swaim, Owner, Tam Realty, 415-209-4750, kira@tamrealty.com

Posted by Kira Swaim on April 17th, 2009 3:51 PMPost a Comment (0)

First San Rafael Mile Race

April 15th, 2009 10:18 PM

The 1st Annual Downtown San Rafael Mile Race is Sunday, June 7.

There will actually be three races, by age group. Runners 19-39 will run at 7:45 a.m., followed by over 40's at 8:15, than 18 and under's at 8:45. Registration--the fee is $20--opens at 6:45 a.m. by the start/finish line at 4th and A streets. Proceeds go to the San Rafael High School athletic program and to Next Generation Scholars. The loop course is modeled on the annual downtown bicycle races. You can download a flyer at www.MarinRuns.com.
Jason Jacobson, track and cross country coach at San Rafael High is organizing the event in conjunction with the Tamalpa Runners Club. Jacobson, a fervent adovocate for the sport, has also brought the Twilight Relays, Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and 4th of July Novato races to Marin.

Posted by Kira Swaim, kira@tamrealty.com

Posted by Kira Swaim on April 15th, 2009 10:18 PMPost a Comment (0)

Check Out The Farmers Market - Downtown San Rafael - Thursdays

April 15th, 2009 9:55 PM

The Downtown San Rafael Farmers Market is one of the largest weekly social events in Northern California. The festival has five different stages of entertainment every Thursday from 6-9pm and over 200 vendors selling everything from local tomatoes to imports from Bali.

Enjoy yourself and get a good taste of downtown every Thursday through September 24th..

Posted by Kira Swaim on April 15th, 2009 9:55 PMPost a Comment (0)

Marin Real Estate Stats - March 09

April 10th, 2009 8:40 PM

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

...Single Family homes: units sold in March are 16% less than last year, but improving nicely from the last 4 months. Also...average single family home price WAY up to $1,125K - that's only 6% off of last year. This means that the 'jumbo' type homes are selling again.

...Condo units sold in 2009 continue to exceed 2008. Units sold are up 23% from this time last year. But...prices are down by 34%. We saw a modest improvement in average sales price - but still way off of last year's figures at this time.

...Total sales in Marin County including homes, condos, farms, land, businesses etc are off by 15% from last year - but reflect a healthy improvement over a bleak February.

Posted by David Swaim on April 10th, 2009 8:40 PMPost a Comment (0)

Jumbo Loan Rates Below 5%- No April Fool's!

April 4th, 2009 6:09 AM

Believe it or not we are seeing some very aggressive Jumbo loan rates and we want to make sure you know what’s available.

With a loan amount of $1,000,000 and 70% Loan-to-Value:

Purchase Price

$1,428,571

Loan Amount

$1,000,000

Loan Program

Rate

Points

APR %

Payment

30 Yr FRM

6.000%

0.940

6.136

$5,996

3/1 LIBOR ARM

4.500%

0.896

4.620

$5,067

5/1 LIBOR ARM

4.750%

0.844

4.868

$5,216

7/1 LIBOR ARM

5.000%

0.804

5.116

$5,368

10/1 LIBOR ARM

5.250%

0.988

5.384

$5,522

If you'd like to learn more, please contact us and our team can help you find the best loan to meet your needs.

Posted by Kira Swaim on April 4th, 2009 6:09 AMPost a Comment (0)