Oh Curbed San Francisco, how I love thee!  This post and photo about the toilet liberated from the bathroom makes me both gasp and giggle!

Home prices have begun their climb back up with credit given to the deadline creeping up for the first-time home-buyers tax credit.  Business Week reported the improving prices indicates a stabilization in the real estate market however prices are still down,

Home prices increased 1.6% from June to July in the 20 metro markets tracked by the report, though they are still down 13.3% from a year ago. It was the third straight month of price increases for the 20-market average, as well as a narrower 10-city composite.

My question is when the November 30th deadline passes, will we still see prices increasing or will the giant rubber-band effect snap them back to what we saw a few months ago?

Earlier this month Moody’s predicted that it may take until 2030 for home values to return in some areas.

In many parts of the country, which include large states like New York and Illinois, home prices will not rebound to 2006 levels until 2018 to 2022. In the states where prices have fallen the most, particularly California and Florida, values may not rebound until 2024,

The prediction, if correct, means that Baby Boomers and even some of their older children may not be able to sell home to help finance retirements.

There goes my retirement!

An agent in my office was talking about a $600 Sears catalog home that was completed in 1913.  Today, the home is still standing strong and still shows evidence of quality workmanship.  The article is fascinating on many fronts (the man who built it is cousin to movie star Judy Garland’s father), but the lesson learned is that quality construction stands the test of time.

Here’s a link to the article,

Although Sears offered popular and established styles and materials with little innovation, the catalog homes were among the first to feature standardized and precut framing, drywall as an alternative to lathe and plaster, and asphalt shingles. Most of the catalog homes are still standing, and the Rutherford County home at 8006 Manus Road clearly evidences the material and design quality that was promised and delivered almost a hundred years ago.

Given the quality of some homes I’ve seen as a Realtor, it’s unfortunate more builders don’t take pride in their construction like Sears did in the early 1900’s.  However we are very lucky that others do build homes with solid bones!

There’s a clause in the purchase and sales contract (aka agreement to purchase) in our state that addresses items that will “survive” of the contract (the survival clause).  I just want to stand up and say how much I appreciate that clause - it’s kicked in a few times already and in both cases to the benefit of my buyer.

The first time my buyer had a window that needed to be replaced. The window had been ordered but wasn’t in by the time the house closed.  It actually took several months for the window to come in and in the end it wasn’t completed correctly, but we did finally put it to rest.

Then this week my latest buyer told me that the seller had removed all the towel racks from the bathroom.  We have found a compromise (she is being reimbursed by the seller to replace them), but it’s because of the survival clause that they have to step up and make  right the condition of the home.

If you are a buyer or a seller, make sure you understand the survival clause in the contract.  Don’t think that just because the house closes it’s all over.

Photo by Ashley the Artist’s 2002 Photostream via Flickr Creative Commons.

I’m out of town at a conference but don’t want to leave readers high and dry.  So I’m posting some links to interesting articles and blogs I’ve read related to today’s real estate, mortgages, or things that strike my fancy.

80% of Mortgages Back by FHA, Which is Low on Funds by Les Jones

Kansas Supremes Ruling Could Invalidate Foreclosures on 60 Million Mortgages also by Les Jones

The Ryugyong Ghost Hotel And Other Korean Oddities by Ron Hogan of Pop Fi.

Payback Time for First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit by CNN.

See you tomorrow!!

I am so glad to by typing this without having to relay a horrible story about a Realtor who was attacked.  However every year the National Association of Realtors sponsors Realtor Safety Week … it was last week so maybe I’m just a tad late on the information but really - is it ever too late to think safety?

We had a representative of our local police force come to our office today to talk about safety.  Perhaps the single biggest thing you can do to be safe is to always be thinking ahead.  Be thinking, for example, “What would I do if someone was behind that bush?”  or “What would I do if someone is already in the house?”  or “What would I do if a crazy person comes to my open house?”

By focusing always on

• Risk awareness
• Risk avoidance, and
• Risk defense

you my avoid the aggression before it starts.

Think safety always - whether you’re a Realtor, a convenience store worker, a teacher, a baker, or just a passerby who is reading this post!

Photo by W Stryder via Flickr Creative Commons.

A friend of mine who moved to San Francisco what feels like five years ago (but it’s probably only been two’ish) was featured on this blog several months ago.  I love this concept by Tango Baby called I Live Here: San Francisco where she features the people of San Francisco through their words and her photos.  I would adore it if I could tackle a project like for my own area.  Phenomenal.

Today, we hear from Mariana,

Last month we moved to the Lower Haight. We live in a wonderful, graffiti-colored neighborhood. We live in a gorgeously old apartment. We live in this place we are proud to call our first home together. We live here in SF.

Do any Shak & Jill readers know of other web sites like this?

We do wear many hats, for sure!  This was cute…

Have a great weekend!!

Sometimes unexplainable things happen while showing houses and today was my day.   I took my buyers to a home that had definitely seen better days.  It was beat to pieces, vacant, and just a bit creepy.  As we were walking through the kitchen something hit me on the head.  I thought it was a chain to a light switch (it was that light) but there was nothing there.  I thought maybe a spider had dropped down or a moth hit my head.  Nothing there either.

My buyers saw me duck, but we went on in the back bedroom where we found a black crow.  Dead.

I’m thinking it might have been the ghost of the dead bird dive bombing me.  Creepy!

I’ve been following the experiences of Dan STEVE over at Brip Blap as he’s moved his family to Florida for the nice weather.  He posed an interesting question about a couple of homes that are under consideration for buying. One has been completely renovated … beautiful on the inside, but a little farther from the ocean. The other one is a hot mess with pet stains and other grossness to consider.

Which will he pick?  It comes down to condition or location.  This is where I apply the 80:10:10 rule.  It’s cliche, but still works for people hoping to buy.  If you love 80 percent of the home, hate 10 percent but can CHANGE it, and don’t like 10 percent but can LIVE WITH IT then it’s probably a home that you should consider.

Depending on how handy I am, I’d probably buy the home with the great location.  He says,

The second is in a nicer neighborhood, with a huge screened pool and so close to the ocean you can hears waves from beyond the tree – but the house is a mess.

I can clean.  I can put in new carpet.  I can paint.  I’d buy the second one where I could almost pay cash and listen to the waves.