Get up to $50,000 to help you buy your first home in Brentwood, Contra Costa County, California.In this issue of Golden Nuggets we will take a look at Down Payment Assistance in the City of Brentwood, California.Summary:  The City of Brentwood offers First Time Home Buyer's Down Payment Assistance up to a maximum of $50,000.  The assistance is a variable interest rate loan starting at 7% and decreases over time to 3%.  To be eligible for the assistance the home must be in the incorporated areas of San Pablo and you must meet the income guideline restrictions, based on the number of persons living in the home.Contra Costa County offers the American Dream Down Payment Initiative (ADDI) to assist eligible buyers with up to 6% in down payment assistance.The State of California offers up to ... 01/05/2008

For more information and pictures, click on any pictureSpacious 3 bedroom condo in the heart of Brentwood. Currently used as a 2bedroom, 2 bath plus large den (easily converted back to 3rd bedroom). Open living room w/fireplace & large sun filled balcony. Granite counters in the kitchen. Master suite w/separate tub & shower. In-unit laundry possible. Lots of closet space & storage unit above parking. Central air and heat. Close to Brentwood shops & restaurants. To preview the finest real estate in Santa Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades & Brentwood please visit my website. When you are ready to view homes or have any questions regarding selling your home, please contact me. 10/27/2007

In the last year over 100 mortgage lenders have gone out of business due to the "mortgage meltdown" as most of you might now it is getting much more difficult to qualify for mortgages in Brentwood. The reason it is difficult to qualify for your Brentwood mortgage is because guidelines have changed drastically. Even reverse mortgages in Brentwood are getting harder to qualify for, leaving many looking for a honest mortgage company in Brentwood.Since many mortgage brokers in Brentwood are going out of business, and others are not able to get you qualified, you need to call a reputable company to help you with your home mortgage in Brentwood. We here at America One Mortgage Group are a national company headquartered out of Southern California. We have offices in many states and fund millio... 10/22/2007

The terms supply and demand usually are what cause prices to vary whether it be real estate or any other freelytraded commodity. This is true but to go beyond this simplistic answer one must look to what factors enter intoestablishing the supply and the demand.Let's start first with supply. Before Developers decide to initiate the construction of housing they obtain as much information as possible relating to the potential demand for specific types of housing so that they feel assured that there will be buyers for them when they come to market. Thus demand is the initiating factor.Then what affects the demand for housing? The obvious primary answer is the ability for buyer's to have sufficient assets and monthly income to qualify for mortgage loans. What follows is the availability of t... 09/20/2007

I had an opportunity to visit one of the great museums of the worldwhile I was spending some time in Los Angeles this past weekend. The Getty Center is an amazing accomplishment, not only for its collections but for the architecture and grounds as well. The Getty Center was designed by world-renowned architect Richard Meier, and built at a cost of around $1.3 billion; its fabulous gardens area work of art that evolve continuously (designed by Robert Irwin), and coupled with the 360 degree views of Los Angeles from atop the hill along the 405 freeway (perched on a high hill across the freeway from Bel-Air in Brentwood) provides an inspiring visual experience whether you are an art lover or not. And the visual experience begins miles away - the Getty Center can be seen from a distance, e... 07/17/2007

I've featured several great small towns in some of my past posts, and would like to focus this post on the charming and exciting small towns in East Contra Costa County. Contra Costa County is a fast-growing, highly accessible portion of the San Francisco Bay area, and the many charming small towns in East Contrac Costa County offer abundant possibilities for sightseeing, entertainment, and natural beauty, along with excellent transportation and a keen dedication to conservation and the environment. The area has a rich history, and a fascinating Historical Society and Museum is located in Brentwood. BrentwoodThe small city of Brentwood, located about 60 miles east of San Francisco is surrounded by the beautiful waterways of the Delta, bringing fishing, boating, and water skiing right to... 06/25/2007

In building my real estate practice here in St. Louis, I've been looking at what other real estate professionals across the country are doing with there practices.  In doing so, I came across a team of real estate professionals that are working in the East Contra Costa County CA area, Team Elite.Team Elite not only sells Brentwood real estate, but also Discovery Bay real estate, Antioch real estate, Oakley real estate, Pittsburg real estate and Byron real estate, as well as the other communities in Contra Costa County.  Their web site offers a host of tools and articles, as well as other information regarding the ins and outs of buying or selling Brentwood real estate.  Click on the "About Us" button and you'll find out more about these extraordinary women, their backgrounds and how the... 06/21/2007

The members of Team Elite are true Brentwood area experts!The team is composed of four Keller Williams real estate specialists working together to ensure the smoothest possible transactions for both buyer and seller clients in the Brentwood area:Judy Hazen, a fine homes specialist who particularly works with waterfront, ranch, and high-end residential properties. Judy is the lead Listing Agent for Contra Costa County, a multi-million dollar producer, and the owner of Keller Williams East County Market Center.Katie Humann is a buyers specialist working with single family homes, townhomes, and condos.Christy Gonzaga is the marketing director for the team, andJill Proctor is a licensed executive assistant. Team Elite makes much more detail about team members and their specialties and exper... 05/31/2007

Here is a snapshot of the Housing Activity for homes sold during 2006,  as compared to 2005, for the city of Brentwood and Contra Costa County.    If you would like more info, please do not hesitate to give me a call or send me an email.  I would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding home values, current market conditions, free Market Analysis of your home, and any other questions regarding your Real Estate or Mortgage Financing.    karl@northstatefinancial.com    925-895-6467 Brentwood California,  ZIP 94513, Contra Costa CountySales of Existing Home and New Construction 2006 $ 643,000Sales of Existing Home and New Construction 2005 $ 650,000Percentage Change in Sales Price -1.08% Contra Costa County TotalsSales of Existing Home and New Construction 2006 $ 575,000Sale... 04/09/2007

Be sure to check out the Brentwood Cornfest, 2007.     Fun for the entire family!   Located in the downtown area of Brentwood, California, in the heart of East Contra Costa County.  Just a short drive from the Bay Area or Sacramento.  Lots of activities that include Live Music,  Entertainment, Silent Auctions, Games, Carnival Rides, Corn Eating and Shucking Contests, etc.   Check out the entry and exit times at the sites listed below.   July 13, 14, 15    2007 http://www.brentwoodchamber.com/http://www.brentwoodchamber.com/cornfest/   04/09/2007

Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, in the San Francisco-Oakland metro area. The community was named after English home of John Marsh, landholder.The latitude of Brentwood is 37.931N. The longitude is -121.694W.It is in the Pacific Standard time zone. Elevation is 79 feet. At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in Brentwood was $24,909, compared with $21,587 nationally.21% of Brentwood residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's.Median rent in Brentwood, at the time of the 2000 Census, was $746.   Monthly homeowner costs, for people with mortgages, were $1,725. or advanced college degree.The average commute time for Brentwood workers is 44 minutes, compared with 26 minutes nationwide.A total of 3 fatal motor vehicle accidents occurred in Brentwood between 2001 an... 04/09/2007

In the sub-prime arena, Bay Area companies with 32% of the market share have now gone out of business completely. That means 32% more of the market just opened up and will need a new source to acquire financing. The smaller brokers will now more than ever scramble to maximize their previously established relationships and will have to find new sources to fill the product holes. Truly a lot of change is happening, doors will close in some places and open up new ones. The mind set needs to be "look for that door" there is always a way. I actually am thrilled that our loans guidelines are more conservative. Those neg am loans kept me up at night and a lot of other families too. In my career I have written one neg am loan, per the customers request. Yes, I wrote it and waived the prepay and... 03/27/2007

Now that I have you in... As lenders we rely on many sources of business to generate our next look. Real Estate agents play a heavy role in that but is all business is good business with agents?.... well...no. I know is sounds crazy for anyone to say that in this market but as loan consultants we need to make sure we sure we are aligning ourselves with people we work well with. Granted you can work with anyone you wish but some agents work differently then you do. Some want weekend coverage and maybe you don't do weekends. Some need a phone call every 2 hours for status some just want a call when docs are going to title.  When I a mean work well, I mean make completely sure your expectations for your services are reasonable and that your Realtor has a clear idea of what exactly you prov... 03/27/2007

Should there be regulation for builder owned lenders? Seems that there would be to many conflicts of interest working on one transaction. Appraisers working with lenders, lender works for builder and builder owns all... With guidelines tightening and housing prices coming down the builder seems to be still maintaining a higher selling price and has yet to bring prices down to compare with current market; why? Are the rules of the capitalist game to sell at current market? Builders our also offering incentives to buyers 30 to 40k and from what I hear "unconfirmed of course" outside of the contract and after the sale closes.(sounds like bail out) That keeps the area home price up just long enough to sell out their sub divisions and move on. That method provides appraisers ways to justify ... 03/27/2007

Welcome to our blog.  We hope to be a good resource for all your real estate needs.  Now is a good time to buy.  Interest rates are good and inventory is high, allowing you to find the home of your dreams.  03/16/2007