Interrupting the trends of the Tracy Housing Market. 1) Inventory is down from  421 homes for sale in December, 2010 to 304 homes for sale currently     * of these 304 homes showing active for sale 196 of them are short sale contingent. 2) There are almost twice as many pendings as sold.    There was a 35% increase in pending sales.  This means buyers are buying houses. 3) We have about a 1.6 month supply of ACTIVE home available for buyers. How this information helps the Tracy Home Buyer purchase a home.  Buy quickly, write competitive offes.  This is a seller's market. What these Tracy CA Real Estate stats say to a home seller.  Homes are moving quickly.  If you don't have a good acceptable offer within the first 10 - 14 days, your property is most likely over priced. I'd be happy ... 09/08/2011

Welcome to Tracy and the Tracy Dry Bean Festival.    This is a fun event for the entire family.  The Tracy Dry Bean Festivalis hosted downtown by the Chamber of Commerce.   When I moved to Tracy 18 years ago I had no idea what beans were used for other than eating, or how many different varieties there were.  I grew up in the Midwest, we grew green beans in the garden, green bean. Beans you ate or canned.   Tomatoes for ketchup, aspargas, melons and BEANS are grown throught out the valley.  The history of Tracy is BEANS.  In Tracy, there are thousands of acres of beans.  Mostly Lima beans that are shipped to Japan.    The Tracy Dry Bean Festival will have "bean food", Music and live entertainment at various stages, art and craft booths, and informational booths.  The Tracy Dry Bean Fest... 09/07/2011

  What does this photo of the mountains in Yosemite say to you? To me it says, "Hi Mom, I love you this much! My husband and boys went camping at Lake Tioga, just outside the gates of Yosemite on the Eastern Side when they snapped this photo, weeks before Riley, (in the photo) left for Texas for college. Yosemite is just a 3 hour drive from Tracy, CA. Hwy 120 takes you straight to Yosemite via Escalon, Oakdale, Sonora, Pine Crest, etc. 09/07/2011

Feathers in your hair?  I'm  not sure if it's because of Steven Tyler or not, but wearing feather extensions in your hair is all the rage. These are special feathers, from a rooster, because they can be washed, dryed, dyed, curled, blow dried, you name it, so once installed in your hair they can stay for weeks. It's hard to find places that will put in feathers extensions, although it's relatively easy to do.  You just a little feeder tool, a micro bead, a crimper and the feathers.  One of the reasons it's so hard to find anyone that has feathers, is the scarcity of feathers. I KNOW, hard to believe, but these special ROOSTER FEATHERS, are also used by fly fisherman. Fisherman are NOT happy that their beloved feathers are being snatched up by women who put them in their hair. Since thes... 09/06/2011

I found a Secret "Oasis" in Tracy, CA Saturday as I was walking from the Crown Key Realty office at 1126 el Portal to the Tracy Farmer's Market on Central and 10th Street.  The walk is 2 blocks and one of the buildings that I had to walk by was the Tracy Inn.  I've driven by this Inn for years.                            I was surprised when I saw this gate....                    Through the gate was this walkway....             We walked by these stairs where some residents live,   who knew these stairs were there.. not me......                 As we walked through the darkend walkway, past the stairs, we wondered what we'd find?   We found this beautiful oasis nestled in the back of the Tracy Inn     Moral of the story, get out of you car and walk your City, you might be surpirsed wha... 09/05/2011

My soldier is on his way home from Iraq.  6 months is a long time when your loved one is in harms way. Many of you read and commented on my post last March "It's my turn to cry, a personal message and glimpse into my world"     The day was March 1 and I had just left my son at an airport in Baltimore as he boarded a plane for Iraq to serve his country for the next 6 months. He was promoted from  2LT to Captain while he was in Iraq.  He's in the Air Force a 2007 Academy Grad. Some of you read about his commissioning ceremony, when at the start of the ceremony, while we were watching on Skype, he said to us "Gotta go mom, incoming rockets".  Turned out only to be a test of the IRWS (Incoming Rocket Warning System).  I wrote about that here. You can watch the video.  The  photo to the righ... 09/04/2011

Unless Congress decides to extend the FHA loan limits again, the limits in Tracy & Mountain House, actually ALL of San Joaquin County is going to DROP signficantly as of October 1, 2011  If you are using an FHA loan to purchase or refinance a house with an FHA loan, then you need to be very aware of these POSSIBLE changes.  Mnay First Time Home Buyers in Tracy, CA and Mountain House, will be affected by these limits.  The loan most First Time Home Buyers are using is the FHA 3.5% down program.  With these new limits the amount of your available loan will drop significantly, no matter what you might qualify for.   Why so much, it's a very complicated formula that takes into account the median home price IN THE COUNTY.  That means, Stockton, Westin Ranch, Lathrop, Manteca all contribute t... 09/03/2011

Where is Tracy, CA?    If you talk to different people who live here you will get different answers.   Geographically speaking it is located in San Joaquin county, it is 48 feet above sea level and has a population of 80,000.   Tracy, CA began as a farming and train community.  In the last 20 years, Tracy fas became a bedroom community for families that wanted a larger house, more dollars per square foot and didn't mind the commute to San Francisco, Silicoln Valley and most of the Bay Area.   But WHERE is it.   Tracy, CA is located South of Sacramento and Stockton, North West of Modesto, East of Livermore, Pleasanton, Castro Valley, Oakland, San Francisco.   It depends how long you've lived here and where you came from.   I've noticed people who have lived in Tracy for a long time, when... 09/01/2011

What do you do when CHASE says YES, I mean NO?    Sound confusing ... it is   We help sellers short sale their homes on a regular basis.  Short Sales make up 80% of our business, so we work them and we work them hard.  We have relationships with most of the banks, but when the bank gets crazy there is little we can do.   We have a short sale, listing taken in October, no Notice of Default, homeowner 3 months late.   We got a buyer for the short sale within the first 3 weeks.   Chase is the lien holder and the only loan on the property.   We jumped through all their hoops, we faxed and refaxed papers, bank statements, checking acount statements to Chase.  For 5 months we sent Chase all the information they requested.   The end of March we finally GOT IT.  Yahoo - our approval.    We'd be... 09/01/2011

Ever feel stuck, then when you can't get up you just give up?  My son took this photo, as he was coaching baseball camp.  He warned this little fella if you sit in the bucket you will get STUCK.  Guess what he did. Had to tip him over once he realized he couldn't 'struggle' himself out. Are you stuck in a bucket?  Only way out - tip over! 08/10/2011

Understanding the Tracy Unified School District and the schools that supply thier students. Tracy Unified School District is comprised of: 3  - Traditional High Schools - Tracy High, Merrill West High and John Kimball High Kimball High SchoolTracy High SchoolWest High School 2 -  2 Middle (6 - 8) Schools - Monte Vista and Earle Williams Monte Vista Middle SchoolWilliams Middle School 4 -  K-8 Schools - Freiler Elementary School Kelly Elementary School North Elementary School Poet-Christian Elementary School 7 -  K-5 Elementary Schools - Bohn Elementary School Central Elementary School Hirsch Elementary School Jacobson Elementary School McKinley Elementary School South/West Park Elementary School Villalovoz Elementary School Tracy Unified currently serve over 17,000 students. Jefferson, ... 08/10/2011

Tracy Unified School District will have the following days off during the 2011 - 2012 school year. Please notice that on Monday's all schools have a shortened day due to "teacher" meetings.  These are called Early Release Mondays. (E) of the calendar. Once school starts, students will have Labor Day off, then there won't be another holiday until October 24th.  There is a minimum day on October 7th. The difference between Early Release and a Minimum Day is the time students get out.  Early Release students get out about 1:40, Minimum Days students get out around 12:30. For more information you can call your school or go to the Tracy Unified District website. I have 2 students at Kimball, and have spent the last 18 years with students in the TUSD school district.  If you have questions, c... 08/09/2011

Sometimes a picture is worth a 1000 words.    Tracy Unified School District High School Dress Code HIGH SCHOOL Elementary School Dress codes are different.  .  Don't wear.... pajamas- REALLY Don't wear - clothing that doesn't provide adequate coverage -- what is adequate Don't wear - shorts above extended fingertips... how long are your arms? Lots of Don't wear --- can we have a dress code for "teachers" too.  Don't wear sweats, don't wear t-shirts, DRESS PROFESSIONALLY and maybe your students will also. 08/09/2011

Are you a Jaguar?  John Kimball's mascot is the Jaguar.  Kimball High School is the newest High School in Tracy, CA.  Kimball opened  years ago with Freshman and Sophmores.  2011 - 2012 will be the first year with all 4 years, Freshman to Seniors.  Come cheer on the Jaguars.   John Kimball High School is located on Lammers Road just south of 11th Street.    Click here for Directions to Kimball High   JV/Varsity will play on Friday nights, Freshman play on Thursday nights. Freshman schedule is here.     I have kids that attend Kimball, a Freshman and a Senior, these are my last 2 to attend Tracy Unified School District.  I've been involved with TUSD for 17 years.  If you have a question contact me, if I don't know the answer, I probaby know who to contact to get the answer. 08/09/2011

Are you a Jaguar? Want to attend the Kimball High football games in Tracy, CA? John Kimball High School is located on Lammers Road just south of 11th Street.  Click here for Directions to Kimball High Freshman will play on Thursday nights, and JV/Varsity will play on Friday nights I have kids that attend Kimball, a Freshman and a Senior, these are my last 2 to attend Tracy Unified School District.  I've been involved with TUSD for 17 years.  If you have a question contact me, if I don't know the answer, I probaby know who to contact to get the answer.      08/09/2011

Stockton CA – The biggest advantage a short sale has over a foreclosure is that you can buy your next home much sooner. Get my Free, Step By Step Loan Modification Guide by clicking here. Here was our answer to Dan’s Question. Under current lending guidelines, you can buy another home in 3 years after a short sale. After a foreclosure you have to wait 5-7 years in most cases. (FHA’s current guidelines state that you can get an FHA loan immediately after a short sale, provided that you never missed a payment. If you were in default at the time of the short sale, then you have to wait 3 years before they will approve your loan.) But, what if did miss a payment and you want to buy another home sooner than that? There are loopholes in the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Remember, the law was wri... 08/08/2011

Stockton CA – The tax credit expired and everyone turned negative on the housing marketing. One so called expert said we could see headlines about the real estate market crashing again. Another said that the housing market is going to continue it's decline for another years or two. He referenced an article that showed that mortgage applications dropped by 9.5 percent the first week after the tax credit expired. Get my Free, Step By Step Loan Modification Guide by clicking here. I don't want to apply for the job of "Amateur Economist." Here are a few examples I found of actual economists getting their predictions wrong. 1. An economist published a book in 1987 that predicted a depression in the 1990s. That proved just a little inaccurate, no? 2. Supposedly in 1996, Alan Greenspan, stated... 07/25/2011

Stockton CA – I've heard of debt collectors contacting people's family and relatives trying to reach them for "an important business matter." Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here. When they tell the relative their business name, then it becomes obvious what is happening. They do this as an attempt to embarrass a debtor into paying them. Here is what most debtors do not know. This is actually a violation of a Federal Law called The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, provided the debt collector has your information already. I have seen this happen in many situations. Someone gets a call from a debt collector. A few days later that same person calls their relative and says they can't reach the debtor. They are not allowed to do th... 07/25/2011

Stockton CA – The Stop Foreclosure Institute recently received a question from John. Here is John’s Question. “I am trying to buy a short sale. I have been waiting on an answer to my offer for 6 months. The agent tells me we should have an answer any day. But, they’ve been saying that for a long time already. What should I do? John.” Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here. John, I think you should run for the hills. We see a lot of agents quote 6-8 months for a short sale response. Those agents simply don’t know what they are talking about. We have processed short sales with the most difficult lenders in an average of 2-3 months. The key is aggressive follow up. You have to check on the status of the file twice a week. The reason a... 07/25/2011

Stockton CA – Many Americans are concerned about the housing market. If they housing market continues to decline, then it could drag the entire economy with it. At least that’s what some economists are saying. We want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. So, we decided to propose a solution Here Are 3 Ways The Big Banks Could Stabilize Housing Prices And Increase Their Profits At The Same Time. Get my Free, Step By Step Loan Modification Guide by clicking here. #1: Approve more Loan Modifications. Every loan modification is one less home that has to be sold as a distress sale. Distress sales are dragging down home prices. In addition, many loan mods are rejected, only to see the lender lose even more money when the home sells. Here is an example. A homeowners offers to p... 07/25/2011