Bob Bredel is the perfect combination of professionalism and understanding in the stressful undertaking of selling or buying a home in the Bay Area.
San Carlos: Ready for Short Sales?
There is a lot of confusion over short sales. They are a bit of a mystery to the general public and many agents struggle with them as well. Before we go into the wonderful world of short sales, I believe that I should explain why I believe San Carlos may start to see more and more of them on the horizon. Why will Short Sales become more common in San Carlos? Anyone currently looking for a home in San Carlos will tell you just how awful the inventory situation has become. Here we are in March and we only have 30 homes ...
Many Summer Camp Ideas for San Carlos Kids
Everything from an intro to rock band, to medieval adventures, to gifted programs. San Carlos has a lot to offer students of all ages for Summer of 2010. Please see below:
San Carlos Native Wins Big at Academy Awards
Move over Brad Lewis....you have company. San Carlos native Kathryn Bigelow made history last night when she became the first female to win an Oscar in the category of "Best Director" for her film "The Hurt Locker." She now joins Dana Carvey & Barry Bonds as the most famous native San Carlans. >>>To read the complete press release, click here.
San Carlos Residents are Organized and Ready to Save San Carlos Parks
A well organized and passionate group of San Carlos residents are doing everything possible to communicate their desire to keep our parks open. Last month, the San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department announced that they would be recommending the closure of Crestview Park, Arguello Park, Laureola Park and the Youth Center, as part of their mandatory budget cutbacks. Their recommendations are scheduled to be discussed by the San Carlos City Council. A group going by the name "Keep San Carlos Parks Open" has their own blog dedicated to the effort to save our parks from closure. A link to that site ...
Everything That is Right About San Carlos.
Remember why you moved here. With all that is going on in our town recently it is easy to get caught up in an avalanche of negativity. Lost somewhere between budget deficits, school boundaries, synthetic fields and tax increases, are the reasons many of us moved here in the first place. Over the past three years I have occasionally posted articles that asked San Carlans what they liked best about San Carlos. The following is a compilation of what your neighbors had to say when asked: Words you think of to describe San Carlos: Progressive Community oriented Volunteerism Generous Educated Proud Active Family-friendly Tolerant The best parts about San Carlos: San Carlos Schools Laurel Street Hometown ...
Loan Modifications: A Near Impossibility For Most
The recent loan modification programs for most big banks were set into motion as a part of the Obama Stimulus Plan. 75 Billion dollars was set aside to help homeowners who found themselves in over their head on their loan payments. The reality of the situation is that less than 4% of those who apply for a loan modification are actually given a modification. Furthermore, for those with a Bank of America mortgage, those odds are even worse with less than 1% actually receiving a modification. Both of these statistics provided by cnnmoney.com. In the previous three months I have met ...
SCSD and San Carlos Teacher’s Association Reach Impasse
The current financial crisis is just not limited to City Hall. The San Carlos School District is facing its own financial crisis. In a memo released from Superintendent Craig Baker, the SCSD and the SCTA (San Carlos Teacher's Association) had been meeting over the last few months to try and reach an agreement over current labor contracts with an emphasis on the 2010-2011 school year. Unfortunately, those meetings were not encouraging and the SCSD filed paperwork with the State of California indicating that the two parties were at an impasse. The SCSD has been pounded by relentless, mandatory cuts by the ...
San Carlos Foreclosures Remain Steady
San Carlos currently has 52 single family residences in some part of the foreclosure process. It is interesting to note that this number is only higher by two, over the amount of foreclosed homes on the market last year at this time. First, it is important to note that there are different stages to the foreclosure process. Second, most homes going into foreclosure will never hit the market as a foreclosed home. Most homes are either sold or the owner finds a way to pay the amount in default and take the home out of foreclosure. Generally, homes fall into the ...
The San Carlos Friday 5
(1) Overbids and multiple bids were the story of San Carlos real estate last week. 813 Tamarack, 142 Wildwood, 26 Beverly, 159 Ruby, 2230 Carmelita all fell under this category. (2) San Carlos has 32 Active properties and 28 Pending properties. (3) For those of you looking for an off-market listing, there is a 3/2, 1,500 square foot home on Prospect for sale, but not on the MLS. The home is nicely remodeled. List price is $925K. Contact me for pics and more information. (4) Two widely attended San Carlos events that are forthcoming: Chicken's Ball-tickets available to public February 27th at Bianchini's ...
Did His “Common Sense Approach” Work for San Carlos?
Councilman Matt Grocott describes his approach as one centering around common sense. At the same time, it would be nearly impossible to find a more polarizing figure in San Carlos than Councilman Grocott. From the budget to synthetic turf, his name is the one that consistently comes up. I thought long and hard about writing this post, but in recent weeks it has become evident that he, by himself, is a major topic for discussion in San Carlos. Quickly going through the most recent comments on this blog will prove that very point. Let me be clear, this is not ...
San Carlos Market Starting to Heat Up – PODCAST
Click the play button below to hear this week's podcast on the San Carlos housing market.
San Carlos Buyers: This is a Must-Read
The perfect storm of market conditions in San Carlos is leading to some questionable tactics and dilemmas in certain transactions. Buyers that fully understand some of these pitfalls will be in a much better position to protect themselves against these unfortunate positions. My feeling is that this storm has been brewing for some time, but here are the ingredients for our current market: (1) Extremely low inventory (2) Interest rates at record lows and loans guidelines which have been loosened since last year (3) A flood of buyers into the San Carlos market, believing they have waited long enough for the bottom to ...
San Carlos School District Holds Meeting With San Carlos Realtors to Discuss Boundary Changes
Led by Superintendent Craig Baker, the San Carlos School District and members of the San Carlos Educational Foundation met with some San Carlos realtors today regarding the recent boundary changes to San Carlos school assignments. The SCSD emphasized three points: (1) All of the San Carlos schools rank among the top schools in the State of California (2) The boundary changes were essential due to high capacity at White Oaks and low capacity at Heather (3) The SCSD does not believe that there should be any difference in home valuations which are related to the particular assigned school, since all San Carlos schools ...
Synthetic Turf Moves Off the Hot Seat as Council Vote Gives Final Go-Ahead
At Monday night's San Carlos City Council meeting, San Carlos staff made the recommendation to the city council to approve a contract in the amount of $1,746, 150 to Interstate Grading and Paving for the Highlands Field Renovation, i.e. synthetic turf. The timing of the proposed synthetic turf comes at a time when public awareness regarding possible park closures and a major city-wide budget shortfall are at an all-time high. After a major downturn in the economy and the failure of Measure U (sales tax increase) was rejected by San Carlos residents, the synthetic turf issue found itself caught in ...
San Carlos Community Issues
UPDATE: POLICE MESSAGENo Comments
All, The previous post from today regarding the police message has been deleted...
San Carlos Native Wins Big at Academy Awards2 Comments
Move over Brad Lewis….you have company. San Carlos native Kathryn Bigelow...
San Carlos Residents are Organized and Ready to Save San Carlos ParksOne Comment
A well organized and passionate group of San Carlos residents are doing everything...
Everything That is Right About San Carlos.6 Comments
Remember why you moved here. With all that is going on in our town recently it is...
Read More Posts From San Carlos Community Issues
San Carlos Real Estate
San Carlos: Ready for Short Sales?4 Comments
There is a lot of confusion over short sales. They are a bit of a mystery to the...
San Carlos Foreclosures Remain SteadyNo Comments
San Carlos currently has 52 single family residences in some part of the foreclosure...
The San Carlos Friday 5No Comments
(1) Overbids and multiple bids were the story of San Carlos real estate last week. ...
San Carlos Market Starting to Heat Up – PODCASTNo Comments
Click the play button below to hear this week’s podcast on the San Carlos...
Read More Posts From San Carlos Real Estate
San Carlos Events
Many Summer Camp Ideas for San Carlos KidsNo Comments
Everything from an intro to rock band, to medieval adventures, to gifted programs. San Carlos has a lot to offer students of all ages for Summer of 2010. Please see below: Read More →
San Carlos Business Spotlight: Bianchini’s MarketNo Comments
Bianchini’s Market in downtown San Carlos is our latest winner for the San Carlos Business Spotlight….and it’s well deserved. Bianchini’s lives up to it motto “Community * Quality * Service.” Bianchini’s Market is run by the Bianchini family, the same family which owned and operated the very popular Foodville,... [Read more of this review]
2010 San Carlos Chicken’s Ball is Gearing up!No Comments
Get ready San Carlos! Chicken’s Ball 2010 is on its way. With it roots dating back to the Barbary Coast in San Francisco in 1900, the Chicken’s Ball has been a San Carlos tradition since it first premiered in 1940. Its primary goals: (1) raise money for San Carlos schools; and (2) build friendship in the community. Many of the participants... [Read more of this review]
4th Annual San Carlos Treasure Hunters Produces New WinnersOne Comment
Beating out 53 other competitive teams, Team #16, RDC, struck gold under a wooden bridge in Big Canyon Park and became the winners of San Carlos Treasure Hunters 2010, The Secret Treasure of Zoe A. Powers. Team #16 was comprised of Graham Godwin, Phoebe Hopp and Ryan Walsh. The team had to uncover ten hidden clue locations which were based on a San... [Read more of this review]
Read More Posts From San Carlos Events