Welcome page Contact Joanne  Buying Real Estate  Reverse Mortgages  Forclosures, Short Sales, REOs  Contact Joanne Real Estate News Services  About Joanne Gardiner  Credit and Finance Tips  Apply for a Loan Online Architecture Styles Home Improvements HVAC Duct Law Capital Gains Tax HVAC Duct Law Proposition 90 FIRPTA Law Why Use a Realtor® What is e-PRO? Testimonials Real Estate Glossary Proposition 8 Decline in Value   Selling? Buying? Rain or shine Call Joanne Office: 510-429-4800 Cell Phone: 510-589-4794 or send her a note on the Contact Joanne form House Price Calculator Calculate the current estimated dollar value of your home using FHFA's House Price calculator FHFA Mission Statement:  To promote a stable and liquid mortgage market, affordable housing and community investment through safety and soundness oversight of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Naked Houses Don't Sell   Have Your Home  Professionally Staged by Dressed to Sell Kathy Rojas, Interior Design Specialist with Dressed to Sell is an excellent choice for staging your home. Her talent is extraordinary and her fees are very competitive. Kathy Rojas Interior Design Specialist Accredited Staging Master (925) 768-2223  Home Seller's Guide: printable. Provided by North American Title Co. Top Moving Tips for Consumers   De-Clutter – Now is the time to clean out your closet and get rid of anything that you don?t need. That old heavy desk in the corner that is not being used and the treadmill that doubles as a clothes hanger. Having a garage sale or giving things to charity will help reduce the weight and cost of a move. Get a ‘Binding Not-to-exceed’ estimate – One of the costs contributing to a move is the weight of the shipment. With this estimate if your actual weight is more than the written estimate, you still pay for only the amount of the estimate. But if your actual weight is less than the estimate then your costs can go down. Get full replacement ‘valuation’ coverage– When you move, things can get damaged. This coverage is what will protect your goods in the event of any damage. Do you need furniture assembly & reassembly – If you have a large desk, entertainment center, or table that has to be taken apart and put back together, do it yourself to cut down on costs. If that is not possible then make sure the company you use has these services so that you can take advantage of them. Get a reputable mover – It is important to use a mover that is going to provide the level of service promised to you. Check out the better business bureau website to make sure they are what they say they are. The Move Advocate is a no cost service that helps your clients when moving. We provide a dedicated Coach to coordinate all aspects of the move, from getting estimates to settling into their new home. Our company has been saving client?s money on their moves for over 20 years and we would love to help. Please call Mickey Matteson, Account Executive for more information at 800-617-1918 or sign up today at www.moveadvocate.com/agent. The Move Advocate™  The Move Advocate is an exciting new FREE service offered to National Association of Realtors® customers.   The Move Advocate provides a dedicated resource to help research, plan and complete a successful move. Through the Move Advocate™, customers receive FREE access to professional trained staff, special rates and discounts on moving services, on-line relocation moving information and more!  Read what a client had to say about his experience with The Move Advocate Moving a Wine Celler? Do it the right way!  Click Here  Before you move donate things you don't need anymore Locate the closest Goodwill Donation Center Arrange a goods or cash donation to Salvation Army Western United States Change your address  Change your at the online Post Office. You can also connect utilities, move your magazines, or send your new email address to your friends. This site also allows you to track down demographic information on a new area.

Thinking of selling? When I represent sellers my focus begins with helping them put their home's best foot forward.  Like meeting someone for the first time, houses don't get a second chance to make a good first impression with prospective buyers. Our Interior Tips and Exterior Tips sections will get you on the right path.  However, professional staging has proven to be an investment that really pays off for sellers.  From listing the home through close of escrow I guide sellers through a complex maze that includes effective planning and marketing, inspections, negotiations, disclosures, reports, repairs, financing snarls, contract clauses and other aspects.  My goal is always for my sellers to realize the most for their property in the least amount of time and with as little inconvenience as possible. For information on buying or selling homes, please contact me on the Contact Joanne form or feel free to call me at 510-429-4800.  Best regards, Joanne, Your San Francisco Bay Area Real Estate Broker NO MORE STATE TAX ON FORGIVEN DEBT April 13, 2010 - "Qualified principal residence" indebtedness is defined as debt incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving a principal residence.  It includes both first and second trust deeds.  It also includes a refinance loan to the extent the funds were used to payoff a previous loan that would have qualified. The tax breaks apply to debts discharged from 2009 through 2012.  Californians who have already filed their 2009 tax returns may claim the exemption by filing a Form 540X amendment.   Taxpayers who do not qualify for the above exemptions (e.g., second home or rental property) may nevertheless be exempt under other provisions.  Most notably, taxpayers who are bankrupt are exempt from debt relief income tax.  Also, taxpayers who are insolvent are exempt from debt relief income tax to the extent their current liabilities exceed current assets. For more information about mortgage forgiveness tax consequences, go to California Franchise Tax Board's Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Extended webpage and the Internal Revenue Service's Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation webpage.  The full text of Senate Bill 401 is available at www.leginfo.ca.gov. SELLER MAY BE HELD LIABLE FOR PARTIAL DISCLOSURE A condo seller who discloses a defect in the property may nevertheless be required to also disclose previous lawsuits regarding that defect.  That was the decision recently rendered on February 17, 2009 in the California appellate court case of Calemine v. Samuelson (2009 WL 368648). In this case, Walter Samuelson owned a unit in a condominium complex which had intermittent problems with water intrusion.  In 1986, the homeowners’ association (HOA) sued the developer for design and construction defects.  In 1992, the HOA hired a contractor to repair and waterproof the affected areas.  By 1996, the HOA also sued the contractor it hired for ineffective repairs.  Both lawsuits eventually settled.  In 1998, the HOA hired another contractor to make repairs.  The new contractor specifically informed Samuelson, as the HOA Treasurer and “point man” for the repair work, that it could only solve a portion of the problem.  Samuelson’s unit did not suffer from water intrusion after the 1998 repairs. In 2002, Samuelson entered into a contract to sell his unit.  He properly disclosed on the Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) that he was aware of flooding, drainage or grading problems and added a notation about water intrusion during heavy rains.  In a subsequent conversation, Samuelson described to the buyers the repairs made in 1998 to solve the water intrusion problem. Nearly three years after the close of escrow, the condominium garage flooded.  It was only then that the buyers first learned of the lawsuits.  The buyers sued the seller and others for negligence and misrepresentation.  Samuelson claimed he didn’t mention the lawsuits on the TDS because he thought he was only obligated to disclose pending actions. The court ruled in favor of the buyer.  The court stated that once “essential facts are disclosed a seller is not under a duty to provide details that would merely serve to elaborate on the disclosed facts.”  However, the court added, “the evidence [in this case] revealed a triable issue of fact, as the existence of the two lawsuits was the very type of material information that a potential buyer could find seriously affected both the desirability and value of the property.  Moreover, Samuelson’s disclosing the repairs made by the HOA in the absence of providing information about the context in which those repairs were made could be characterized as a partial disclosure, likewise creating a triable issue.” Your Home's First Impression Make it lovely to look at...  friendly... well maintained... and inviting. Your goal for the curb view of your home should be to make buyers driving by say, "Honey, stop the car!"  Buyers need to be bowled over by the curb view of your home.  If not, and an agent persuades them to look at it anyway, before they even take one step inside they often decide they won't buy your home. Frequently asked questions about selling. Q:  How much is my home worth? A:  The short answer is only as much as a buyer is willing to pay.  And, you the seller directly influence a buyer’s decision as to how much they will pay.  Ask Joanne  Q:  Do I have to spruce up my house or can I sell it as it is? A:  The short answer is this depends on how your home shows right now, what price you’re willing to settle for and how long you want to be on the market.   Usually the better a home shows, the higher the selling price.  If you do not make your home attractive to buyers in the market, more than likely your competition will.  That can mean you may lose a buyer, lose thousands of dollars in selling price, lose time, become stale on the market and ultimately sell for less than you could have. Q:  Do I have to have any inspections before I put my house on the market? A:  Yes and no.  Think about this, if you have a termite inspection on your home before you accept an offer from a buyer you will know how much money will be needed to repair your home.  That dollar amount will affect your bottom line.  If you agree in a sale to provide a termite clearance, then you will have to pay for the repairs noted in that report. In a typical market, buyers look to sellers to provide a termite clearance at the seller’s expense.  Since this can be quite costly, knowing the amount of repairs before accepting a buyer’s offer is critical. If on the other hand you are in a hot market area, where multiple bidders are abundant and wigwams are selling for the price of mansions, then you might be able to sell “as is,” and make no termite or other repairs.  In this case you would be wise to have a termite report on hand to provide a buyer so they know upfront what they’re going to be responsible for.  In California it is no longer “Buyer Beware.”  Sellers of single family homes and units up to four have a legal obligation under civil code 1102.3 to disclosure anything they know or should reasonably know about their property.  If after the escrow closes a buyer finds out your property is riddled with damage that you did not disclose they have grounds to bring legal action against you.  They will probably win as the courts for the most part are sympathetic to buyers.  There are many other possible causes of action a buyer can bring against a seller.  I am experienced in guiding my sellers through the disclosure maze to successfully avoid the pitfalls that lead to litigation. Understanding your legal responsibility you would be wise to conclude you should get inspections on your home beforehand.  I recommend sellers get at least a termite inspection.  If their roof is more than two years old I also recommend they get a roof inspection.  If they have made any alterations to the home, then a general home inspection and a trip to the city to obtain copies of permits is essential as well. Q:  How do I go about selling my property? A:  You are off to a good start by reviewing the information here on my web site.  If you would like to talk with me about possibly representing you, just Ask me or give me a call on my cell phone: 510-589-4794.  Their blinds are made in Hayward, CA and unlike their competition they make their blinds with steel headers for durability. Their Hercules Blinds are the ones we use.  Order only from P.J. Vierra. He will personally come to your home or office and measure your windows the right way. The blinds will be custom made right in Hayward, CA.  Your windows will have the best fitting blinds they've ever had. Call P.J. today at 510-487-3500 or Toll Free 800-972-0660.  He goes the extra mile!   Sears Outlet - Southland Mall - Hayward, CA Delores Gallegos Assistant Sales Manager Sears Outlet Store #09497 680 W. Winton Ave Hayward Ca 94545 (510)265-1003 Store (510)825-1533 Mobile Delores is knowledgeable, helpful and makes customers glad they did business with her and with Sears.  Stop by the Sears Outlet at Southland Mall, the old Levitz building, and see Delores.  She's the best! Sears Outlet Web Site   510-538-0222 click image to visit Don's web site.    Liberty Floor Covering click image to visit Jason's web site.  New Location: 30139 Industrial S.W. #G - Hayward, Ca 94544 - Phone: 510-315-0808 Browse their web site For information on buying or selling real estate, please send me a note on the Contact Joanne form. Joanne L. Gardiner, Broker, e-PRO Realtor Advantage Realty Advantage Mortgage Associates 3205 Whipple Road - Union City, California 94587 (510) 429-4800 San Francisco Bay Area  San Francisco East Bay Real Estate   We specialize in the San Francisco Bay Area.