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Buying property to let | Property | Money | Gay.com UK Home Personals Chat Jobs Boards Directory Ask the Doctor Login | Join Now | Help News | Scene | Entertainment | Travel | Women | HIV Life | Lifestyle | Money | Weddings Choose your country site… US & Canada en français Italia Deutschland Argentina Australia España México Brasil Latino in Money Banking Insurance Law Property Work Life Flatshare & Flatmates login have your say Is Elton's wedding the event of the year? Property -- gay.com money property also in property Trust & Partnership Gay couples 'buying more homes' Find the perfect gay flatshare First time for everyone? Editor's picks Property archive also on gay.com Clubs Ho Ho Ho! Theatre Top gay play premieres in London Relationships Four years of worry - about what? related links Gay.com web guide - Money and Business Motley Fool Finance Pink Finance sponsored links Mortgage Best Buys - Save 100s Find Mortgages with Central Capital Compare UK Mortgages Buying property to let Chris Morgan Pink Finance 11 November, 2005 more articles by Chris Morgan Have you ever thought of becoming a landlord? In his latest column Chris Morgan offers advice on Buy to Let property. Kenneth has an amount of 30,000 that he would like to invest in his future. He likes the idea of buying a property to let out to tenants. This would mean taking a second mortgage, as he already has one already on his residential home. Kenneth said Im unsure whether Id be allowed to have two mortgages? Id be able to afford both monthly payments, as the rental income would more than cover the new mortgage. Are there any lenders that would give me the money? There are many Buy to Let mortgage lenders that would advance Kenneth the money, providing he has a 15% deposit. They would use the monthly rental income to justify the mortgage, providing it exceeds the interest payable by 130%. There are many types of specialist mortgages for landlords, with the most common either fixed or discounted variable options. Whichever type you select the interest will be tax deductible, providing you choose a loan that is specifically for letting property. Kenneth Continued Im not even going to have to find a tenant, as I already have a friend who would like to rent the new property. They want to find a nice place to let in my local area and are not in the position to get a mortgage themselves. Heres some advice for prospective landlords You should try and avoid Buy to Let lenders who charge a percentage of the loan as an arrangement fee and only pay a flat fee of a few hundred pounds. If your mortgage broker is independent they are obliged to offer you the opportunity to pay their fees by hourly rate. You should take out the loan on an interest only basis and not try and repay the capital, as its important that you create a margin. The difference between the monthly payments and rental received should be saved for repairs, decorating and unlet periods. Most lenders will require that you get your tenants to sign an assured shorthold tenancy agreement for either 6 or 12 months. You will be able to acquire an example from a legal stationers, or from a letting agent if you are using one. And Kenneth? We raised a mortgage for him of 170,000 at a fixed rate of 5.14%, using his 30,000 as a deposit. The monthly payment will be 728 per month, with his friend paying rent of 950 per month. The lenders arrangement fee on this deal was a flat 449, with the broker fee a flat 500. Chris Morgan is Managing Director of Compass financial advisers to the gay community www.compassifa.co.uk and editor of Pink Finance gay finance magazine. www.pinkfinance.com print it | email it rate this article: [ 1 2 3 4 5 ]Rating: 4 votes Win tickets to NYC from the Money Boards Gay.com and Vouch4me.com have got together to bring you the chance to win a trip to New York! wholesale nike shoes .35$/pair .www.nike-fancy.com jordan shoes /NFL jerseys/nor wholesale nike shoes .35$/pair .www.nike-fancy.com buy sell nike shoes,jordan,tn,shox,timberland,puma,prada,adidas, shoes,lacost,ev Sell Auto Seat Cover Sell Sports shoes (Nike,Adidas,Puma etc.) more competitions Full list of message boards Search Gay.com Company info Advertising info Personals affiliates Privacy policy User agreement Contact us Help Site Map ©1995-2005 GAY.COM INTERACTIVE SERVICES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. LEGAL NOTICE

Buy Home

Common Questions from First-time Homebuyers - HUD HUD News Newsroom Priorities About HUD Homes Buying Owning Selling Renting Homeless Home improvements HUD homes Fair housing FHA refunds Foreclosure Consumer info Communities About communities Volunteering Organizing Economic development Working with HUD Grants Programs Contracts Work online HUD jobs Complaints Resources Library Handbooks/ forms Common questions Tools Webcasts Mailing lists Contact us Help Common Questions from First-time Homebuyers Information by State Esta página en español Print version Email this to a friend Why should I buy, instead of rent? Answer: A home is an investment. When you rent, you write your monthly check and that money is gone forever. But when you own your home, you can deduct the cost of your mortgage loan interest from your federal income taxes, and usually from your state taxes. This will save you a lot each year, because the interest you pay will make up most of your monthly payment for most of the years of your mortgage. You can also deduct the property taxes you pay as a homeowner. In addition, the value of your home may go up over the years. Finally, you'll enjoy having something that's all yours - a home where your own personal style will tell the world who you are. What are "HUD homes," and are they a good deal? Answer: HUD homes can be a very good deal. When someone with a HUD insured mortgage can't meet the payments, the lender forecloses on the home; HUD pays the lender what is owed; and HUD takes ownership of the home. Then we sell it at market value as quickly as possible. Read all about buying a HUD home . Check our listings of HUD homes and homes being sold by other federal agencies. Can I become a homebuyer even if I have I've had bad credit, and don't have much for a down-payment? Answer: You may be a good candidate for one of the federal mortgage programs . Start by contacting one of the HUD-funded housing counseling agencies that can help you sort through your options. Also, contact your local government to see if there are any local homebuying programs that might work for you. Look in the blue pages of your phone directory for your local office of housing and community development or, if you can't find it, contact your mayor's office or your county executive's office. Are there special homeownership grants or programs for single parents? Answer: There is help available. Start by becoming familiar with the homebuying process and pick a good real estate broker. Although as a single parent, you won't have the benefit of two incomes on which to qualify for a loan, consider getting pre-qualified, so that when you find a house you like in your price range you won't have the delay of trying to get qualified. Contact one of the HUD-funded housing counseling agencies in your area to talk through other options for help that might be available to you. Research buying a HUD home, as they can be very good deals. Also, contact your local government to see if there are any local homebuying programs that could help you. Look in the blue pages of your phone directory for your local office of housing and community development or, if you can't find it, contact your mayor's office or your county executive's office. Should I use a real estate broker? How do I find one? Answer: Using a real estate broker is a very good idea. All the details involved in home buying, particularly the financial ones, can be mind-boggling. A good real estate professional can guide you through the entire process and make the experience much easier. A real estate broker will be well-acquainted with all the important things you'll want to know about a neighborhood you may be considering...the quality of schools, the number of children in the area, the safety of the neighborhood, traffic volume, and more. He or she will help you figure the price range you can afford and search the classified ads and multiple listing services for homes you'll want to see. With immediate access to homes as soon as they're put on the market, the broker can save you hours of wasted driving-around time. When it's time to make an offer on a home, the broker can point out ways to structure your deal to save you money. He or she will explain the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mortgages, guide you through the paperwork, and be there to hold your hand and answer last-minute questions when you sign the final papers at closing. And you don't have to pay the broker anything! The payment comes from the home seller - not from the buyer. By the way, if you want to buy a HUD home , you will be required to use a real estate broker to submit your bid. To find a broker who sells HUD homes, check your local yellow pages or the classified section of your local newspaper. How much money will I have to come up with to buy a home? Answer: Well, that depends on a number of factors, including the cost of the house and the type of mortgage you get. In general, you need to come up with enough money to cover three costs: earnest money - the deposit you make on the home when you submit your offer, to prove to the seller that you are serious about wanting to buy the house; the down payment , a percentage of the cost of the home that you must pay when you go to settlement; and closing costs , the costs associated with processing the paperwork to buy a house. When you make an offer on a home, your real estate broker will put your earnest money into an escrow account. If the offer is accepted, your earnest money will be applied to the down payment or closing costs. If your offer is not accepted, your money will be returned to you. The amount of your earnest money varies. If you buy a HUD home, for example, your deposit generally will range from $500 - $2,000. The more money you can put into your down payment, the lower your mortgage payments will be. Some types of loans require 10-20% of the purchase price. That's why many first-time homebuyers turn to HUD's FHA for help. FHA loans require only 3% down - and sometimes less. Closing costs - which you will pay at settlement - average 3-4% of the price of your home. These costs cover various fees your lender charges and other processing expenses. When you apply for your loan, your lender will give you an estimate of the closing costs, so you won't be caught by surprise. If you buy a HUD home , HUD may pay many of your closing costs. How do I know if I can get a loan? Answer: Use our simple mortgage calculators to see how much mortgage you could pay - that's a good start. If the amount you can afford is significantly less than the cost of homes that interest you, then you might want to wait awhile longer. But before you give up, why don't you contact a real estate broker or a HUD-funded housing counseling agency ? They will help you evaluate your loan potential. A broker will know what kinds of mortgages the lenders are offering and can help you choose a lender with a program that might be right for you. Another good idea is to get pre-qualified for a loan. That means you go to a lender and apply for a mortgage before you actually start looking for a home. Then you'll know exactly how much you can afford to spend, and it will speed the process once you do find the home of your dreams. How do I find a lender? Answer: You can finance a home with a loan from a bank, a savings and loan, a credit union, a private mortgage company, or various state government lenders. Shopping for a loan is like shopping for any other large purchase: you can save money if you take some time to look around for the best prices. Different lenders can offer quite different interest rates and loan fees; and as you know, a lower interest rate can make a big difference in how much home you can afford. Talk with several lenders before you decide. Most lenders need 3-6 weeks for the whole loan approval process. Your real estate broker will be familiar with lenders in the area and what they're offering. Or you can look in your local newspaper's real estate section - most papers list interest rates being offered by local lenders. You can find FHA-approved lenders in the Yellow Pages of your phone book. HUD does not make loans directly - you must use a HUD-approved lender if you're interested in an FHA loan. In addition to the mortgage payment, what other costs do I need to consider? Answer: Well, of course you'll have your monthly utilities. If your utilities have been covered in your rent, this may be new for you. Your real estate broker will be able to help you get information from the seller on how much utilities normally cost. In addition, you might have homeowner association or condo association dues. You'll definitely have property taxes, and you also may have city or county taxes. Taxes normally are rolled into your mortgage payment. Again, your broker will be able to help you anticipate these costs. So what will my mortgage cover? Answer: Most loans have 4 parts: principal: the repayment of the amount you actually borrowed; interest: payment to the lender for the money you've borrowed; homeowners insurance: a monthly amount to insure the property against loss from fire, smoke, theft, and other hazards required by most lenders; and property taxes: the annual city/county taxes assessed on your property, divided by the number of mortgage payments you make in a year. Most loans are for 30 years, although 15 year loans are available, too. During the life of the loan, you'll pay far more in interest than you will in principal - sometimes two or three times more! Because of the way loans are structured, in the first years you'll be paying mostly interest in your monthly payments. In the final years, you'll be paying mostly principal. What do I need to take with me when I apply for a mortgage? Answer: Good question! If you have everything with you when you visit your lender, you'll save a good deal of time. You should have: 1) social security numbers for both your and your spouse, if both of you are applying for the loan; 2) copies of your checking and savings account statements for the past 6 months; 3) evidence of any other assets like bonds or stocks; 4) a recent paycheck stub detailing your earnings; 5) a list of all credit card accounts and the approximate monthly amounts owed on each; 6) a list of account numbers and balances due on outstanding loans, such as car loans; 7) copies of your last 2 years' income tax statements; and 8) the name and address of someone who can verify your employment. Depending on your lender, you may be asked for other information. I know there are lots of types of mortgages - how do I know which one is best for me? Answer: You're right - there are many types of mortgages, and the more you know about them before you start, the better. Most people use a fixed-rate mortgage. In a fixed rate mortgage, your interest rate stays the same for the term of the mortgage, which normally is 30 years. The advantage of a fixed-rate mortgage is that you always know exactly how much your mortgage payment will be, and you can plan for it. Another kind of mortgage is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM). With this kind of mortgage, your interest rate and monthly payments usually start lower than a fixed rate mortgage. But your rate and payment can change either up or down, as often as once or twice a year. The adjustment is tied to a financial index, such as the U.S. Treasury Securities index. The advantage of an ARM is that you may be able to afford a more expensive home because your initial interest rate will be lower. There are several government mortgage programs,including the Veteran's Administration's programs and the Department of Agriculture's programs . Most people have heard of FHA mortgages. FHA doesn't actually make loans. Instead, it insures loans so that if buyers default for some reason, the lenders will get their money. This encourages lenders to give mortgages to people who might not otherwise qualify for a loan. Talk to your real estate broker about the various kinds of loans, before you begin shopping for a mortgage. When I find the home I want, how much should I offer? Answer: Again, your real estate broker can help you here. But there are several things you should consider: 1) is the asking price in line with prices of similar homes in the area? 2) Is the home in good condition or will you have to spend a substantial amount of money making it the way you want it? You probably want to get a professional home inspection before you make your offer. Your real estate broker can help you arrange one. 3) How long has the home been on the market? If it's been for sale for awhile, the seller may be more eager to accept a lower offer. 4) How much mortgage will be required? Make sure you really can afford whatever offer you make. 5) How much do you really want the home? The closer you are to the asking price, the more likely your offer will be accepted. In some cases, you may even want to offer more than the asking price, if you know you are competing with others for the house. What if my offer is rejected? Answer: They often are! But don't let that stop you. Now you begin negotiating. Your broker will help you. You may have to offer more money, but you may ask the seller to cover some or all of your closing costs or to make repairs that wouldn't normally be expected. Often, negotiations on a price go back and forth several times before a deal is made. Just remember - don't get so caught up in negotiations that you lose sight of what you really want and can afford! So what will happen at closing? Answer: Basically, you'll sit at a table with your broker, the broker for the seller, probably the seller, and a closing agent. The closing agent will have a stack of papers for you and the seller to sign. While he or she will give you a basic explanation of each paper, you may want to take the time to read each one and/or consult with your agent to make sure you know exactly what you're signing. After all, this is a large amount of money you're committing to pay for a lot of years! Before you go to closing, your lender is required to give you a booklet explaining the closing costs, a "good faith estimate" of how much cash you'll have to supply at closing, and a list of documents you'll need at closing. If you don't get those items, be sure to call your lender BEFORE you go to closing. Be sure to read our booklet on settlement costs . It will help you understand your rights in the process. Don't hesitate to ask questions. More information? Answer: See our 100 questions and answers about buying a home. Content updated October 25, 2005 Back to top FOIA Privacy Web Policies and Important Links Home U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410 Telephone: (202) 708-1112 TTY: (202) 708-1455 Find the address of a HUD office near you

property listings including Camden

Maine Waterfront Real Estate Listings - Coastal Maine's Oceanfront Real Estate Specialists Bob Fenton & Marjorie Crowley Maine's Oceanfront Real Estate Specialists Exclusively Representing Coastal Maine Real Estate Buyers 800-293-4416 We're your Maine real estate guides and regional advisors. We make it easy for you to fulfill your dream of owning real estate in Maine. You'll get to know the Maine real estate marketplace from the comfort of your home or office. You'll put our years of real estate brokerage experience and coastwise knowledge to work for you right away. Call to discuss your Maine real estate search. Visit bobfenton.com often for the most up to date real estate listings. Oceanfront property listings including Camden Maine real estate, York Maine and Boothbay Maine real estate. We are the Maine's oceanfront real estate specialists offering a wide variety of oceanfront real estate and lakefront real estate. Search Maine Property Listings : P referred B uyer's S ervices Get FREE access to all coastal Maine real estate listings. See every real estate listing on the coast of Maine. Get Daily E-Mail Alerts of new listings and price changes. Never Miss Another Listing . Coastal Maine Real Estate Listings Tour of Coastal Maine Real Estate Listings Here's an easy way to get a feel for what's going on in real estate on the coast of Maine. Our selection of: Coastal Maine Waterfront Listings Maine Waterfront Homes Over $5 Million Over $2 Million Over $1 Million $900,000 to $1 Million $800,000 to $900,000 $700,000 to $800,000 $600,000 to $700,000 $500,000 to $600,000 $400,000 to $500,000 $300,000 to $400,000 $150,000 to $300,000 Maine Waterfront Condominiums Maine Antique Homes Built Before 1800 Over $1 Million $500,000 to $1 Million Under $500,000 Maine Bed & Breakfasts Listing data is derived in whole or in part from the Maine IDX & is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use only. Dimensions are approximate. All data should be independently verified. © 2005 Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Exclusive Buyer's Brokers for Maine RealEstate We are professional buyers brokers offering exclusive representation for all Maine properties. We provide complete loyalty without conflicts of interest on your purchase of Maine real estate. Your confidentiality is of utmost importance while buying any coastal Maine property. We help you analyze all sales data to determine the true property value of your new Maine home. Our tough negotiating tactics work to get you the best price and terms on your new home in Maine. Maine WebCams : Coastal Maine Web Cams Take a "virtual tour" of coastal Maine. Visit Web Cams on the coast. We sincerely enjoy introducing people like you to the scenic beauty of coastal Maine. One of our most popular links. Maine Lighhouses : Maine's Most Photographed Icon If you like lighthouses, Maine is Mecca. Maine is host to many of the nation's oldest lighthouses. Navigating the coast of Maine presented quite a challenge in the early days of coastal trading. With all of the small islands, rocky outcroppings, ledges and reefs, the dangers of sailing the coast were great. There are more than 60 lights cloistered along the 3500 miles of Maine's convoluted and rocky coast. Our tour consists of over 30 Lighthouses and some Lighthouse Web Cams along the coast of Maine. Maine Maps : Detailed Area Maps & Regional Info. Local Information, with maps of towns or regions. Links to area's Chamber of Commerce, local on-line news, ferry service to area islands, and an ariel photo of the community. Get the local area information you need to make a wise real estate buying decision.Resources for ordering maps of Maine and everybody's favorite book about life in Maine: "Moving to Maine" Your personal guide to Maine realestate Put our years of real estate experience and regional coastwise knowledge to work for you. We've learned about all the complexities that surround your unique search for Maine property.With our help, your real estate decisions will be made with complete confidence. You'll be sure you've made the right choice because you've got all the information you need to make a wisedecision. It begins by having an experienced real estate broker on your side. Before you know it, you'll be wondering why youtook so long to make the move. And chances are you'll call Maine your home, even if you're a seasonal resident. Call to discuss your search for Maine real estate. 800-293-4416 Search Maine Real Estate Listings | Maine Modular Home Builder | Maine Custom Home Builder Maine Life | Maine Home Buying Tips | Maine Broker Profile Maine Lodging | Maine Travelogues | Why You Need a Buyer's Broker | Client Testimonials

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countrywide careers : careers at countrywide careers faq | site map career paths diversity philanthropy Job Function - All Functions Accounting Administrative/Clerical Audit Banking Compliance/Legal Consulting Services Credit Risk Management CU Program Customer Service Education/Training Facilities Finance Human Resources Information Technology Insurance Loan Origination Marketing & PR Mortgage Processing Mortgage Servicing Other Purchasing/Procurement Risk Management Securities/Trading Strategic Planning Title/Escrow/Appraisal Underwriting State - All States AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE es FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC TN TX UT VA WA WI WV WY Countrywide's state-of-the-art facility in Chandler, Arizona is now open. To explore the wide variety of available positions, click here. We are coming to Tampa! Click here to learn more about future employment opportunities. careers at countrywide Saying that you’re a “mover and shaker” and being one are two very different things. At Countrywide, we have never been satisfied with the status quo. Since 1969, we have helped millions of American families realize the dream of home ownership. We have expanded to become a highly diversified   global financial services provider, as well as a member of the S&P 500, Forbes 500 and Fortune 500. Of course, we were honored when Fortune magazine named Countrywide one of the most admired and fastest growing companies in America*. Even more important to us is the fact that, through our One Trillion Dollar Challenge , Countrywide is playing a leading role in ensuring that the dream of homeownership is attainable by everyone. See it all for yourself as you surf our site. You’ll discover we’re experts at finding solutions for our customers. We’re committed to being the Employer of Choice. We’re on a never-ending quest for innovation and excellence. Are you? Then it’s definitely your move.   Countrywide is committed to leveraging the talent of a diverse workforce to create great opportunities for our business and our people. EOE. M/F/D/V.   *Fortune, September 2004 Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. and Countrywide Bank, N.A., are Equal Housing Lenders. © 2005 Countrywide Financial Corporation. Trade/servicemarks are the property of Countrywide Financial Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Countrywide is committed to leveraging the talent of a diverse workforce to create great opportunities for our business and our people. EOE. M/F/D/V. privacy & security | licenses & registrations

Real Estate prices in

Google Answers: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. Log in | Google Answers Home View Question Ask a Question Q: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. ( Answered , 4 Comments ) Question Subject: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. Category: Business and Money > Economics Asked by: realestatedoom-ga List Price: $10.00 Posted: 06 May 2002 14:46 PDT Expires: 05 Jun 2002 14:46 PDT Question ID: 13448 With everything in the economy setting new lows, the SF bay area realestate is growing up surprisingly. During the hey days of internetboom, the real estate hike was justified with the stock prices. Nowmost of those internet companies are bankrupted or trading at theirlows of a few pennies. Yet, the bay area real estate is HOT, sizzlingand I heard that the home prices are indeed going up. This has left meclueless as it defies all the gravity. I would like to know thereasons. Also, if the reasons indicate that there is a manipualtion ofthis market by vested parties, I would like some pointers as well. Andabove all, when does one see the real estate crash in this area andwhat could trigger the same. Thanks. Answer Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. Answered By: easterangel-ga on 19 May 2002 03:53 PDT Rated: Hi! Thanks for the question. I have collected the following assessments on why the Bay Area realestate market is being overpriced right now.According to these two articles by Broderick Perkins of the RealtyTimes he mentioned two underlying factors: (a and b).a. “The area's housing market is further influenced by the contractionof household wealth, largely due to the bust in the area'stechnology-based economy.”“When the market crashed, housing prices declined, and many newhomeowners, who found themselves with a mortgage they could no longerafford, put their homes on the market.”These statements are particularly trying to point out that a selectivefew are trying to squeeze the real estate market especially forhigh-end homes. http://realtytimes.com/rtnews/rtcpages/20020205_bayarea.htm b.) “The spotty-market syndrome” – “A record high "luxury" home price index that doesn't fully jibe withreports of lagging sales activity is a red flag indicating aspotty-market that warrants close scrutiny by both buyers and sellers.Spotty-Market syndrome or reporting is using data that does notadequately represent the targeted population in this case the sellersand buyers of homes in the Bay Area. ““Home shoppers may buy into bidding wars that don't exist and pay toomuch in a flat or depreciating market in a given neighborhood… couldbe trickling down to mid-priced homes which aren't appreciating asfast as even cheaper condos and townhomes.” http://realtytimes.com/rtnews/rtcpages/20010223_bayprices.htm Do these two statements subscribe to your suspicion as regards tosomeone or somebody trying to control the market? I think they do.c.) Supply and demand. There is such a demand for land/housing in theBay Area, and this drives the price of homes up. However, there areaffordable housing options. This was taken from Advantage Homeswebsite. This can be located at the lower part of the web page. http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:2eSmmIcxiNcC:www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/business/personal_finance/debt_management/mortgages/ask_expert_front.htm+%2BWhy+Bay+Area+homes+expensive&hl=en d.) The region's economy is so much more diverse than a decade ago.This reason is specifically a factor for the Sacramento area accordingto this article. http://www.sacbee.com/static/archive/home/realestate/2001/0520.html Some housing bargains in the Bay Area are mentioned this article.Housing Bargains: http://beta.kpix.com/news/5reports/Housing_Bargains.shtml As to your question as to when it would end? The second article ofBroderick Perkins which I cited said this near the end."Buyers and sellers are cautioned to keep tabs on sales and prices ofall homes. As spring approaches with its seasonally more activemarket, a clearer picture of the spotty market should emerge -- forbetter or for worse."The article continued that small changes in the Bay Area economy willchange the balance of supply and demand bringing pressure for high-endhome prices to go down. http://realtytimes.com/rtnews/rtcpages/20010223_bayprices.htm I pray that right now this is the case. Search Terms Used:+Why Bay Area homes expensivespotty marketI hope this would be of help. Thanks for being a part of GoogleAnswers.Regards,Easterangel-ga realestatedoom-ga rated this answer: provides good insight. of course, i am still puzzled on who and howpeople can so easily afford 1+ million homes in the bay area assumingnot much money is flowing from stock options?. i am also a littlepuzzled that the "demand" has not waned out significantly due to fallout of "tech" economy here!. in any case, thanks for the answer. Comments Log in to add a comment Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: delphina-ga on 06 May 2002 15:33 PDT prices are indeed going up. houses are still selling quickly withmultiple bids. why? not everyone was wiped out in the dot-com crash.those that made it, made it, and those that didn't are already gone. basically, it won't crash unless there is an earthquake.everything you need to know is in carol lloyd's Surreal Estate columnin the San Francisco Chronicle.see here: http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/lloyd/archive/ Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: realestatedoom-ga on 06 May 2002 16:43 PDT so, how does an earthquake impact the prices given that this region iseqrthquake prone. why is the buying herd not factoring this?. readingthrough lloyd's article, there is a sense of desperation amongstbuyers (so there are still buyers at this price left:), wonder whythey don't choose other greener pastures where they do not have tosacrifice their entire life paying huge mortgages in an uncertain andimploding tech and job market!.) to own the realty in the bay area. isthat desperation out of a need to be in this area or pyramid formationwhere you buy and get out of this in a few years selling the home fora huge profit. a.k.a like buying internet stocks at hyped up priceswith an idea of selling them to a bigger fool at higher prices. aslong as the pyramid continues, it all looks great. didn't we seeenough of that with internet stock bubble?. if so, when does the realestate bubble/pyramid come crashing? Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: claudietta-ga on 17 Jun 2002 01:19 PDT I think there were plenty of people with high incomes waiting for thehousing market to adjust, prior to the bubble bursting. Since therecontinues to be a large portion of high income earners in SiliconValley, say >$100k/person/yr; a $200k household could easilty afford a$1m-home. These could be earned by a single CEO or two professionalswith that sort of total income. In the high-end districts, Los AltosHills, Saratoga, Woodside, this is precisely the profile of the homeowners. There are plenty CEOs and professionals (lawyers, engineers,managers) who make that amount of money.I've also heard of many who've lost their $5m-homes, and have had to'settle' for a $2m-home.The very high-end, >$2.5m is where the real housing crisis is inSilicon Valley.claudietta-ga Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: krup-ga on 30 Oct 2002 01:38 PST I am baffled that the effect of low interest rates has not yet beenmentioned- people are able to afford more, so they do. It's theAmerican way.Check out Fortune's recent cover article with a pic of an SF domicileentitled, "Is this House worth $1.2 Million?" It sums up thesituation perfectly.http://www.fortune.com/indexw.jhtml?channel=artcol.jhtml&doc_id=209840 Important Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided on Google Answers are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Google does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. Please read carefully the Google Answers Terms of Service . If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by emailing us at answers-editors@google.com with the question ID listed above. Thank you. Search Google Answers for all questions answered questions unanswered questions Google Home - Answers Help & Tips - Answers FAQ - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy ©2005 Google