Dave Thurman's Real Estate Blog

California:

Los Angeles Times: California home default cases plunge
By Alejandro Lazo
4/21/2010
Mortgage default notices declined 40.2 percent statewide in the first three months of the year compared with the same period in 2009, according to MDA DataQuick.
 
National:

Wall Street Journal: Land prices jump as home builders move in
By Dawn Wotapka
4/21/2010
Across the U.S., home builders are battling to acquire land lots in preparation for ramping up home construction. While volume is tough to track, analysts report that land deals have been rising rapidly in recent months, causing land prices in some of the nation’s weakest housing markets to rise for the first time since 2006.

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This weekend April 23rd-25th, 2010 is Stockton’s 25th annual asparagus festival. You can expect approximately 60,000-80,000 celebrating and enjoying the Stockton downtown waterfront from 10 AM to 7 PM all three days. For general information, activities, entertainment & more go to http://www.asparagusfest.com/

Deep Fried Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 egg whites
• 2/3 cup cold flat beer
• 3 pounds (2 cups) raw whole asparagus, cleaned and cut above the white end
• Peanut oil (enough to fill a pan 2 inches)

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all ingredients except asparagus and oil in a bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Dip asparagus individually in the batter and deep-fry them in at least 2 inches of peanut oil for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Well, I went door knocking today! Knocking on doors is one of the most successful ways for a real estate agent to find new business. I should know… for the first 5 years or so, I was a door knocker 3-5 days a week for at least 2 hours a day.

Over the past 30 years, I have always said “if I ever need more business; I would know what to do!” 

To be a successful door knocker you must be very stubborn and have faith that it will work. Most agents will give up if they don’t get a listing or a buyer the first day or two. It is very important to pick an area near your office or near your home which you are very familiar with. It is also important to know the neighborhood and the home values. I like to hit a lot of homes and not allow a long winded talker to take up my time. (I can always come back or call later if it really is a good lead)  

The best part of door knocking is knowing that my fellow agents will give up before they get out of the office! 

On April 25, 2010 at 11:00 AM, you are invited to an Open House at 108 S Sinclair Avenue in Stockton. If you are looking for a Single-family property in this area, don’t miss this rare opportunity to visit this magnificent property. For a preview of this Single-family property, check out my site at DaveThurman.com. Please do not hesitate to Contact Me if you have any questions or wish to schedule a private showing.

Virtual Tour ~ 108 S Sinclair, Stockton CA

I found this article today on Comcast while having my morning cup of coffee…guess I better lock my mortgage refinance ASAP

WASHINGTON — Rates for 30-year home loans surged last week, rising to the highest level in eight months due to the improving economy and the end of a government push to keep rates low.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 5.21 percent this week, up from 5.08 percent a week earlier, Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s the highest since mid-August, when the average rate was 5.29 percent.  [more]

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Image via Wikipedia

 The weekend of April 10-11 is REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend.  REALTORS® and brokers across the nation are encouraged to participate in this campaign focused on increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of homeownership.  Participation is easy.  Schedule your open houses for April 10-11 and place balloons outside for potential buyers to see.  Please note this is not an NAR-sanctioned event, but was initiated by other state associations.

Nationwide Open House Weekend will enable sellers to showcase their homes for sale and potential home buyers to shop for a home while interest rates are low; home prices are affordable; there is a wide variety of homes available; and the federal tax credit is in place.

To find out more about participation in your area, contact your local association of REALTORS®.

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Number of Homes for Sale vs. Sold vs. Pending

February 2009 there were 1978 homes for sale in Stockton, California in comparison to February 2010 where there was a decrease to 847 homes for sale. The number of homes sold in February 2009 was 504 and in February 2010 the number of homes sold decreased to 324. In February 2009 there were 623 pending sales which increased to 661 in February 2010.

More graphs and charts from our MLS and TrendVision Reports