Dave Thurman's Real Estate Blog

2447 East Fremont Street, Stockton CA 95205

Hurry! Just Reduced!

On July 24, 2010 at 11:00 AM, you are invited to an Open House at 2447 E Fremont Street 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 RealtyWorldDaveThurman.com. Please do not hesitate to Contact Me if you have any questions or wish to schedule a private showing.

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The Haggin Museum, an art and history museum located in Stockton, has been referred to by Sunset magazine as “one of the undersung gems of California.”

The impressive brick building has stood in the center of Stockton’s lush Victory Park for 79 years, but it’s what’s on the inside that makes it worth visiting.

On display in the museum’s fine art galleries are dozens of paintings by renowned 19th- and early 20th-century American and European artists, including Jean Béraud, Rosa Bonheur, William Bouguereau, Jean-Léon Gérôme, George Inness and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Of particular note are breathtaking panoramas of Yosemite Valley (including one once loaned to the White House) by American painter Albert Bierstadt. The Haggin has the largest museum collection of major Bierstadt works.

How did world-renowned paintings come to be located in Stockton? In 1928, the San Joaquin Pioneer and Historical Society was looking to build a history museum but had been unable to raise enough funds. Stockton native Robert T. McKee offered the group $30,000 on behalf of his wife, Eila Haggin McKee, who had only two requirements: name the museum in honor of her late father, Louis Terah Haggin; and add an art wing to fill with paintings from her father’s collection.

The history galleries focus on the San Joaquin Valley’s past and the accomplishments of its residents, such as Charles Weber, Stockton’s founder; Benjamin Holt, inventor of the Caterpillar track-type tractor; Tillie Lewis, the “Tomato Queen” and the Stephens Bros. Boat Builders.

The Haggin Museum also houses the largest museum collection of original art works by “Golden Age” illustrator J.C. Leyendecker.

To house the continually growing collections, the museum has undergone several additions since first opening. The McKee Room was added in 1939; an extensive addition was constructed in 1949; and the Benjamin Holt Wing opened in 1976. Today the museum’s three-story building contains more than 34,000 square feet of exhibition space.

The museum’s permanent art and history exhibits are augmented by a number of temporary exhibitions annually. Special events, such as family programs, lectures, and musical performances, are held throughout the year. The Haggin Museum also maintains a Library-Archive, which is available by appointment. The Museum Store features a wonderful array of merchandise especially selected to complement your museum visit.

Although many Californians are still unaware of this cultural diamond, a trip to Stockton isn’t complete without a visit to The Haggin Museum.

Source: HagginMuseum.org

Number of Homes for Sale vs. Sold vs. Pending

May 2009 there were 1193 homes for sale in Stockton, California in comparison to May 2010 where there was a decrease to 980 homes for sale. The number of homes sold in May 2009 was 531 and in May 2010 the number of homes sold decreased to 378. In May 2009 there were 655 pending sales which decreased to 594 in May 2010.

More graphs and charts from our MLS and TrendVision Reports

Wow! Good news for Stockton, California. This article appeared today in our local newspaper, “The Record” and also is online at recordnet.com

STOCKTON – Crime fell in Stockton last year, even as the Police Department was whittled down to accommodate a shrinking budget and crime-fighting programs seen as successful were canceled to maintain patrol staffing.

The overall decline in Stockton – although murders increased – exceeded a nationwide decline in crime, according to a preliminary report the FBI released Monday.

The number of violent crimes reported in Stockton fell from 4,322 in 2008 to 3,703 in 2009, a 14.3 percent decline. Nationally, violent crime declined by 5.5 percent.

Based on the FBI’s population estimate, that decline represents a drop in Stockton’s violent crime rate from 14.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents to 12.7.  Read more

Number of Homes for Sale vs. Sold vs. Pending

April 2009 there were 1370 homes for sale in Stockton, California in comparison to April 2010 where there was a decrease to 884 homes for sale. The number of homes sold in April 2009 was 643 and in April 2010 the number of homes sold decreased to 421. In April 2009 there were 726 pending sales which increased to 783 in April 2010.

More graphs and charts from our MLS and TrendVision Reports

Stockton, CA welcomes “Bassmaster Elite Series” season opener! Changing weather, unpredictable tidal flow and finicky fish prove challenging even for the best anglers the sport has to offer.

If days of fishing practice are any indication, the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament, “Duel in the Delta,” should produce some explosive weigh-ins this week at the Weber Point Event Center in downtown Stockton, with the winner reeling in the $100,000 top prize. Read more from Peter Ottesen, Record Staff Writer.

“We’re happy to be showcasing Stockton and the fabulous Delta waterways to millions of people,” sports commission director Don Miller said. “For black bass anglers, the Delta is a world-class destination. This tournament will prove it.” 

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• Duel In the Delta: Pundit Picks

I have been searching the Internet, reading the local newspaper and analyzing my own recent listing / sales information trying to find something positive about the real estate market in Stockton, California and other parts of our country; but I think that I have failed!!!

• First-time buyers running out of time to use the $8000 tax credits
• Unemployment is high almost everywhere
• Americans have again lost faith in the government nationally & locally
• San Joaquin County listing inventory has decreased almost 60%
• Closed sales in the county are down 35%
• Median prices are up by over 10%

I refuse to give up…I will work weekends, hold open houses and go door knocking… just like a brand new agent! Please help me find something more positive to blog about next week. Please comment…are you out there?

More news for the housing market…I found this article today on Recordnet.com 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of new homes plunged to a record low in January, underscoring the formidable challenges facing the housing industry as it tries to recover from the worst slump in decades.

The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new home sales dropped 11.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 309,000 units, the lowest level on records going back nearly a half century. The big drop was a surprise to economists who had expected sales would rise about 5 percent over December’s pace. Read more if you like bad news…

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• New home sales hit record low in January
• New Home Sales Unexpectedly Plummet to Record Low
• Sales of New Homes Fell 7.6% in December
• New Home Sales Surprise Economists With Drop To Record Low In January
• Census: New home sales hit record low, erasing 2009 gains
• Bottomless New Home Sales
• New-Home Sales at a Low in U.S.

Most real estate firms think that a statewide MLS (Multiple Listings Service) is a good idea, but the question remains can or will all the local AOR (Association of Realtors) and the profit earning MLS’s be able work together for the benefit of the public and the real estate agents. Several years ago the CVAR (Central Valley Association of Realtors) had a significate dispute with MetroList MLS when the local AOR attempted take back control of their MLS territory in the Stockton / Tracy / Modesto area.

The California Association of Realtors® appears to be in support of the statewide MLS and cal REDD

 In my opinion real estate agents and brokers should support the CAR and take back their MLS for the good of their clients and their own future as a small business professional. Also, brokers need to take back and fix the realtor.com website.