Halloween

Halloween is coming, if you need some ideas of how to carve your pumpkin check out my pictures of a pumpkin carving party we just had. Come see the talent! The mummy got 1st place, the scarecrow and witch received 2nd place. Very talented friends I have. Boy was it allot of fun!

60 day notice to tenants

60-Day Notice to terminate tenants is extended: existing law generally requiring a 60-day notice to terminate a month-to-month residential tenant, which was originally slated to sunset on January 1 2010, has been extended indefinitely. A 30-day notice to terminate is sufficient if the tenant has lived in the property for less than one year, or if the landlord has sold the property and certain requirements are met as specified in our standard-form Notice of Termination of tenancy (CAR form NTT. The 60-day notice requirement does not apply to fixed - term leases such as a one year lease. Other laws address tenants in properties foreclosed upon. Senate Bill 290

Get a write off on your taxes by upgrading your home

Upgrade your insulation, windows, doors, roofing, heating and air-conditioning system or water heater, and you could qualify for a federal tax credit for 30% of the purchase price of the product—up to a $1,500 maximum credit. The credits can be claimed on a homeowner’s income taxes for 2009 or 2010, whatever year the improvements were purchased. With a credit, the amount comes off any taxes you owe. The credit is nonrefundable, meaning it allows taxpayers to lower their tax liability to zero, but not below zero, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-10-17/energy-savers-incentives-to-help-you-take-advantage-of-home-efficiency-upgrades

% of current mortgages

We bet you’ve never seen this headline in anyrecent media coverage of the real estate market.It is fact—92.7 percent of all mortgages inthe United States are current. What’s more, the“sub-prime mortgage crisis” refers to a tiny portionof sub-prime mortgages. Sub-prime mortgagesrepresent only a fraction of all mortgages—andthe vast majority of these are current.• Percent of U.S. mortgages that are current92.7%• Percent of U.S. mortgages that are sub-prime13.2%• Percent of sub-prime mortgages that are current76.8%Source: Mortgage Bankers Association, 3Q07 ReportCrises may sell newspapers, but at Alain Pinel Realtors,we conduct business based on market realities.Our clients are enjoying historically low mortgagerates.* Credit-worthy buyers can easily find attractivemortgage packages. And our lending partner, PrivateMortgage Advisors, funded 23 percent more loansin 2007 than in 2006.If you’re considering selling or buying a home,call us. Get the facts. And make your decisionbased on Bay Area market reality.* Source: Federal Home Loan Mortgage CorporationHistorical performance and data provided is not necessarily an indication offuture performance.