Bay Area Real Estate Podcast with Greg McDaniels

We’re Giving You and Your Family the Gift of Vacation

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 6 Sep 2018 12:12:00 -0700

To thank you for supporting our content, my team and I would like to extend a special offer to you and your family.

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As of this August, I will have been bringing you informative videos about our market for four full years. With that in mind, I want to ask you a simple question: Do you hate me?

Of course I’m joking, but the reason I ask is, even after all of this time, some of you have still never reached out. Don’t get me wrong—I understand how busy things can get. In fact, that’s one of the major reasons I do what I do. I want to serve as a convenient resource for all your real estate needs, and today I’d like to offer you something else.

How would you like to go on vacation? Well, now is your chance. All you need to do is visit www.mcdanielcallahanvacation.com to book your stay. Up to two adults and two children can register, so I encourage you and your family to take advantage of this great opportunity. If you cover airfare and the tax for your hotel rooms, I’ll pay for the rest of any resort package you choose.

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If you cover airfare and the tax for your hotel rooms, I’ll pay for the rest of any resort package you choose.

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After following the instructions on our website and reading the terms and conditions, you and your family will be all set to let the worries of the world wash away. If you do take advantage of this opportunity, be sure to tag our team in any photos you post. We would love to see how you and your loved ones spent your vacation. As always, if you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Closing Day Surprises to Keep an Eye Out For

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 13:46:00 -0700

Closing day is an important time for both buyers and sellers. Here are some
potential surprises you could face on that special day and how you can avoid them.

Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report

Today we’re going to be talking about five closing day surprises that are unfortunately all too common:

1. The walkthrough. The walkthrough is a very important part of the process. This actually guarantees to the buyer that they’re receiving the property in the exact condition that it was when they wrote the contract. Maybe there is a hole in the wall, a scrape in the staircase from the movers, or the carpet got stained. Either way, it’s important to make sure that the home is in the same condition as when you wrote the contract.

2. Household items may be missing. In certain cases, household items might get up and walk away. Maybe it’s a chandelier, a fireplace, or something else that was written into the contract that the seller was going to convey to the buyer at the close of escrow. If those items are not there for some reason, approach the listing agent with the contract and ask them. If they don’t know or are unwilling to give them back, at least get a check to cover the cost. Ultimately, you should try to get the items back if they're not there.

3. The lender doesn’t want to make the loan anymore. This usually happens as a result of the buyer’s financial picture. For some reason, they have altered their spending habits. Maybe they lost a job or bought something expensive that messed up their debt-to-income ratio.

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A good title and escrow company will
find anything erroneous at the start.

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4. What are the property lines? What chunk of earth are you buying, exactly? If there is any concern that your property lines aren’t lining up with the title, get a survey done. It will make sure that you aren’t encroaching on your neighbor or they aren’t encroaching onto you. 5. Title problems and troubles. Sometimes, there is human error and things recorded against the property that shouldn’t be, such as an erroneous loan or a lien. That’s why a good title company and escrow officer will find what’s record against the home from the beginning. If there is a “cloud” on the title, you can’t go through with the purchase. If you have any questions about any of these closing day problems or anything else about real estate in general, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What 4 Signs Scream That It’s Time to Find a New Home?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 9 Aug 2018 08:49:00 -0700

How do you know when it’s time to move? These four signs may give you a good idea that it’s time for a change.

Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report

There are four tell-tale signs that it’s time to sell your home:

1. You’ve simply outgrown your home. Perhaps you’ve had too many kids for the number of bedrooms you have, or you’ve acquired too many pets for the space you have. Either way, it’s uncomfortable, and you should consider moving up. We can help you there.

2. Your lifestyle has changed. Perhaps you’ve changed jobs and now have a longer commute, or you’ve retired and don’t need to work at all. Situations like these often signal it’s time for a change of scenery.

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Situations like these often signal

it’s time for a change of scenery.

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3. When remodeling won’t give you the return you’re looking for. I know for a fact that there are certain projects that will get you a higher return on your investment, but they’re not always what you think. Certain popular home improvement projects won’t actually bring you the amount that you’d like. If you need a list of the improvements that will bring you a decent return, reach out to me.
4. You have a flexible time frame. Remember back in 2008 when our equity took a nosedive into the ground? Well, now most of us have climbed back out of that, so if you have equity and are thinking about moving, it might be time to bail out and take that cash to move on to the next step of your life. We’re not sure what the market will be doing farther down the road, so if you’re thinking about making a move soon, now’s the time to start that process. If you want more signs that it’s time to find a new home or if you have any questions, feel free to give me a call. I look forward to speaking with you.

4 Ways Buyers Can Prepare for Closing

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 13:18:00 -0700

When you have had your offer accepted and are on your way to the closing table, there are still a few things you need to take care of. Today I will highlight four ways to prepare for closing.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

What happens at the closing table when you’re buying a house?

Today I will go over what to expect, as well as a few crucial do’s and don’ts to follow as you move through the process. Keeping all of this information in mind will be very important in making sure you get the keys to your new home with no problems.

1. Schedule the closing. Most of the time, your agent will coordinate with all parties involved to schedule the closing for you. That said, it is still important to make sure this gets done. Also, make sure you take your time at the closing table. Don’t try to squeeze in the meeting over your lunch hour, because there will be a lot of critical documents to look over. I recommend taking a half-day to make sure you’ve got adequate time to review all papers carefully.

2. Do a final walk-through. As a buyer, you have the right to go through the home within five days of closing and make sure that it’s still in an acceptable condition. You are entitled to take possession of the home in the exact state it was in when your offer on the property was accepted.

Any changes to your debt-to-income ratio will pose a huge threat to the success of your home purchase.

3. Take all the documents with you to closing. If any issues arise, you will be able to provide any and all necessary paperwork needed to resolve those problems.

4. Keep in mind the things that could go wrong with your deal. There are a few pitfalls you may encounter. This includes things like the bank pulling out at the last minute or an unexpected lien showing up, but the greatest problem that could occur is actually within the buyer’s control. Any changes to your debt-to-income ratio will pose a huge threat to the success of your home purchase. This means that you need to make sure you put off any major purchases, especially those made on credit, until after closing.

There are many more things to keep in mind before proceeding to closing when buying or selling a home. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

3 Ways to Back out of a Home Purchase Without Being a Jerk

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 13:13:00 -0700

Is it ever okay to back out of a deal? Yes. Today, I’ll highlight three examples.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Backing out of a home purchase can make you seem like a big jerk, but it doesn’t have to. There are three ways you can get out of a deal without coming off as rude:

1. If you’re unhappy with the physical inspection. No matter how excited you were to purchase a home in the beginning, an unsavory inspection report can be a sure way to burst that bubble. If a home just isn’t right for you, or has problems you just can’t look past, it’s often best to walk away.

2. If your purchase is contingent upon the sale of your current home. If your current home doesn’t go under contract within the designated time frame, you have no obligation to go through with the purchase. This contingency can act as your “Get Out of Jail Free” card, and save you from juggling two mortgages at once.

If a home just isn’t right for you, or has problems you just can’t look past, it’s often best to walk away.

3. If the homeowners association documents raise a red flag. When you purchase a home in a homeowners association (or HOA), you’ll receive a huge stack of documents outlining the rules, regulations, and fees that will apply to you if you choose to go through with the purchase. We want to see what kind of finances the HOA has, how the board is, what the facility is like and if it will need any maintenance down the road, and also if you as a homeowner will have to put up a large chunk of money to add to reserves if there is a special assessment that is called. I highly recommend that you review these documents carefully before committing yourself to living in an HOA.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

A Quick Market Update for the Alamo/Danville Area

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 08:51:00 -0700

It is a buyer’s market in the Alamo/Danville area, but as a buyer, you still need to be patient and be smart when you buy.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today I am joined by my father Terry McDaniel to share the latest news from our Alamo/Danville market. Right now, the numbers tell us it is a great time to buy.

In Alamo, there are 38 homes available for sale, and the median asking price for these homes is $2.15 million. There are also 27 pending properties, which is almost ideal because you usually want to see a 1:1 ratio between available properties and pending properties. The median price of these pending homes is $1.7 million.

These stats indicate that the lower part of the market is the most active, while the upper part is starting to see homes with price adjustments of $50,000, $75,000, and even $100,000. This kind of thing is typical when interest rates are rising, so be patient and be smart when you buy.

Remember—you only make money when you buy; you don’t make money when you sell. There are a number of properties that have not hit the market yet, and prices are not rising at the crazy rate that they previously were. If you are a buyer, these facts should help you during your negotiations with sellers

In Alamo, there are about 5,500 homes in total. In Danville, there are about twice as many. To find the home that is right for you, it is very important that you calibrate for each price range and move in $250,000 increments.

Make sure you pick the very best property you can buy.

Also, make sure you plot out the houses. The west side of Alamo, for instance, is going to be more expensive as far as lots go. The lot values in that area are between $1.3 million and $1.5 million, which is an increase compared to when they were worth between $900,000 and $1.2 million four years ago. Can they continue to go up in value? Absolutely. Will they continue to go up in value? Absolutely. Home values can rise and fall, but in 10 to 20 years, you will be glad you bought a property now. A leveraged asset in residential real estate is a great way to accommodate your family’s future. There are many ways to buy property, so don’t assume you can’t afford it. If you talk to us, we can make it happen for you. If you are interested in discussing the market further with my father or you would like to know the value of your home, you can reach him by phone at (925) 838-4300. As always, if you have any other questions for me or you have any real estate needs at all, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you.

How Much Do You Pay Uncle Sam in Property Taxes?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Mon, 21 May 2018 08:08:00 -0700

Today I’ll give you an idea of what you should expect to pay in property taxes and how you’ll pay that amount.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

How much money do you need to pay Uncle Sam when it comes to your property taxes? Let’s find out.

Let’s say your home is worth $200,000 and your tax rate is 1.5%. This means on an annual basis, you’d pay $3,000 (or $250 per month). There can be additional taxes, fees, and assessments added to this number, so double-check with your tax assessor to make sure you’re paying the right amount.

Now that you have an idea of what you’ll have to pay, you need to figure out how you’ll pay it. This part is actually pretty simple. If you’re paying a mortgage, you’ll most likely have an impound account set up with your lender. Every single month, your lender (or whoever holds your note) will collect money out of that account for insurance purposes or property tax purposes. They’ll then put that money into an escrow account so it can be paid when it’s due.

Your mortgage payment and your property tax payment are separate.

This is important to note because a lot of people think that they pay their property taxes along with their mortgage. In reality, these payments are separate from each other. If you don’t have a mortgage, it’s your responsibility to make your property tax payment to your tax assessor or the tax board. If you have any questions about property taxes, you have any other real estate questions, or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in our market, don’t hesitate to call or email me anytime. I’d be glad to help you.

Fun in the Bay: Summer 2018 Edition

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:15:00 -0700

It’s time for our Fun in the Bay: Summer 2018 Edition. There are some great events happening in our area this year, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today I’m dressed for summer because it’s time to talk about Fun in the Bay: Summer Edition. Here are a few great events that you should check out:

1. Danville Area Community Harvest. The harvest takes place on May 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at the Danville Park and Ride right next to the 680 freeway. We will be harvesting backyard fruits for donations to local soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and the food bank.

Harvests typically take about three hours, and you’ll travel no more than 25 miles from the starting location. We will have all of the necessary equipment, including buckets, picking poles, ladders, clippers, and crates with us.

Make sure that you wear closed-toe shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather. You may also want to consider bringing water, a snack, a hat or sunglasses, gardening gloves, and a brown bag to take some fruit home for yourself.

You can learn more about The Urban Farmers at www.theurbanfarmers.org.

We hope you have a great summer and enjoy these events!

2. How Weird Street Faire. The theme this year is The Disco Ball Inferno! The festival season starts on May 6 at 2:22 p.m. (how weird!) in downtown San Francisco at Howard and 2nd street. Join thousands of people in colorful costumes from around the world who have come together to celebrate peace, creativity, and Weirdness. There will be dancing in the streets and 10 stages of great music, along with fantastic foods, unique vendors, and visionary art. This whole Faire is dedicated to inspiring creativity. You can learn more at HowWeird.org. 3. The San Francisco Beer and Music Festival. Starting at 6 p.m. on June 2 in Union Square, you’ll be able to enjoy the sunset and party into the night. You can try unlimited samples of over 10 craft beers, wine, and spirits. There will also be live bands and a deejay to get the crowd on their feet. There will also be plenty of food. You can learn more at SanFrancisco-BeerFestival.com. 4. Music in the Park—The Big Jangle. Go to Danville Oak Hill Park on June 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be music by The Big Jangle and a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band. Bring some chairs, blankets, and coolers and enjoy a harmonious evening. I hope you have time to check out these awesome events. As always, if you have any real estate questions, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

A Quick Market Snapshot for April 2018

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 12:15:00 -0700

Here is a quick update on what’s going on in the Danville housing market.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

I’m coming to you today with a short educational video about what’s going on in the Danville market this spring.

Currently, our median sales price is $1.25 million. In the last year, our values have come up by $80,000, or 7%, on each of our home values. That is not a sustainable increase; 4% to 5% is pretty normal, but 7% is a pretty good jump.

If you’re thinking about cashing out, this is the opportunity to do it.

Our market right now is a seller’s market, so if you’re thinking about selling or would like to find out about home values in the area, please feel free to contact me. Let us help you find your home’s value. If you’re thinking about cashing out, this is the opportunity to do it. I look forward to hearing from you.

Why Choose Positivity?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 09:33:00 -0700

The choice to be kind is in your hands. It isn’t always easy, but I’d like to challenge you to try.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

We’ve all encountered toxic people, but what’s the best way to handle these individuals? To start out, let me tell you a story. I was recently making a few follow-up calls when I encountered a gentleman who seemed to be generally angry with life. A lot of things were said in the conversation that I could have reacted negatively to, but I decided to do something against that impulse. This gentleman was upset at me having called his elderly mother, who had expressed interest in selling her home with me. He insinuated I was harassing her, which obviously wasn’t my intention. But instead of reacting with a negative attitude, I defended my position and asked him to help me understand his. I allowed the gentleman to explain his position, then de-escalated the situation by expressing empathy and solidarity. I offered to take him out of my database, apologized for the situation at hand, and ended the conversation.

You have the choice to remain positive.

Even though I still felt slightly shaken up by what had just happened, I was able to step away from the situation knowing I chose not to let it get out of hand. We have this same choice in every interaction we’re a part of. You can and should always choose kindness. People may push our buttons, but you always have the choice to remain positive. Always remember that we have no way of knowing what another person is going through, so try to avoid falling into negative behavior. I know this isn’t related to our usual topics, but I do think it’s important. So, take this message and apply it in your daily life. If you have any other questions, would like more information, or need help with any of your real estate needs, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Check Out This Great House in Concord

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 8 Mar 2018 09:06:00 -0800

Check out this awesome property in Concord. The house is under contract, but it’s so great I wanted to share it with you anyway.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today, I want to take you on a tour of one of our properties.

Just a heads up that the sale is pending on this property; we sold it in seven days for 100% of the listing price.

This is a 3-bed, 1-bath, 1,200 sq. ft. home with one of the best kitchens I’ve seen in a long time. The house is located right in downtown Concord. You can walk to Mount Diablo High School or walk to downtown Concord for food or events. This is a quiet, one-way street, and you’re right next to the John Muir Medical Center as well.

Check out the video above for a complete tour of the house.

We did take out a fence to open up the front yard and give the house a new look. The interior features hardwood floors, a nice, open floor plan, and a great fireplace. Make sure you watch the video to check out that kitchen, which even comes with a prep sink.

The seller made some great upgrades to the property, including converting the garage into a master suite.

The garage was converted into a great master bedroom suite with vaulted ceilings and a skylight. The backyard is big enough to play an NFL football game, and there is a side yard with a well, which is great for gardeners.

There is also an outdoor structure that could be used as an office, as well as two structures for storage. You could easily install a pool in the backyard next to the orange trees without losing a lot of space.

Like I mentioned earlier, this house is currently under contract. Stay tuned for more great properties, or reach out to me if you would like us to sell your home as fast as we sold this one.

As always, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Stop Earning a Paycheck and Start Earning Wealth

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 12:20:00 -0800

By joining The McDaniel Callahan Real Estate Team, powered by eXp Realty, you will have the chance to do more than earn a paycheck; you will build wealth for you and your family.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

When you join our team and eXp Realty, you will have the opportunity to build wealth for you and your family.

What do you get when you join eXp Realty?

First of all, there are three different ways to make revenue just by selling real estate:

Getting your commission.
If you build a team, get a part of their deals as they do them until they cap out at $16,000.
Stock—eXp is a publicly traded company, so their stock is very valuable and always rising. You get stock when you close a deal and when you bring on a team member. If you decide to go to Icon status, your $16,000 cap is given back to you at the end of the year in company stocks, so basically, you are only paying them $5,000 in commission splits for the entire year. I can go over how this works in more detail on our one-on-one call.

eXp Realty gives you 25 to 35 live hours of training every single week. You also have access to their digital campus, so you can get things done in a snap. I have been thoroughly impressed with how client-centric this company is.

If you’re a small brokerage, you can come on over and keep your culture, your brand, your people, and your brick-and-mortar office. All you have to do is add “powered by eXp” on the bottom right. Again, we can talk about that later.

These are just a few perks of joining eXp Realty. What exactly do you get when you join The McDaniel Callahan Team?

For one, you will get access to our 90-day jumpstart system. Here’s what that looks like:

You’ll start with a system called “36 to Life” with my good friend, Hank Avink. I coach with this system too, but I may not coach your session depending on scheduling. “36 to Life” is usually $300, but with us, you’ll only pay $36 for a month long program. That will be the best $36 you’ve spent in your life. I guarantee that if you don’t like it, you’ll get your money back.
Rockstar Conversations is an eight-week self-guided program.
Rockstar Mastermind takes place every Monday morning. Matt and I get together at 9 a.m. to coach and train on a specific topic or issue. This information is hyperlocal to our area.

After that, we’ll move you to the E.R.S. Livestream with Jeff Cohn. Jeff is a real estate powerhouse based out of Omaha, Nebraska, and he has opened his coaching sessions up for free to all of our team members on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard time. Jeff’s team did 750 deals last year and, as of this recording, he’s on track to do 1,000 deals in 2018. You can learn a lot from him.

Schedule a call with me today to see if this is the right fit for you.

Matt and I will also do monthly Q&A calls and potentially bring in guests to cover specific topics. You can also book time on my personal calendar if there is anything you want to talk to me about.

You also have access to any of our team’s products, such as the Rockstar Conversations, our high-tech, high-touch farming product (eight to 12 hours of farming content), and The Introvert’s Guide to Real Estate Success. If you don’t like being out in front of people, this is a guide we put together with Dr. Debra Dupree, a psychologist here in San Diego. She breaks down how you can be an introvert and succeed and thrive in real estate.

Our next upcoming product is called “How to Find Your Next Client Using Facebook Live.”

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, go to BookMcDaniel.com to book a 30-minute talk with me to see if this is a good fit for you. If it is, great! If not, that’s fine, too.

I want to give you the opportunity to do more than earn a paycheck in real estate. I want to help you start building wealth for you and your family.

If you do decide to do this, I’ll run some numbers to show you how this compounds in a short amount of time. You can literally get mailbox money by adding five, 10, 15, or 25 people from anywhere in the country to your team.

Again, go to BookMcDaniel.com to schedule a 30-minute talk with me. I look forward to hearing from you!

An Exciting Announcement From the McDaniel Callahan Team

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 14:42:00 -0800

We’re excited to announce the launch of a new partnership. Stay tuned for details.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

I’ve got big news for you and for us today. We are ecstatic to announce the fact that we’ve made a shift over to a new brokerage called exp Realty.

This is the fastest-growing national brokerage in the country. They went from 3,000 agents to over 6,500 in just the last year. eXp Realty is a tech-based real estate brokerage that has so many different amazing tools that will allow us to help you get your home seen and sold faster and for higher prices. The technology and the personnel over at eXp have been simply amazing. They have been able to get us everything we want and need in a timely manner and it’s a great environment to be around.

I also wanted to make sure and let you guys know why we shifted. The future is digital, it’s remote, and a lot of the brick and mortar businesses won’t be around. The mindset of the average human will be digitally-based (if it isn’t already), so we took the leap ahead of time so that we can help grow our team nationally and locally here in Alamo.

Our team is extremely excited for our move to eXp Realty.

If you’re an agent and want to learn about what value we can bring to you, we have a laundry list of goodness to share with you to help you put more money in your pockets. There are three revenue streams with eXp Realty (and you get stock since they are a publicly traded company).

If you have any questions for us about joining our team or need any assistance in reaching your real estate goals, feel free to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. Also, if you are interested in joining our team or learning more about why we switched, visit www.bookmcdaniel.com. I would love to help you out.

What 10 Terms Should All First-Time Homebuyers Know?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Fri, 5 Jan 2018 12:28:00 -0800

There are 10 important terms you need to know if you’re buying a house for the first time.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

1. Fixed rate mortgage: This is a mortgage with a fixed rate during its term. If you have a 4.25% interest rate and a term of five, 10, 15, or 25 years, that means your rate won’t change unless you refinance.

2. Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM): This is the opposite of a fixed rate mortgage. With an ARM, you’ll have a shorter term (somewhere between five and 10 years), but once that term concludes, the rate will adjust based on the other interest rates the bank charge. This can get confusing, so I advise that you speak to a lender if you’d like more clarification.

3. Pre-qualified: This means you talk to a lender and give them all your paperwork (bank statements, tax documents, etc.) so they can verify whether you’re qualified to buy or not. If you make $10 an hour, you’re probably not qualified to buy a million-dollar home. If you make $1,000 an hour, you probably are.

4. Conventional loans: This is one of those loans that typically carries with it a 30-year mortgage or something similar. There are many loan products out there, so if you don’t have a high credit score, you generally won’t be able to qualify for a conventional loan—you need a minimum 650 FICO credit score so apply. The average down payment for a first-time homebuyer is only 5%, though, so there’s no need to worry.

5. FHA loan: This is a great loan for anyone who’s gone through some credit dings. The FHA stands for Federal Housing Administration. With this loan, you can put down a minimum of 3.5%. You will have to carry mortgage insurance, but you can take that off later down the road.

Know these terms before you buy a house.

6. Appraisal: An appraisal is when a third-party company analyses your property and compares it to other comparable properties within a certain radius. The home's condition, style of property, lot size, and a variety of other factors are taken into consideration. If you offer $250,000 for the home and the appraisal comes in at $300,000, either the purchase price must come down or you have to put another $50,000 into the deal to make it work.

7. Mortgage insurance: Mortgage insurance exists to protect the bank. If you don’t want mortgage insurance, you need to put at least 20% down. If you don’t put at least 20% down, you’ll get anywhere from 0.03% to 1.15% mortgage insurance tacked on to your rate. There are ways around this, though, and plenty of programs out there that don’t require you to use mortgage insurance.

8. Closing costs: What you pay in closing costs depends on you and what third-party vendors you may have brought in for expenses, such as multiple different home inspections. You can expect your closing costs to be between 2% and 5% of your purchase price.

9. Buying down your rate: If you have a certain credit score but you have a lot of cash, and you have a high interest rate because of that score, you can literally pay to buy a better interest rate.

10. Escrow: Escrow means you’re at the signing table signing away! An escrow account is a locked account which holds the buyer’s deposit so the seller can’t pull it out and the buyer can’t spend it. The way it’s kept safe is through non-conflicting instructions from both the buyer and the seller regarding releasing that cash, usually when the deal ends.

If you have any more questions about any of these terms or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Strange but True: The Starbucks Effect Is Real

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 13:49:00 -0800

Does living next to a Starbucks really increase your home value?

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today I’ve got an interesting question to answer: Does living next to a Starbucks really increase your home value?

Many of you might be wondering what I’m talking about. This may sound like a ridiculous question, but it actually isn’t. If you think that living near a Starbucks has nothing to do with home value, you might be surprised by what I’m about to tell you.

Between 1997 and 2014, studies across America showed that homes within a quarter of a mile of a Starbucks increased in value by 96%.

Let’s face it, not every coffee shop is going to increase home value. Dunkin Donuts just doesn’t stack up.

Does living next to a Starbucks really increase your home value?

This “Starbucks Effect” has swept across the nation. Boston home values increased 45.4%, Philadelphia home values increased by 31%, and Washington D.C. home values increased by 29.6%.

But living next to a Starbucks isn’t the only way to put value into your home. A lot of people think updating the bathroom and the kitchen is the best way to go, but why not make a change that is going to add between 30% and 40% in value?

Studies show that adding a media or specialty room can add a lot of value to your home.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What Do You Love Most About the Bay?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 12:07:00 -0800

Today I’d like to start an interactive dialogue about something near and dear to my heart: our Bay area. I want to know what you love most about living in the Bay.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today, we’re doing something completely different from what we’ve done in the past. I’m excited to announce this new series on why we all love to live in the Bay area.

Of course, everyone has different reasons for why they love to live here so much, but today I’d like to mention just a few of these points.

The aim of this series is to create an interactive dialogue between myself and all of you about the Bay area. I want to know what locations, restaurants, and features in our area you love the most and why. Whether your favorite thing about living here is a particular beach, a certain hiking trail, or even just a special view, I want to hear about it.

For now, I want to let you in on a few of my own favorite things about the Bay. First, I love how centrally located we are. In just a few hours or less, I can go almost anywhere and do nearly anything I want.

What do you love most about living in the Bay?

As an example, I live just about 45 minutes to an hour away from Napa. I’m also just three hours from Lake Tahoe and 45 minutes to San Francisco. The list goes on and on.

With all of the opportunities the Bay has to offer, how could anyone not love living here? The diversity of the Bay area is one feature that absolutely captured my heart from the moment I first moved here in the second grade.

Some of our nation’s most iconic landmarks are right in our backyard. From the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge and beyond, there is no shortage of things to see.

And let’s not forget about the active sports world here in our area. We’ve got the Giants, the Raiders, the 49ers, the Sharks, and so much more.

I could go on and on, but I want to hear from you. What do you love most about living in the Bay? If you send me a video or some audio, I’ll put it right here on the air. You can also simply write down your response for me to read aloud.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Get Hyped for My Upcoming Networking Event

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 06:36:00 -0800

You’re invited to my upcoming networking event—be there!

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

I’m excited to announce that we’re soon going to be having another amazing networking event. We’ve normally held them in downtown Danville, but we are moving locations to downtown Walnut Creek.

The event will be held November 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Modern China Cafe, 1525 N Main St, Walnut Creek. There’s no cost to attend, and I’d love to see you guys down there.

The past networking events that we’ve had have been amazing successes.

The past networking events that we’ve had have been amazing successes. So come on down, hand out your business cards, have a cocktail and a little bite of food, meet some new people, grow your business, and have a damn good time!

Call me at (925) 915-1978 to get your tickets, and make sure you get down here!

As always, feel free to contact me about any other real estate questions you have. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How Can You Achieve Your Goals?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 9 Nov 2017 11:53:00 -0800

Having goals is an incredibly important aspect of life and business alike. But, how can you achieve these goals?

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Setting goals and achieving them is an important part of life and business alike. But, why are goals important? Well, goals can act as a roadmap for where you want to go.

However, before you can have success with your goals, you need to start with a strong foundation. Think of that foundation as your big “why.” Consider the reason you get up each morning and keep pushing toward your goals.

This reason should always act as the base for how you move forward. For me, I think back on a very hard time in my life. In 2009 I went through bankruptcy, foreclosure, lost both of my houses, and had many other misfortunes. My “why” is that I never want to go through that again.

As a result, I work harder than ever before to make sure that I’m constantly striving toward my goals.

Always remember to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind

The next step in achieving your goals is considering and implementing your beliefs. Think about what you believe in and how that can help push you forward. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish your goals. Having positive beliefs will make all the difference.

Next, think about your daily habits. Having a routine that is conducive to success will be incredibly important.

For me, I get up at the same time each day, hit the gym, meditate, and head into the office. If you find that you’re engaging in activities that don’t benefit you or your goals, re-evaluate your position and try to alter your habits for a better future and a better you.

At this point, consider STP (strategies, tactics and processes). These things are going to be the methods through which you achieve your goals. I work toward my goals by door-knocking, networking, and cold-calling to get more clients.

Finally, always remember to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind. If you review your goals each day, your subconscious will bring the things you want.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Why I Chose to Have a Career in Real Estate

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 08:03:00 -0700

Having goals is an incredibly important aspect of life and business alike. But, how can you achieve these goals?

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

I’m going to flip the script a little bit today. Instead of bringing you another market update or tips about upcoming local events: I want to answer a question that I get asked all the time by my clients, “Why did you choose real estate as a career?”

The reason I do real estate is because it’s literally in my blood. I’ve been watching and listening to my father, Terry McDaniel, all my life. I’ve seen and heard him negotiate countless transactions, work long hours, and endure the grind of this business.

When I got my driver’s license at age 16, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to get in the car with my dad, roll down the window, and crank the music up. It wasn’t until I was already in the driver's seat of his green Suburban that I realized that instead of being windows-down-music-up this was windows-up-A/C-on, with dad on the phone negotiating.

We want to be the antidote to that stigma of thought.

I thought it was so lame at the time, but what I didn’t realize is that it was the beginning of my training to become an agent. All through high school I helped my dad by going to open houses, stuffing letters, and attending real estate conferences. I didn’t know it back then, but all that time he was grooming me to be the agent I am today. For that, I’ll always be grateful.

I’m going to continue doing this for a long time because I strongly believe that there needs to be people like us out there protecting people. There are so many people out there giving real estate a bad name. We want to be the antidote to that stigma.

If you have any questions for me, Terry, Chris, Eileen, John, or anyone else on our team, we’re always here to answer them. Just give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you and offer a helping hand.

Fun in the Bay: The 2017 Halloween Edition

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Mon, 9 Oct 2017 14:06:00 -0700

It’s time for the Halloween Special! Where should you go to have some Fun in the Bay this October?

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

It’s time for Fun in the Bay: Halloween Edition! Let’s get right to it and see what’s happening in the Bay this October.

First, there is the Halloween International Ball at the W Hotel on October 27th from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. It’s $30 per person so get your ticket to enjoy some dancing, DJs, and a costume contest! You never know, you might finally meet that dirty doctor or naughty nurse, so get on over there and have some fun.

Hang out with some farm animals, enjoy tons of great food, and pick your pumpkins!

Last but not least, there is the Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm. It wouldn’t be Halloween without a family trip to the pumpkin patch. They also have a Christmas tree farm, but the pumpkin patch is open from October 1st through the 31st. Take your kids through the Pumpkin Playland and Little Carver’s Barnyard, or take a train ride around the patch. Hang out with some farm animals, enjoy tons of great food, and pick your pumpkins!

This is just a small selection of Halloween happenings in our area. If you would like to learn more or if you have questions about buying or selling this holiday season, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

We Need Your Help in the Final Quarter of 2017

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Thu, 5 Oct 2017 10:21:00 -0700

There are only three months left in 2017, and we need your help to meet our goal.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

The fourth quarter of 2017 has officially begun. So far this year, our team has been blessed to work with a number of wonderful, incredible people and families to buy and sell real estate.

We have a goal and we can only achieve this goal with your help.

We want to work with at least eight more families in the next three months. We want to help them buy or sell real estate.

If you send us a referral, we’ll donate $1,000 to the charity of your choice.

How can you help?

Send us your referrals. Do you know someone who is thinking of buying or selling a home? If you do, have them reach out to us and drop your name.

To thank you for your referral, we will donate $1,000 to the charity of your choice.

If you know someone who wants to buy or sell a home before 2018, just give me a call or send me an email so we can get something booked right away. I look forward to hearing from you!

This Commission Deal Is Too Good to Share Online

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 08:46:00 -0700

As a way of thanking you for watching our videos, I’d like to share an exclusive deal you won’t find anywhere else.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today, I want to take a minute to express my gratitude to all of the people who have supported my team. I truly appreciate you allowing me into your inbox.

We appreciate you watching our videos, so as we draw to the end of 2017, I’d like to offer you a special commission opportunity.

This deal is so exclusive that my lawyers won’t let me tell you what it is publicly. If you want to take advantage, all you need to do is contact me. This deal is going to last until the end of 2017, and perhaps into the first quarter of 2018 if you ask us nicely, so be sure to get in touch as soon as possible.

This deal is so exclusive that my lawyers won’t let me tell you what it is publicly.

While I can’t tell you much, I can tell you that this special deal will save you more money than our competitors. If you give me or someone on my team a call, we’d be happy to set you up.

But, that isn’t all. We also have a special offer for our buyers. If you are looking for a home, my team and I would like to give you access to a group of folks we call our “secret MLS.”

MLS means the multiple listing service, but these people have homes that aren’t listed there. These listings are a secret treasure trove of opportunity, and provide a great chance for you to find a home that won’t be seen anywhere else.

As for the commission offer I mentioned earlier, it’s good through the end of this year so don’t wait.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Will I See You at Our Next Networking Event?

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 08:55:00 -0700

We have another networking event coming up soon, and you’re invited.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today I’m excited to let you know that there’s another amazing networking event just around the corner—and you’re invited.

The Danville Elite Networking Event will be at Sweetwater Tavern on September 19th, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and you won’t want to miss it.

Bring your business cards and get ready for a good time.

Additionally, attendance is absolutely free. So, bring your business cards and get ready for a good time.

I know, personally, that I’ve made quite a few friends from these events. You really never know who you’re going to meet next.

I hope you can make it to this awesome event.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

4 Negotiation Mistakes That Sellers Make

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 08:15:00 -0700

Today I wanted to talk to you about the four mistakes sellers make when trying to sell their homes.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today I wanted to talk to you about the four mistakes that sellers make during negotiations:

If you get an offer from a buyer that is exactly what you were looking for, don’t send back a counteroffer. But, if the offer you receive is not to your preference, doing a slight or no-counter is a major problem.
Do not insist on selling the home as-is. The home can be sold as-is per the contract, but do you really want to be that seller who rudely drives that point home to the buyer? They just want to buy a nice, safe home for their family. Give a little, get a little.

Give a little, get a little.

Do not be cheap. There’s being financially frugal, and then there’s being flat out cheap. I can understand you not wanting to replace or repair the nitpicky things like a burnt out lightbulb, but if you know the roof needs to be repaired and you have the funds to at least patch it, make that repair. You don’t want something to come back to bite you later down the road.
Do not bombard other listing agents. Do not call the other agents that showed the home to tell them you’ve received an offer. It’s just rude, and there’s a reason that those other agents didn’t put in an offer for your home. Focus on the ones who did put in an offer and leave the others alone.

If you have any other questions for me about this topic or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give us a call. We’d be happy to help!

The Bay Area Real Estate Market Is Starting to Shift

team@mcdanielcallahan.com (McDaniels Callahan) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 10:51:00 -0700

Market conditions in the Bay Area are a little crazy right now. Today, I’ll check in on how Walnut Creek, Alamo, and Danville are doing.

Looking to buy a Bay Area Home? Search all Bay Area homes for sale. Selling Your Bay Area Home? Use our home evaluation tool.

It’s time for your August 2017 real estate market update!

First, I have an exciting giveaway to announce. If you send me a video topic that we have not done in the past, you get a chance to win one of four speakers. These shiny mobile speakers pair up with your phone so you can take them anywhere.

Just give me a topic and claim your new speaker at our office!

Now, back to your market update.

The market is a little bit crazy right now and has shifted significantly over the last couple of months. Let’s see what’s happening in Walnut Creek, Alamo, and Danville:

Walnut Creek’s market has a 99% health score, which is great news. There are 170 homes on the market, the median price point is $692,000, and homes spend an average of 46 days on market before selling. That leaves us with 1.4 months of inventory, which means homes are flying off the market.

That median sales price has dropped 6% over the last 30 days. The days on market increased 4.5% and listings are up 7% with 156 new listings on the market. There were 55 price reductions in our market, which is 11.3% of the market.

So, prices are starting to come down and inventory is starting to go up in Walnut Creek, which is actually good news.

In Alamo, the marketplace health score is 77%, which is still fairly healthy. There are 67 homes on market. The median price point is $2.95 million—that number is skewed a little thanks to a $36 million home that’s sitting on the market. Still, prices are on the rise.

The market has shifted significantly over the past couple months.

Alamo homes are spending an average of 100 days on market, leaving us with 2.7 months of inventory. That means if no other homes came on the market, it would only take 2.7 months to sell all of the listings currently on our market.

The median price point is up 16.9% and the average days on market is down 3.8%. Listings are up 21.8%. New listings increased by 9.1% with 67 new listings. 27 homes in the market had price reductions, which is a 35% increase.

Since price reductions are up and days on market are down, Alamo needs a bigger shift in price reductions in order for the market to get back on track.

Finally, what’s happening right here in Danville? Our market has a health score of 97%. There are 80 homes for sale, the median price point is at $1.499 million, and homes spend an average of 80 days on market. That leaves us with 1.4 months of inventory.

The median home price is down 1.7% over the last 30 days, and the average days on market is up 23.1%, which is interesting. There are 80 listings on the market, which is down 7% over the last 30 days. New listings are down 18.8%. Price reductions are also down 19.4% with 25 price reductions in the market.

So, price reductions have gone down, the median price point has dropped, and homes are spending more time on the market. Buyers are telling us something—home prices need to come down if we want houses to sell.

Of course, this is just an overview of three different cities in the Bay Area. If you have any questions about your specific market, just give me a call or send me an email.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions in the meantime. I look forward to speaking with you!