East Bay Real Estate

The Urban Land Institute’s 2010 “Housing In America: The Next Decade”

Jim Walberg — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:27:36 +0000

It is important for all of us to deal with reality in the midst of one of the biggest housing crisis in decades. You know I am looking for ways to make lemonade out of lemons in all aspects of my life. So, I don’t know how I missed this very important report regarding the 2010 predictions outlined in Ronald Terwilliger’s research paper Housing in America: The Next Decade. The report was presented at the January 26, 2010 meeting of the Urban Land Institute Trustee meeting. One of the key authors was Ronald Terwilliger – the chairperson of the Urban Land Institute. There are many different aspects of the report you will want to read so take some time to do so. Mr. Terwilliger writes about two major hurdles the 2010 housing market is experiencing in 2010. Here is a brief review of both points.

PRICING: Mr. Terwillinger states the biggest obstacle to stabilizing home prices is the threat of a new wave of foreclosures. In 2008, more than 1.7 million homes were foreclosed or lost by short sale or deed in lieu. Another two million were lost last year and Moody’s Economy.com projects 2.4 million to be lost in 2010 and this may be a conservative estimate. Every time prices decrease, more homeowners see themselves in the position of being ‘underwater’ on their mortgage. Many studies have shown that once a homeowner reaches that point, they are more apt to ‘walk away’ from the home and the mortgage. This leads to more foreclosures, which leads to more price reductions, which leads to more people being ‘underwater’. And the foreclosure cycle continues.

Mr. Terwilliger’s opinion is that the number of homes ‘underwater’ is the biggest hurdle of our housing crisis. There were 48.4 million homes that had a mortgage in 2005. Estimates of how many of these homes currently are ‘underwater’ vary from 12 to 16 million, over one in four. Deutsche Bank Securities projects that 21 million U.S. households will be ‘underwater’ by the end of 2010 meaning that over 40% of mortgaged homes would be at risk. This could double the mortgage defaults from 2009 if only one “underwater” homeowner in five decides to walk from their home and mortgage. Prices are going to continue to fall this year in many of our micro-markets, especially in the $1 million to $2 million price points.

OUR BROKEN HOME MORTGAGE LENDING SYSTEM: Realistically, all funds supplied to the residential market today are the direct result of federal subsidies. All new mortgages today are being bought or reviewed by the federal government. Private investors have completely exited the market absent a federal guarantee. What was once considered the world’s most efficient housing finance system, attracting trillions of dollars of investment from around the world, is now shunned by all, both here and abroad. And, remember that the Feds are exiting the mortgage markets on March 31, 2010. Interest rates will need to go up in order to entice investors back into the home lending markets. These factors are keys to the concern of when the housing recovery will actually take hold. It does not appear it will be in 2010.

And, there are still opportunities for those who are paying attention to the continued trend down in pricing and the upward trend in home foreclosures. Here are three key opportunities for Buyers and Sellers to consider.

Buyers can purchase their dream home at rock bottom prices and get historically low interest rates.
It is a great time for Sellers to move-up to the house they always wished for, again with very low interest rates. They may not have this opportunity again for years.
More than ever, families need professional and patient Realtors and mortgage brokers to help them manage through the very difficult maze of this housing crisis. There are always opportunities and solutions during a crisis. It is critical to be able to find them.

Contact me TODAY if I can be of any service to your real estate needs. Until next time…your East Bay real estate detective remains on duty!

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2010 East Bay Real Estate Update: Mortgage Interest Rates Rising In Q2, Q3, Q4!

Jim Walberg — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:50:09 +0000

The $64 Billion Dollar Question is, “When will the Federal Government stop purchasing Mortgage Backed Securities?” You may ask why this is an important question. Well, the purchase of MBS by the Feds is the method in which they are guaranteeing mortgages so the lenders will continue to write them – assuring the lenders there is no risk to the home loan because it is risk-free. From what I am noticing for the last twelve month trend of the Feds buying MBS, it may be just about over. When it is over interest rates will begin rising in the very near future.

Did you know the Feds are scheduled to stop making MBS purchases by March 31, 2010? As you review the above chart you notice that the Feds are rationing out the remaining portion of the stimulus money as their purchase amounts are dwindling to what is expect to be a trickle within the next 60 days. For example, last week the Fed purchased $11 Billion in Mortgage Backed Securities, which leaves them with $66 Billion to spend out of their original $1.25 Trillion allotment. So about 95% of the total has already been spent and has purchased about three out of every four home mortgages the past twelve months. When such a large player in the market – the Feds, leaves, it is very likely that home prices may decline further because of it being more difficult to entice Buyers to borrow money because of the increased interest rates.

This information is critical because as the Fed has less money to purchase MSB through the remaining months of the program, their ability to keep home loan rates low via their purchasing power will come to an end. And those who can take advantage of currently low home loan rates, DO NOT WAIT, as these historically low rates will not last much longer.

Last week, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a speech that included a number of topics, with the most important topic being the switch of the Fed’s benchmark from the commonly watched and monitored Fed Funds Rate, to a new benchmark of “interest paid on excess reserves”. Banks are required to keep money on reserve with the Fed and may, from time to time, have an excess in those reserves, which the Fed can pay interest on. This is the first time in history that the Feds have allowed Banks to get interest on their excess reserve money. This may motivate Banks to increase their excess reserve because of making a guaranteed interest return on that money.

Since the Fed Funds Rate is only a “target rate”, banks can still lend money to other bank overnight at their own negotiated rate. Sometimes near the end of the trading day, banks have been lending their excess reserves out overnight for a rate that differs from the Fed Funds Rate, but is higher than interest on those reserves from The Fed. This undermines the Fed’s ability to set a reliable benchmark “target rate”.

The Fed wants to fix this by using the amount of interest they pay as the new benchmark, since the Fed has total control of this rate, which should be right at or just under the Fed Funds Rate. There key lesson regarding the information in the blog posting….it appears that the Fed is getting prepared to push interest rates higher. And when they do increase rates, the Fed does not want any obstacles that may undermine their plan.

Jim Walberg’s Conclusion? If you are planning on purchasing a home in the East Bay in 2010 it is time to take action TODAY! Mortgage money is cheap! Home prices are at record lows! There are highly motivated Sellers waiting for the fair offer. Contact me if you have any more questions regarding how to arrange the purchase of your next home.

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2010 East Bay Real Estate Update: Smart Sellers Are On The Market NOW!

Jim Walberg — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:30:30 +0000

If you are a Buyer have you noticed that there are not many houses currently on the market in the East Bay? Inventory is at one of it’s lowest levels in the last twelve months. And, those houses that are on the market are not that spectacular. What typically happens in the yearly real estate cycles is that January has one of the lowest months of inventory, AND there are many Buyers who want to buy homes. In addition, there are several other factors that are highly motivating Buyers – buyer tax incentives until April 30^th, and the expectation of mortgage interest rates rising all the way through 2010. The Buyers are absolutely correct regarding those buying factors! SO…if I was a Seller, knowing what I know about real estate trends and the 2010 market, I would get my home ready for sale right NOW! The best prepared homes that are in turn key condition, and are priced at current market rates will get the highest prices that will be achieved in 2010!

An additional factor for home Buyers are the changes that will be announced tomorrow. At some point the Buyers are going to slow down their thirst from cheap homes because it is getting more difficult to qualify for loans. FHA home loans have created new ways to create revenue to the government agency. Here are the latest changes for Buyers wanting an FHA home loan;

The 3.5% down payment is still in effect.
Mortgage insurance costs are increasing from 1.75% to 2.25%.
Credit scores – FICO, will be at a minimum of 580.
Seller concessions will be reduced from 6% to 3%.
FHA will report lender performance ranking to assist Buyers in their selection of loans.

In addition, Sellers will be feeling the effects of the increase in Short Sales and bank foreclosures in the $1 million+ price range for 12 months or more. The trend of $1 million+ slice of the market is upward and is projected to continue. This will dramatically influence the appraisers who must sign their names to their value report to banks as to what a home is actually worth.

SO…if you are a Seller, get your home on the market as fast as you can. As the year unfolds, I, Jim Walberg, predicts that the highest prices for closed escrows in the East Bay will be April and May. That means that those closed escrows have to be opened in late February, March and early April.

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Help Haiti NOW! Text 90999 And Message The Word HAITI!

Jim Walberg — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:28:30 +0000

The capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding communities are almost gone. Last Tuesday, most of the structures were erased because of the 7.3-magnitude earthquake. Tens of thousands have died and millions are fighting for their lives. The human suffering is beyond anything we could imagine. My friend, Gov. John deJongh, Jr., of the U.S. Virgin Islands said “Eyewitness accounts of the quake indicate the worst catastrophic event in modern history.” The Hospitals, schools, the government buildings, stores and most buildings in the capital city and surrounding communities have collapsed. There are no services available and the dead are being left where they lay as they await trucks and tractors to take them to mass graves that are being dug 24 hours a day. It is unimaginable for me to think of how the poorest nation in the Caribbean can deal with such devastation, or how any of us would manage through this catastrophe if it ever hits the Bay Area again. To help the world grasp the scope of the destruction, Google Earth has added a fresh layer of satellite imagery of Haiti taken Wednesday morning, allowing before-and-after comparisons of the landscape. It’s available for viewing on Google’s special crisis response page.

Our State Department has set up a method for each of us to do our part by texting the number 90999 and put in the message the word Haiti. That small act of compassion will immediately send $10 to the Red Cross – 100% of it will get to the Red Cross. Please take a moment and do this NOW! You will then get a text back from the Red Cross thanking you for your contribution. Again, please do this NOW. The monetary donations will be used to purchase emergency relief supplies and equipment that will be delivered to the local people and their economy. As of today there has been close to $20 million raised with just $10 at a time from around the country. (Your cell phone providers are waiving any text messaging fees so you can help today.) The East Bay real estate community has also mobilized with the collection of funds, goods and services. It has been very inspiring as to how our community has mobilized in actions that are serving this unimaginable disaster.

Every service imaginable is being addressed by the disaster-management teams that have been arriving from around the world. Field hospitals have been set up in the middle of streets. The airport is being managed by the U.S. Air Force air traffic controllers from a truck. The airport is clogged with relief goods while attempting to get them to those in need through a maze of roads that have been destroyed. All of the work is being done to deliver what is needed to the primary relief areas, where food, water, temporary shelter and emotional support is being provided in a war zone environment.

In addition, Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, Red Cross, C.A.R.E. and Rotary International have all provided relief. “Rotary is working on an efficient way for people to make donations, which we hope to unveil in the next 24 hours,” said Roger White, who is part of Rotary International’s District 7020 Haiti task force. “We are looking to find out what the priority of needs is and looking at logistics,” said David Edgecombe, special assistant to the USVI governor for external affairs. “We want to avoid getting relief items and then have no way of getting them there without knowing the best routing. The needs are clearly great … it is going to take a little while for us to get the lines of communication open and accurate data as to how best to get goods to people in Haiti.” “The Red Cross is specifically telling those who want to help to send money at this time,” Edgecombe said.

Click on each of the following links for additional ways to be of help to this world crisis; Haiti Community Support; American Red Cross of the Virgin Islands; Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands; Rotary – St. Thomas; C.A.R.E.-Haiti. Please act now!

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The Bay Area Team – East Bay Real Estate’s #1 Team!

Jim Walberg — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:53:39 +0000

(PRLEAP.COM) Jim Walberg and Ann Marie Nugent, owners of the Bay Area Team, were again honored as the Top Realtor Team for 2009 at the Keller Williams Realty – Danville Market Center from over 160 Realtors. They were also ranked #1 in the East Bay, and in the Top 10 in the entire Northern California and Hawaii Region.

When asked what contributed to their success, in the midst of such challenging economic times, Nugent-Walberg said, “The Keller Williams business systems, on-going education, networking with 77,000+ fellow Realtors within the company, and just plain hard work were the keys to the extraordinary results achieved for our clients in 2009.” In addition, they have created a global marketing network through their exclusive memberships in Who’s Who In Luxury Real Estate, and The International Real Estate Federation – FIABCI. Their award winning internet marketing strategies were also acknowledged by LuxuryRealEstate.com with the 2009 Global Networking Award selected from over 120,000 Realtor members.About Jim Walberg and Ann Marie Nugent

Jim Walberg has been a member of the East Bay business community since 1970. He and his wife, Ann Marie Nugent, are owners of The Bay Area Team at Keller Williams Realty in Danville, California. Walberg is one of the Keller Williams University regional trainers. He has been inducted into the Realtors Hall of Fame for the East Bay, and he and Nugent are ranked in the top escalon of Realtors nationally. They love sailing in the Caribbean, traveling the world, collecting fine wines, skiing, camping and reading. However, the most important part of their lives is their faith, their loving marriage, and their three children.

Contact Jim Walberg and Ann Marie Nugent any time at jim@jimwalberg.com , annmarie@annmarienugent.com, or at their website, www.TheBayAreaTeam.com. Feel free to stop by their North American headquarters at 760 Camino Ramon, Suite 200, Danville, California, or call them at +888.415.8326

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2010 Home Maintenance Action List For East Bay Real Estate!

Jim Walberg — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:22:00 +0000

The first week of each New Year it is common for people to make resolutions and promises to themselves, their families, and their business results. Statistics let us know that this annual ritual of resolutions is a very inspiring exercise that ends up rarely creating any change in a person’s life. So, what would be like if there was a simple calendar that you integrated in your Outlook or whatever calendar system you use that would alert you to a Home Action List that was broken down in to things you can do each month to maintain and improve the quality of your home?

Is this a good idea, or what? It was inspired by an article in the Contra Costa Times. Here is how it works. On the first weekend of each month log into your calendar the following suggested action items. ( You can create you own list, too.) The deal is to take a moment and map out things to do on twelve different weekends a year. Here goes…

JANUARY: Before store all of your Holiday decorations away in the garage or attic; label the boxes as to what is in them; if you have strands of lights, buy a light reel to wrap them around so they are not tangled next year when you take them out; throw away any broken decorations, or ones you have lost interest in.

FEBRUARY: Check to see if your tank is leaking into your toilet bowl. Not very romantic for February, but worth the results saving on your water bill. Here is how it works. Add a couple of drops of food color into the toilet tank before you go to bed. In the morning if there is any discoloration in your toile bowl, your tank’s flapper is not closing properly. Also, how about installing low-flow shower heads in your showers?

MARCH: Spring is in the air and it is time for some outside maintenance; scrub your decks with a good cleaner, let dry and put a fresh coat of water repellent sealer on them; rent a power washer for the house, patio, and driveway; replace any dry-rotted trim or wood on the house; does your mailbox need to be repainted or replaced?

APRIL: The rainy season is almost over, so; do touch-up painting and caulking on the outside of your home – cracks let water in; wash the exterior windows; clean the inside blinds and ceiling fans; change your heating and air conditioning filters.

MAY: Memorial Day Weekend is coming and it is time to do some BBQ maintenance; before you fire up the BBQ get a wire brush and clean the gas burners and the grills; check for cracks in the sidewalks, driveway and foundation – fill all gaps with the appropriate caulking; put out ant traps around your home so they stay outside and leave you alone. ( Be careful with kids and pets.)

JUNE: This is the month for once a year projects; clean behind the refrigerator, vacuum the coils and replace the water filter; if needed, replace the washing machine hoses; check for leaks at the dishwasher and under the sink; test and label your circuit breakers.

JULY: You will be flying your flag this month so make sure it is in good condition and the holder is still secure on the trim around your garage door. More for July; get your air conditioning system serviced; update your earthquake emergency supply kit – let me know if you want a referral to a cool store in Dublin that sells the entire supply kit. Be sure to add clothing, blankets, prescription medicine, baby stuff, extra car and house keys, extra eye glasses, credit cards and cash, and any important documents such as insurance policies.

AUGUST: This is the biggest vacation month of the year, so; check out your home security systems and door locks; stop your newspaper while you are gone; provide a friend or neighbor with all of your contact information; reorganize all of your gardening and household tools by getting them into their proper place at least once a year.

SEPTEMBER: Your landscaping has grown all Spring and Summer. Take a look at the following; trim any trees that are crowding your home or power lines – you may need a professional to help you; trim your shrubs around your home that are touching your house; re-caulk windows and doors; make sure the insulation in the attic and sub-floor is adequate.

OCTOBER: Fall is here and rain is coming, so; clean gutters and service the downspouts; make sure the water heater is enough insulation on it; reverse your ceiling fans so they take air up instead of down, pushing warm air upwards.

NOVEMBER: Rodent prevention month, so; seal holes around any pipes and wires that come into your home. Winter is when they are looking for a warm place to hangout; have your chimney and fireplace cleaned and serviced; test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and replace the batteries even though they are not chirping.

DECEMBER: It is decorating your home month, so; when putting up your exterior lights, stay off the roof and don’t hammer nails into the roof for any reason; Since you did your homework last January unwinding your lights is a breeze this year. Still check the cords and bulbs that may need to be replaced; check for any carpets that are loose for potential tripping; review your homeowners insurance and renew your Home Warranty Policy.

CONGRATULATIONS! Don’t you feel terrific for rationing out your home projects over 12 months instead of packing them into a frantic and stressful week? Please add more suggestions that all of us should consider.

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2010 East Bay Real Estate Update: Challenges Facing $1 Million+ Buyer/Sellers

Jim Walberg — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:24:12 +0000

As you have discovered over the years, Jim Walberg is one of the most positive people around. So, this report is not about positive or negative, it is about reality. There are still some significant hurdles for Buyers and Sellers to climb over in 2010 in the East Bay real estate markets. The past two years the biggest price corrections have been focused on the under $1 million price ranges. The “sweet spot” of our real estate micro-markets has been in the $500,000 to $700,000 price range. Mortgage companies and the Federal government have designed most of their home loans to motivate sales below $700,000 – at least until the end of April. At that time the focus will then be under $600,000. The biggest challenge for Sellers and Buyers of East Bay real estate is still in the price point above $1 million.

The lower priced houses in our region will not get much cheaper in 2010. However, there is still room in the higher priced homes for more corrections downward in 2010. Please don’t shoot the messenger (me), but Sellers of $1 million+ homes in the East Bay who will be selling their homes in 2010 may want to consider preparing their home for sale NOW. The further we get into 2010 the more downward price pressures will be in play. The Standard & Poor’s / Case-Shiller home-price indexes are ones I recommend all of us watch to alert us to further price trends in million dollar range.

For example, in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, high end prices are down just 25% in the high-end homes, compared to 39% in the lower priced homes in our regional markets. Several factors are in play when it comes to the further downward pressure on the higher end home prices;

The resetting of adjustable mortgages that allowed Buyers to purchase higher priced homes resetting increasing their monthly payments.
The increase in defaults of East Bay homes that are $1 million+ in value causing lower appraised values of this slice of the market.
Lender making it more difficult for Buyers to secure loans for this price point because the banks would rather have their mortgage money risked in the lower priced homes than add to their portfolio $1 million+ home loans.
Climbing home loan interest rates that are already happening within the first few weeks of 2010.

In the greater San Francisco Bay Area, the percentage of foreclosed or short sale homes in the $1 million+ range in January of 2009 was just above 9%. That number today is over 50%! It is not an anomaly any more for foreclosures in this price point, so appraisers are now using these sold homes as comparable sales when they do their appraisal reports to the lenders. The questions that the Sellers of million dollar homes are facing today are;

If I do have equity in my home and I need to sell it this year, do I realize the pricing pressures that are currently in play that will affect its sales price?
If I have no equity in my home and if my mortgage is higher than what the home is worth, am I willing to walk away?
If I am willing to walk away, am I willing to rent for at least three to five years while waiting to qualify for a home loan again?
If I do walk away from my home, am I willing to have a lowering of my credit scores (about 160 point drop for a foreclosure), that will make any future loan I need much more expensive?
Home much will my foreclosure hurt my community and neighbors?

I am not the “chief economist” of any financial institution. However, I am in the trenches everyday of our real estate markets. My prediction is that we are realistically two or more years away for any sustainable turn around for the $1 million+ real estate markets in the East Bay. What are your thoughts about things you are noticing in your neighborhood? Let me know.

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2010 Guide From East Bay Real Estate!

Jim Walberg — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:28:47 +0000

Here is to an extraordinary 2010! Each year we look for a list of actions to be taken throughout the year that will add to it being an amazing one. We found these 39 action items for all of us to consider for 2010 that are guaranteed to improve our lives. Contact us anytime! We are standing ready to be of service to the real estate needs of you, your family and friends. Happy New Year!!!

Health:
1.       Drink plenty of water.
2.       Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3.       Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants…
4.       Live with the “Three E’s” – Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5.       Make time to pray each day.
6.       Play more games each week.
7.       Read more books than you did in 2009.
8.       Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9.       Sleep for 7 hours a day.
10.    Take 10-30 minutes to walk daily. And while you walk, smile, no matter what you are currently feeling.

Personality:
11.    Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12     Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13.    Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14.    Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15.    Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16.    Dream more while you are awake.
17.    Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need in your life.
18.    Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19.    Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others..
20.    Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21.    No one is in charge of your happiness except you. Life is about taking 100% responsibility for ALL your actions. No Blame!
22.    Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23.    Smile and laugh more.
24.    You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree….

Society:
25.    Call your family often.
26.    Each day give something good to others.
27.    Forgive everyone for everything.
28.    Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
29..   Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30.    What other people think of you is none of your business.
31.    Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32.    Always do the right thing!
33.    Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34.    GOD heals everything.
35.    However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36.    No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up each day.
37.    The best is yet to come.
38.    When you awake and realize you are still alive in the morning, thank GOD for that gift.
39.    Your Inner-Most is always happy. So, be happy.

2010 is going to be an extraordinary year. Enjoy every moment it.

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East Bay Kwanzaa Celebrations Begin Today & Ends January 1st!

Jim Walberg — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:31:48 +0000

The celebration of Kwanzaa began today all over the Bay Area. Kwanzaa was created by M. Ron Karenga in 1966 as an African American celebration of their heritage with a focus of family values and our local communities. Kwanzaa means “first fruits of the harvest”.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum hosts its Annual Kwanzaa Celebration today from 10AM to 5PM. The admission is free. There are various art projects inspired by the African continent and a Kwanzaa altar in the Museum’s Entry Pavilion. Renowned jazz drummer E. W. Wainwright and his ensemble, The African Roots of Jazz will trace African-American musical forms, such as jazz, gospel, and spirituals, from their earliest beginnings in African cultures to today. The program features music, songs, theater, and audience participation. You will also enjoy the Black National Anthem and the South African National Anthem throughout the week’s celebrations.

There are seven days of celebrations with each day focused on a specific life principle. The seven principles are collectively referred to as the Nguzo Saba, and serve as guideposts for meditation and daily living. The greeting each day of Kwaanza is Habari Gani, and the reply is Habari Gani followed by the principle of the day.

December 26^th – Umoja – Unity
December 27^th – Kujichagulia – Self-Determination
December 28^th – Ujima – Collective Work & Responsibility
December 29^th – Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics
December 30^th – Nia – Purpose
December 31 – Kuumba – Creativity
January 1^st – Imani – Faith

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa will be hosted at seven different venues throughout the Bay Area. Communities will present cultural programs intended for the entire family. The various community partners of for these Kwanzaa events are: the Filllmore Center; the Buchanan YMCA; Mayor’s Office Of Neighborhood Services; Western Addition Family Resource Center; Marcus Bookstore; African American Holistic Wellness Program; Omi YMCA; Bayview YMCA; Kaiser Permanente; Fillmore Benefit District; Minnie and Lovie Recreation Center; Bayview Public Library; African American Art and Culture Complex; Jazz Heritage Center; Yoshi’s; Bayview YMCA; SNIG; Margaret Hayward Rec-Connect; Opportunity Impact; SF Safe; Kwanza Morton; and Malik Seneferu.

No matter where you are in the Bay Area there will be celebrations all week. There will be dinners each evening with family and friends who prepare traditional African dishes to share with all who come. Make sure you find a community of people with whom to celebrate this important traditional experience. The Kwanzaa principles are ones to integrate into all of our lives each day, not just the last week of December. Habari Gani!

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East Bay Real Estate: Holiday Greetings!

Jim Walberg — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:24:29 +0000

We are so grateful for the relationships that continue to unfolded over the years with our cherished family and friends, and the thousands of people that allow us to serve their real estate needs in the Bay Area. You have added joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments to our lives in 2009. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We can all agree that 2009 has been unforgettable year for many reasons. However, we are still surrounded by a very long list of blessings if we just pay attention. Enjoy every moment of your Holiday celebrations with your loving family and friends. Stay tuned…2010 is going to be another unforgettable year! Contact us any time for any reason.

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