(1) Train Depot.  The massive bricks used to make the San Carlos Train Depot are the same bricks that were used to construct Stanford University. In the late 1800′s, Timothy Guy Phelps, an original landowner in San Carlos, called on his good friend Leland Stanford for help in building a train depot in San Carlos.  Excess bricks arrived shortly thereafter.

(2) Nathaniel Brittan.  The last name is very familiar to those in San Carlos, but did you know that Nathaniel Brittan had three daughters….Elizabeth, Belle and Carmelita….Three streets in Howard Park currently hold those names at the request of Brittan.

(3) Old Bertini.  Old Bertini, as he was known to residents in San Carlos in the earlier 1900s, owned a rather large parcel of land that is now occupied by Burton Park. That parcel was to be sold for a housing development.  It wasn’t until Pop Burton refused to back down and insist that part of that parcel be used for a city park, that the development plans were halted and Burton worked in conjunction with Bertini to salvage part of the parcel from development and Recreation Park was created, later named Burton Park.

(4) Olympics.  In the summer of 1984, the City of San Carlos came to a standstill as the Olympic torch was carried down El Camino Real.

(5) The Church Lady. A famous Saturday Night Live character made popular by San Carlos native, Dana Carvey, is supposedly based on a woman Carvey encountered at the Church of the Epiphany on Arroyo and Cedar.

(6) First Charter.  San Carlos Charter Learning Center was the first charter school established in California.

(7) Water Under Your House?.  There can be a wide variety of reasons for this in San Carlos, but also keep in mind that there was a reason Black Mountain Water decided to establish their distribution center here.  The springs in the San Carlos hills are filled with water.  The property once used by Black Mountain water still remains vacant today, on Alameda de las Pulgas, between Melendy and Madera.

(8) 1961 National Champions.  In 1961, a group of San Carlos boys, ages 13-15, won the Babe Ruth World Series.  The team was coached by Bob Flanagan.  The large baseball diamond at Burton Park is named in his honor.

(9) Hills vs. Flats.  With a few pocket exceptions, San Carlos is the only town on the peninsula where it is more expensive to live in the flats, than in the hills.

(10) From Knight to Giant.  San Carlos native, Barry Bonds, attended Arundel School.

Heating Up

The San Carlos housing market is starting to heat up.  For those who have been in the market for the past few years, the coming months may be a bit of a new experience.  When listings are at a premium, buyers and their agents will need to have a polished strategy in place.  If you find yourself house hunting in San Carlos this year, here are a few thoughts that you may want to consider:

In Transition

The San Carlos market is very much in transition.  A historical perspective shows that while the majority of the last 60 years have been positive years for San Carlos real estate, for those periods of time when San Carlos had to work itself out of a recession, a transitional period takes place in the real estate market.  These transitional periods have one dominating force:  low inventory.  However, what makes this transitional period extraordinarily unique is that the transitional period has never been accompanied by mortgage interest rates around 4%.  Just how low is an interest rate of 4% historically?  It has never existed unless you were to take into account some of the government incentivized mortgage solutions coming out of the Great Depression.  I was recently talking with one longtime San Carlos realtor who told me that she remembered popping champagne when mortgage rates finally dropped below 15% in the early 1980s.  The point is that we are in uncharted territory when it comes to the size of the recession that appears behind us, coupled with historically low interest rates.

Some Buyers May Have Missed the Bottom

I wrote in a post earlier this week that realtors should stay away from predicting the economy and I will stand by that statement.  The only thing myself or any other realtor should be commenting on is past data points and what we are currently seeing in our market today.

I remember the exact day the San Carlos market suddenly stopped moving.  It was October 10, 2008.  The stock market had taken a tremendous hit and our market hit a wall almost instantly. An examination of all of the numbers over the last three and a half years reveals that the true bottom of the San Carlos market probably took place somewhere between eight to twelve months ago. There is no doubt that things have picked up over the last few months, which has led us into a market which will be very stingy with inventory.

Moving From a Buyer’s to a Seller’s Market

There is not a single San Carlos seller who is going to recapture their 2007 value on their home in 2012.  However, most will realize a noticeable difference from the four previous years both in terms of interest and value. As mentioned above, the first sign of a transitioning market is low inventory.  We are right in the middle of it right now and will likely be there for 2012.  Given the number of people trying to get into San Carlos right now, I believe you are going to see a logjam of buyers with the inventory that we do have and that can only increase value.

Serious Buyers Will Land Their New Home

While the inventory will be tight, and frustrating at times, buyers who have done their research, are working aggressively with a San Carlos agent and have their financing secured…..will find their home in 2012. Those who are taking more of a casual approach and are not ingrained in the market on a daily basis will still be looking for a home in 2013. 

What to Expect

Multiple offers will be back this spring.  We saw them on occasion in 2011.  They will be more prevalent in 2012.  The best thing you can do for a multiple offer situation is be prepared for it.  Recognize that for many price ranges and areas in San Carlos you will be a part of a multiple offer process.  There are many things you can do ahead of time to give yourself a better chance in these types of situations.  Have your agent give you some pointers on how to prepare for the process now. A big problem with multiple offer situations is that many of the offers that come in are from buyers who were unprepared for the situation…and the way the offers are written and presented highlight the unpreparedness.  If you are a buyer looking for your next home in San Carlos in 2012, do your homework now.  Get your financing in order. Work with a San Carlos agent and educate yourself on our market.

SCTH partners with SCEF

In what has been a long time coming, myself and Dr. Young of Young Orthodontics are proud to announce that San Carlos Treasure Hunters has partnered with the San Carlos Educational Foundation for the benefit of San Carlos schools.  This very unique and special version of San Carlos Treasure Hunters is for parents, only. We completed our sixth year of San Carlos Treasure Hunters on October 29th. A record 72 teams, totaling 230 kids and 120 parents competed for the ultimate prize.  After hearing the requests for several years, we were finally able to put together San Carlos Treasure Hunters….for Parents.  While the normal San Carlos Treasure Hunters (for kids) is always free, the parents’ version will have team spots that can be purchased through Spring Fling.  There will also be two very special Platinum Teams which can be purchased during the live auction segment of Spring Fling (see more on the Platinum Teams further down in the post).

How It Works

The parents’ version works in a similar fashion to the regular San Carlos Treasure Hunters.  Teams of four will study the San Carlos History Book, which will be provided to each team. Teams will also study San Carlos parks and any other materials associated with this year’s story, The Legendary J.P Harlow And The Treasure of 1929.

The event is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, May 19th.  This also happens to be the Saturday of Hometown Days.  The event will kick-off at 5:30 at Burton Park.  The first team to find all ten hidden clues around the city and solve the mystery of J.P Harlow, will find the treasure chest keys and receive a fabulous prize.

The Pre & Post Parties

We want everyone to have fun.  If you choose to have some adult beverages at the Pre & Post Parties, please make sure that one of your team members is the designated driver for the entire night.  This is the one rule that will be strictly enforced.  The hunt will end with the post party at The Office Bar and Grill. The winning team will be revealed and we will go over all clues and put the whole thing together for you.

Purchasing a Team

Purchasing a team is a fantastic way to support San Carlos schools.  Teams can be bought out for $500.  Teams are allowed four players.  Get together three friends and the cost is only $125, each…..or two couples can each pay $250 and form a team. Teams can be purchased at Spring Fling.  There will also be an option forthcoming through the Spring Fling site, which will allow you to purchase a team in advance.  Please note that we are only accepting the first 25 teams.

Two Platinum Teams

The live auction at Spring Fling will allow you the opportunity to purchase one of two Platinum Teams.  If you have already purchased a regular team, you can upgrade your team to a Platinum Team by having your $500 purchase apply to any live auction bid for one of the Platinum Teams.

There are two Platinum teams that will be up for bid during the live auction. No need to worry about a designated driver, as I will be your designated driver for one of the teams, and Mayor Andy Klein will be the other. Team Bredel or Team Klein….the choice is yours. We both know San Carlos very well and will get you to your destinations in record time (while abiding by all posted speed limits, of course).  We will take care of your every need during the hunt so that you can focus on winning.  Additionally, both teams will receive a personal crash course study session prior to the hunt and VIP apparel.

Please watch the San Carlos Blog for more details as we get closer to Spring Fling on March 3rd.

* To be taken directly to the San Carlos Treasure Hunters site, please click here.

Consider this a post in humility. I was looking back at all of the posts written since 2007, and I discovered that few, if any, detailed mistakes that I have made.  I decided that if I was expecting folks in San Carlos to rely on what I write on this site, I needed to give a balanced assessment of things done correct and incorrectly as it relates to my involvement in San Carlos real estate.

So, that being said, here are the four mistakes I have made in my career as a realtor:

(1) Predicting the Market.  I was as guilty as anyone in else in 2005. Our market was on fire and for every obstacle that was put up, banks seemed to have a loan program as a legitimate way around the issue.  Ten percent down, five percent down, nothing down, negative amortization….it was truly unending. The one thing I have learned with the market as it relates to San Carlos is that our market is tied to the local economy and the Dow Jones. Predicting the economy is beyond my pay grade and it is probably that way for most realtors as well. The only thing myself and other realtors should be doing is giving you an assessment of the current market.

(2) First Impressions Matter More Than You May Think.  Luckily, I discovered this early on. Many buyers wholeheartedly believe they can see through clutter, homes that have not been staged, slight remodel adjustments, etc.  The truth is that most cannot.  It’s not because they do not know what they want or cannot visualize the finished product, it’s because of the emotion involved.  Many buyers will tell you that they can be 100% objective and will not be emotionally involved in the house. This is absolutely false.  Whether buyers want to admit it or not, a home is an emotional decision on some level.  It is where your family will live.  Making the home as comfortable as possible on that first impression and showing off the best parts of the home through staging is absolutely crucial. A home simply cannot be rushed to market.  You get one chance to make it look its very best.

(3) Realtor Stereotypes.  Prior to leaving my firm and going to work in real estate, I was very much aware of the realtor stereotypes.  I still am. My experience has been that many of those stereotypes are true and more.  Real Estate is a cutthroat business where ethical behavior and client advocacy is a moving target for some.  I fell victim to believing that this was the norm and it altered my view on the industry. However, what I learned over time is that there are a handful of realtors who are some of the brightest, hardest-working and selfless individuals that I have ever met.  Many of them go unnoticed, except by the clients they represent. When your realtor tells you that the agent on the other side of your deal is important, it is probably the largest understatement they will make during the process.

(4) Real Estate Life vs Personal Life.  If there was one part to being a realtor that I completely underestimated, it was the time involved.  I’ve billed 2,500 hours in law firms.  I’ve pulled all-nighters more times than I care to remember.  The one thing I can tell you is that for agents who are top producers, the workload is heavier and there is no down time.  In order to produce at high levels and give your clients the service they deserve, you are pretty much on-call 24/7. The amount of family dinners, birthdays and holidays that you end up working through is incredible.  You are never really off the clock.  Odds are, at any given time you have a few clients in contract with the biggest transaction of their life and you are their lifeline. It’s an anxious time for them and you want to make sure all of their questions and concerns are handled immediately. What makes this difficult is when those calls come right as you are reading a book to your kids, at a school open house or just having dinner as a family. I have always taken a great deal of pride in actually answering my phone and responding immediately.  The most difficult thing for me as a realtor has nothing to do with real estate itself.  It has everything to do with finding the appropriate line between being on-call and being a dad. This is one mistake I am still working on. So if you see me on the soccer field or softball field looking at my iPhone…feel free to grab it and throw it away : )

Really?

Yes, really. Granted, it’s not downtown Palo Alto, but San Carlos is at least showing some signs of life after 9:00 pm. If there is one thing the Carlos Club and The Office have proven, it’s that San Carlos does have a need for a nightlife scene.

This Shouldn’t Be Surprising

Those that saw this need coming have had an advantage.  There’s a reason that the A Tavola bar came back three times larger after the remodel.  Obviously, A Tavola came back as Town and has taken over the top spot on Laurel Street even since.  San Carlos went through a substantial transformation in the mid to late 1990s.  Droves of younger families migrated to San Carlos.  Many of those families now have kids that are a little older and the parents are looking for local places to gather with friends. The need for some additional options downtown has been building for years.

If you are still not convinced, try going to downtown and finding a parking space during the evening hours, Thursday-Saturday.  You’ll end up parking back on Walnut Street.

Successful Models

Town.  High-end, hip, great food……and entrenched in the San Carlos community and schools.  Town has always been one step ahead in San Carlos.  It was the first and currently the most prominent destination for San Carlans.  Click here to be taken to the Town site.

The Office.  The Office is a hit for several reasons.  None more prominent than the fact that it works for people of all ages. Kids, twenty-somethings, parents, grandparents…all have a great time at The Office. The inside/outside features work very well and in most types of weather. It didn’t hurt that they are a sports bar as well and chose to open right as they Giants were marching toward a World Championship.  It was a great venue for October of 2010, and they haven’t looked back since that time. The Office is packed Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  Click here to be taken to The Office Bar and Grill site.

The Carlos Club.  The Carlos Club was the first to take the evening scene and turn it into more of a night scene. Most in San Carlos will roll their eyes and smile when asked if they’ve been to the “CC” as it is known around town. Most view it as a fun venue to go with a big group of friends and get a little crazy.  It has been a popular “last stop” for many San Carlans after major events such as Spring Fling and Christmas parties.  Karaoke, dancing, specialty drinks and a “VIP” section are all available at the CC.  Their formula seems to be working. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are packed and the CC has plans to expand into the area that is currently the back parking lot.  Open until 2:00 am, it is the liveliest spot in San Carlos into the early morning hours. Click here to be taken to the Carlos Club site.

How San Carlos Could Improve Its Nightlife

San Carlos has been steadily improving its nightlife options. My opinion would be that they could use at least one venue that is a happy medium.  What I mean by that is that it is tough to go directly to the Carlos Club right after dinner in downtown San Carlos.  If there was a club with live music, and had more of an upscale feel to it, I believe it would flourish.  Additionally, more restaurants, especially those with full bars, would do well to bring in live music.  Live music flat out works in San Carlos. Piacere and others have been bringing in live music on the weekend nights and it has worked well.  Others would be wise to follow suit.

This Is Still San Carlos

I don’t believe anyone is advocating turning downtown San Carlos into the French Quarter.  San Carlos should not be stepping outside of what has made it so attractive to all who live here.  However, one or two more options for the after-9:00 pm-crowd couldn’t hurt.

Inspections Are Important

San Carlos buyers would be wise to conduct their own inspections on a home before agreeing to remove their property inspection contingency. Most sellers will give the buyers a property and termite inspection as part of their disclosure package.  However, please remember that unless the buyer has paid a fee to those inspectors the reports will not bind the inspector and his reports to the buyer.  In other words, if the inspector missed a crucial item in the inspection the buyer will not have any recourse against the inspector because there is no privity of contract between the two parties.  If possible, the buyers should always obtain their own inspections.

What types of inspections should buyers get?

Inspections are expensive.  Understanding where and when to draw the line with inspections can be difficult.  I have always told my buyers to use their general property inspection as a primer to decide if other inspections are necessary. If you can find a great general property inspector, not only can they give you an accurate read on the home, but they can save you a lot of cash on other inspections which may not be necessary.

Start with the assumption that you need a general property inspection and a termite inspection. These are the two that are customary in San Carlos.  A good property inspector will alert you to the fact that, based on his findings, you may need to have a specialist come out and do a more thorough inspection on certain items.

The most popular secondary inspections in San Carlos

(1) Chimney Inspection.  Many San Carlos chimneys were cracked at the roof line during the 1989 earthquake. It is not uncommon to see this noted in a general property inspection.  The recommendation will be to have a specialist come out and give a cost to retrofit the chimney.  The cost for the retrofit is generally $2,000-$4,000.  Dean Designs in Redwood City is the best around at conducting the inspection and making the repairs.

(2) Roof Inspection.  Often times a general property inspector will note that a roof is nearing the end of its life expectancy and the roof either needs repairs or needs to be replaced.  Roofs are expensive.  The average roof replacement in San Carlos is around $17,000, so understanding exactly what you are up against is not a bad idea.  Companies that do roof repairs can also be difficult to find.  I have had good success with A & B Roofing in Redwood City.  A & B will also conduct the roof inspection for you.

(3) Drainage.  It’s a huge issue in San Carlos.  Our hills are filled with natural springs and the flats are filled with adobe clay that has never drained well.  When most of the houses in San Carlos were first built they were built with drainage systems that are now thought to be outdated or flat-out ineffective.  If the general property inspector notices standing water or evidence of standing water in the past, it may not be a bad idea to get a drainage expert out to survey the lot. I have had good success with Dobel Construction in San Carlos.

(4)  Pools.  If the home you are looking at has a pool, get a pool inspection.  While enjoyable, pools can quickly become expensive if there are cracks, drainage issues, loose tiles or heating issues.  Hill’s Pool Service in Burlingame is the go-to inspector for pools in San Carlos.

Questions on inspections or inspectors?

If you find yourself in need a recommendation on a general inspector or have the need for a specialist in a particular area, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am happy to recommend those that have done truly outstanding work for myself and my clients in the past.

Have you ever wondered how it is possible that we pay such high property taxes in San Carlos, yet our schools face budget shortfalls every year?  You’re not alone.  Here’s how it all breaks down:

The Birth of Prop 13

Passed by California voters in 1978, Proposition 13 gained national attention and was a main player in the “taxpayer revolt” of the early 1980s. Proposition 13 can be traced back to a time period which saw a monumental, but separate event:  the 1976 California Supreme Court Case, Serrano v. Priest. The essence of the court ruling was that the amount of funding going to different districts was inadvertently favoring the more wealthy school districts, and thus other districts were not receiving the same “equal protection” as other school districts in California.

Put more succinctly, districts with higher property valuations were able to fund their schools at a lower percentage of property taxes, than those districts which did not have high property values.

Concurrently, California was experiencing massive growth in all areas, and property values were rising.  Without the cap on property taxes, many retired Californians were subjected to constantly increasing taxes each year.

The combination of the court ruling, a surge in property valuations and palpable public angst over out-of-control taxes, the legislature was forced to come up with a suitable answer to the escalating property tax issue.

Prop 13

Proposition 13 was the popular answer.  After being placed on the ballot, the measure passed with 65% of the vote.  All but three counties in California voted in favor of the measure.

The passage of Proposition 13 meant that:

(1)  The annual real estate tax on a parcel of property was limited to 1% of its value.

(2)  The assessed value could only be increased by a maximum of 2% per year, until a change of ownership exists.

How Proposition 13 has affected San Carlos schools:

To say that San Carlos schools have been crushed by the ramifications of Proposition 13 is an understatement.  When Proposition 13 passed, the San Carlos revenue that was once plentiful was cut by over 57%.  As a result, the State of California had to step in and start to take over more of the funding of items such as San Carlos schools.

The irony of this situation is that San Carlos thought it was doing its citizens a favor in the late 1970s by lowering the percentage of its local property taxes that were to be earmarked for public schools.  When San Carlos lowered this amount, the State froze that disbursement percentage and has made San Carlos exist on that low percentage ever since.  In the late 1970s, supporters of Proposition 13 assured everyone that the State of California would make up the difference with any budget shortfalls to the schools.  Obviously, this never happened.  Not only did the State not make up the difference, the State instead started to raid the low levels of funding for other needs.  Throughout the last 12 years San Carlos has been asked to do more with less money.

Our schools switched over to a charter system as a way of attracting out of district students and maximizing its funding.  The schools are essentially on life support and depend on parcel taxes, volunteerism, fundraising and the herculean efforts of the San Carlos Education Foundation, just to keep its head above water and keep the programs that have made it a wonderful educational experience for so many.

Basic Aid vs. Revenue Limit Districts

A key factor to understanding the funding of San Carlos schools is to first understand the difference between the two types of funding models in California, Basic Aid and Revenue Limit.

Basic Aid, also known as “local funding,” essentially occurs when the local property tax revenue disbursement rate in a district exceeds the total general purpose funding that the state would have provided. In other words, there’s no need to factor in any state aid because the property taxes alone surpass the minimum funding level established by the state.  Those cities which decided not to lower their percentage of property taxes going toward schools in the late 1970s before the enactment of Proposition 13 are, for the most part, Basic Aid Districts.  Palo Alto is one such city that falls under Basic Aid. An unpopular choice at the time for Palo Alto residents, has now paid off exponentially.

Key Point:  The upside to Basic Aid is that a district can receive funding in excess of its state-calculated Revenue Limit, and growing property taxes generally translate into more revenue.  Only 10% of the districts in California are Basic Aid.

Revenue Limit Districts.  The San Carlos School District and the other 90% of all districts in California are Revenue Limit districts.  This means that the through the state, and through some limited help from the federal government, Revenue Limit districts are given a set amount per student. Unfortunately, this amount is not nearly enough to realistically cover the cost of education in San Carlos.  In fact, cutting everything down to its most basic level, this amount would only generate 79% of the needed revenue to keep San Carlos schools operating the way they are currently today.  San Carlos depends on parcel tax measures and the San Carlos Educational Foundation to make up the remaining 21%.

Summary

Proposition 13 is not solely to blame for the current crisis in our schools and city, but it is a significant contributor.  Something has to give.  After internal budget cuts are made and tax increases are voted down, we need to find a way to keep more of our local property taxes.

I would like to recognize the San Carlos School District, Ed Source, San Mateo County Assessor’s Office and the Palo Alto Unified School District….all provided the information necessary to complete this post.

“It feels like we have been chasing a ghost.”

It certainly can feel like that.  The ever-elusive four bedroom home in the flats, updated and on a nice lot for 1.3M-1.7M….sounds easy enough, right?  Think again.  As mentioned in previous posts, there is nothing more difficult to purchase right now.  A while back I referred to this price range in the flats as the Bermuda Triangle of San Carlos real estate. Those searching for this property usually find themselves scratching their head in a state of confusion wondering when this elusive property may finally show itself.

Why is the four bedroom home in the flats so hard to find?

There are two primary reasons for the lack of inventory for this type of home in the 1.3M to 1.7M price range:

(1) Thank the Great Depression.  The smaller lot sizes, especially in White Oaks, cannot support larger homes without sacrificing most of the yard.  During the Great Depression, developers tried to give away lots in the failed White Oaks tract.  All the future owner had to do was agree to pay the property taxes.  If that wasn’t enough to make you sick, consider this:  Developers then cut many White Oak lots in half in order to make the property taxes more palpable for future owners….thus the reason for so many White Oaks lots falling under 5,000 square feet.

Helpful hint:  Keep in mind that the City of San Carlos will only allow you to build the first floor of your home on 40% of the lot size.  So if you have a 4,500 square foot lot and your home is 1,500 square feet plus a 300 square foot garage, you’ve reached capacity on your building ability for a single level home.  If you want to add any square footage, you will need to add a second story which is a more expensive proposition and more time consuming as well.  Many choose to move rather than go through a second floor addition.

(2) Those that have remodeled, have stayed put.  Remember that even twenty years ago San Carlos was nothing close to the town it is today. Before downtown was vibrant, before API scores and before the dot com boom, San Carlos was barely on the map from the perspective of others in the Bay Area. That all started to change in the late 1990s.  The first real recent surge in housing prices happened from 1998-2000 and then a second surge from 2003-2007.  Those two time periods also represent an era of the first modern remodels in San Carlos.

Why is this important?  The point is that many who remodeled in this time period have not been in their homes long enough to consider selling.  Many who have had the wonderful experience of living through a remodel will tell you (smiling) they are never moving again.  Additionally, those that remodeled during the second surge may not be able to stomach the loss they would take on their home since the market slowed in 2008.  Granted, we appear to be in a period of correcting some of those losses, but keep in mind that San Carlos homes that were priced at 1.5M in 2007, lost approximately 15% of their value.  Only in the last few months have we started to inch our way back up.

Is there any hope?

The good news is that all signs point to the first positive year in San Carlos real estate since 2007.  This will help loosen up some of these types of homes.  There are also many little things you can do to better your chances if you find yourself chasing this elusive property.  The little things by themselves may not seem like much, but together they are enough to make a difference:

(1)  Have a plan.  Wandering aimlessly and “waiting for something to come up” is a guaranteed way of not finding the elusive property. Understand that the amount of people looking for this exact home far outweighs the number of actual homes that will become available.  Know exactly what you are looking for an be ready to pull the trigger once you find it.

(2)  Glue yourself to the market and your agent.  Don’t let a day go by where you are not looking at the MLS.  Ask your agent to present you with any off-market opportunities as well.  If a property becomes available on Tuesday, don’t check your weekend calendar….check your Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning calendar.  If there is only one thing to take from this post about the elusive property, understand that if you do not act immediately in terms of investigating one of these types of properties as they become available, someone else will.

(3)  Have your financing ready to go.  Don’t wait until you find the perfect house to get you financing in order.  Often, lining up a valid pre-approval takes a few days.  Be sure that you have done this diligence ahead of time.

Be smart about your search and you will get your home.

If you suspect that you are searching for the elusive home, sit down and talk with your agent. If you can develop a smart and aggressive plan, attach yourself to the hip of the San Carlos market and have your financing ready to go, you will find the elusive home.

A Proud, Longstanding Tradition

Get ready San Carlos! Chicken’s Ball 2012 is on its way. With it roots dating back to the Barbary Coast in San Francisco in 1900, the Chicken’s Ball has been a San Carlos tradition since it first premiered in 1940.  Its primary goals: (1) raise money for San Carlos schools; and (2) build friendship in the community.  Many of the participants in the biennial event have been helping or performing in the show for many years. Tickets for this year’s event will go on sale starting January 30th at the San Carlos History Museum.  To be taken to the Chicken’s Ball website, click here.