Hi,
In one of my recent posts, I got a question from anonymous. Here it is:
Anonymous said...
Question is: Where do you think the market is going? Is there still enough inventory to get a decent deal on a house in the "TheBayArea". Or should I continue to wait to buy? AMA
February 1, 2010 9:03 AM
I was about to reply within the comments section but I thought this would be a good opportunity to address a question that I am sure many are asking.
My response:
After speaking with others in and out of the office, it seems the market is holding pretty steady right now.
That being said, I don't foresee a huge upswing in the market but I definitely don't see a big drop off either. I think it will hold steady for the remainder of the year. Once we have a more accurate picture at that point we can of course make a whole new guess as to where it is going.
Real Estate agents are like Economists. We have lots of theories and we are always "supposing."
To answer your last question, yes there is still enough inventory to get a decent deal. The prices are remaining steady, which is good...it's just that there are multiple offers, which makes it a little tougher. The good thing though is that even if you do outbid someone in this market, you are still getting a way better deal than what you would have gotten a few years ago. Also, and most important, you have to pay close attention to the houses. You wait a day to make an offer and it could already be gone. That's the part that a lot of people have trouble with. They are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and they don't want to be rushed.
If you are in it for the long haul (at least 5 years) it is still a good time to buy a house.
Conor
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Recent Reviews
Hi,
I am happy to report that people are actually starting to read my writing. I swear it's like my fan base went from 1 person (Me) to almost 4!! At this pace, I might have a van full by the end of the month...if I am lucky maybe even one of those big airport vans full.
Some recent reviews:
"This blog is awesome!" -Mark Dunn
"Now I want to buy more houses!" -Conor Dunn
"You've got mail." -AOL
Seriously though, thanks for reading, I like when someone tells me that they heard I have a blog...but then they get distracted by something on TV and forget to read it.
Conor
Some recent reviews:
"This blog is awesome!" -Mark Dunn
"Now I want to buy more houses!" -Conor Dunn
"You've got mail." -AOL
Seriously though, thanks for reading, I like when someone tells me that they heard I have a blog...but then they get distracted by something on TV and forget to read it.
Conor
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Newspapers, Negative Nancy's
Hi,
So I've started to get into a routine every morning. I guess this has been going on for about 6 months...is that long enough to qualify as a "routine?" Not important. So as I was saying, I have a routine in the morning that involves me getting out of bed, turning on the pot of coffee and walking out to the driveway to get the newspaper while my coffee brews. I say walk, but the last few weeks has been more of a run or "sprint" if you will, because it's been raining buckets here in The Bay Area.
*Side note* I always capitalize "The Bay Area" because it seems equivalent to saying something like "New England"...which as we all know, is capitalized. Capitalizing it makes is sounds in important. The Bay Area is important.
So, back to the morning, I walk in the house with my paper sit down at my kitchen table and pull out the sections I want to read. At this point I kind of dawdle because I want to have hot coffee in my hand while I read. Is this weird? Probably. Once the coffee maker beeps (YES!) I grab my cup and start reading the paper. Sections that I read: (In order) Sports, Business, then Comics/Crossword. If I see something interesting on the front page I will usually scan that as well.
Today I was reading the Business section and noticed an article on home sales in the month of December 2009. Apparently homes sales in The Bay Area went down last month as compared to the month before. I actually knew that this was true but it wasn't for the reason you think. Home sales have gone down because there is no stinking inventory. When there are no homes to sell, it makes it hard for sales to go up. They go on to explain in the article that homes are indeed selling and in fact they have been getting multiple offers. I am glad that the columnist clarified that in the article but it still irked me that the title had such a negative connotation. There are many people reading the paper who will scan the section and see the headline, "Home sales in Bay Area decline in December." They will see that and likely assume the worst, and you can't really blame them. It was definitely something that gnawed on me but hey, not a ton I can do about it...except tell you about it in this awesome blog.
So, end of story, I read the comics to cheer me up (Pearls Before Swine you rock!) I finished my coffee and got ready for work. Pretty standard.
Moral of the story: My blog has factual information that can blow your mind...or give you something do when you have a free minute.
Conor
So I've started to get into a routine every morning. I guess this has been going on for about 6 months...is that long enough to qualify as a "routine?" Not important. So as I was saying, I have a routine in the morning that involves me getting out of bed, turning on the pot of coffee and walking out to the driveway to get the newspaper while my coffee brews. I say walk, but the last few weeks has been more of a run or "sprint" if you will, because it's been raining buckets here in The Bay Area.
*Side note* I always capitalize "The Bay Area" because it seems equivalent to saying something like "New England"...which as we all know, is capitalized. Capitalizing it makes is sounds in important. The Bay Area is important.
So, back to the morning, I walk in the house with my paper sit down at my kitchen table and pull out the sections I want to read. At this point I kind of dawdle because I want to have hot coffee in my hand while I read. Is this weird? Probably. Once the coffee maker beeps (YES!) I grab my cup and start reading the paper. Sections that I read: (In order) Sports, Business, then Comics/Crossword. If I see something interesting on the front page I will usually scan that as well.
Today I was reading the Business section and noticed an article on home sales in the month of December 2009. Apparently homes sales in The Bay Area went down last month as compared to the month before. I actually knew that this was true but it wasn't for the reason you think. Home sales have gone down because there is no stinking inventory. When there are no homes to sell, it makes it hard for sales to go up. They go on to explain in the article that homes are indeed selling and in fact they have been getting multiple offers. I am glad that the columnist clarified that in the article but it still irked me that the title had such a negative connotation. There are many people reading the paper who will scan the section and see the headline, "Home sales in Bay Area decline in December." They will see that and likely assume the worst, and you can't really blame them. It was definitely something that gnawed on me but hey, not a ton I can do about it...except tell you about it in this awesome blog.
So, end of story, I read the comics to cheer me up (Pearls Before Swine you rock!) I finished my coffee and got ready for work. Pretty standard.
Moral of the story: My blog has factual information that can blow your mind...or give you something do when you have a free minute.
Conor
Monday, January 11, 2010
Chuck
Hi,
So after holding an open house yesterday I came home looking forward to some time spent falling asleep on the couch to the TV. This dream quickly shattered as soon as I realized that I had some stuff to take care of around the house like cleaning, cooking, etc.
I was perfectly fine with this because the only thing in my mind was that I had to be in front of the TV at 9pm to watch one of my favorite shows "Chuck." Now there are a lot of people who waste a lot of time in front of a television. Maybe I shouldn't use the word "waste" as I am one of those people who definitely enjoys sitting in front of the tube. Like anything (except cupcakes, which are delicious,) I think TV is best experienced in moderation.
Back to the important stuff. "Chuck" was on at 9pm and by god I was going to sit there and watch it. For those of you who haven't seen the show, it's about a normal nerdy guy working at a store called "Buy More" (Best Buy) in the "Nerd Herd" department (Geek Squad.) His old college roommate is a rogue spy for the CIA and inadvertently sends him a whole bunch of government secrets which he sees and now has implanted in his head. Is the premise ridiculous? Absolutely! Could this ever happen in real life? No way! Does that matter to Conor? No sir. The show makes me laugh and has a little bit of action to boot.
At this point you might be asking yourself what this has to do with Real Estate...well not a lot, except this....
I've started to notice recently that when I am showing properties with buyers, there is usually one constant. We almost always walk into the Family Room, the buyer looks around and says something the affect of, "Hmm well I guess I could put the TV there, and the couches could go here..." or this one, "Oh the fireplace has plenty of room above it for a flat screen." It's amazing how consistent it is. Even if families don't watch a lot of TV, they still want to know where they will be putting the TV and how they are going to arrange the furniture to point at it. I would think this is weird, except for the fact that my rear end is planted on the couch for appointment television more than one time a week.
My name is Conor, and I watch Television. I read books too.
Conor
So after holding an open house yesterday I came home looking forward to some time spent falling asleep on the couch to the TV. This dream quickly shattered as soon as I realized that I had some stuff to take care of around the house like cleaning, cooking, etc.
I was perfectly fine with this because the only thing in my mind was that I had to be in front of the TV at 9pm to watch one of my favorite shows "Chuck." Now there are a lot of people who waste a lot of time in front of a television. Maybe I shouldn't use the word "waste" as I am one of those people who definitely enjoys sitting in front of the tube. Like anything (except cupcakes, which are delicious,) I think TV is best experienced in moderation.
Back to the important stuff. "Chuck" was on at 9pm and by god I was going to sit there and watch it. For those of you who haven't seen the show, it's about a normal nerdy guy working at a store called "Buy More" (Best Buy) in the "Nerd Herd" department (Geek Squad.) His old college roommate is a rogue spy for the CIA and inadvertently sends him a whole bunch of government secrets which he sees and now has implanted in his head. Is the premise ridiculous? Absolutely! Could this ever happen in real life? No way! Does that matter to Conor? No sir. The show makes me laugh and has a little bit of action to boot.
At this point you might be asking yourself what this has to do with Real Estate...well not a lot, except this....
I've started to notice recently that when I am showing properties with buyers, there is usually one constant. We almost always walk into the Family Room, the buyer looks around and says something the affect of, "Hmm well I guess I could put the TV there, and the couches could go here..." or this one, "Oh the fireplace has plenty of room above it for a flat screen." It's amazing how consistent it is. Even if families don't watch a lot of TV, they still want to know where they will be putting the TV and how they are going to arrange the furniture to point at it. I would think this is weird, except for the fact that my rear end is planted on the couch for appointment television more than one time a week.
My name is Conor, and I watch Television. I read books too.
Conor
Friday, January 8, 2010
We think the economy is tough...
Hi,
I am lucky enough to have a traveling family. Every holiday season for the last 5 years my extended family makes it's way across the globe to a random destination. Past years have included, Mexico, Ireland and Argentina. This year, my family went to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The first question you probably have is, "Why would you go to Vietnam?" I have an answer for that, my grandmother had never been there before, and she wanted to go. So there.
After 10 days (12 days total including travel) of tours, food, elephant rides, and temples, I left Southeast Asia with a life experience under my belt. I don't want to pretend that my trip was amazing fun when it really wasn't, but I'll merely acknowledge the fact that it was an experience I needed to have and a very interesting one at that. I'm happy with the opportunity to go there but I come back feeling fortunate for the things I have here in the Bay Area.
Our economy is going through a rough patch right now, more than a rough patch most would say. I walked through the streets of Cambodia and stared in disbelief at entire buildings completely empty. Cambodia is a place that relies very heavily on tourism and investors from around the world. When I asked our tour guide what was up with these empty buildings, he informed me that they were built a few years ago by world investors with hopes of sales. The economy crashes, building stops, now they have full buildings just sitting there empty going to waste. This isn't just one building either...they are everywhere. The amazing thing about these empty buildings is that they are still trying to sell them. Asking price for one of these condos is almost 500k USD!!! In Cambodia!! No wonder they are empty. Apparently, that is what the builder needs to stay afloat on these condos. Amazing...I was amazed.
Then I go to Vietnam. No empty buildings there. 10 Million people and nowhere to put them. I saw more motor scooters in one day than I had in my entire life up to that point. Too many people, lots of smog, too hard to cross the street...some of the many challenges I faced while in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
In the end, I came to the conclusion, that although times are tough in the Bay Area right now, we are lucky enough to strike a happy medium of good people in an area that is not too crowded and not too empty.
I know that I am where I want to be when I am landing at SFO and after looking around for a few minutes, think to myself, it's good to be home.
Conor
I am lucky enough to have a traveling family. Every holiday season for the last 5 years my extended family makes it's way across the globe to a random destination. Past years have included, Mexico, Ireland and Argentina. This year, my family went to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The first question you probably have is, "Why would you go to Vietnam?" I have an answer for that, my grandmother had never been there before, and she wanted to go. So there.
After 10 days (12 days total including travel) of tours, food, elephant rides, and temples, I left Southeast Asia with a life experience under my belt. I don't want to pretend that my trip was amazing fun when it really wasn't, but I'll merely acknowledge the fact that it was an experience I needed to have and a very interesting one at that. I'm happy with the opportunity to go there but I come back feeling fortunate for the things I have here in the Bay Area.
Our economy is going through a rough patch right now, more than a rough patch most would say. I walked through the streets of Cambodia and stared in disbelief at entire buildings completely empty. Cambodia is a place that relies very heavily on tourism and investors from around the world. When I asked our tour guide what was up with these empty buildings, he informed me that they were built a few years ago by world investors with hopes of sales. The economy crashes, building stops, now they have full buildings just sitting there empty going to waste. This isn't just one building either...they are everywhere. The amazing thing about these empty buildings is that they are still trying to sell them. Asking price for one of these condos is almost 500k USD!!! In Cambodia!! No wonder they are empty. Apparently, that is what the builder needs to stay afloat on these condos. Amazing...I was amazed.
Then I go to Vietnam. No empty buildings there. 10 Million people and nowhere to put them. I saw more motor scooters in one day than I had in my entire life up to that point. Too many people, lots of smog, too hard to cross the street...some of the many challenges I faced while in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
In the end, I came to the conclusion, that although times are tough in the Bay Area right now, we are lucky enough to strike a happy medium of good people in an area that is not too crowded and not too empty.
I know that I am where I want to be when I am landing at SFO and after looking around for a few minutes, think to myself, it's good to be home.
Conor
P.S. The pictures above include a trip to Halong Bay (North Vietnam,) scooters, the family, the snake at Mekong Delta, and Beung Melia Temple ruins in Cambodia. After re reading this post, I didn't mean to give off the feeling that I didn't enjoy my trip, very much the opposite in fact. It was an amazing experience as a whole with a bunch of cool little experiences on the way. I just wanted to convey the fact that, I feel fortunate to be where I am today.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Cell Phones
It's amazing to me how important cell phones are to people.
It drives me nuts to watch people swerving around in their car, and as you pass them you see that they are either A) on their cell phone or B) just a bad driver.
What happened to the hands free law? I am pretty sure I see more people talking on their phones while driving now, than I did before. I know for a FACT, that my driving capabilities decrease significantly if I am trying to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. I am not alone in this venture and can't believe everyone doesn't have some sort of headset. You can get them for like 15 bucks on the internet and really, what's 15 bucks for a little peace of mind, knowing you don't have to throw your phone on the ground if a cop drives by? Not to mention, it's easier and safer! Sometimes I beep at people and motion at them to get off their cell phone while they are driving, yes, I am that guy.
Now that I've vented, I will get to the point of this post. My cell phone died yesterday because I needed a new battery. My first thought was "OH NO! What am I going to do without my cell phone!?!?" Then 5 min later, after I composed myself from my near meltdown, I sent an email out to a few people that might try to get a hold of me during the day and just let them know that I would be without a cell phone for the day and if they needed me they could call me on my work phone or send a quick email. Wouldn't you know it, the whole problem was solved.
It's was definitely odd not having my phone in my pocket for the day but in the end, I found it kind of nice to know that I wasn't at every person's beckon call every second of the day. So I checked my cell phone voicemail every hour and unsurprisingly, I made it through the entire day unscathed.
My cell phone works again. Call me anytime.
It drives me nuts to watch people swerving around in their car, and as you pass them you see that they are either A) on their cell phone or B) just a bad driver.
What happened to the hands free law? I am pretty sure I see more people talking on their phones while driving now, than I did before. I know for a FACT, that my driving capabilities decrease significantly if I am trying to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. I am not alone in this venture and can't believe everyone doesn't have some sort of headset. You can get them for like 15 bucks on the internet and really, what's 15 bucks for a little peace of mind, knowing you don't have to throw your phone on the ground if a cop drives by? Not to mention, it's easier and safer! Sometimes I beep at people and motion at them to get off their cell phone while they are driving, yes, I am that guy.
Now that I've vented, I will get to the point of this post. My cell phone died yesterday because I needed a new battery. My first thought was "OH NO! What am I going to do without my cell phone!?!?" Then 5 min later, after I composed myself from my near meltdown, I sent an email out to a few people that might try to get a hold of me during the day and just let them know that I would be without a cell phone for the day and if they needed me they could call me on my work phone or send a quick email. Wouldn't you know it, the whole problem was solved.
It's was definitely odd not having my phone in my pocket for the day but in the end, I found it kind of nice to know that I wasn't at every person's beckon call every second of the day. So I checked my cell phone voicemail every hour and unsurprisingly, I made it through the entire day unscathed.
My cell phone works again. Call me anytime.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Pictures
Hi,
So I was having a conversation last night with my friend Sandy. She is a regular blogger and suggested I start posting some pictures to go with my stories. Apparently most people have ADD so from this point on I will start putting some pictures up.
I have already added some pics to the story "poop in pants," It was one of my oldest posts so you will have a go a ways back to see them. Next week I will post some pictures of my new house, which I am very excited about.
Conor
So I was having a conversation last night with my friend Sandy. She is a regular blogger and suggested I start posting some pictures to go with my stories. Apparently most people have ADD so from this point on I will start putting some pictures up.
I have already added some pics to the story "poop in pants," It was one of my oldest posts so you will have a go a ways back to see them. Next week I will post some pictures of my new house, which I am very excited about.
Conor
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