The Interest Rate is the Steal!

What’s New?

Thank you to so many of you who responded to my piece “When Tragedy Strikes Close to Home,” regarding the unfortunate shooting of Christopher Rodriquez at the Harmony School of Music. Many of you made donations to the trust account set up at Wells Fargo and one incredible Piedmonter went a step further, offering, pro bono, the services of his San Francisco architectural firm and design staff to retrofit the Rodriguez home for what’s sure to be an arduous journey. Now that’s putting our hearts into action!

With hearts and actions in mind, I hope you’ll join me in voting “yes” on Measure A. Measure A asks Alameda County property owners to provide $2 a month (less than a latte at Starbucks!) to rebuild Children’s Hospital Oakland - a hospital that never turns a child away, regardless of family circumstances. Christopher’s tragedy points out the very real need to maintain a word-class trauma center in our own community. While Christopher’s trip to the trauma center made headlines, there are very few of us who don’t know a friend, or a neighbor, or have a child of our own, who hasn’t also greatly benefited from the world-class care they quietly received at Children’s Hospital Oakland.

Each day at Children’s Hospital Oakland, pediatric specialists save children’s’ lives, help kids and their families manage chronic illness, and reassure parents that their child will be fine.

Please Vote Yes on Measure A! Let’s rebuild Children’s Hospital – a regional icon and a much needed health resource for all of our kids.

What’s Pending?

The 2bdrm/2bth home on Oakland Avenue went pending this week. Congratulations to its new owners!

What’s Happening Now?

With only four houses currently on the market in Piedmont, there’s very little to report, except perhaps your reticence. You’d have to live under a rock to be unaware that markets worldwide have responded unfavorably to the threat of recession here in the U.S. Like most of you, I also have my kids college funds and retirement accounts heavily invested in the ups and downs of the Dow Jones (I feel your pain) and understand .

That being said, Real Estate historically outperforms the stock market over time and the hesitancy on some buyer’s part to enter the real estate market right now actually makes this moment, an opportune time for you to purchase a home. Moreover, if you have a home to sell, it is generally relative. You may not have sold at the high end of the marketplace, but you aren’t buying there either and a lower purchase price makes for a lower tax base.

“But I am waiting for a steal.” Don’t count on it. With very little inventory to show buyers, many homes are still seeing more than one offer materialize. This isn’t to say that all of these home are going over asking, but it does point out that well-marketed homes are still attracting multiple buyers who are qualified and, more importantly, willing.

Have you checked out the interest rates on conforming loans as of yesterday? 5.375% for 30-year fixed and 4.875% for 15-year fixed! The interest rate is the steal! Given the volatility of the stock market, savvy buyers recognize value and are looking to move their equity into property!

What’s Fun!

P.A.I.N.T.S. (Promote Art in the Schools, Inc.) holds its annual Tri-School Art Show Wednesday, February 6 from 6-8:30pm in the Multi-Purpose Room at Piedmont Middle School. Art from all three elementary schools will be on exhibit. In addition, M.O.C.H.A. will be leading hands-on art projects for elementary students. Piedmont High artists will have a special display of their Memory Project, which features renderings from photos of orphans in El Salvador. For more information, please contact Katy Polvorosa at kpolvorosa@sbcglobal.netor 415-310-6166.

The Piedmont Plug!

Piedmont resident, Cindy Fritsch Fleming has recently started “Wags and Wiggles,” a pet-sitting service, providing “in-home” care for your pets while you are away on vacation or at work! She also offers one-on-one dog walking services and a host of other accommodations benefiting you and your pets. For more information, contact Cindy at (510) 547-4677 or at asapwagsandwiggles@gmail.com

Feel free to visit my website at JulieGardner.com for more information as well.