Pleasanton Schools See Personnel Changes

Many families choose to live in Pleasanton because of the great schools here. The teachers and administration staff strive to consistently deliver high quality education while allowing children to develop their passion in sports, music, drama, speech and debate, business through clubs and extra curricular offerings.

Today some changes in personnel were announced to ensure smooth transitions. Please join me in congratulating the following people on their new assignments with Pleasanton Unified (pending Board approval):
Ben Fobert, vice principal at Amador Valley High, has been selected as the new principal at Mohr Elementary School, succeeding Robin Sehrt who accepted an assignment in another district.
Ken Rocha, vice principal at Hart Middle, has been selected as the new principal at Harvest Park Middle School, succeeding Jim Hansen who is now serving as principal at Amador Valley High.
Both Ben and Ken will start transitioning to their new assignments immediately, and discussion about filling the resulting vacancies is under discussion.
Lisa Hague will move from a teaching assignment at Pleasanton Middle School to the vice principal position there, filling the vacancy created when Aileen Parsons accepted a principalship in Dublin.

Convenient shopping, convenient access for Ruby Hill/Pleasanton residents

Ruby Hill and Pleasanton residents are fortunate for many reasons. Easy access to public transportation is a big plus. The second Dublin Pleasanton BART station is set to open later this year. This is a great alternative to driving even though highways 580 and 680 are easily accessible from most housing developments in Pleasanton, but especially so for Ruby Hill.
Another great plus is the Pleasanton Stoneridge mall with  major stores such as Macy's, Nordstroms, JC Penney and Sears. The mall is also home to some popular restaurants such as PF Chang's and Cheesecake Factory.
Please visit http://www.anju4homes.com/ for more information on Pleasanton/Ruby Hill homes for sale.

A Fun Outing for Ruby Hill Residents

Interestingly, my website and blogsite share the same name as a newly introduced magazine for Ruby Hill residents called Ruby Hill Living! The magazine is a great way to communicate with the neighbors and promote a sense of community. The editor, Carla Butler is always thinking of ways for residents to share common expeirences. Today she organised a fun outing at Michael Brandon's Hair Salon and Spa in the Hacienda complex, Dublin. Quite a treat for all the residents who showed up for hair styling, massages and facials.
One of the residents had this to say: : "I really enjoyed the whole experience. The receptionist was so friendly and welcoming - she got me a cup of tea as soon as I came in and offered some delicious fruit - blackberries, strawberries, grapes with some delicious dip! I was soon led away for my haircut with Michael Brandon himself - a very interesting individual apart from being a great stylist. The salon has a great atmosphere and decor in addition to being very conveniently located in the Haciena complex!"

Foreclosure Sales Account for 31 Percent of All Residential Sales in First Quarter According to New Report From RealtyTrac

Foreclosure Sales Account for 31 Percent of All Residential Sales in First Quarter According to New Report From RealtyTrac

Bernanke says Economic Outlook Uncertain

Fed Chairman Bernanke said that the economic outlook remains uncertain. The good news for real estate is that interest rates are likely to remain low well into next year.
In other economic news, the US Census Bureau said single family housing starts fell by 0.7% in June to a seasonally adjusted rate of 454,000. Compare this to 1.47 million homes in 2006. May and June also saw declines in building permits. A reduction in new homes can contribute to more activity in the resale market if home buyers can afford to purchase a home, which is impacted by the unemployment rate and interest rates.

The Coming Wave of Stealth Foreclosures

The Coming Wave of Stealth Foreclosures

June Home Prices Rise in Pleasanton

The median home price for the 78 single family homes which sold in Pleasanton for June 2010 was $822,500 as compared to $681,000 (total of 62 were sold) a year ago, an increase of over 20%. As of the last day of June there were 196 active homes on the market - approximately 3 month supply based on current selling rates. Such a low inventory places an upward pressure on prices.
In the million plus category, 78 homes have sold year to date as compared to 56 in the comparable period last year. High-end buyers are finding it easier to get jumbo loans and they might be sensing that the more expensive home prices might have bottomed out.
This same positive pattern is reflected in Alameda county which saw the median price increase by 19.4% in one year, even though total sales decreased by 5.1%. The foreclosure sales as a percentage of total sales were 24.3% as compared to 35.4% this time last year.
Please visit my website http://www.anju4homes.com/ for more information or call me.

Pleasanton on Money's Top 100 Places to Live

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/scavenger/detail?entry_id=67736

Pleasanton was 1 of 4 California cities to make it to Money magazine's top 100 places to live in. It was the only city in the Bay Area to make it. It came in at no. 63 and is described as a "quaint, outdoorsy, artsy, family friendly" place with one of the strongest school districts in California. "It also boasts 44 parks peppered with sports fields, picnic areas, 22 miles of walking trails and public art displays." The Firehouse Arts Center, scheduled to open by the end of this year will house a new theatre, several art galleries and classrooms. The grocery chain Safeway, which employs over 3,000 employees is also headquartered in Pleasanton.
If you are considering buying a home in Pleasanton, there are many choices, including Ruby Hill which continues to offer a wonderful family lifestyle. Please visit my website at http://www.anju4homes.com/

Banks move toward fewer Foreclosures?

Another interesting fact that was brought up a senior Wells Fargo representative at the seminar yesterday was that their bank was commited to minimizing foreclosures and move toward short sales. This has been echoed elsewhere in the news too.(see http://www.cnbc.com/id/37846778/). The representative stated that short sales and foreclosures would only be considered if loan modification attempts failed. It seemed Wells Fargo is being very proactive in communicating with their mortgage clients who were in trouble during these difficult economic times. Most of the realtors who were attending the seminar were in agreement that the Wells Fargo  short sales division had been efficient in trying to clear hurdles to completing short sales with very good response times leading to timely closings. The other 3 major banks engaged in mortgage loans are also recognising that it is better for all involved to take the short sale route as opposed to foreclosures.
Please visit my website http://www.rubyhillliving.com/ or http://www.anju4homes.com/

Home Improvement Loans Rolled into your Purchase Loan

I attended an interesting seminar presented by Wells Fargo, Lowe's and Rebuild America about FHA loans with the a repair/remodel loan rolled in. FHA loans are limited to $729k in high price areas like Ruby Hill. Repairs up to $35K can be rolled in if certain requirements are met. For conventional loans this amount is much higher. This is definitely worth looking into for buyers who don't want to tie up their own money for repairs.

Is the flip back in Ruby Hill?

Some of you might recall the times when some Ruby Hill residents would live in a house for two years and capitalize their gain by selling it. They would then buy or custom build another house and repeat the cycle. Well the falling real estate market of the last couple of years changed all of that - until more recently that is.

Although it is becoming increasingly common to hear about the flip in places such as Sacramento where investors can pick up distressed properties on the auction floor at cheap prices, that happens less often in higher priced areas like Pleasanton. As auction purchases are normally sight unseen and in addition, an all cash transaction, the risk is far greater.

In Ruby Hill, with property prices being over a million dollars, few investors have been willing to take that risk in a market where future price trends remain unpredictable.
The last couple of months however have seen at least two flip purchases - one on West Ruby Hill Drive and the other on Via di Salerno. Both properties were picked up by investors on the auction floor and put back on market as a regular sale for immediate profit. High risk. Great returns. These opportunities remain rare though. Fortunately for Ruby Hill owners, there are very few properties making their way to the auction floor!

Low inventory in Ruby Hill

This year has the lowest summer inventory seen in Ruby Hill history. With only 21 homes on the market and 45 homes either sold or pending this year, it bodes well for future prices in this exclusive neighborhood which offers a great lifestyle for people in all different stages of their lives.
For the buyers who are thinking that the prices will fall further, it is important to consider inventory. Hearsay and hunches about the liklihood of foreclosure inventory being around the corner is not supported by facts. If you are considering a home and not just an investment, this is a great time to act and purchase a home in one of the best golf course communities in the East Bay.

2168 West Ruby Hill is back on the Market

Almost 5,300 sq.ft of luxurious space, priced at $2,499,000 this property is back on the market. With very limited inventory, this property is well worth taking a look at.
Please visit my website and email me. Www.RubyHillLiving.com

Living in WIne Country

Living in wine country no longer means being on a sabbatical or taking a break from normal day to day living. Ruby Hill in Pleasanton is a place where you can comabine work and play. Immediately outside the gates of Ruby Hill are acres of vineyards with two attractive wineries - the Mitchell Katz Winery and the Ruby Hill Winery. Both offer a wonderful range of wines, large event centers and welcoming tasting rooms. Just a little further afield are another 30 plus wineries of Livermore, including Wente, which offers some fun summer concerts and an award winning restaurants.
For more information on Ruby Hill homes please visit www.RubyHillliving.com

Foreclosure activity in Ruby Hill

There is a lot of talk of foreclosures in Ruby Hill. However, the numbers do not look so grim. So far this year, 44 homes have sold or are currently pending. Of these, only 3 homes were bank owned. 9 homes were short sales. All the rest were regular sales (32 of them) The banks are agreeing to short sales rather than going through the process of foreclosing which can be rather expensive and time consuming. If you are finding it a struggle to make your monthly mortgage payments and are living in Ruby Hill, please do get in touch with me and I can advise you on the steps you need to take for a successful short sale.

What makes Ruby Hill a Great Community

New developments have been cropping up everywhere, transforming the California landscape. The transition from a new development to a community requires time and multi-pronged process. Over the decade that I have lived in Ruby Hill, Pleasanton, my family has been able to take part in muliple activities which make it a wonderful community:
The Ruby Hill gourmet club would bring 5-6 couples together each month at a different home over a 5 course meal, with great wine and conversations and the chance to meet other neighbors.
The Ruby Hill Wine Club was a casual drop in event at a host home, where neighbors could bring a bottle of wine and an appetizer and get to know each other.
The Ruby Hill Swim Team gave a chance for families to meet at swim meets and engage in healthy competition with other local swim teams.
Walking and biking groups, evening bunco, movie and book clubs are just a few of the other interest based groups that have been a lot of fun for the neighbors. Then ofcourse like any other community, the carpools and other need driven cooperative efforts bring neigbors together.
The Ruby Hill Golf club keeps the golf loving residents connected and offers many other family activities. The Ruby Hill Winery immediately outside the gated community is another popular place to congregate.
The Ruby Hill directory of residents is a great tool to keep everyone connected with invaluable information on resident babysitters! The monthly newsletters - the Ruby Hill Grapevine - have become less frequent although a new magazine called Ruby Hill Living has made its debut in an attempt to keep residents informed and connected.
The great thing about Ruby Hill is that each new resident has the tools to start some new neighborhood initiative to bring the community even closer!
Please visit my website RubyHillLiving.com to learn more about this community and all that it has to offer.

Ruby Hill Pleasanton vs Fremont

If you commute to the South Bay. it is definitely worth comparing the Ruby Hill commute to Fremont's. I was speaking to someone who felt Fremont was as far as they would consider for their job commute to San Jose. Ever since the Highway 84 widening, it takes approximately 10 minutes to get to Fremont from the Ruby Hill east gate. At Ruby Hill, families can experience a wonderful lifestyle, beautiful homes, golf course/vineyard setting, a gated entry, community facilities including tennis courts, swimming pool, picnic area and more. Homes in Ruby Hill are more aggressively priced than comparable homes in Fremont. On top of it all your children have access to highly rated Pleasanton schools and the quaint charm of the Pleasanton downtown. Check it out!

Ruby Hill home sales in May

Despite a nationwide slowdown of home sales in May, Ruby Hill home sales did well in May. Of the 44 homes that have already closed or gone pending since the beginning of this year, 9 were sold/pending in May - a big percentage. Most these homes were on the market for less than 2 months and some under 2 weeks! The price of these homes ranged from just over 1 million to just under 3 million. Compare this to the nationwide index for pending home sales which fell by 30% from April.
Last year a total of 42 closed or went pending in Ruby Hill. This year has overtaken last year with just 6 months into the year.

What's happening with Ruby Hill Real Estate

This year has been pretty good so far, with 43 homes sold or pending and 26 active - that is less than a 6-month supply.