San Mateo's Roller Coaster Real Estate in 2012

San Mateo saw an amazing increase in property values in 2012. There were 677 single family homes sold during this time, and 358 condo/town homes were sold as well.

I had the experience of having to write 8 offers on different properties for a family until we finally had one accepted. Even with all the rejected offers we had to be very cautious of the chance of over paying for a home.

2 bedroom Condos in a healthy HOA were the most amazing and difficult to purchase. These homes are typically a first time home buyer's choice and/or a person(s) wanting to downsize. This fed into to a multiple offer situation. Many all cash offers were accepted over an offer with a loan contingency, even if they were slightly lower. Why? Even though the bottom line is very important to a seller, an all cash offer has less risk of a buyer backing out of a transaction.

Appraisal issues were at the top of the list of reasons why a home sale could fall apart. A few years back an appraiser would sometimes just to a "drive by" Now, an appraiser is held accountable for the correct value of a home. This is a good rule, especially for first time home buyers obtaining a home loan.

If you are selling your home in 2013, it's a good idea to interivew  at least 3 Real Estate professionals in your area. You should also be sure that as a prospective buyer has an excellent first impression of your home by following these simple rules:

• Be sure that the front yard has been cleared of debris and visitors are met with a splash of colorful plants. The driveway should be swept daily
• If your exterior mail box is old and dented, replace it with a fresh new one.
• The exterior light fixture also should be replaced with a shinny new one
• Seasonal decorations should be removed
• A freshly painted front door is always a plus
• All of the above suggestions are amazingly inexpensive, and will really help with "curb Appeal"