Farewell bidding wars. Hello opportunity. The continued stabilization of the real estate market and increased inventory of homes available is being welcomed by many with a sigh of relief. For home buyers, this means increased opportunity with a plentiful supply of homes to choose from. For sellers, this means being realistic when pricing a home, realizing that homes are not selling at the skyrocketing pace of the past few years. Many real estate analysts agree that this market is a much needed “catch of breath” from the red-hot pace of recent years.


Statistics:


Statewide: The median resale price of a single-family detached home in California for June was $575,800, an increase of about 6% over June 2005 and just under 2% for the month. Unsold resale inventory represented a 6.2 month supply, compared to 2.6 months for the same period a year ago. Median number of days till sale was 46 in June, up from 28 (revised) for June 2005.


Top Ten-Plus List: The ten California communities with the highest median home prices for June were: Beverly Hills, $1,877,500; Burlingame, $1,725,000; Manhattan Beach, $1,575,000; Los Altos, $1,543,500; Newport Beach, $1,347,250; Saratoga, $1,309,000; Mill Valley, $1,294,500; Palos Verdes Estates, $1,225,000; Orinda, $1,207,500; La Cañada Flintridge, $1,150,000. Northern California is half the list and everything over a million.


Sacramento/Capitol Region: Sacramento medians are flat and sales activity is down 38% from last year.


Interest Rates*: Thirty-year fixed rates were at 6.65% at the end of July, up a full point and a third for the year; 5/1 ARM, at 6.3%, have increased about as much from July 2005. There is some indication that fixed rates would by now have climbed even higher, except for a counter pressure – lenders are keeping rates as low as they can, to stimulate business as volume declines in step with sales activity. Loan application volume is down almost 30% nationally, year-over-year; raising rates unduly would cause an even steeper decline in the number of loans.


*Area interest rates are reported to be as follows:


Sacramento/Tahoe region: Coldwell Banker Home Loans reports that as of August 3, 2006, rates are trending down. The 30-year fixed with one point is 6.532% and the 5/1 ARM with one point is 6.098%, on all conforming loan amounts under $417,000 with a 30-day lock.


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Find out your home value in Sacramento, El Dorado and Placer counties: SacMetroHouseValues.com

We are PLEASED to announce a *NEW and EMERGING* Sacramento Valley Real Estate and Realtor Resource Guide


sacmetrorealestate.com


Serving the Sacramento Valley (Sacramento County, El Dorado County, Placer County)


. Online links to county resources (Chambers of Commerce, Local Government, Schools, Community Events)
. Search for homes currently on the market (MLS)
. Find a local Realtor
. Find a local real estate Resource (New Home Developments, Appraisers, Inspectors, Mortgage Companies, Home Stagers)


Become part of sacmetrorealestate.com
. Internet Online Directory Services promoting you, your business, your website
. Internet E-Profiles of you and your business


We provide services to fit your needs
. Customized websites for Realtors
. Internet Search Engine Marketing
. Software development for Lead Management applications



Contact us for more information
SOURCiS.com
1648 Manasco Circle, Folsom, CA 95630
E-Mail: info@sacmetrorealestate.com
Phone: 916-983-0426

July 2006
Search Engine Promotion: No Strategy. No Success.
By Frederick Townes


Whether you're planning the launch of your first site, or wondering why your site counter is actually moving backward, stop. You need a strategy to promote your site to search engines and to visitors. A plan of action based on five key factors, all of which should be weighed carefully before you take another step. Here are the five, most important considerations in the development of any search engine promotion.


The Site's Objectives
Market Analytics
Techno-Factors
Plan Your Presentation Layer
Promotion and Optimization


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Boosting Your Online Presence
Tips for Standing Out in a Crowded Internet Field
by Joel Cone


When planning a marketing strategy for your real estate business, it’s probably safe to assume that today’s potential clients are going to be at least as techno-savvy, if not more, than you. What can you do to keep Net surfers–with an array of options for finding real estate on the Internet–on your Web site longer and not clicking off after the first 20 seconds?


“Success in selling real estate on the Web is targeting, targeting, targeting,” says industry consultant Michael J. Russer, owner of Russer Communications in Santa Barbara, Calif. (and known in the real estate industry as “Mr. Internet”). “If you have more than one target market, then you need more than one Web site.”


That said, Russer (www.russer.com) believes that it’s good Web content, not fancy techno-gimmicks like Flash technology, that keeps those surfers on your site longer and allows you the opportunity to build your real estate business around the Web site.


“The public is becoming more discerning. They do extensive searching. What they are paying for is your knowledge of the area and your negotiating skills,” he says.


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