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Flowers of Dana Estates

May 20, 2020 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Flowers of Dana Estates

Not only does the Dana Estates neighborhood have some wonderful real estate. It is home to some wonderful gardeners as evidenced by the beautiful flowers that abound.

All of the photos have been taken while walking around the Dana Estates Neighborhood under the Shelter-in-place.

Unfortunately, I don’t know all the names of the flowers. If you know the names, would you share them in the comments below?

  • Bottle Brush Plant
  • Wonderfully Colorful Succulents
  • Yellow Roses
  • Multi-colored rose
  • A rose garden in bloom
  • A mix of yellow and white roses

Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Search for the newest homes for sale in Concord by map (click the map below):

homes for sale in concord ca
Concord CA Real Estate Map Search

Filed Under: Dana Estates News Tagged With: Concord CA, Dana Estates, Dana Estates Real Estate

Does “Aging in Place” Make the Most Sense for Dana Estates Home Owners?

February 13, 2020 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Does “Aging in Place” Make the Most Sense? for Dana Estates Home Owners

The Dana Estates neighborhood in the 94519 zip code is home to residents from various stages of life.

A desire among many seniors is to “age in place.” According to the Senior Resource Guide, the term means,

“…that you will be remaining in your own home for the later years of your life; not moving into a smaller home, assisted living, or a retirement community etcetera.”

There is no doubt about it – there’s a comfort in staying in a home you’ve lived in for many years instead of moving to a totally new or unfamiliar environment. There is, however, new information that suggests this might not be the best option for everyone. The familiarity of your current home is the pro of aging in place, but the potential financial drawbacks to remodeling or renovating might actually be more costly than the long-term benefits.

A recent report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS) titled Housing America’s Older Adults explained,

“Given their high homeownership rates, most older adults live in single-family homes. Of the 24 million homeowners age 65 and over, fully 80 percent lived in detached single-family units…The majority of these homes are now at least 40 years old and therefore may present maintenance challenges for their owners.”

If you’re in this spot, 40 years ago you may have had a growing family. For that reason, you probably purchased a 4-bedroom Colonial on a large piece of property in a child-friendly neighborhood. It was a great choice for your family, and you still love that home.

Today, your kids are likely grown and moved out, so you don’t need all of those bedrooms. Yard upkeep is probably very time consuming, too. You might be thinking about taking some equity out of your house and converting one of your bedrooms into a massive master bathroom, and maybe another room into an open-space reading nook. You might also be thinking about cutting back on lawn maintenance by installing a pool surrounded by beautiful paving stones.

It all sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? For the short term, you may really enjoy the new upgrades, but you’ll still have to climb those stairs, pay to heat and cool a home that’s larger than what you need, and continue fixing all the things that start to go wrong with a 40-year-old home.

Last month, in their Retirement Report, Kiplinger addressed the point,

“Renovations are just a part of what you need to make aging in place work for you. While it’s typically less expensive to remain in your home than to pay for assisted living, that doesn’t mean it’s a slam dunk to stay put. You’ll still have a long to-do list. Just one example: You need to plan ahead for how you will manage maintenance and care—for your home, and for yourself.”

So, at some point, the time may come when you decide to sell this house anyway. That can pose a big challenge if you’ve already taken cash value out of your home and used it to do the type of remodeling we mentioned above. Realistically, you may have inadvertently lowered the value of your home by doing things like reducing the number of bedrooms. The family moving into your neighborhood is probably similar to what your family was 40 years ago. They probably have young children, need the extra bedrooms, and may be nervous about the pool.

Bottom Line for Dana Estates

Before you spend the money to remodel or renovate your current house so you can age in place, let’s get together to determine if it is truly your best option. Making a move to a smaller home in the neighborhood might make the most sense.


Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Search for the newest homes for sale in Concord by map (click the map below):

homes for sale in concord ca
Concord CA Real Estate Map Search

Filed Under: Real Estate Market, Sellers Tagged With: Aging in Place, Concord Real Estate, Contra Costa Real Estate, Dana Estates, Dana Estates Real Estate, Sellers, Seniors

Your 2019 Guide to Buying a Home in Concord, CA

August 20, 2019 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Realtor.com recently published an article detailing the savings needed to buy a home in the 11 largest metropolitan areas in America. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, and San Francisco made the list.

The author’s then tabulated the average down payment for that metropolitan area. Then they broke down the down payment into a daily savings goal over both a 5-year and a 10-year period.

Not entirely surprisingly, San Francisco’s median home price was the highest at $954,000. The average down payment was $171,836.

A San Francisco home buyer would need to save approximately $94 per day to save up this amount in 5 years or $47 per day to save up in 10 years. Converting this to Starbucks lattes resulted in cutting out 26 lattes per day to save up enough for a down payment in a 5 year period.

Buying a Home in Dana Estates

dana estates concord ca map
Roughly the map of Dana Estates in Concord, CA.

Let’s do an analysis for single-family detached homes in the Dana Estates neighborhood in Concord.

In the past 6 months about 22 single family homes in the Dana Estates neighborhood have sold as of 8/19/2019. That isn’t counting homes currently on the market or in pending status.

The median listing price for homes was $622,000, with a median sale price of $634,000. Using 15% as an assumed down payment, a buyer would need to save $95,100.

Five Year Savings Plan

To save $95,100 for a down payment in Dana Estates in five years would require saving $52.08 per day. Simply cutting out 14 Grande Lattes per day at Starbucks.

Ten Year Savings Plan

To save the $95,100 in 10 years would require, a more manageable, $26.04 per day. Thus only cutting 7 Grande Lattes out of your diet. (Note: Your waist and your heart will thank you for this sacrifice.)


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Buying a Home in Concord, CA

If we include condos, townhouses, duets, and other single-family homes to our analysis, what will a home buyer have to save in Concord, CA?

In the six months prior to August 19, 2019 there were 940 sales of single-family homes in Concord. The median sales price was $595,000. Assuming a 15% down payment, allows for a down payment of $89,250.

Concord Five Year Savings Plan

To save $89,250 for a down payment in Concord would require a daily savings goal of $48.80 for five years. On our Grande Latte scale that equates to 13.4 lattes per day removed from your diet.

Concord Ten Year Savings Plan

Over ten years the daily savings goal is decreased to $24.44 per day. The coffee habit would need to decrease by almost 6.7 lattes per day.

How to Save for a Down Payment?

While cutting out 14 lattes per day may not be possible, there are some unique loan programs that allow a buyer to purchase a home with a down payment of only 3.5% of the purchase price (FHA). A down payment of 3.5% equals $21,770 on the average Dana Estates home.

Peter Maclennan will gladly connect you with one of his recommended lenders to understand payment options and getting a mortgage.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.


Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

Filed Under: Buyers, First Time Buyers, Real Estate Market Tagged With: Concord Real Estate, Dana Estates Real Estate

Every Real Estate Broker’s 7 Most Important Jobs

June 26, 2019 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Selling a home is so easy, you can do it with a few clicks online and just wait for the offers to come in. Right?

Not exactly.

When it comes to listing your home for sale, you want to be sure it is done right in order to attract the highest offer possible. This is where full-service brokers come in. Most brokers have tested marketing strategies and networks to ensure a property gets the best exposure to the right buyers.

So what makes a full-service broker worth their commission? Here are the seven most important duties of a real estate broker.

Every real estate broker's 7 most important jobs

Jobs of a real estate broker include:

  • Property Valuation
  • Consultation
  • Photography & Staging
  • Signage
  • MLS Input
  • Tour Coordination
  • Negotiation

1. Property Valuation

Once a real estate agent has signed a listing contract (under the license of a broker), the first step in the listing process is to determine the value of the property. The agent will run a comparative market analysis to examine recent sales of similar properties in the area. Based on the sale price of these homes, the agent will determine the fair market value (FMV) of the client’s home and take into consideration the home’s condition, specific location, recent updates and amenities to recommend an market price to the seller.

Setting the initial list price is a key component of maximizing the marketing exposure for a property.

2. Consultation

One of the ongoing duties of a real estate broker is client consultation. As long as the broker is bound to the listing contract, they are required to represent the client’s best interests. This means the broker must provide candid expert advice at every step of the transaction; this includes explaining important documents to the seller and ensuring legal compliance throughout the entire sale process.

Real Estate Broker Listing Process Infographic
Click to open in new tab

3. Photography & Staging

Most real estate brokers either have in-house professionals or a reliable network of photographers and home staging experts who help make a home look its absolute best to potential buyers. The broker will arrange these services according to the seller’s wishes, though experts agree that professional photography and home staging are well worth the cost.

4. Signage

This seems like an obvious part of selling a home, but only because it is crucial to gaining exposure. Brokers will place a “For Sale” sign in front of the house, and they will also create attractive property flyers to distribute to buyers or agents who may be interested. These marketing materials not only provide visibility; a professional sign and high-quality flyers show buyers that the seller should be taken seriously.

5. MLS Input

Once a property has been staged, photographed and priced, it is time to list it for sale on a multiple listing service (MLS). An MLS is a regional online network used by real estate brokers to exchange property information, give showing instructions, and contact other brokers to buy and sell properties.

As soon as property information and photographs are added to the MLS, the real estate community is notified that the property is for sale. Because this network is the primary means of targeted exposure and is only accessible by licensed brokers, the MLS may be the most valuable tool in a broker’s arsenal.

6. Tour Coordination

When other brokers are notified that a property is on the market, it is the responsibility of the listing broker to coordinate tours for prospective buyers. This includes touring individual families as well as holding open houses.

While not all home sales require an open house, most will greatly benefit from a public open house for interested buyers to see the home in person. Most are familiar with these open houses, but a listing broker may also choose to hold a broker tour for the brokers who are representing buyers. At both open houses, the listing broker will be present to guide buyers through the house and answer questions they have about the property.

7. Negotiation

Possibly the most overlooked duty of a real estate broker is the negotiation of offers and contract terms. When buyers submit offers to the listing broker, the broker will confidentially disclose the offers to the client. If applicable, the broker will then submit a counter-offer on the client’s behalf, so as to get the best possible price for the home. Due to the broker’s required experience and knowledge, they are often able to sell the home for more than the initial offer amount. Once the broker has negotiated an acceptable price and terms, the client will accept the offer and the property enters the contract period.

A Broker’s Role

Think of it this way: The broker is like your airplane pilot. The contract is like your flight. Once the plane is in the air, it’s not difficult to fly. The route is predetermined and the autopilot can do most of the work.

But taking off and landing are much more difficult, and you would certainly want an experienced professional in the cockpit if something went wrong while you were in the air.

Your real estate broker guides you through the takeoff (entering the contract period), landing (close of escrow), and any turbulence (repairs, inspections, etc.) you didn’t expect on your journey so that you land safely and on time with your belongings intact.”

As you can see, selling a home is an intricate process that can take months to finalize. While it is possible to sell your home on your own, most homeowners realize it’s worthwhile to work with a full-service real estate broker. This saves time, money, and worry on the part of the seller.

Peter Maclennan is a licensed real estate broker serving clients in and around Contra Costa County. If you are considering selling your home, Peter will provide FREE consultation and home valuation. To reach him, send an email to peter@maclennaninvestments.com or call 925-385-8798.

Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

Filed Under: Real Estate Market, Sellers Tagged With: Contra Costa Real Estate, Dana Estates Real Estate, Sellers

Fire-Resistant Landscaping to Protect Your Home

June 10, 2019 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

In a climate as dry as ours, wildfires pose a particularly dangerous threat to destroy our homes and property. In fact, the Dana Estates Neighborhood recently experienced a two-alarm fire in the open space along Highway 4:

Con Fire is on scene of a 2nd alarm vegetation fire on Hwy 4 just east of Willow Pass Road. This is the largest fire of the season to date & an early indicator of what is to come with Red Flag conditions this weekend. Please use extreme caution outdoors. #willowic pic.twitter.com/KlB00c9x62

— Con Fire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) June 6, 2019

This fire burned about 12 acres in one hour, though thankfully no people or structures were harmed. As fire season enters in full stride, it is more important than ever to take precautions and protect your home.

Follow these Cal Fire landscaping guidelines to help create a fire-resistant environment around your home:

Choose Fire-Resistant Plants

By choosing plants that are high in moisture and near the ground, you can slow the spread of fire across your yard. Plants like aloe and rose shrubs are both attractive and fire-resistant. But remember, fire-resistant does not mean fire-proof. Any plant is susceptible to be burned or damaged by fire, and does not guarantee to stop its spread.

Fire-resistant does not mean fire-proof. There are no fire-proof plants.“

Cal Fire

It is also important to carefully maintain any plants you already have that may produce high amounts of dry debris or litter. Trees like the Mexican fan palm or juniper are known to retain dead debris and are fire hazards.

To learn more about fire-resistant plants, check out this helpful guide to fire-resistant plants.

Create “Fuel Breaks”

According to the UCCE landscaping guide, it is important to create open spaces in your yard in which there is little or no fuel for fire to spread to your house. These open spaces are called fuel breaks.

You can create fuel breaks by spacing plants at a distance that prevents the fire’s spread. The recommended spacing distance is 10 feet between trees, and twice the shrub height for shrubs.

http://www.readyforwildfire.org/

Another way to create fuel breaks is by replacing large beds of bark mulch or dry grassy areas with decorative rocks. Not only does this provide a fuel break, but it will prove to be lower maintenance throughout the year.

Of course, not everyone wants to redesign their entire yard. It is important to remember that proper yard maintenance and awareness of your surroundings are the best protection against wildfire. Keep your trees trimmed, debris clear, and plants watered throughout the dry season and you will be better prepared in the unfortunate event of a fire.

For more real estate advice and market news, visit the Selling Dana Estates real estate blog. You can also contact Peter Maclennan at 925-385-8798 or by email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Filed Under: Dana Estates News, Sellers Tagged With: Concord CA, Dana Estates, Dana Estates Real Estate, Fire Resistant Landscaping

Staging Your Home: What’s It Worth?

May 29, 2019 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Home staging is useful to help buyers visualize a place as their future home, and agents think it attracts better offers. Here’s what REALTORS are saying about the cost and value of home staging.

1. Staging helps buyers visualize a home as their own

As stated by celebrity staging expert Meridith Baer in a Realtor.com interview:

In some ways, [home] staging is a lot like screenwriting in that you are telling a story. You are creating an environment in which home buyers want to be the star.”

Baer is right. A fully furnished home feels like, well, home. And the security of feeling at home is an essential part of the buyer’s motivation to write an offer.

2. Staged homes spend less time on the market

Over half of listing agents say that a staged home sells faster, according to the graphic above. Meridith Baer says staged homes sell 88% faster than nonstaged homes. The point is, staged homes are more attractive, and they motivate buyers to place an offer for reasons mentioned above.

3. Staged homes sell for more

As the graphic states, 44% of agents say a staged home is a more valuable home. And again, Meridith Baer says staged homes sell for 20% more than nonstaged homes–a margin that may not be quite so high for everyone. But even if staging a home brings in 5-10% more on an offer, it would be well worthwhile.

Either way, a home becomes more desirable if a buyer can immediately envision herself living there. This is reflected by her confidence in buying, her promptness in making an offer, and ultimately the price she is willing to pay.

Which one of the photos below looks like a more valuable home? We’d choose the one on the right.

As you likely guessed, they are the exact same room, before and after staging.

What’s the cost?

The cost of staging a home depends on the size of the home and the length of time the home needs to be staged. Realtor.com estimates home staging to cost $500 to $600 per room per month, plus a fee for an initial design consultation. For three bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room, this would cost $2,500 to $3,000 for a month of staging (plenty of time for a well-marketed home in California).

Imagine you have a 3-bedroom home in the Dana Estates neighborhood listed at $600,000. If a buyer offers 1% over asking price due to the ambiance of the staging, this would mean an offer of $606,000. With this in perspective, the $3,000 you spent staging the home would have been worth it, as you have now earned a $6,000 higher offer. Imagine if the staging brings in 5% over asking price–that is an additional $30,000!

Thinking of Selling?

Many real estate agents recommend home staging, but there may be other factors to consider when making this decision. If you have questions about getting your home ready to go on the market, please contact Peter below or via phone @ 925.385.8798.


Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Filed Under: Sellers Tagged With: Concord Real Estate, Dana Estates Real Estate, Sellers, Staging

What NOT to Do When Buying a House

May 23, 2019 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Purchasing a home is one of the largest financial decisions that a family can make. Because of the size of the transaction, there are many complicated decisions that surround the purchase of a home, and many myths that inexperienced buyers may be prone to believe. Here are a few common myths and the truth behind them, according to Realtor.com

outdated homebuyer advice

1. Wait until spring

A thorough market analysis shows that the spring and summer seasons are the busiest in volume of house sales. For this reason, many buyers believe they must wait until spring or summer to look for a house so they will have a better chance of finding the best home at the best price.

The reality is that while there are more homes on the market in the spring and summer, there is also more competition for the homes. In other words, the busy season means more sellers AND buyers. Holding fast to the “wait until spring” rule may lead buyers to pass up a perfect fit in the winter or fall months.

Instead, buy when you find the right property that will meet your needs for today — and the next five to 10 years.”

Realtor.com

2. Wait for market prices to drop

Buyers may want to wait for the market to dip before they buy and continue to rent until the market changes. But the truth is that while home prices are high, rent is likely to be high as well, and nothing is saved by waiting to start building equity in a home.

Even when the market dips, buying a home is an incredibly large purchase and buyers must be certain they can afford a down payment, property taxes, and monthly mortgage payments. Rather than waiting for market prices to drop while paying monthly rent, buyers should wait until they find the right house at a price they can afford and then BUY IT.

3. Make a low offer so you have room to negotiate

This one makes sense in most situations. Offer lower than you’re willing to pay so when the seller makes a counter-offer, you’re still within budget.

But when it comes to buying a home, this can be a risky strategy, especially if you like the house. Not only does the seller have other offers from competing (and motivated) buyers, but they may want to close quickly and will not humor an unnecessary counter-offer. Instead, research houses in the area and base your offer on similar homes in the area.

It is important to know the local market in the area you wish to buy. How much are comparable homes selling for? How long do homes usually stay on the market? Be sure to find a real estate professional who can help you answer these and other questions.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Filed Under: Buyers, First Time Buyers Tagged With: Buyers, Dana Estates Real Estate

Real Estate Headlines November 2, 2018

November 2, 2018 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

SellingDanaEstates.com Must Read Real Estate News for November 2 2018

Here are a sampling of some real estate articles that might be of use for buyers and sellers of real estate. 

We are definitely seeing the market change. The market is more balanced between buyers and sellers.

Buyers are getting their offers accepted and even being able to negotiate with sellers. If you have been sitting on the sidelines as a buyer, now is a good time to get in the market.

Bay Area Home Buyers on the Sidelines?

More Bay Area home buyers sitting out as prices continue to rise

Why Does Housing Cost so much?

The San Francisco Business Times seeks to address why housing prices are so high in California.

California leads the nation in many categories from population to venture capital funding. Add lack of housing supply to the list.

The Golden State is under supplied by 3.4 million homes to meet its current housing needs, according to a report on housing underproduction from Up for Growth California, a nonprofit research and advocacy group. The national shortfall is 7.3 million homes, which means California makes up about half of that total.


Why housing costs so much in California and why it may only get worse

Read More… at SF Business Times.

Long Commutes Affect Quality of Life


The Particular Horror of Long Commutes for Young Families from NYTimes.com

More Supply in Bay Area Housing?

While I am not sure that supply is actually catching up to demand. There has been a lot of new construction around the Bay Area. 


After years of recording lagging supply, the Bay Area is possibly beginning to catch up. San Jose had the biggest increase in new listings of the 45 major US metropolitan areas included in a September 2018 realtor.com report. San Francisco also ranks among the five housing markets with the largest September supply gains, with 1,683 current listings.


Bay Area Housing Finally Posts Gains from GlobeSt.com

Read More … at GlobeSt.com


Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Search for the newest homes for sale in Concord by map (click the map below):

homes for sale in concord ca
Concord CA Real Estate Map Search

Filed Under: Buyers, Real Estate Market, Sellers Tagged With: Concord Real Estate, Dana Estates Real Estate, Real Estate News

Are We About to Enter a Buyers’ Market? | Dana Estates Real Estate

October 11, 2018 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

Are We About to Enter a Buyers’ Market? 

The real estate market in Concord, California is still very active. Reasonable sellers are receiving offers quickly and buyer confidence remains strong. There are multiple price points and types of houses available in Concord, CA.

Particularly around the Dana Estates neighborhood 94519 zip code, homes are in demand. The neighborhood provides convenient access to Highway 4 and to downtown Concord. It is also about equal distance from both the Concord BART station and the North Concord BART station.

Purchasing a home is one of the largest financial decisions that a family can make. Because of the size of the transaction, there are many complicated decisions that surround the purchase of a home.

Today we are going to talk about: Are We About to Enter a Buyers’ Market?

Home sales are below last year’s levels, home values are appreciating at a slower pace, and there are reports showing purchasing demand softening. This has some thinking we may be entering a buyers’ market after sellers have had the upper hand for the past several years. Is this really happening?

The market has definitely softened. However, according to two chief economists in the industry, we are a long way from a market that totally favors the purchaser:

Dr. Svenja Gudell, Zillow Chief Economist:

“These seller challenges don’t indicate we’re suddenly in a buyers’ market – we don’t expect market conditions to shift decidedly in favor of buyers until 2020 or later. But buyers certainly are starting to balk at the rapid rise in prices and home values are starting to grow at a less frenetic pace.”

Danielle Hale, Chief Economist of realtor.com:

“The signs are pointing to a market that’s shifting toward buyers. But, in most places, we’re still a long way from a full reversal.”

In addition, Pulsenomics Inc. recently surveyed over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment & market strategists and asked this question:

“When do you expect U.S. housing market conditions to shift decidedly in favor of homebuyers?”

Only 5% said the market has already shifted. Here are the rest of the survey results:

Are We About to Enter a Buyers’ Market? | MyKCM

Bottom Line

The market is beginning to normalize but that doesn’t mean we will quickly shift to a market favoring the buyer. We believe Ivy Zelman, author of the well-respected ‘Z’ Report, best explained the current confusion:

“With the rate of home price appreciation starting to decelerate alongside the uptick in inventory…we expect significant debate about whether this is a bullish or bearish sign.

In our view, the short-term narrative will probably be confusing, but more sustainable growth and affordability will likely be the end result.”


Source… KCM Peter Maclennan Blog

Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and ensure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

To reach Peter Maclennan please call 925.385.8798 or email at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

Search for the newest homes for sale in Concord by map (click the map below):

homes for sale in concord ca
Concord CA Real Estate Map Search

Filed Under: Buyers, Real Estate Market Tagged With: Buyers, Concord Real Estate, Dana Estates, Dana Estates Real Estate, Real Estate News

Getting Pre-Approved Should Always Be Your First Step

April 17, 2018 by Peter Maclennan Leave a Comment

first steps real estateThe Concord real estate market is still very active, especially Dana Estates real estate. Reasonable sellers are receiving offers quickly and buyer confidence remains strong. There are multiple price points and types of houses available in Concord, CA.

Particularly around the Dana Estates neighborhood 94519 zip code, homes are in demand. The neighborhood provides convenient access to Highway 4 and to downtown Concord. It is also about equal distance from both the Concord BART station and the North Concord BART station.

Purchasing a home is one of the largest financial decisions that a family can make. Because of the size of the transaction, there are many complicated decisions that surround the purchase of a home.

Today we are going to talk about: Getting Pre-Approved Should Always Be Your First Step

In many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the number of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.

Even if you are in a market that is not as competitive, understanding your budget will give you the confidence of knowing if your dream home is within your reach.

Freddie Mac lays out the advantages of pre-approval in the ‘My Home’ section of their website:

“It’s highly recommended that you work with your lender to get pre-approved before you begin house hunting. Pre-approval will tell you how much home you can afford and can help you move faster, and with greater confidence, in competitive markets.”

One of the many advantages of working with a local real estate professional is that many have relationships with lenders who will be able to help you with this process. Once you have selected a lender, you will need to fill out their loan application and provide them with important information regarding “your credit, debt, work history, down payment and residential history.”

Freddie Mac describes the ‘4 Cs’ that help determine the amount you will be qualified to borrow:

  1. Capacity: Your current and future ability to make your payments
  2. Capital or cash reserves: The money, savings, and investments you have that can be sold quickly for cash
  3. Collateral: The home, or type of home, that you would like to purchase
  4. Credit: Your history of paying bills and other debts on time

Getting pre-approved is one of many steps that will show home sellers that you are serious about buying, and it often helps speed up the process once your offer has been accepted.

Bottom Line

Many potential home buyers overestimate the down payment and credit scores needed to qualify for a mortgage today. If you are ready and willing to buy, you may be pleasantly surprised at your ability to do so.

Source… KCM Peter Maclennan Blog

Having a knowledgeable and experienced real estate broker on your side helps protect your interests and insure you make the best possible decisions. We are dedicated to keeping on top of the real estate market and keeping you informed of changes. You can rest easily knowing you made a well-informed decision based on experience and insight into the Concord California market.

To reach us please call 925.385.8798 or email us at peter@maclennaninvestments.com.

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Meet Peter

I moved to Dana Estates with my family in 2012. We love the neighborhood. We love that it is relatively quiet, the neighbors are friendly, and the trees that line the street.
If we aren't hanging out at Starbucks or buying a pizza from P-za Pie, you will find us cruising the sidewalks near Lynwood and Beechwood Dr. Feel free to stop me and say hello.

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Peter is a real estate broker serving Central Contra Costa County. He and his family live in the Dana Estates Neighborhood. More…

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Disclaimer: Information on this site is deemed reliable, but is not verified nor is it guaranteed. Peter Maclennan is a licensed real estate broker in the State of California serving the Dana Estates neighborhood in Concord through Perception Real Estate. CA DRE # 01801793