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Homes for Sale in the Dana Estates Neighborhood of Concord

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Homeowners Out-Earned Job Holders in 2021

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Home appreciation outpaced income in much of the US.

One of the sharpest and best reads around is from Jay Voorhees @ JVM Lending. Earlier this week he wrote this:

Owning A House Was More Profitable Than Having A Job Last Year

A few weeks ago, I blogged about the reluctance of sellers to list their properties in the face of so much uncertainty.

But – there is another reason sellers are hanging on to their homes according to various macro pundits.

And that reason is massive appreciation.

According to this Motley Fool column, homeowners made more from appreciation last year on average than the average U.S. worker made from his job.

https://www.jvmlending.com/blog/why-higher-rates-could-save-the-housing-market/

According to the Motley Fool post, the average home appreciated by $52,667 in 2021. Meanwhile the average salary in 2021 was $50,000.

Here in Concord, California the average price from December of 2020 to 2021 increased from $754,553 to $884,716 according to the Contra Costa Association of Realtors®. That increase of 17.3% amounts to a $130,000 growth in net worth. This is above the median household income of $92,706 from the U.S. Census Bureau.

This is one of the reasons that owning your own high quality real estate (like a home in Dana Estates) is one of the best investments you can make.

If you are curious about the value of your home, you can use this link to get your home value.

Peter Maclennan
Real Estate Broker | Maclennan Investment Group, Inc.
DRE #01801793
925-385-8798

Why Now Is a Great Time To Sell Your Dana Estates House

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Why Now Is a Great Time To Sell Your House | MyKCM

As we near the end of the year, more homeowners are realizing the benefits of today’s sellers’ market. Record-breaking home price appreciation, growing equity, low inventory, and competitive mortgage rates are motivating homeowners to make a move that addresses their changing lifestyles.

In fact, recent data from realtor.com shows a larger share of homeowners are planning to list their houses this winter. So, that means more homes are about to hit the market, which will lead to more choices for buyers too.

According to George Ratiu, Manager of Economic Research at realtor.com:

“The pandemic has delayed plans for many Americans, and homeowners looking to move on to the next stage of life are no exception. Recent survey data suggests the majority of prospective sellers are actively preparing to enter the market this winter.“

If you’re thinking of waiting until the spring to sell your house, know that your neighbors may be one step ahead of you by selling this winter. If you want to stand out from the crowd, this holiday season is the best time to make sure your house is available for buyers. Here’s why.

Sellers Are Still Firmly in the Driver’s Seat

Why Now Is a Great Time To Sell Your House | MyKCM

Historically, a 6-month supply of homes for sale is needed for a normal or neutral market. That level ensures there are enough homes available for active buyers (see graph below):The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the inventory of houses for sale sits at a 2.4-month supply. This is well below a neutral market.

What Does That Mean for You?

When the supply of homes for sale is as low as it is today, it’s much harder for buyers to find homes to purchase. This drives up competition among buyers, who then submit increasingly competitive offers to win out against others in the home search process. As this happens, prices rise and your leverage as a seller rises too, putting you in the best position to negotiate a contract that meets your ideal terms.

And while the low housing supply we’re facing won’t be solved overnight, sellers this season should move quickly to maximize their potential. As the data shows, with more prospective sellers planning to list their homes this winter, selling sooner rather than later helps your house rise to the top of a holiday buyer’s wish list so you can close the best possible deal.

Bottom Line

Listing your home over the next few weeks gives you the best chance to be in front of buyers competing for homes this holiday season. Let’s connect today to discuss how you can benefit from today’s sellers’ market.

Source… KCM Peter Maclennan Blog

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

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Flowers of Dana Estates

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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.

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

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

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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.

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

Fire-Resistant Landscaping to Protect Your Home

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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:

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.

2018-2019 Dana Estates Housing Market Report

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This year has been off to a great start, with lots of activity in and around Concord. Most notably, progress has been made with regards to the Naval Weapons Station. Master developer Lennar will be implementing a city park and youth recreation complex at the site, in addition to retail space and single-family residencies. You can read more about the Specific Plan from the Concord City website.

In the real estate market, the last 16 months have been active as well. Last year we saw 56 Dana Estates homes sold, with a median sale price of $615,000. Homes are selling over list price, with the average home selling at +0.77% over list price.

Smaller homes are selling just as well as larger homes. Two- and three-bedroom homes are selling at +0.90% over list price, compared to four-bedroom homes at +0.55%.

In the Dana Estates neighborhood, the 2018 median sale price for 2-3 BR homes was $589,950 and the median sale price for 4 BR homes was $650,000.

As shown by the chart below, December had the highest number of homes sold in Dana Estates, though the average sale price remained relatively consistent year-round.

Homes sold quickly in 2018, with the median days on market (DOM) at 14; that means most homes are in contract just two weeks from the day they are listed.

This year shows a more impressive number of homes sold, with 21 sold in the first four months. The median sale price is down on all homes, but properties continue to sell at nearly 1% over list price. The DOM is down to a median eight (8) days.

As you have seen, property in Dana Estates continues to be in demand, and it remains a seller’s market as there is more competition to buy houses than to sell.

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.

Dana Estates Neighborhood Events 2019

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Dana Estates Neighborhood 2019 Events

The wonderful Dana Estates Neighborhood Alliance (DENA) has laid out a number of events for 2019.

Neighborhood Cleanup (Dumpster) Day – March

This is a favorite day in our house and limited to just Dana Estates residents. Use it for spring cleaning to clear out the junk in your yard/garage/house. Please observe the rules of the flyer distributed with the newsletter about what items are acceptable.

Check the DENA flyer for the exact date of this event or call Peter for details.

If you are able and want to show your appreciation to DENA for organizing the cleanup and arranging volunteers, DENA will be accepting donations for the dumpsters.

Neighborhood Meeting – March 25th

Dana Estates Neighborhood Meeting sign Edited

Come to the Neighborhood meeting at First Lutheran Church at 4000 Concord Blvd to hear an update from Concord Mayor Obringer and Council-member Laura Hoffmeister.

The meeting starts at 7:00pm on Monday March 25th.

model A Diablo A's club
Cars from the Diablo A’s Club

Dana Estates Night Out – June 19th

A family and crowd favorite, the Dana Estates Night Out features local non-profit organizations and public agencies, food from Dana Plaza, crafts and games for kids. Come out to meet your neighbors, learn about government services and non-profits working in our community, and grab a bite to eat.

Huge Neighborhood Garage Sale – August 10, 2019

Over 70 homes participated in the garage sale last year. Join in for one of the largest garage sale’s in the area.

This event is going to be in August. Start getting your items ready for a successful sale.

Neighborhood Cleanup (Dumpster) Day – August

Everything you weren’t able to sell can be gotten rid of. Stay tuned for more information about this event.

As always, if you have questions about buying real estate, your home’s value, renting a home, or investing in real estate please call Peter at 925.385.8798.

Save the Date – Neighborhood Garage Sale August 10, 2019

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Save the Date – Neighborhood Garage Sale August 10, 2019

Huge Neighborhood Garage Sale!

Were you part of the huge garage sale we had last year? Over 70 homes participated. Hopefully this year’s event surpasses that number.

This Annual garage sale is done in cooperation with the Dana Estates Neighborhood Alliance.

Save the Date! – August 10th.

The Garage Sale is Scheduled for August 10th, 2019.

Stay tuned for updates!

The Dana Estates neighborhood is located in the 94519 zip code. Well-priced 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.

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.

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

DENA Neighborhood Meeting

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DENA Neighborhood Meeting

One of the best things about the Dana Estates Neighborhood is the Dana Estates Neighborhood Alliance or DENA. DENA helps to coordinate dumpster days, the garage sale, the DENA Night Out, a fall P-Za Party, and Neighborhood Meetings.

The neighborhood meetings are held twice a year, once in March and the other in October. 

DENA Neighborhood Meeting 10/15/18

The Fall Neighborhood Meeting is scheduled for October 15th at 7:00pm. It will be held at the First Lutheran Church at 4000 Concord Blvd, Concord. 

The meeting will have consist of two parts. DENA has arranged for the Concord City Council candidates for District 1 to share their perspectives. Following the candidate forum, Concord Code Enforcement will be on hand to provide an update on the neighborhood.

City Council District 1 Candidate Forum

Currently the candidates are (alphabetical by last name):

  • Dr. Judith Herman – is a newcomer to Concord politics. She has lived in Concord for 27 years.
  • Laura Hoffmeister – is a current City Council Member. She has been a Concord resident her entire life.
  • Ron Leone – is a current City Council Member. He has lived in Concord since 1978.

Come hear the candidates make an appeal for your vote prior to the first district elections in Concord.

Concord’s First District ElectionsDownload

Find your District through the City of Concord’s website: 
www.cityofconcord.org/elections

Concord Code Enforcement

The code enforcement division of Concord Police will be on hand to provide an update on the neighborhood. 

Dan Estates Neighborhood Meeting

  • October 15th
  • 7:00pm-8:30 pm
  • Location: First Lutheran Church – 4000 Concord Blvd.

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

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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.

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

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