Dana Graham

Newsletters Category

November, 2013 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor: The real estate market in Palos Verdes (and the South Bay, for that matter) continues at about a 5 on a scale of 10 activity-wise.  It feels slow compared to last Spring, but those of us who have been around for decades have seen this movie before.  The interest rate rise of last June acted as a speed bump, slowing the market to a more normal pace. Whether you’re in the real estate market to buy or sell, or not,...Continue Reading!

September 2013 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  In my July newsletter I mentioned that interest rates had just gone up about 2% (which is huge – 4% to 6%) about a week before I wrote it.  They have now settled to just under 5% now (loans over $729,750 are somewhat higher), but the predictable effect has transpired:  whereas in April when the market was absolutely berserk, there were as few as 112 homes for sale on the Hill; there are now 168, give or take.  For...Continue Reading!

July, 2013, Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  As I said in my March newsletter, “it’s just a matter of time (and not much time) before rates rise”.  Well, that time arrived last week as you probably heard on the news.  30-year fixed rates on loans over $730,000 have shot up to nearly 6% from around 4% a month ago.  Though it may look high, 6% is still low by historic standards (my parents loan on Pleasant Hill Drive was 6.25% in 1963), and it’s a pretty...Continue Reading!

May, 2013, Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  Onward and upward!  Reasonably-priced homes continue to sell quickly, often with multiple offers.  Interest rates still have not moved upward, remaining at around 4%.  And lenders have begun making 95% loans again (5% down) – I think this is called amnesia.  One of the less-obvious issues we’re having these days is that of appraisals.  This is always a problem when the market is rising, as appraisers use closed sales (which, of course, are lower in a rising market) to determine...Continue Reading!

March 2013 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  The real estate market is still jumpin’, with interest rates remaining below 4% for all but the biggest loans or smallest down payments.  There is still very little for sale, and prices have certainly risen during the past 6 months or so.  The feeling on the street is that it’s just a matter of time (and not much time) before rates rise, so my theory (not exactly genius) is that everyone who has been thinking about buying and can,...Continue Reading!

January 2013 Newsletter

The following is the bi-monthly newsletter that went out to my mailing list January, 2013.  Here is a copy of the Contact Form referred to.  If you just want me to hand you a copy, let me know:                                                                                                                                                                                                    January, 2013   Dear Neighbor:  Well, let’s see:  if you’re reading this, the world apparently didn’t end last December 21, tho we have sailed off the much-ballyhooed “Fiscal Cliff”.  Personally, I have the feeling that the results are not going to be as dire as...Continue Reading!

November 2012 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor:  As you can see from the enclosures, things are jumpin’.  As I hinted the last time I wrote, it seems as if everyone who ever thought of buying is attempting to do so now – and who can blame them?  With interest rates at levels we won’t see again in our lifetimes (3.5% 30 year fixed -- well, not in my lifetime -- maybe in yours) and prices still unrecovered from the ridiculous levels of 2007 (don’t hold your breath...Continue Reading!

September 2012 Newsletter

This is the text of my newsletter sent to approximately 1500 people.  If you would like to get on my mailing list, either post a comment here or call me at 310 265-2141.   While the real estate market has slowed slightly in the past few weeks (too small a period to make any judgments), it’s still safe to say that if your house is priced correctly, you won’t have long to wait for a buyer.  The market picked up noticeably a...Continue Reading!

July, 2012, Newsletter

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 July, 2012  Dear Neighbor: Staging has become a hot topic lately, I suppose because with a slower market, sellers are looking for any edge they can get.  Staging, in case you don’t know, can refer to anything from re-arranging the existing furniture in the house, to bringing in a complete house full of new furniture, towels, accessories, dishes, wall hangings, etc, all in an effort to make the place look more attractive to a buyer.  In this case, I’m talking about...Continue Reading!

May, 2012, Newsletter

Dear Neighbor: You will notice from the enclosures that all the listings I mentioned in my last newsletter have sold.  All sold inside 30 days.  More on that later. If you’ve been paying attention to the real estate market lately (as if you have nothing else to do), you have noticed that there just isn’t much for sale.  That is true throughout the South Bay and, if you’re a seller or thinking about becoming one, this is an excellent environment.  Buyers have...Continue Reading!