Stop & Shoot the Roses

I enjoyed photographing the colorful landscaping of this fine home in the Evergreen neighborhood of West Davis.  Offered for $665,000, 1519 Navajo might just have your name on it. 2,369 square feet, four bedrooms plus a bonus room, 2.5 baths, bamboo floors, arched windows, custom window molding, Kinetico water softener and reverse-osmosis water filter. Energy-efficient features include a whole house fan, ceiling fans and dual-paned windows. Steps to Arroyo Pool and Park, and a short walk to Willett Elementary.

 

DOM and DOMMER

DOM, or Days on Market, is a helpful gauge as to the health of the real estate market. The average DOM for residential solds in Davis for 2008 is 71, per MetroList MLS.  In 2007, solds from Jan 1 through April 29 averaged a similar 70 DOM. In 2006, the figure for the same dates was an incrediblely brisk 11 DOM.  By comparison, the Woodland DOM for solds in 2008 YTD is 92. It was 95 last year at this time and a microscopic DOM of 8 in 2006 YTD.

DOM can range from 0 days to a year-plus.  Most importantly, even though the average DOM has swelled since the housing bull market, 37% of all closed residential sales in 2008 sold within 30 days. (The figure was 48% in 2007 and 88% in 2006.) Even in a tepid market, if your home is priced correctly, presents well, is marketed properly, and you or your tenants are flexible for showings, it very likely will receive a strong offer in the first 30 days on the market.  Pricing is the key, of course, but the other intangibles certainly increase the probability of success. 

Send your kids to Davis-esque Zamora Elementary

Woodland elementary schools overall may not compare to Davis, but one school’s test scores are rather impressive – Zamora Elementary, on Woodland’s far-southwest side.  For 2006, Zamora had an API score of 868, compared to 859 for Davis’s Marguerite Montgomery Elementary.

For an extraordinary value within the Zamora boundary, check out Joe’s newly listed 1519 Saratoga Drive, with 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1,360 square feet of living area. Energy efficient features include dual-paned windows, a whole house fan, ceiling fans and a shady patio overhang on the west side. It’s a beautifully updated home with plenty of curb appeal on a very pleasant street. You can have it all – including a great school – for under 300k!

What Joe’s Clients are Saying Lately…

“Joe was helpful throughout the entire process. He was patient and helpful to us as first-time home-buyers. I felt like he really represented us and guided us, whereas most realtors I have worked with seemed to only be interested in their commission.”   – Bernadette and Michael  January 18, 2008

“We hired Joe Kaplan as our agent to find and buy a new home and to sell our existing home in Davis, CA. Joe was instrumental in making sure that we sold our house fast while getting a reasonable price – no small feat in a slumping market! Several of the comparable houses that were on the market when we listed our house are still there, but now at a lower price than what we got for ours. Joe was very timely in responding to our needs for information, he was always quick to follow up on any loose ends and he made sure that we understood all aspects of the sale and purchase of our homes.”   -Olof and Elisabeth  December 17, 2007