• Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Real Estate, Redwood City

    Posted on October 19th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Recently Sold Homes in Mt. Carmel – 96% of Asking Price

    In the last 90 days, a little more than a dozen homes in Mt. Carmel have closed escrow. Looking at how the sale prices compared to original price, the average is that homes are getting 96% of their original asking price.  Of course, remember, this is an average.  The “range” of all those homes is between 92% and 104% of asking price.   Also noteworthy:

    Average days on market (last 90 days): 91 days

    Average $/sq. ft.: $496

    Here is a small sampling, in no particular order:

    • 271 Jeter St.: original list: $939K, sold for $915K, 22 days on market
    • 152 Iris St.: original list: $1.448M, sold for $1.438M, 7 days on market
    • 232 Outer Cir..: original list: $1.099M, sold for $1.0725M, 45 days on market
    • 32 King St..: original list: $998K, sold for $928K, 571 days on market
    • 145 Nevada St..: original list: $899K, sold for $800K, 96 days on market
    • 505 Jeter St.: original list: $999.95K, sold for $875K, 82 days on market
    • 27 Lowell St..: original list: $1.149M, sold for $1.1525M, 5 days on market

     

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Real Estate, Redwood City

    Posted on September 12th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Mt. Carmel Fall Auction Coming Next Month!

    Fluff up that taffetta dress, starch that baby blue ruffled tuxedo and dust off your dancing shoes because Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is proud to announce our 2011 Annual Benefit Auction: “A Night At The Prom”

    Whether your theme was “Good Golly Miss Molly”, “I Got You Babe”, “Stairway to Heaven”, “Two Tickets to Paradise”, or “More Than Words”, we can guarantee a great evening for everyone with delicious food, good friends, and, of course, fantastic Auction items!

    Save the date of Saturday, October 22nd starting at 5:30pm at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School.

    We can’t wait to see you there!

    ARE YOU CONNECTED?
    We would like to offer our guests some “Prom Specials”. Do you have any connections or could you get us a good deal on any of the following?
    :: LIMO SERVICE
    :: TUXEDO RENTALS
    :: DRESS RENTALS
    :: FLORISTS for “Prom Boutonniere and Corsages”
    :: HAIR SALONS for “Prom Up-Do’s”
    :: NAIL SALONS for “Prom Mani / Pedi’s
    :: and any others you can think of

    DONATION IDEAS
    School families are our best and most creative donors! Maybe you know Brian Sabean, Jim Harbaugh or the CEO of EA Sports? Robin Williams, Sean Penn, Mike Rowe, Steve Perry or Sarah & Vinnie… Maybe you can help us get some “once in a lifetime” donations. No donation is too small.

    Also, here are some other donation ideas to help you get started:
    :: SCRIP
    :: A getaway to the Russian River, Lake Tahoe, or Carmel
    :: Host a themed dinner for 8, 10 or 12
    :: A sailing trip on the Bay
    :: Host a party for the Super Bowl, March Madness, Indi 500, World Series, Stanley Cup, Fashion Week, or The Oscars
    :: Tickets to a sporting event, a play, or concert
    :: Homemade jewelry, floral arrangements, hair styling, or home decorating
    :: Teach a class on cooking, wine tasting, cake decorating, or beer brewing

    CHILDREN’S RAFFLE
    We will have the Children’s Raffle again this year. The raffle is held Tuesdays and Thursday during Morning Assembly. To participate all you have to do is complete and return a Children’s Raffle Form each time you complete one of the following activities:

    1. donate an item to the Auction
    2. donate Scrip to the Auction
    3. complete your 2 hour volunteer commitment, or
    4. sign up for extra volunteer hours

    Return your form to school via the Blue Envelope or drop it in the Raffle Box located in the school office.

    Donate an item or time and your child could be a big winner!
    You can enter again, and again, and again …

    Thank you for your support!
    We look forward to seeing you at The Prom.

    Warm Regards,
    Adrienne Herro and Kathleen Sochan
    Your Auction 2011 Auction Co-Chairs

     

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Real Estate, Redwood City

    Posted on July 3rd, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Fourth of July in Mount Carmel — All This and More

    You’ll probably encounter a good handful of block parties as you drive through Mt. Carmel on July 4th. That’s one of the great things about living in this area, is the vast sense of “community” present in so many different blocks and pockets. But of course, that’s just one of the great things about the 4th in this neighborhood — there’s also the whole 4th of July parade and festival downtown.

    The 4th of July Redwood City tradition continues, as the Peninsula Celebration Association (PCA) brings tons of family fun all day long to Downtown Redwood City. It’ll be another great family 4th, and the entire community is invited to join family, friends, and neighbors for a spectacular day of celebration at the finest 4th of July party on the peninsula. All of the day’s details are online on PCA’s website at www.parade.org.

     

    The day starts with a gourmet pancake breakfast benefit by the Redwood City Firefighters Association from 7:30 – 10:30 am at Station 9, 755 Marshall Street ($6 adults/$4 kids). As a special treat, as part of the Redwood City Fire Department’s 150th anniversary, there will be an antique fire engine display behind the fire department, at 700 Bradford Street.

     

    Then comes the annual Parade Fun Run, this year benefitting the Redwood City Education Foundation. Information and registration is at www.paraderun.org. The race starts at 8:45 am at Brewster and Arguello streets, and goes 3.5 miles along the Redwood City parade route. Proceeds from the Parade Run support RCEF funding of music in our Redwood City schools.

     

    After the run, the fabulous 4th of July extravaganza gets fully underway! It’s the 73rd Annual Independence Day Parade starting at 10 am. This year’s featured theme will recognize the Redwood City Fire Department’s remarkable 150 years of service. Leading the parade will be fire-fighting units from a number of local cities, including antique fire-fighting equipment. There will also be a fly-over of a restored Vietnam era Huey helicopter. The fly-over is sponsored by the Living Room Lounge at 2048 Broadway in Redwood City. This year’s parade is expected to have over 1,500 participants representing 78 organizations and will include the newly crowned Miss California, bands, floats, equestrian units, drill teams, vintage vehicles, and local performing groups.

     

    The Annual Independence Day Festival will be going on from 9 am to 5 pm with fabulous arts and crafts vendors, a Main Stage featuring live entertainment, food booths, a children’s entertainment stage, and info booths from local non-profit service organizations. The festival will also have a children’s play area which benefits Adelante School. And, the ever-popular Battle of the Bands between Stanford University and UC Davis, plus a Classic Car Show from 8 am to 4 pm on Broadway featuring custom and classic vehicles with live entertainment in the Court House Square.

    Please note that a fireworks display will not be provided this year. PCA reports that in the current economic environment it has been difficult to generate the funding and sponsorship needed to support the fireworks show. Both the PCA and Redwood City regret this situation, but remind the community that this year’s festival, parade, and other activities will be second-to-none. Over 40,000 people are expected to participate, as Redwood City’s 4th of July extravaganza is renowned throughout the region.

    The Peninsula Celebration Association is very proud that the members of their organization have been involved since 1939 as a true volunteer group. Their goal is to help make Redwood City not just a place to live, but a real community of people who care. Visit their website at www.parade.org.

     

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Real Estate, Redwood City

    Posted on June 7th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Got Documents to Shred? Free Shredding this Saturday

    FREE Confidential Document Destruction Event for REDWOOD CITY Residents

    You can get full destruction of confidential paper documents at this special event in Redwood City!

    Saturday, June 11th – 8 am to 3 pm

    Redwood City Public Works Parking Lot

    1400 Broadway, Redwood City

    Bring your personal documents and confidential materials* for safe and secure on-site destruction – for FREE! No need to worry about paper clips or staples.

    *Limit of 5 (five) boxes (10”x12”x15”) worth of materials per household.

    Please be prepared to show proof of Redwood City residency.

    For more information contact

    Mike Gibbons

    650-780-7464

    mgibbons@redwoodcity.org

  • Mt. Carmel, Podcasts, Real Estate, Redwood City

    Posted on May 25th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    New Gory Details Podcast – The Return of Adam!

    Adam O'Donnell

    Did you know???….$737M of single family homes were sold in San Mateo County in Q1-2010, and in Q1 of this year, that number was $736.6M? Or that the average price of a home in San Carlos was almost $75,000 more this past quarter, versus the same period last year?

    Market stats, market stats, and more — plus, another esteemed guest!

    Back for his 4th time visiting us in the sound studios of San Carlos is the always interesting Adam O’Donnell, from Guaranteed Rate…He again rejoins the first and longest running real estate podcast in the SF Bay Area, The Gory Details, for its April/May 2011 podcast.

    As always, Adam brings useful information and perspectives on today’s mortgage environment.

    Click away below, because the April/May 2011 edition of “The Gory Details Podcast” is now available!

    (1) iTunes users, get it right here

    (2) Or get it at http://edgory.podshow.com

    (3) And, always available at http://www.edgory.com

    Happy listening!

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Redwood City

    Posted on April 13th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    GoGoVerde or Patch.com — Which Do You Prefer?

    There’s a growing trend out there for some great local information, down to the neighborhood level.  I subscribe to both of these, and find them both very useful. But, are they redundant to each other? Which do you prefer?

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Real Estate

    Posted on February 16th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Mt. Carmel Festival 2011- Here It Comes!

    It’s baaaack….From April 29 – May 1. The 2011 Mt. Carmel Festival — “Wild West Days” — is coming soon!

    The annual Mt. Carmel Festival is a three-day festival, held each spring, in which we expect over 3,000 local families to join us for thrilling carnival rides, delicious treats, festival game booths, live local entertainment, and socializing with friends and neighbors.

    RIDES! RIDES! RIDES! Unlimited Ride Wristband – $30/day! Also available - Discount Ride Ticket Books – $20 for a book of 30 tickets (each ride “costs” between 3 and 5 tickets). Need an order form? Download it here.

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Redwood City

    Posted on January 25th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Redwood City to “Host” the SF Giants World Series Trophy

    Yes, as Tim Lincecum so aptly described it….”it’s shiny”

    Coming Wednesday, February 16, 2011, from 3:30-5:30pm, at the Courthouse Square –Redwood City is very proud and excited that the San Francisco Giants World Champions Trophy Tour is coming to our community! This means that you can get up close to the fabulous World Champions trophy, take pictures, and be part of the Giants’ historic 2010 championship run.

    The Trophy will be on display at Courthouse Square and fans will have the opportunity to view the trophy in person and have their photo taken with it. You can see the trophy in person during the specified times on a first-come, first-served basis. The viewings are free to the public. Fans can purchase an official photo with the trophy through Giants Fan Photos, which will be available on-site.

    Information on the entire Championship Trophy Tour is online at http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/fan_forum/trophy_tour.jsp

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Real Estate

    Posted on January 5th, 2011

    Written by Ed Gory

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    2011 Predictions – Mt. Carmel Real Estate

    It’s that time of year again, and here’s the one key thing that I, Ed Gory, predict with some level of certainty that will happen this year in real estate news:

    Predictions on Bay Area real estate will be contradictory

    That’s right, contradictory. Some articles will point to data showing positive upswings. Other articles will point to downturns in this average or that average compared to the year before. Averages, as I said in previous posts, are just that – averages.  A “hot” micro-market, let’s say midtown Palo Alto, will pump up some random Bay Area average, but that average will also be “dragged down” by another micro-market, like east Menlo Park.

    Are some markets predictable? Yes, but again that really depends.  Micro-markets, down at the neighborhood level, can be pretty predictable. Will a $2M home in Palo Alto sell in a relatively quick amount of time? You betcha.  How about a $2M home in Redwood City? Mmm, probably not as quickly. Location, price and condition are still the key factors in how quickly a home sells.

    Remember this: for every boom, there is a bust. For every bust, there’s a new boom. What’s the size of that new boom, and when will it happen? Ten experts will probably yield you ten differing opinions.

    The Bay Area real estate market is hugely cyclical, despite what goes on in the larger picture of national real estate or mortgage news. That’s because, in spite of the economy, people are still getting married, or having kids, or getting divorced, or downsizing, or dying, and investors are still investing.  Time and time again, here’s the cycle that’s been happening, boom or bust, in our Bay Area:

    1. Jan 1: inventory is low, and December sales stats that come out will show to be sluggish (no kidding, Sherlock, Christmas time is not usually home-buying time)
    2. Inventory picks up steam in mid- to late-January
    3. Home sales pick up and continue through end of May/early June
    4. Summer slows down a bit in June and July, but keeps chugging
    5. Activity picks up from August through late September
    6. October brings a slight slow down. Inventory starts getting low.
    7. November things slow down even further. Inventory continues to get lower.
    8. December becomes really slow, and local real estate offices are as quiet as a funeral parlor. Inventory, again, becomes a drip in a faucet.
    9. And, back to Jan. 1 we are, and the cycle starts again.

    So relative to #1 and #9, here’s just some numbers to chew on, and in a few months I’ll revisit them. As of January 1st, these are the current number of active single family homes for sale in:

    • San Carlos:           35
    • Redwood City:   126
    • Belmont:              21
    • Redwood Shores:  2 (yes, you read that correctly, TWO!)
    • Burlingame:            26
    • Palo Alto:                33
    • Menlo Park :           39
    • Mountain View:    28
    • Los Altos:               26
    • Santa Clara:           96
    • Sunnyvale:            86

  • Community Info, Mt. Carmel, Redwood City

    Posted on December 16th, 2010

    Written by Ed Gory

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    Sandbags Available for Redwood City Residents

    (courtesy of Malcolm Smith, City of Redwood City, Public Comm. Mgr.)

    As you may know, a significant set of storms is predicted to come in starting late tonight or tomorrow, Friday, December 17, along with high tides on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. If you are in a flood-prone area of Redwood City, you’ll want to know that sandbags are available – these are for Redwood City residents only and there is a limit of 24 sandbags per household.You can pick up sandbags in the parking lot of Redwood City’s Public Works Services building, 1400 Broadway (between Chestnut and Woodside).

    Our Public Works Services and public safety staff will of course be monitoring the storm conditions closely. You can help by making sure the storm drains on your street are clear of leaves and other debris. It’d be great if someone on each street would take the responsibility to clean any debris and leaves that may be covering catch basins or inlets before the storms start, and then keep an eye on them through the weekend and clear them out if they become blocked. City crews are right now out inspecting and checking channels, creeks and storm drain inlets, but your help is needed throughout this series of storms. If you notice significant problems during the storms, you can contact Redwood City Public Works Services at (650) 780-7464.

    Again, the sandbags at Redwood City’s Public Works Services Department are for Redwood City residents only, and there is a limit of 24 per household. For residents of unincorporated areas of San Mateo County, the County provides other sandbag pickup locations (best to call first):

    Grant Corporation Yard, 752 Chestnut, Redwood City – (650) 363-4103

    Princeton Corporation Yard, 203 Cornell Avenue, Half Moon Bay – (650) 728-7993

    Pescadero High School, 350 Butano Cut-Off Road, Pescadero

    La Honda Corporation Yard, 59 Entrada Way, La Honda – (650) 747-0341

    Here are sandbag locations for some other Peninsula cities. If you live in one of these cities, be sure to contact your local public works department to confirm availability of sandbags, locations, and limitations.

    San Carlos – 100 Bransten Road, San Carlos

    Belmont – 110 Sem Lane , Belmont

    Palo Alto – 600 E. Meadow Drive

    Palo Alto – Palo Alto Airport

    City of San Mateo – 1949 Pacific Blvd. San Mateo

    Menlo Park – Alma Street and Burgess Drive

    Menlo Park – Pope Street and Laurel Ave.

    Mountain View – 231 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View

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