Friday, January 15, 2016

Do you want to live in the #1 city in California to put down family roots?

Three Sacramento Cities Named Best California Cities to Put Down Roots




When it comes to putting down roots, a new study found that three Sacramento cities are among the best in California–and one Sacramento city is not only among the best, but has been named the best.
Folsom made the #1 spot in a study by WalletHub that examined 240 California cities across 22 key metrics that targeted family living, education, health, safety, affordability, and socioeconomic environment. Also impressively making the top ten list is El Dorado Hills (#6) and Roseville (#10).
Other Sacramento communities are not to be left out either as the top 50 included Davis (#18), Rocklin (#27), Elk Grove (#31), and Lincoln (#44).
The factors that the study considered important in determining the places most conducive to family life included the number of attractions, playgrounds, pediatricians, other families, and quality schools per capita. The rates and percentages it looked at included crime rates, unemployment and foreclose rates, high school graduation rates, percentage of two-parent/divorced families, percentage of children lacking health coverage, and percentage of families living below the poverty line. Weather, air quality, and average commute also factored into their results, as did house and living affordability.
Their findings ranked these California cities the best for families:
  1. Folsom
  2. Eastvale
  3. San Ramon
  4. Dublin
  5. Pleasanton
  6. El Dorado Hills
  7. Danville
  8. Aliso Viejo
  9. Palo Alto
  10. Roseville
Interestingly, only two Southern California cities (Eastvale and Aliso Viejo) made the top ten list. The rest went to Northern California cities found in Sacramento, the Bay Area, and Alameda/Contra Costa counties.
Folsom earned the top spot due in part to its #1 ranking in California for a low poverty level and high median income (adjusted for cost of living), and #2 ranking for most affordable housing. Roseville was found to have the most playgrounds per capita in California and Sacramento was named the #6 city for the highest number of attractions.
California’s largest cities didn’t get anywhere near the top spots with the highest rating going to San Jose at #78, followed by San Diego at #96 , Sacramento #130, San Francisco #178, Los Angeles #215.
Of the worst cities, all but one (Oakland) are found in Southern California, most of them near LA.
How did other California cities fare? Click on the map below to find out and read the full study at wallethub.com.




http://sacramentopress.com/2015/10/09/three-sacramento-cities-named-best-california-cities-to-put-down-roots/




Call The Easterbrook Team Today For Your Home Loan Needs! 
We work very close with Folsom realtors daily and can refer you right away.

Roof Issues to be Aware of


Maintaining a sound roof is one of the most important tasks a homeowner can perform. Follow these tips to catch roof issues before they lead to bigger problems – and the need for costly repairs.

Look for any missing, loose or damaged shingles as well as any cracked or worn roof sealant. Extensive repairs should be handled by a qualified professional roofing contractor.
Trim tree branches that hang too closely to or directly above the roof. Leaves and other debris can accumulate, retain moisture, and damage shingles.
Since falling bricks can damage a roof, inspect the chimney for missing or cracked bricks or mortar.
Clogged gutters can create structural issues. Clean gutters by scooping out debris with a garden trowel and then rinsing toward the downspout with a hose.

Finally, to prevent falls from occurring, perform all maintenance tasks on a day when it's sunny and the roof is dry. Here's hoping you find this information useful.




Contact us today to discuss your home repair needs for a refinance.
The Easterbrook Team
916.850.6050
easterbrookteam@spmc.com

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Here's a Freebie on Us!


We are currently offering an amazing co-branded (that’s you and us) product that is easy to share and completely free to our Realtor friends and your clients.  You can co-brand with us, easily share the information on social media with one click, or just use it to help your borrowers make informed decisions about the market and when to lock.  Information is always a good thing.  For a preview, CLICK HERE.  Just call us at (916) 850-6050 and we’ll do the rest. 

Facebook Marketing For Realtors


Facebook Marketing        

Here’s a great Facebook Marketing tip that we’ve been using for a couple years.  When you get a new buyer or seller, also friend them on Facebook or have them like your business page.  At closing, take a picture at the title company with your smiling buyers or sellers and you.  Post it on Facebook, then invite them to share it with all of their friends to let them know that they just had a great experience.  All of their friends will be exposed to your services for the first time with the smiling endorsement of your buyer or seller.  As an added bonus, it’s free!   

Contact The Easterbrook Team for your home loan needs.  We are always available for prequalifications for your clients as well.
916.850.6050  easterbrookteam@spm.com
John Easterbrook NMLS#226555 916.224.7653
Patty Aguon NMLS#994635 916.833.5063

#Openhouse


Instagram Can Net You Tons of Buyers

Many real estate agents are turning to one of the hottest FREE marketing tools around – Instagram.  In fact, it has grown 23% in the last 6 months.  Once reserved only for non-adults (but so was Facebook, right?), Instagram allows you to target your audience by strategic tagging.  Instagram is a smart phone or device app that allows you to share on multiple social media platforms at the same time.  With the limitless hashtag capability and fun photo editing, real estate agents are changing the way homes are marketed to potential buyers and reaching the new age Millennials!

Some real estate agents are using Instagram to market their open houses – CLICK HERE.  In another article, the author describes 5 unique ways to increase traffic to you through Instagram – CLICK HERE.  Who knows, you might have some fun doing it too! 

Throw in a #EasterbrookTeam on your listings and we will help market your listing too! 

Call The Easterbrook Team Today For Your Home Loan Needs!
We Make The Loan Process Easy!
John Easterbrook, Patty Aguon & Lorae Oliver

Monday, January 11, 2016

It's a Bird, It's a Plane... Nope it's just Lowered Rates!


They Said Our Rates Wouldn’t Get Lower...

 



… but Sierra Pacific Mortgage just made a significant price drop on High Balance FHA & VA products.  We’ve always had a reputation for some of the best rates in town.  Now our rates are even better than before.  Who knew?

 


Contact The Easterbrook Team Today at 916.850.6050 to start your prequalification and discuss your options.

John Easterbrook NMLS#226555-916.224.7653
Patty Aguon NMLS#994635-916.833.5063

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Easterbrook Team Update! Keeping You Ahead of the Curve!


Survey Says Sacramento is Superior

Realtor.com has just come out with the latest list of the hottest housing markets in the US in December.  Sacramento County came in at #5 in the US!  Jonathan Smoke, chief economist of Realtor.com, and his team carried out the data analysis and identified the top 20 medium-to-large markets where homes are moving fastest and interest (based on listing views on realtor.com) is highest. At the top of the list, for the second month in a row, is San Francisco, followed by its sister Bay Area city San Jose.  6 of the 10 are all in Northern California.  If you are in the real estate business, you are in the right place at the right time! For the article, CLICK HERE. 

 

There’s a Great Reason to Buy in January & February

As if buyers need another reason to buy, in January, closing costs are considerably lower for most buyers.  Most buyers have impound accounts (sometimes called “escrows”) when they purchase a home.  When establishing an impound at the close of escrow, a number of months of taxes must be set aside to pay for the next tax payment.  Buying now can save a substantial amount of money in closing costs. 

Closing Month
1st Payment
Estimated Impounds
January
March
2 Months
February
April
2 Months
March
May
3 Months
April
June
4 Months
May
July
5 Months
June
August
6 Months
August
October
8 Months
September
November
9 Months
October
December
4 Months
November
January
5 Months
December
February
6 Months

 

Another Survey…Consumer Confidence is UP!                       Reports the Sacramento Bee 12/23/15

U.S. consumer sentiment rose in December to its highest level since July, lifted in part by low inflation, which has boosted Americans' purchasing power.  The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index, released Wednesday, rose to 92.6 from 91.3 in November. That's just below this year's average of 92.9, the highest annual average in 11 years.  For the article, CLICK HERE.

 

Do Your Buyers Want Rate Information?

We are currently offering an amazing product that is easy to share and completely free to our Realtor friends and your clients.  Rate Mastery is free to you and your clients.  You can co-brand with us, easily share the information on social media with one click, or just use it to help your borrowers make informed decisions about the market and when to lock.  For a preview, CLICK HERE.  Just call us at (916) 850-6050 and we’ll do the rest. 

By the way, if you haven’t compared our rates, they are some of the best in town!

Based in Folsom, California, Sierra Pacific Mortgage has 144 offices nationwide. The Easterbrook Team at Sierra Pacific is associated with the #1 office in the nation for SPMC for the 4th month in a row!  We want to thank you so much for the support.  Come by and visit our office at 806 Bidwell Street in Folsom.  Keep the loans coming and we’ll keep closing them at lightning speed with a positive, smooth, and transparent experience.  Call us at (916) 850-6050.