Get Your Mortgage Phil: California

Are you looking at condos for sale in Burlingame that are FHA approved? There is a condo for sale that is FHA approved located at 107 El Camino Real Unit 103.

FHA financing offers many benefits:

• The down payment can be as low as 3.5%
• The entire down payment can be a gift
• Co-signers that do not occupy the property are allowed
• The maximum loan amount in San Mateo County is $729,750
• Fixed rates are available
• Adjustable rates are available that have an initial fixed rate term
• Credit history requirements are typically more flexible than what is required with a conventional loan 

Burlingame real estate agent Dave Tapper describes this condo for sale - "It is in a great location, just two blocks from Burlingame Avenue." People love being this close to downtown!"

"This one level unit has three bedrooms and three baths. In addition, it has two master bedroom suites, a marble entry way, and gorgeous hardwood floors."

"There is a fireplace, and a washer and dryer in the unit. There is  two car parking in this secured building with tons of extra storage."

"This condo is one of only a few that offer earthquake insurance. This is an upscale, classy building that is 10 years young."

In order to use FHA financing for a condo, the complex must be FHA approved. In Burlingame, there are only two condo complexes that are FHA approved as of the date of this post.

If you plan on using FHA financing to purchase a condo for sale, it's probably a good idea to contact an FHA lender to find out what complexes are FHA approved in the area that you are interested in. And it also makes sense to get pre-approved prior to making an offer. It will make your offer look stronger!

What's going on in the real estate market today in San Carlos, CA 94070?

While gathering information today for a potential seller, I included what's going on in the real estate market in San Carlos, California.

Today, in the single-family home market, there are:

• 62 Active listings
• 28 Pending sales
• 11 Transactions that have closed in the last 6 weeks

Looking at the condo/townhouse market, we see:

• 34 Active listings
• 10 Pending sales
•   1 Transaction that has closed in the last 6 weeks

These are simply the bare statistics. You might like to know the trends we're seeing, what types of properties are selling, which are receiving multiple offers, and which are examples of what not to do when listing a home today.

If you'd like information about your particular neighborhood or type of property, I'm happy to provide it -- just shoot me an email or give me a call.

There are two FHA approved condos in Burlingame. If you want to use FHA financing to purchase a condo, it must be an FHA approved condo.

Parc Newlands is located at 107 El Camino Real. It is on the southwest corner of Newlands Avenue and El Camino Real. There are 17 units in this complex.

Pershing Park is located just west of this complex. It's a nice park for little kids.

Downtown Burlingame is nearby. Burlingame Avenue has many shops and restaurants that are enjoyed by mant residents and visitors.  

The FHA maximum loan amount in San Mateo County is $729,750. The FHA down payment requirement is 3.5%

Before you make an offer on an FHA approved condo, have your Burlingame loan officer double-check to make sure that the condo is still FHA approved. The approval status can change.

The other FHA approved condo complex in Burlingame is located at 777 Morrell Avenue. The cross street is Rollins Road. There are 28 units in this condominium complex. Burlingame High School is very close by.

Broadway Avenue, the other "main" street of Burlingame, is another street that draws many from the local neighborhoods for shopping and dining.

Broadway Avenue is a good walk from 777 Morrell Avenue.

Finding unclaimed money in California has been made much easier than in years past.

And who wouldn't like to learn they have a forgotten stash, large or small, waiting for them?

California's Unclaimed Property Law requires corporations, businesses, associations, financial institutions and insurance companies to report and deliver property to the California State Controller's Office. This must be done annually after there has been no activity on the account of contact with the owner for a period of time specified in the law, generally three years or more.

To start your search, simply go to the web site of the California State Controller's Office and follow the simple directions outlined there.

Best of luck!

San Carlos, California, 97070, is a real down-home kind of place, located on the Peninsula in San Mateo County, mid-way between San Francisco and San Jose. The motto of our town is "The City of Good Living."

Well, this story I came across today shows that is more than empty words--San Carlos really is the City of Good Living!

Last month a Good Samaritan found several $100 bills dancing along a downtown sidewalk, in the heart of our shopping area; looking further, he saw a whole stack of bills, totaling $2,000. He immediately took the money to the Police Department, where it was held for safekeeping.

Meanwhile, the woman who had withdrawn the cash from the local Wells Fargo Bank discovered a hole in her jacket pocket and the cash gone. After properly identifying herself, and with the assistance of the bank teller, the police were able to turn the money over to her. The thankful woman not only gave the finder some award, but made a donation to the police department's Juvenile Diversion Program. The police also acknowledged the Samaritan with their Citizen Appreciation Coin.

If you want to learn more about living on the Peninsula, log onto the Facebook page, Peninsula Living. San Carlos might just be the place you want to call home. Our real estate market is strong and active, and it's the people who help make it so great, not to mention the hiking, biking, trail running, schools, youth sports, rec center classes, concerts, farmers' markets, shops, libraries, etc.!

2448 Coronet Blvd., Belmont, CA 94002
Open House - Sunday, May 16, 1:00 - 4:00 PM

If you haven't had a chance to visit this 4-bedroom, 3-bath Belmont beauty -- or if you'd like to see it a second time - join us at the Open House this coming Sunday.

Today in Belmont, California, there are 20 4-bedroom homes currently listed on the multiple listing service. Of those, only 7 are listed at a lower price. Most of those are short-sales or in the flat lands, close to Highway 101. There is tremendous value at 2448 Coronet -- a view house with a relatively level back yard for barbecues, play and relaxation. Come by and see for yourself.