When I am not marketing homes or working with buyer’s to find a quality home and investment I enjoy hiking, biking, sailing, cooking and quality family and friend time.
Knowledgeable Professional Real Estate Service Has Lead To
Referrals and Testimonials From My Past Clients. Many Have Been So
Pleased With The Level Of Service And Market Knowledge That
They Took The Time To Write Letters Of Reference.
For Which I am Very Grateful.
Letters of reference available on request.
Real Estate Client Testimonials:
“As an appraiser working with agents on a daily basis, I found your dedication to the client, your professionalism, and knowledge of the Pacific Grove real estate market to be exceptional” Pacific Grove home buyer - Cullen Family
“ I was having a great deal of anxiety about doing a 1031 tax exchange involving the sale and the purchase of a Pebble Beach property. It was your expertise, experience, knowledge of Pebble Beach real estate and negotiation skills that made this deal possible.” Pebble Beach 1031 exchange
“ I have worked with a number of Realtors over the past 20 years in both residential real estate and commercial real estate transactions, you are clearly the best.” Monterey home buyer - JoLinda Thompson
“you were especially helpful in handling all the various last minute details from afar closing escrow, property insurance etc. Thank you for making my new life possible” Pacific Grove home buyer - Janet Colson
“Based on our experience with you and your knowledge of Pacific Grove real estate and Monterey real estate, we would be pleased to recommend you to represent potential buyers in this area” Dion & Judy Dow
“Thank you so much for all your help and patience during the selling Pacific Grove house and buying of the Monterey Salinas Hywy. house” Pacific Grove - Jeff Ellis Family
“One of the things that meant so much to us was that Eric was continually accessible and in touch with us” Pacific Grove home buyer
“our experience with real estate agents in the past is that they only seemed interested in making the sale and getting their commission, but you sincerely seemed to have our best interest in mind” Pebble Beach - Jim & Jean Hively
“Eric Stauffer was helpful and knowledgeable about Pacific Grove real estate in so many ways above and beyond the call of duty. He is most definitely an asset to Coldwell Banker” Pacific Grove
“You were most helpful, timely, professional and knowledgeable about Carmel real estate in all aspects and phases of the transaction, and personable and easy to work with to boot” Carmel
“You did a great job selling our Carmel Valley house & certainly took care of a lot of smaller details which many agents would’nt bother with” Carmel Valley - Greta Kopp
“ Thank you for helping us purchase our first home in Monterey. We enjoyed working with you and appreciated your top-notch service, dedication and patient approach to the home-buying process.” Del Rey Oaks - Nick & Theresa Wooler
“We Could not have asked for a better real estate representative and we feel very fortunate to have worked with you” Carmel - Heiner Family
“It is with great pleasure that I announce you have been named the top Buyer Sales Associate in your office” Avram Goldman COO Coldwell Banker
“I appreciate all the time and effort you put into helping me find a home in Pacific Grove. You were knowledgeable, efficient and patient.” 1031 exchange Pacific Grove - Kathie Curry Family
“Your knowledge of the area and issues was indispensable… we feel very fortunate to have had you represent us” Monterey first time home buyers
“wanted to thank you for all your help in the sale of our home and purchase of our “new” home. We really appreciate your patience and hardwork” Leigh & Jim Pingree - Monterey real estate buyer
"we appeciate the time you spent reviwing the short sales and foreclosures for us in Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach. Your expertise in negotiating with the lender for a short sale was exceptional. Your knowledge of home values and Pacific Grove real estate and Pebble Beach real estate were impressive." short sale and foreclosure buyer.
Blog Posts:
Pacific Grove real estate market is tightening up. Lower end homes across the Monterey peninsula are getting harder to find. This may not be obvious unless you are actively in the market or a Realtor familiar with the local market, but number of choices and amenities are on the decline in many areas. This is one of the subtle signs of an improving market. Simple supply and demand at work. While short sales and market reports of bad real estate market continue, those not active in the market may be missing out by not taking advantage of the low interest rates and declining supply of lower end choices. Currently 93 homes on the market in Pacific Grove there are only 22 under 500K and only 5 of these are 3 bed 2 bath or greater.
Monterey real estate market. Lower end price range tightening up across the Monterey peninsula. Despite on-going negative real estate news, lower end sales spurred by interest rates and prices have been brisk. This may not be obvious unless you are actively in the market or a Realtor familiar with the local market, but number of choices and amenities are on the decline in many areas. This is one of the subtle signs of an improving market. Simple supply and demand at work. While short sales and market reports of bad real estate market continue, those not active in the market may be missing out by not taking advantage of the low interest rates and declining supply of lower end choices. Inventory of homes for sale in Monterey is down with currently only 66 and only 19 under 500K and of those only 8 are 3 bed 2 bath or more.
Retro Real Estate Homeownership The Way It Used To Be 2/23/2011
Home ownership the way it used to be. When I started real estate in Pacific Grove 20 years ago a home purchase was more about the American dream. You bought to own. The goal was to have a house, a place to retire, a place to call your own, a safe haven. Recently it seems it has been more about an investment. Just a commodity to put in a portfolio. Of course prices dictate that owning real estate has become at least partially an investment. What has changed over the years is that a home buyer had to have a significant stake in the purchase. Usually 10-20% of the purchase price coming directly from buyer or a portion of the down payment being “carried” or loaned by the seller. “Skin in the game” is the phrase I am hearing a lot these days. This made sense on many levels. It protected the banks and their investors funds for the ups and downs of the real estate market. It also motivated the home owner to maintain their property and improve it and thus the neighborhood and community.
Over the years lenders came up with more and more creative ways to lend out our money. There was the 40 year mortgage. A good way for the young first time buyer to get into the market. It offered lots of mortgage write-off and could then be easily refinanced into 30 year mortgage a few years later. (It also of course generated large profits for the lender). Next there was the adjustable rate mortgage which protected the lender well, but is hardly worth the risk for the long haul owner.
As financing and lenders became more and more creative with their lending programs they allowed buyers with less and less down payment and income to qualify for loans. Borrowing against our homes becomes common practice. At some point it gets to the point where one can buy a house with no down payment and no documented income. As a result demand for real estate goes up, so do prices and everyone wants to be and can be a homeowner. Of course the bubble burst and those with little or no stake (skin in the game) are the first to bale and leave the properties to foreclosure. This results in lower and lower prices and of course the rest is history a collapsed and devastated real estate market that has effected all.
Fortunately lenders have changed their lending guidelines and once again buyers needs to have a significant stake in the purchase and the verified income to make the payments. This experience and the financial regulation and lessons that came from it should further strengthen the real estate market of the future. In the mean time prices are still down and interest rates are still low. Perhaps this is the time for you to go retro and buy real estate the way it used to be.
Eric Stauffer is a Realtor in Pacific Grove and can assist with real estate in Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Monterey, Carmel, Salinas Monterey highway and all areas of the Monterey peninsula.
Buying Home In Pacific Grove Monterey Peninsula 12/1/2010
Buying a home in Pacific Grove and the Monterey peninsula is a challenge. It has been so for my 20 years as a Realtor on the peninsula. Even though the market has gone up and down over the years, stagnated and then taken off again, it has always been a challenge to find clients great homes and investments. One of the reasons for this is the finite amount of space and water the peninsula has for real estate. Even though the inventory of homes for sale may go up and down (a good indicator of current market conditions) matching a home with a buyers needs and finances usually leaves a limited number of homes from which to choose.
So what do you need to do to buy a home? You need to make a friend in real estate. A fiduciary who will treat your home search as if it were their own. Work with a Realtor who knows the market and investment possibilities, and how to negotiate with your interests in mind.
What else do you need to do to buy real estate on the peninsula? You need to look at a number of homes and neighborhoods, enough so that you know every home in your price range. Then you and your Realtor can evaluate the market and your needs together. I suggest looking at a variety of homes to narrow the search to the ones that are of most interest to you. From there your Realtor can immediately prepare a current market value report of the homes you are considering. If you do not find a home currently on the market that suits you needs your Realtor will continue to monitor all new possibilities and keep you informed. (Often, once I am “working with” a buyer through interviewing sellers and networking I am able to find properties before they come on the market.)
Then you need to make offers to sellers. You can’t buy real estate without making offers. Making offers based on real evaluation of the value is the only way to test a sellers motivation. Sellers have different levels of interests in selling and different pricing options they may choose to exercise. You may find yourself making offers on several different homes before you find the right one at the right price. Even the best negotiators sometimes can’t over come an unmotivated seller, and you may have to move on to another. Whatever the circumstances (and they are as diverse as the principles and agents involved) My efforts as a Realtor are always with the clients interests in mind.
As a local Pacific Grove Realtor I can bring to you up to-date knowledge of the current market conditions, the inventory of homes for sale, how long they have been on the market, and perhaps most important, brokerage capabilities and experience bringing buyer and seller together.
Once you have a written agreement with the seller your Realtor will be able to help with the inspection, finance, escrow and contingency removal process.
Still Water Cove Pebble Beach
Links At Spanish Bay Pebble Beach
