What Do Our Past Clients Think of Us?

 There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

We do everything we can to make sure your buying or selling experience goes as smoothly as possible. We strive to exceed expectations and ensure all your real estate goals are accomplished. Don't believe us? Check out what a valued past client had to say about us!

Sanjay Varshney:

"I moved here 10 years ago from Syracuse, New York. When I moved here, it was a very interesting time - the market was climbing very quickly and homes were selling very fast. We had less than a day to figure out the market and find a home. We were very lucky to meet Thomas March. He was our guy - in one weekend he took us all over the place. We found a home in Folsom and bought it. Thomas was instrumental in helping us find a home because he knew the market and was able to execute a deal in a short amount of time."

"To find the right home was imperative, as the move from Syracuse to Sacramento was a huge task. My wife and I had a large home filled with many things we have collected over the years, so the move would not have been easy without the help of Thomas March. After a year at our home in Folsom, we decided we wanted to move into a bigger home. The first person we thought to call was Thomas March because he did such a great job the first time. We were truly amazed by how he was able to help us."

"The market has come a long way since 2004, homes aren't selling now like they were then. The prices, while they have come back quite a bit, are still tough for sellers. In order to sell in the market we sold in, we had to do all the right things in order to achieve our selling goals in a short period of time. Thomas March was fantastic - he had the right marketing plan, was very knowledgeable about the market, understood the key pricing concepts, and had the sophistication to figure out what the market was willing to bare and act quickly."

"I'm very business driven. I didn't want to waste my time looking at the wrong people, chasing the wrong things, and being promised things that will never be delivered. I told him what I wanted from my home sale and what I was willing to do to make it happen. I found Thomas March to be very honest and sincere about his effort. He staged our home to make it look stunning and helped us accomplish our selling goals."

"We had a very professional experience in an industry that is not always professional. We were very pleased - you don't see people use the same Realtor® twice very often, but we did. If I had to use someone a third or fourth time, I would call Thomas March!"

Sanjay isn't the first person we've helped accomplish their buying and selling goals, and he won't be the last. If you want a professional experience with an agent you can trust to get the job done for you, give us a call! We would love to help you make the most of your real estate experience! 

Where's the Market Heading and What Does It Mean For You?

 There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Where's the Market Heading and What Does It Mean For You?

It's that time of year again! The holidays are upon us and the new year is right around the corner, making now a perfect time to stop and take a look at what's happening in the Sacramento market.

Currently, there are 3,522 homes for sale, which is a 2.1% increase over last month and a 25.2% increase over last year. A total of 1,354 properties sold last month, which is a 5.6% decrease from last month and a 4.1% decrease over last year. These numbers are nothing to worry about, however, because the number of pending homes is up 11% over last year and we have 1,489 homes pending, which is a slight 1.4% increase since last month.

What this tells us is we currently have a pretty stable market. There is still under three months of inventory here in Sacramento, which is technically a seller's market, but low interest rates make it a good time to buy as well. As we head into the winter market, many people think the market will slow down, as people are pulling out of the market for the holidays. Right now, if you're a buyer, you should take advantage of the fact that many buyers are pulling out of this very competitive market.

We hear from many buyers that they would rather wait until spring to look for a home because there is a higher inventory. While that's true, there will also be a lot more buyers out there to compete with. We truly believe that the current market is one of the best ones to buy a home in. Interest rates are expected to rise sometime next year, so now may be the most ideal time to buy a home for years to come. 

Rising interest rates also affect sellers. When rates go up next year, many buyers are going to realize they can no longer afford homes they were initially interested in, or may find out that they are no longer eligible for financing. Since buyers are likely to leave the market in droves next year, now is also the time to sell, while buyers are still clamoring for homes. It's probably not in your best interest to wait until spring next year. 

These are just a few things to think about as the year comes to an end. If you would like to discuss what these conditions mean for you, or if you have any general questions about real estate, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to hear from you!

What You Need to Know as a First-Time Home Buyer

There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

What You Need to Know as a First-Time Home Buyer

The Sacramento real estate market has changed dramatically in the past year. We are seeing a lot more inventory on the market, as well as historically low interest rates. This surge in market activity has had us talking to a lot of first-time home buyers lately. Deciding to purchase your first home is a big step, and there is a lot of information you should be aware of. That is why we are joined today by our preferred lender Doug Jones. Doug is going to talk to us about some great programs that are out there, designed for first-time home buyers.

There are some great programs out there right now for first time home buyers in the finance world. A lot of programs that require little down payments. There are a lot of reasons to put a small down payment on a home, but for first time home buyers, it's because you don't quite have the cash reserves to put $20,000 down on a home.

There are 2 primary options that offer low down payment plans for 30-year fixed mortgages. FHA financing allows you to get into a home with just a 3.5% down payment. Conventional financing requires a minimum 5% down payment.


The other 2 options are a little more complex. With VA financing, you aren't required to pay any down payment, but the catch is you will need to be either active-duty or retired military or national guard. If you have a document called the DD214, you are all but guaranteed a VA loan with 0% down. 

Another program is USDA. This is a rural program for unincorporated areas such as Lincoln, Loomis, and parts of Auburn. Those allow a small down payment as well. 

Another question that we get a lot from first time home buyers is what kind of down payment assistance we can offer. We can offer some great down payment assistance programs through CHDAP, or the California Housing Down Payment Assistance Program. This program is designed to be combined with an FHA loan to bring down the payment to between 1/2% and 1%.

For conventional financing, while CHDAP doesn't lower the down payment from 5%, it allows you to use 3% of that 5% to cover closing costs. There are definitely a lot of great programs out there for first time home buyers. 

If you have any questions about mortgages, or about anything else real estate related, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We would be more than happy to assist you!

How we helped Michael purchase a home by following through on everything

Thomas did a very good job for us. We were looking in a 55 and over community and I was about 3 months away from being 55. There were some issues initially on whether or not we could move in right away and he got all of that solved quickly. He got us 11,000 dollars off of what it was originally listed and helped in directing the loan. He really just did a bang up job for us and followed through on everything! 

Sacramento Real Estate Market Update for Fall 2014

There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Sacramento Real Estate Market Update for Fall 2014

Hey there everybody. Welcome back to our blog. Today what we'd like to do is give you a brief market update on what has been going on in both Sacramento and Placer Counties lately. We hope you take the information from this market update and absorb it so you can know exactly what's going on in real estate. First, let's talk about Sacramento County.

• We currently have 3,349 homes for sale, a 41.2% increase over last year at this time.
• We have had 1,726 homes go pending so far this year, an increase of 8.3% over last year
• Right now, the average price per square foot for a home in Sacramento County is $174, 14% higher than last year

Overall, Sacramento County sees positive signs for both buyers and sellers. Right now, we are selling homes at 101.2% of asking price and the average days our homes are on the market is under 21, so they are selling quick. On the other hand, extremely low interest rate and an increase in inventory give buyers more options and more savings. Now, let's talk about Placer County. Right now in Placer county:

• We have 154 homes on the market, a big 56.3% increase from the inventory we had at this time in 2013.
• The average price per sq. ft. in Placer County is $191
• There are less than 3 months of inventory on hand, making Placer County a better place for sellers.

If you would like to get some more market statistics or just have any questions we can answer, please give us a call or send us an email. We'd love to help out!

A Walk Through the Loan Process

There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

A Walk Through the Loan Process

When you decide to purchase a new home, securing a loan should be one of your top priorities. Today we have invited Doug Jones from Big Valley Mortgage to talk with us about just that. Doug is one of the top mortgage bankers in the area and Big Valley Mortgage is one of the top 5 lending organizations here in Northern California. We are excited to have Doug talk to us about the lending process and how you can secure a loan

 The exciting thing about the loan process is that you have already gone through the pre-approval process. You have already provided your income, assets, taxes, and all the documentation you need to get pre-approved. Once your offer is accepted on a home, that's when we go to work on your loan. We then submit the documentation to underwriting and produce the initial loan disclosures, which are all the government forms that need to be signed to underwrite your loan. 

At that point, you will go through with inspections on the new home and we will order the appraisal. Once we get those results back, the entire file is submitted to underwriting. After it's done there, we get the loan approval and lock in your interest rate. Within 48 hours we fund your loan, and then you can get

Big Valley mortgage has been in the local market since 1990 and are the 25th largest mortgage bank in the US. As a mortgage bank, they offer in-house underwriting, doc drawing, and funding at their offices. What that means to you is that your loan will be processed locally with common sense underwriters and people that live in your community.

If you have any questions about mortgages or about anything else real estate related, let us know. We'd be glad to answer any questions you have.

Sacramento Real Estate Market Update for Summer 2014

There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Sacramento Real Estate Market Update for Summer 2014

Today we want to talk to you a little bit about all that has been happening in the Sacramento real estate market this summer. Let's get started. Here are some things you need to know, it's a pretty crazy market right now.

• We are seeing prices all over the place
• In the past month, we have seen a 10% increase in the number of homes that have gone on the market.
• We have seen an increase in pending home sales in the past month of 5.4% 
• Compared to last year at this time, the number of homes available for purchase is up 57.6%. This is great news if you are looking to buy a home right now, as there are many more options to choose from compared to last year, when we had only about a month of inventory available.
• With interest rates continuing to be low, now is a great time to buy. We expect home prices to increase anywhere from 3-10% in the next year so locking in a mortgage rate with these prices is essential. Waiting is not in your best interest!
• Like we said before, prices are all over the place. It's important that you work with somebody who understands the market, knows the numbers, and is able to give you good advice on purchasing a home. 
• We are seeing homes that are priced correctly going for top dollar and going fast, so now is a great time to buy as well.

If you are looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate or know somebody who is, give us a call or send us an email. It's a great time to be buying or selling in the real estate market and we would love to help them accomplish their goals.

Sacramento California Real Estate

There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Sacramento Real Estate Market Update

In the market analysis we performed, we found that the Average Sold Price was $165/square foot. However the Average Pending Market, or the homes that have just gone under contract, was $179/square foot.

The craziness of this is that at the beginning of January, we had under a three month supply of homes. Moving onto February, we had a six month supply of homes! Normally when the inventory rises and the demand remains stable, prices will fall. The opposite is taking place.

As a home seller, you need to have someone that can interpret the market and tell you the actual price of your home – not just give you a random number and watch your home sit on the market. On the other hand, if you’re a buyer looking to purchase in this market, end up paying thousands more than you should without an expert advisor. An advisor will know the absorption rate and month supply of homes to guide you through the process.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Make it a great one!

2014 Sacramento Real Estate Market Update

There are many great Roseville and Sacramento area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (916) 529-5342 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

What is the Current Market Like

Hello, I'm back with you again to provide a real estate market update for the Sacramento area. Before I go in-depth, I'd like to remind you that we offer free resources such as free home searches as well as a free home evaluation. Please feel free to use these free resources - they're here for your usage.

With that being said, 2013 functioned largely as a stabilizing year, and 2014 looks to build on this activity.

• Last year at this time Placer County had a 1.2 month inventory which was extremely low, but a year later we are now looking at 3.2 months of inventory.

• At this time last year Sacramento County had a 1.1 month supply of homes, and this year there is a 2.6 month supply. We're esentially seeing three times the amount of properties.

• This low inventory is great news for home sellers because it will force buyers to compete with one another, and this will probably bring much higher prices for homes.

• For home buyers, this means that there are more options out there for you. You will likely still see multiple offers on properties, but nothing like what occurred last year.

• Single story homes are also getting unbelievable prices right now, so if you're on the market with a single-story home, please come and see me because I can help you get an unbelievable price for it.

• Later on this year you can expect interest rates to rise. So if you plan on buying this year, do it as soon as possible to avoid larger monthly payments.

Bottom line is, sellers will reap the benefits of inventories that are still relatively low, and buyers will have a little more to work with but should be aware that interest rates are rising.

Once again, if you need any assistance buying or selling a home, let me know and I would be glad to help you out. I can be reached at (916) 960-4529 or you can email me at thomas@thomasmarch.com

Do You Remember What a Crazy Year it Was?

What a wild ride it has been this year! When we began 2013, we had seen less than a months’ supply of homes, multiple offer scenarios and a bit of recovery in the market. Boy, did things change during the first quarter! We saw home prices appreciate 15-20% and by the end of the quarter, we saw pricing structures similar to 2004-05. In fact, we sold two homes last year that were priced higher than they were in 2005. Needless to say, there has been amazing recovery in the market and things seem to remain strong.

There are still also droves of buyers flocking to the market and not nearly enough properties for all of them. However, inventory levels are increasing and we are starting to see less and less of the bidding wars we saw in the second quarter of 2013. Prices are starting to rollback and sellers aren’t able to ask whatever they want for a property and get away with it. I can see this trend continue through 2014 and inventory rising in the spring. This may cause price reductions in the second quarter of 2014 which means that could be the best time to sell your home in the coming years.

My prediction is that we will see a 5-15% drop in pricing towards the end of the year as interest rates are predicted to rise to as much as 5.5%. This is how the market keeps itself balanced. For every percent that the interest rates go up, a 10% drop in pricing must occur; in other words, this is to keep the monthly payment the same.

Our prediction for 2014 is a strong first quarter followed by a slowing in the second and third quarters with serious price reductions closing out 2014 as interest rates go up. This means the beginning of the year is a great time to sell your home and if you’re thinking about buying, you want to do so before interest rates go up. Waiting will not be on your side in 2014!

I want to wish you the best in 2014 and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Make it a great day!


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