Real Estate

Granite Bay, California is located just 5 miles from Folsom and 24 miles from Sacramento. This close proximity to larger cities makes this small town a nice bedroom community. In fact, the ability to quickly get to Sacramento for work but live in the peace and quiet of a small town is one of the reasons people purchase homes for sale in Granite Bay.

The leaders of Granite Bay are actively looking for ways to keep the area attractive and popular to new people. New tracts of land are continually reviewed with determinations as to whether they will be made available as new housing developments or not. Just recently, approval was given for a new 31.8 acre tract of land for development. New businesses are starting on a regular basis in Granite Bay and growth looks like it will continue for years to come.

Prices for Granite Bay California Homes for Sale
With the popularity of Granite Bay, homes for sale can be sold quickly and come at higher prices this year than they did last year. The homes in Granite Bay have a higher value than the state average. Part of the reason for this higher value is popularity of the area and the sizes of the homes in this area are larger than the state average as well.

As with homes in any other area, Granite Bay homes for sale are valued at what people are willing to pay for them. If someone is willing to pay $425,000 for a home, it instantly becomes worth that amount. Other sellers will compare their homes to this recent sale to get an idea of what their homes will sell for.

Granite Bay is located just minutes from popular Folsom Lake and gives people an opportunity to participate in all kinds of water sports during the year. Whether it is fishing or water skiing or some other water based adventure, you can have your fill at the lake. If hanging out at the park is more your speed, many great parks are located in Granite Bay with plans underway for new parks and a new area featuring baseball, soccer and football fields and new tennis courts.

While some cities take lackadaisical attitudes toward future growth, Granite Bay is proactive. A city plan is in place, being followed and has even received special recognition. Purchasing Granite Bay real estate provides an opportunity to live in and own property in a city that is intentionally trying to make life better for its inhabitants.

Choosing Granite Bay Real Estate
A very important part of choosing any piece of real estate is following the rule of location, location and location. While many people understand this rule for their business, it is also an important rule for purchasing a home. Where your home is located will play a big role in your life.

You should take some time to think about the activities that your family likes to participate in on a regular basis. Consider locating your home near places offering these activities. Do you need quick access to the highway to get to and from work faster every day? How close do you want to live to various shopping areas? Choose a location offering you easy access to the parts of life you enjoy and you can spend more time enjoying these activities and less time getting to and from them.

When it comes to purchasing property in the Granite Bay area, you can choose any of the realtors in the area to work with. If you are driving around town and you notice a house is offered by XYZ Realty, you do not have to contact XYZ to purchase the home. You can work with a real estate agent from company ABC in the process of purchasing the home offered by XYZ.

Many times, company XYZ is more than happy for you to contact the company in regards to purchasing a particular piece of property. If there are two agents (or more) working for XYZ, one will have to represent you (the buyer) and one will represent the seller. The agent already working with the seller will continue to work with the seller and you will work with a different real estate agent.

Granite Bay realtors work together to transfer properties from one owner to another. The realtors from company ABC have a working relationship with realtors from company XYZ and other realty companies. The realtors working with the local Multiple Listing Service have access to the properties available with all of the reality companies working in the area who are a part of the MLS.

Picking a Granite Bay Realtor
When you are looking for a Granite Bay realtor, you should make your decision based on who the realtor is and the expertise he or she brings to the table. You need a realtor with a good knowledge of the housing market trends in Granite Bay, experience in putting together offers, contingencies and one who is easy to work with. Take the time to ask the realtor questions about his or her ability to help you find what you are looking for. This will help you determine how well you feel you can work with him or her.

Roseville California is located 18 miles northwest of Sacramento on Interstate 80, giving residents quick and easy access to the states capitol. Roseville has a population of over 90,000 residents, representing an increase in population of 14.8 percent from 2000 to 2002. Like most fast growing areas of California, housing values are on the rise as more people move into Roseville. Projections suggest Roseville will be home to over 100,000 residents in 2005.

Roseville is currently on the fastest growth trend for construction and new residents in its history. In 2002-2003, over 2,500 building permits were issued by the Citys Building Division for new home construction and apartment construction. At this time, there are 64 active subdivisions in the Roseville area.

Median Values for Roseville California Homes
Anytime an area is particularly popular, the homes in the area have a tendency to increase in value. The more popular an area is, the faster the homes tend to increase in value. Roseville homes have been increasing in value steadily over the last three years. In 2001, the median value for a home in Roseville was $228,500 and by 2003, this figure was up to $300,000.

For people who are looking for a home in the Roseville area, there is good news–the likelihood that the home values will continue to increase is very high. The bad news is the longer you wait to make a purchase, the more funds will be needed to purchase the same home. If you are looking for a $300,000 home and put off the decision to make the purchase for six months, you may have to spend $310,000 for the same type of property.

When purchasing Roseville real estate, it is easy to look at the initial cost of the home only. The true cost of your home will be determined by this initial cost and the amount of the loan you will have to pay in the coming years. Obtaining a lower interest rate for your home mortgage can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.

Make Big Purchases after Buying Roseville Real Estate
One of the most important aspects of any loan application is the debt to income ratio of the mortgage applicant. Basically, the lender runs a comparison of how much debt you currently have to the gross income you receive from all sources. The amount of debt is divided by the gross income total of the debt to come up with the ratio.

If you make $10,000 a month from all income sources and owe minimum payments of $2,500 per month, your debt to income ratio is .25. The acceptable debt to income ratio differs from one lender to the next but the better the ratio is, the better the interest rates will be for your home mortgage. Usually, lenders like to see a debt to income ratio of .30 or better. If the ratio is higher than .30, you may be on the bubble for not receiving a loan.

If you plan on purchasing a home, put off the purchase of vehicles, major appliances, furniture or anything else you would use some form of credit to purchase. Even though you may be able to afford these items and a house payment, you want your debt to income ratio to be as low as possible when you apply for your home mortgage. After you have closed on your home mortgage, you can stop at the car dealership on the way home to purchase a vehicle.