Barry Ripp ~ East Bay Area Real Estate

Federal authorities have charged seven men with infecting millions of computers with a virus-like program that tricked users’ Web browsers into navigating to phony pages stocked with ads, earning the defendants as much as $14 million. This type of online fraud is known as click-jacking, which waits for users to click on links to popular websites and then quietly redirected their browsers to similar-looking sites larded with online ads — ads that allegedly earned the defendants cash each time they were displayed.

So remember, be aware of what you are clicking.  And don’t be fooled into fraudulent “free” offers.

Related articles

• iYogi Alert: Beware of Browser Frauds (prweb.com)
• Official Guide To Facebook Security – Protecting Your Facebook Accounts from Scammers (techie-buzz.com)
• Think You Can’t Get Scammed? (toilet-blog.com)
• 7 charged with ‘clickjacking’ virus (mercurynews.com)

Alameda County Planning staff is urging the Board of Supervisors to adopt an ordinance that would require property owners to complete energy efficiency retrofits prior to their homes being sold. The proposal is part of the latest version of the County’s draft Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP). Bay East members and staff worked with the County during 2010 to remove the point-of-sale requirements from the CCAP. However, in response to a threat of litigation from another interest group, County staff is now suggesting the retrofits be added back into the plan.

If the County Supervisors accept the the staff recommendation of including a Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance (RECO) in the CCAP, all homes being sold in Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Fairview, Sunol and the rest of unincorporated Alameda County would be subject to energy retrofits at the time of sale.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will review the draft CCAP at a meeting on May 17.

Our Realty World cameras video taped almost every major city in Northern California.  This should help you learn more about the city that you may want to move to.    Just click the city you are interested in.   Please enjoy the show.

I look forward to helping you in anyway I can. 

Alameda, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umg9CUVhcm0

Albany, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHtBnoRUEe8

Berkeley, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99hulMyHn50

Blossom Valley, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NnhW9Aa8qo

Campbell, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vW1XRohxnA

Carmel, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_fv8raJvJs

Cupertino, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t5-VBa-xDI

Dublin, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrCa7J8vseY

Emeryville, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIVFzcKDqJM

Fremont, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxBg9z_aZX0

Gilroy, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpIcevWc1T0

Hayward, San Lorenzo, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj-9Q44DxoE

Livermore, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIceLQhYBeo

Los Altos, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGbdSewOpzs

Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjz7pIcPVnI

Milpitas, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L70mGkUN-Ug

Monterey, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5tAE6JFD9I

Morgan Hill, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMtQmrp20-8

Mountain View, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMRVDVYCNZE

Newark, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G5FT6SGeio

Oakland, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3okcJIUIlwI

Palo Alto, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkJBK3-R_Aw

Piedmont, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErZ_obcGb54

Pleasanton, Sunol, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voAFmyM3NGw

Salinas, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-EYkmN7WR8

San Jose, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcK3X9J-awU

San Leandro, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAu1Up1PNnw

Santa Clara, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnmCscnxXKs

Santa Cruz, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1_mh1uLlF8

Saratoga, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kESZB-7tyeg

Sunnyvale, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LcGBiK7e1Y

Union City, California – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFXiAOe1Yck

 School Parcel Taxes:  The shortage of money has hit our schools too.  An iten on upcoming ballots wll ask for a proposed school parcel taxes for the New Haven Unified School District and the Pleasanton Unified School District. 

• Measure “B” will establish a $180 per-parcel tax for the New Haven Unified School District. This district provides public education for the residents of Union City and portions of southern Hayward. If approved, it will generate approximately $3 million annually and will expire in four years. The revenues will be used to maintain class sizes, minimize teacher lay-offs and preserve school programs including sports, arts and extra-curricular activities. For more information, please click here.
• Measure “E” will establish a $98 per-parcel tax for the Pleasanton Unified School District. If approved, it will generate approximately $2.1 million annually and will expire in four years. Revenues will be used to maintain core academic instruction, attract and retain teachers, keep school libraries open and minimize class size increases. For more information, please click here.

California home sales rose in January, marking three consecutive monthly increases and posting their highest level since May 2010, while the statewide median price declined to its lowest level since June 2009, according to data C.A.R. 

“With lower home prices and rates edging up from their historic lows of late last year, prospective home buyers should consider the opportunities in today’s market,” said C.A.R. President Beth L. Peerce.

California home sales rose 5.1 percent in January compared with December, to a revised pace of 520,080 units.  Sales also increased 2.5 percent in year-over-year comparisons, marking the first year-over-year sales increase since May 2010.  The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2011 if sales maintained the January pace throughout the year.  It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home sold in California was $278,900, down 8.6 percent from a revised $305,020 in December and was down 2.0 percent from the $284,600 median price recorded for January 2010.  The January 2011 median price was the lowest since June 2009, when it was $274,640.

On Tuesday, Dec 21 the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will review and adopt a Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP is a comprehensive plan to reduce the emission of “green house” gases and will impact transportation, land use, economic development and residential and commercial real estate in the unincorporated communities of Cherryland, Ashland, Castro Valley, Sunol, Fairview and areas south and east of Livermore.

Local Realtors testified at several public hearings about the CAP during 2010 urging the County to encourage property owners to make their homes more energy efficient on a voluntary basis.  The final version of the CAP should not include a Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance or point-of-sale requirements. However, pressure from other interest groups could result in these measures being added by the Board of Supervisors at the last minute.

The final public hearing on the Alameda County Climate Action Plan will be held Tuesday, December 21 at 2:00 pm in the County Administration Building Supervisors’ Chamber at 1221 Oak Street in Oakland. Realtors will attend and testify at the meeting.

The City of Fremont (Calif) has their 2011-2012 Community & Dining Guide now available.  It includes shopping and dining options located throughout Fremont.  This handy guide also includes local activities to try and places to visit.  You can call 510-284-4020 or email: econdev@fremont.gov to get your free copy.  To download an interactive version, go online to: www.Fremont.gov/CommunityGuide .

FREMONT IS “GREEN, CLEAN AND READY FOR THE FUTURE”.

   Fremont was recently showcased in a ‘Green, Clean & Ready for the Future’ video that focused on Fremont as a home to innovative technologies.

 Highlights include President Obama’s visit to Fremont’s Solyndra’s solar manufacturing plant and  Tesla Motors announcement to build electric cars here in Fremont.  To see the video, visit: www.fremont.gov/CleantechVideo .

A recent survey by Fannie Mae found that 70 percent of Americans think it is a good time to buy a house, with 47 percent of responsdents saying they believe home prices will hold steady over the next year.  However, 33 percent said they would be more likely to rent their next home if they were to move.

A majority of Americans (67 percent) continue to believe that housing is a safe investment; however, that number is down 16 percentage points from a similar survey conducted in 2003, according to Fannie Mae.  Delinquent borrowers and renters are notably more discouraged than mortgage borrowers and underwater borrowers about a home’s safety as an investment and the appeal of buying versus renting. More than 70 percent of all respondents believe it will be harder for the next generation to buy a home, an increase of three percentage points compared with the beginning of the year.

 ~ Barry Ripp            www.barryripp.com         

This information was obtained by the Calif. Association of REALTORS with permission.

Update Your Kitchen:  Add new door knobs or paint your cabinets. It’s not much money and can make your kitchen feel new again.

Light-Up Your Kitchen:  Add “under-the-counter” lighting with battery-powered LED lights. With adhesive-backing, they are easy to install.

Create an Accent Wall: Paint or wall paper one wall in your living or dining room. Choose a color that goes well with your furniture.

Paint That Old Brick:  Don’t be afraid to paint the old dirty brick around your fireplace or the front of your house.  White will always give it a clean fresh look.

Add a Stainless Steel Backsplash behind your stove. Nail the easy-to-clean panel on the wall.

All of these things should be easy to find at your local hardware stores.  I hope you enjoy your new upgrades while saving money too.

 ~ Barry Ripp

www.barryripp.com

                                                         To comply with the stricter lending guidelines of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and to avoid accusations that the loans sold to Fannie and Freddie are based on inflated appraisals, some real estate professionals have reported lenders lowering home values on appraisals submitted to them. However, effective Sept. 1, Fannie Mae is prohibiting the purchase of loans from lenders who change appraisers’ numbers.

Generally, lenders order a low-cost electronic valuation—based on publicly available statistical data—to review the accuracy of the information submitted by the appraiser. If there is a discrepancy between the electronic valuation and the appraiser’s report, the lender’s underwriters may reduce the appraisal figure.

 ~ Barry Ripp

From:  Calif. Assoc. of Realtors & LA Times