Posts Tagged ‘condo’

John Laing Stops Building in Fremont, CA

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On February 1, 2009, I  listed  the model home (previously sales office),  and leased by John Laing Developer.    Every week-end, 30-40 homebuyers, came asking about the status of the John Laing builder.  Because the home I listed is owned by a private owner, I did not have any information about the builder’s status.

Therefore,  I called the John Laing Headquarters  in February and I was told that they are not going to continue building or complete the Villa d’este community in Fremont.   It’s up to their lender to decide on the future of this community in the Ardenwood area.

However, since this is the only floorplan and home available, there is no competition.  Unfortunately, the asking price is not attractive to home buyers and timing is wrong,  due to the current economic trend.  The owner bought the model home for $1,400,000.   It is currently listed for $1,275,000 which is still a loss for the seller.    The property does have over $200,000 of upgrades with high end appliances.

Recent article about the John Laing company, please click here.

Article on Timeline of John Laing’s pathway to Bankruptcy, please click here.

New Loan Fees for Homebuyers

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newsletter_marketmatters_newspaper2 SF Chronicle

Beginning April 1, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will increase mandatory fees and toughen credit-score and down-payment rules.

Under the new guidelines, applicants will be charged more for down payments of less than 30 percent. Home buyers with FICO scores between 700 and 720 will pay an extra three-quarters of a point. Applicants who purchase a condominium and do not have a 25 percent down payment also will pay a three-quarter point add-on penalty, regardless of their FICO score, for purchasing a condominium instead of a single-family home.
The two Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) said the additional fees are to counter higher risks and losses associated with certain loan products, buyer equity stakes, and credit scores.

To read the full story, please click here