House Hunting
Produced by Melissa Crowley

It was love at first sight.

KVIE producer Melissa Crowley and her husband Brian May found their dream home. At just under $200,000 the price was right -- but they soon learned first-hand that finding a home was easy. Making the sale was much harder...

In this case, Crowley struck out: nine calls too late to get one of six homes released that night. So it's back in the car for another day of hunting...more driving.

According to the Gregory Group, the capitol region's median home sales price is a record $279,990 -- up more than 20% from last year. To meet needs, there are more planned communities and more development further outside the larger Valley cities.

But the current demand and building boom has fueled concern about loss of open space. According to a state-wide survey, 76% of the Valley residents polled believe there should be boundaries to restrict development. And new building styles where homes are built on less land are sometimes criticized. Melissa learned that a 17-foot yard may be the trade off to get the size and price home she wanted. Realtors say better prices can be found on older homes, but competition is no less intense.

Market experts say, "Don't give up. Keep looking. And don't look for listings in the paper; by then, they may be sold." To stay ahead, realtors say to get pre-qualified, know what you can spend, and carry a letter to prove it. Melissa and her husband did. They also left a deposit at their first choice. Months later it paid off: when a Bay Area couple cancelled, Brian and Melissa were told to be there by 5 o'clock -- and the lot was theirs.

But many others still face frustration. Some are persistant -- and lucky -- enough to see the search pay off. Like Melissa and Brian, they learn that in a day, things can change.

 

Presentation also made possible by a grant from
the Great Valley Center