Buyer Tips from Dale Warfel - Benefits of Owning Your Own Home

As a fairly general rule, homes appreciate about five percent a year. The figure will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, and region to region.

Five percent may not seem like that much at first. Stocks (at times) appreciate much more, and you could earn over six percent with the safest investment of all, treasury bonds.

But take a second look…Presumably, if you bought a $200,000 house, you did not pay cash for the home. You got a mortgage, too. Suppose you put as much as twenty percent down – that would be an investment of $40,000.

At an appreciation rate of 5% annually, a $200,000 home would increase in value $10,000 during the first year. That means you earned $10,000 with an investment of $40,000. Your annual "return on investment" would be a whopping twenty-five percent.

Of course, you are making mortgage payments and paying property taxes, along with a couple of other costs. However, since the interest on your mortgage and your property taxes are both tax deductible, the government is essentially subsidizing your home purchase.

Your rate of return when buying a home is higher than most any other investment you could make.

Dale Warfel – knowledgeable and professional realtor

Dale warfel is a realtor specializing in homes in Almaden Valley and Willow Glen. Here's what one satisfied customer has to say:

Dale and his entire team provided the highest level of care we could have hoped for in our home purchase. Dale kept us informed every step of the way, provided clear and understandable answers to our questions, and provided a detailed market analysis on each property which interested us, prior to suggesting an offering price. We had a clear vision of the home we wanted, and he was tireless on our many home tours. We were kept up-to-date with the status of our escrow, making the process stress-free and fun. Dale has been a great communicator, well beyond the close of escrow, making sure that everything was running smoothly as we moved into what is now our new home. We would recommend Dale to anyone thinking of buying or selling their home.

- Doug and Kaycee Mallery

The original town of Willow Glen was founded in 1927 and annexed by San Jose in 1936, as were many other any adjacent areas that have developed since then. One of the many historical and unique districts within San Jose, Willow Glen is located south and slightly west of downtown. The traditional boundaries of Willow Glen are the Guadalupe River, Los Gatos Creek, and Coe and Curtner Avenues, though many adjacent areas are usually included today.

Downtown Willow Glen is on Lincoln Avenue, generally between Coe and Minnesota Avenues, and is well maintained due to the efforts of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (WGNA). The WGNA is a grassroots community organization similar to many other neighborhood organizations which is dedicated to the enhancement and preservation of the neighborhood, focusing on issues such as land use, planning, traffic, safety, open space, parks and recreation within the city. The organization recently played a part in the restoration of Los Gatos Creek, which has increased the value and beauty of the city, while providing a beautiful trail on which to bike, run, or walk.

One of the benefits of living in Willow Glen is the easy access to transportation. The Bay Area Rapid Transit has a station in the city that is within walking distance for many and is near a large child-care center. Residents also have access to a Caltrain station and park and ride lots. Highways 17 and 280 are close by, with downtown San Jose easily accessible by side streets.

Willow Glen schools are among some of the best in the nation. As part of a unique program designed to prepare students for college, the district allows students to choose their middle and high schools. At the elementary level, children are generally assigned to their neighborhood school, although the district also has three magnet elementary schools that can be chosen. After elementary school, however, students and parents decide where their children will attend school next. District schools hold tours to allow families to learn more about them and get their questions answered. Their goal is to help each child to find the campus that meets his or her special needs and desires.

Willow Glen is a city that has managed to retain its small town charm while still giving residents access to all the amenities of a major metropolitan area.

Looking for Homes in Almaden Valley? Call realtor Dale Warfel

Located in the rolling foothills in the southernmost valley of the San Jose metro area, Almaden Valley is an upscale, executive community featuring numerous parks, open space and a rural atmosphere.

It is a family-oriented community with excellent schools, plenty of recreational opportunities and magnificent views. The community is located southwest of Blossom Valley, separated by the Los Capitancillos Ridge.

Running along the ridge is Almaden Quicksilver County Park, one of the jewels of the Santa Clara County Park system. In terms of size, historical significance, and natural beauty, it rivals any state park. At the base of the ridge is Almaden Lake Park, San Jose's only park featuring a sand beach and swim area for fishing, boating, hiking, wind surfing, picnicking and playing volleyball or horseshoes. The park is also the site of the annual San Jose International Triathlon. Connected to the park is the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, a 3.9-mile trail featuring a fitness course. To the southeast is the historic mining town of New Almaden. To the southwest is the soaring forested wall of the Sierra Azuls, topped by Mt. Umunhum. The upscale community of some 40,000 residents is also home to Almaden Country Club, a private golf club that has hosted numerous tournaments. The real estate market features a mix of contemporary homes and executive properties.

One of the most attractive residential areas of Silicon Valley, the South San Jose community of Almaden is distinguished by nice hillside views and "one of the most gorgeous landscapes in America," according to the Greenbelt Alliance website. Almaden Valley's key attraction is Almaden Quicksilver County Park, which contains remnants of a historic mercury mine that produced more than $75 million in mineral wealth from the Gold Rush era to the 1970s (the San Jose mine's name came from the Almaden Mine in Spain). The Almaden Quicksilver Park also boasts plenty of hiking and biking trails and a spectacular wildflower display during the springtime. Almaden Expressway helps make the cultural attractions and amenities of the downtown area easily accessible for Almaden residents.

For your real estate needs in San Jose, particularly in Almaden Valley and Willow Glen, do contact Dale Warfel.

Dale Warfel joins the Council of Residential Specialists

Dale Warfel recently joined the Council of Residential Specialists. He will be starting classes in October in order to earn the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation and endeavor to serve you better.

What's a CRS?
The Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) is the highest Designation awarded to sales associates in the residential sales field. The CRS Designation recognizes professional accomplishments in both experience and education.

Why Use a CRS?
CRS Designees are pre-qualified. They have completed unparalleled training in both education and production to earn the CRS Designation. They are consummate professionals.

The Value of a CRS designation
CRS training gives a realtor in-depth knowledge about business planning, making listing presentations, negotiating and closing smoother transactions, working in the buyers’ and sellers’ best interest and building a referral business.

Those who have completed the rigorous educational and production requirements to earn the Certified Residential Specialist Designation, have many resources at their fingertips — strong referral network of more than 45,000 CRS members; timely and timeless news and information found in the bimonthly magazine, The Residential Specialist; and networking opportunities locally through CRS Chapters and nationally at events such as Sell-a-brations®, the Council’s annual educational conference, and National Committee Meetings held twice yearly.

Armed with a CRS designation, Dale Warfel will be better equipped to cater to your real estate needs in San Jose, particularly in Almaden Valley and Willow Glen.

How is a home's value determined?

You have several ways to determine the value of a home.

An appraisal is a professional estimate of a property's market value, based on recent sales of comparable properties, location, square footage and construction quality. This service varies in cost depending on the price of the home. On average, an appraisal costs about $300 for a $250,000 house.

A comparative market analysis is an informal estimate of market value performed by a real estate agent based on similar sales and property attributes. Most agents offer free analyses in the hopes of winning your business.

You also can get a comparable sales report for a fee from private companies that specialize in real estate data or find comparable sales information available on various real estate Internet sites.