Homes of the Napa Valley

Serving the North Bay community for over 20 years

707-257-6000
Christine Hannah, Broker /Owner Ca BRE # 01273087

St. Helena’s Las Alcobas Napa Valley hotel is for sale

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Las Alcobas Napa Valley, the 68-room hotel that opened in April 2017, is for sale.

CBRE Hotels, a real estate company specializing in hotels, lists Las Alcobas as an “exclusive, luxury acquisition opportunity in the heart of the Napa Valley.” The brochure doesn’t disclose an asking price.

The hotel is on Highway 29 just south of St. Helena’s elm tunnel. It includes chef Chris Cosentino’s Acacia House restaurant.

 

It offers rooms with terraces with views of the adjacent 200-acre Beringer vineyard. The property has 3,900 square feet of meeting space, a spa and swimming pool.

Aerial view

 

Las Alcobas Napa Valley, the 68-room hotel that opened in April 2017, is for sale.

CBRE Hotels, a real estate company specializing in hotels, lists Las Alcobas as an “exclusive, luxury acquisition opportunity in the heart of the Napa Valley.” Christine Hannah:”The brochure doesn’t disclose an asking price.”

The hotel is on Highway 29 just south of St. Helena’s elm tunnel. It includes chef Chris Cosentino’s Acacia House restaurant.

It offers rooms with terraces with views of the adjacent 200-acre Beringer vineyard. The property has 3,900 square feet of meeting space, a spa and swimming pool.

Read more…

VA Loans by the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC] Veteran Special!

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VA Loans by the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights:

  • Since the creation of the VA Home Loans Program, 22 million veterans have been able to achieve the American Dream of homeownership.
  • In 2017, $188 billion was loaned to veterans and their families through the program.
  • VA Purchase Loans are on the rise in 46 out of 50 states and Washington, DC.
  • We have Investor loans for Veterans. Our CEO Alan Vaughn served in US Airforce.

Napa House Prices: Simply a Matter of Supply and Demand

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House Prices: Simply a Matter of Supply & Demand | Simplifying The Market Why are home prices still rising in Napa? It is a simple answer. There are more purchasers in the market right now than there are available homes for them to buy. This is an example of the theory of “supply and demand” which is defined as:
“the amount of a commodity, product, or service available and the desire of buyers for it, considered as factors regulating its price.”
When demand exceeds supply, prices go up. This is currently happening in the residential real estate market. Here are the numbers for supply and demand as compared to last year for the last three months (March numbers are not yet available): House Prices: Simply a Matter of Supply & Demand | Simplifying The Market In each of the last three months, demand (buyer traffic) has increased as compared to last year while supply (number of available listings) has decreased. If this situation persists, home values will continue to increase.

Bottom Line

The reason Napa home prices are still rising is because there are many purchasers looking to buy, but very few homeowners ready to sell. This imbalance is the reason prices will remain on the uptick. Call or email for current trends inside Napa and the Napa Valley.

NOT Owning Your Home Can Cost You a Lot of Money!

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NOT Owning Your Home Can Cost You a Lot of Money! | Simplifying The Market Owning a home has great financial benefits, yet many continue to rent! Today, let’s look at the financial reasons why owning a home of your own has been a part of the American Dream for as long as America has existed. Realtor.com recently reported that:
“Buying remains the more attractive option in the long term – that remains the American dream, and it’s true in many markets where renting has become really the shortsighted option… as people get more savings in their pockets, buying becomes the better option.”

What proof exists that owning is financially better than renting?

1. In a previous blog we highlighted the top 5 financial benefits of homeownership:
  • Homeownership is a form of forced savings.
  • Homeownership provides tax savings.
  • Homeownership allows you to lock in your monthly housing cost.
  • Buying a home is cheaper than renting.
  • No other investment lets you live inside of it.
2. Studies have shown that a homeowner’s net worth is 44x greater than that of a renter. 3. Just a few months ago, we explained that a family that purchased an average-priced home at the beginning of 2018 could build more than $44,000 in family wealth over the next five years. 4. Some argue that renting eliminates the cost of taxes and home repairs, but every potential renter must realize that all the expenses the landlord incurs are already baked into the rent payment– along with a profit margin!!

Bottom Line

Owning a home has always been, and will always be, better from a financial standpoint than renting.

99% of Experts Agree: Napa Home Prices Will Increase

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99% of Experts Agree: Home Prices Will Increase | Simplifying The Market

Some believe that the combined effects of the new tax code and rising mortgage rates will have an adverse impact on residential real estate prices in 2018. However, the clear majority of recently surveyed housing experts believe that home values will continue to rise this year.

What is the Home Price Expectation Survey?

Each quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of economists, real estate experts and investment & market strategists. Those surveyed include experts such as:

  • Daniel Bachman, Senior Manager, U.S. Economics at Deloitte Services, LP
  • Kathy Bostjancic, Head of U.S. Macro Investors Service at Oxford Economics
  • David Downs, Real Estate Finance Professor at VCU
  • Edward Pinto, Resident Fellow at American Enterprise Institute
  • Albert Saiz, Director at MIT Center for Real Estate

Where do these experts see home values headed in 2018?

Here is a breakdown of where they see home values twelve months from now:

  • 21.6% believe prices will appreciate by 6% or more
  • 71.6% believe prices will appreciate between 3 and 5.99%
  • 5.7% believe prices will appreciate between 0 and 2.99%
  • Only 1.1% believe prices will depreciate

Bottom Line

Almost ninety-nine percent of the top experts studying Napa's residential real estate believe that prices will appreciate this year, and over 93% believe home values will appreciate by at least 3%.

Why do House Price go Up in Napa?

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Buyer Demand Still Outpacing the Supply of Homes for Sale | Simplifying The Market The price of any item is determined by the supply of that item, as well as market demand. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) surveys “over 50,000 real estate practitioners about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions” for their monthly REALTORS Confidence Index. Their latest edition sheds some light on the relationship between Seller Traffic (supply) and Buyer Traffic (demand).

Buyer Demand

The map below was created after asking the question: “How would you rate buyer traffic in your area?” Buyer Demand Still Outpacing the Supply of Homes for Sale | Simplifying The Market The darker the blue, the stronger the demand for homes in that area. Only four states had a ‘stable’ demand level.

Seller Supply

The index also asked: “How would you rate seller traffic in your area?” As you can see from the map below, 25 states reported ‘weak’ seller traffic, 21 states reported ‘stable’ seller traffic, 3 states and Washington D.C. reported ‘strong’ seller traffic, and only 1 state reported ‘very strong’ seller traffic. This means there are far fewer homes on the market than what is needed to satisfy the buyers who are out looking for their dream homes. Buyer Demand Still Outpacing the Supply of Homes for Sale | Simplifying The Market

Bottom Line

Looking at the maps above, it is not hard to see why prices are appreciating in many areas of the country. Until the supply of homes for sale starts to meet buyer demand, prices will continue to increase. If you are debating listing your home for sale, let’s get together to help you capitalize on the demand in the market now!

Napa Home Staging Before and After (video)

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The properties you see in the video sold shortly after being staged. They were on the market for months before that. As you can see, the living room of the first property was painted and we bought and installed a dining room fixture.

5 Bedroom Executive American Canyon Home for Sale

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This immaculate 5 bedroom, 3 bath estate features the best wine country has to offer. Location, large 2,916 square foot home built with high quality materials, and features breathtaking views. Convenient bedroom on main floor. This prestigious neighborhood is quiet and peaceful and neighbors a beautiful playground nearby. The Napa Valley School district is highly sought after. Great for commuters, easy access to Highway 29, 37 and 80.

5 Reasons Why to Sell This Spring in Napa!

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5 Reasons Why to Sell This Spring! | Simplifying The Market Here are five reasons listing your home for sale this spring makes sense.

1. Demand Is Strong

The latest Buyer Traffic Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains very strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing and able to purchase…and are in the market right now! More often than not, multiple buyers are competing with each other to buy a home. Take advantage of the buyer activity currently in the market. We sold 112 homes in Napa Valley in March alone!

2. There Is Less Competition Now

Housing inventory has declined year over year for the last 32 months and is still under the 6-month supply needed for a normal housing market. This means that, in the majority of the country, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers in the market. This is good news for homeowners who have gained equity as their home values have increased. However, additional inventory could be coming to the market soon. Historically, the average number of years a homeowner stayed in their home was six but has hovered between nine and ten years since 2011. There is a pent-up desire for many homeowners to move as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. As home values continue to appreciate, more and more homeowners will be given the freedom to move. The choices buyers have will continue to increase. Don’t wait until this other inventory comes to market before you decide to sell.

3. The Process Will Be Quicker

Today’s competitive environment has forced buyers to do all they can to stand out from the crowd, including getting pre-approved for their mortgage financing. This makes the entire selling process much faster and much simpler as buyers know exactly what they can afford before home shopping. According to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insights Report, the average time it took to close a loan was 45 days.

4. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move Up

If your next move will be into a premium or luxury home, now is the time to move up! The inventory of homes for sale at these higher price ranges has forced these markets into a buyer’s market. This means that if you are planning on selling a starter or trade-up home, your home will sell quickly, AND you’ll be able to find a premium home to call your own! Prices are projected to appreciate by 4.8% over the next year according to CoreLogic. If you are moving to a higher-priced home, it will wind up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait.

5. It’s Time to Move on With Your Life

Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and determine whether it is worth waiting. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than your health? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should? Only you know the answers to the questions above. You have the power to take control of the situation by putting your home on the market. Perhaps the time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire.

That is what is truly important.

We sold in March of 2018 112 homes in Napa Valley. The demand is strong. Talk to Christine Hannah for facts.