Tri-Valley Mortgage News

Memorial Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:44:11 -0400

Memorial Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Summer is in full swing and that means it's time to hit the parks. The San Ramon/Danville area has absolutely fantastic parks to take advantage of. With average summer temperatures around here in the high 80s, most of the parks also have water features to cool the kiddos down. A few parks even have newly updated play structures.

I have two children: ages 6 and 2 so I have lots of experience with Danville parks and San Ramon parks. In the coming weeks I will lay out the low-down on the best this great area has to offer.

Memorial Park in San Ramon

Perched atop a hill at the intersection of Bollinger Canyon Road and San Ramon Valley Boulevard, Memorial Park was dedicated on September 11, 2002. According to Wikipedia it was originally to be named Alta Mesa Park but during its construction the city changed the name to honor the heros and victims of the September 11^th, 2001 terrorist attacks. Most notable among these is Tom Burnett, a San Ramon resident who perished on Flight 93 and was one of the integral group who thwarted that flight's intended attack. Memorial plaques honoring Burnett and other local residents who have passed adorn the base of the flagpole monument as well as the bases of a few young redwood trees planted in their honor.

Memorial Park's amenities and view live up to the park's notable reputation. The playground is a plethora of monkey bar, zip line and sliding fun for older kids as well as a smaller climb, crawl and slide structure for the younger set. The two areas are nicely spaced but close enough for parents to watch the whole brood. There is also a spacious enclosed sand play area with plenty of bench seating.

There is a neatly manicured baseball field bordered by a sandy walking/running trail. There are also horseshoe pits and a bocce ball court, two ample BBQs and 3 picnic tables (if those are taken, there is ample grass space to picnic too).

Two other added features make this a unique park. One is the popular dog run which is up the hill from the main park as well as a hilly BMX bike track near the dog run, equally as popular. After my young kids are through playing it's fun to go watch the big kids defy gravity!

Perhaps the most attractive and all-encompassing feature of Memorial Park is the sensation of rising above the noise and chaos of the streets below. The clear view of Mount Diablo and the surrounding mountains in the distance imparts serenity and peace - fitting for a park whose very name reminds us all of how precious and fragile life really is.

For more information on San Ramon parks click here.

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925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 28th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:13:59 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 28th 2010

Economic News: Yesterday's Case-Shiller Home Price Index results for May showed continued strength. This index represents a three month moving average and for this report contained March, April & May data. Consumer Confidence was also on the docket yesterday and came in slightly less than expectations at 50.4 mainly driven by the stubborn employment market. Lastly, Durable Goods Orders were announced this morning for June and came in below consensus with the transportation component accounting for a large part of the decline. The Beige Book Report (a report on economic conditions released about 8 times a year ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings) will be released at 11:00 AM PST.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note is currently trading at 3.048%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities market is stable. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates are currently range bound and are at terrific levels.

This Week's Reports: Monday: New Home Sales. Tuesday: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index & Consumer Confidence. Wednesday: Durable Goods Orders. Thursday: Jobless Claims. Friday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Employment Cost Index & Consumer Sentiment.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 26th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:17:15 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 26th 2010

Economic News: While we have a busy week ahead for economic reports we just have the New Home Sales numbers for today. There was a rebound from the very soft report for May and the June figures came in at the high range of consensus with an annualized rate of 330,000 units. While the numbers are still soft it was nice to see a rebound from the May numbers. This week the US Treasury will be auctioning $104 Billion of notes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The results of these auctions could have an impact on interest rates.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note is currently trading at 3.00%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities are stable. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates remain at terrific levels.

This Week's Reports: Monday: New Home Sales. Tuesday: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index & Consumer Confidence. Wednesday: Durable Goods Orders. Thursday: Jobless Claims. Friday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Employment Cost Index & Consumer Sentiment.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 23rd, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:54:03 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 23rd 2010

Economic News: Yesterday brought us the Jobless Claims figures. Initial Jobless Claims rose 37,000 to 464,000 for the July 17^th week. The four week moving average did improve a bit from the last report which is good news. The National Association of Realtors ® reported Existing Home Sales fell 5.1% for the month of June but this was better than the consensus estimates. Supply also rose to 8.9 months from the prior reading of 8.3 months.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note is currently trading at 2.948%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities are stable heading into the weekend. Pricing is worse by about .25% in fee from yesterday's opening levels. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates remain at terrific levels.

Next Week's Reports: Monday: New Home Sales. Tuesday: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index & Consumer Confidence. Wednesday: Durable Goods Orders. Thursday: Jobless Claims. Friday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Employment Cost Index & Consumer Sentiment.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...Have a Great Weekend!

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 21st, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:09:17 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 21st 2010

Economic News: A fairly quiet week for economic reports was led off Monday with the Housing Market Index. This report by the National Association of Home Builders reflects the builder sentiment. The index fell to 14 which is the lowest since April of 2009. Housing Starts were announced yesterday and while the numbers were a bit disappointing there was optimism with the gain in housing permits.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year is currently trading at 2.939%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities are stable and prices are just a tad worse than yesterday's levels. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates remain at terrific levels.

This Week's Reports: Monday: Housing Market Index. Tuesday: Housing Starts. Thursday: Jobless Claims & Existing Home Sales

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Blackhawk Plaza Summer Concerts

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:42:20 -0400

Blackhawk Plaza Summer Concerts

If you're looking for something to do Friday nights this summer, Blackhawk Plaza has lined up an impressive concert series that promises fun for the whole family.

The place was packed last weekend for the Michael Jackson tribute band, Foreverland. Tonight the party band Fundamentals takes the stage which should raise the temperature on an already hot night. Next Friday the Journey Tribute band Evolution is up.

The shows start at 7:00pm and are scheduled to run until 8:30pm. Blackhawk Plaza will host a Friday evening concert every Friday through August. Click here for the Blackhawk Plaza website.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 16th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:50:56 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 16th 2010

Economic News: Yesterday's Producer Price Index (PPI) came in lower than expected influenced by a drop in the food & energy prices. The PPI inflation fell .50% on top of a .30% drop we experienced in May. Weekly Jobless Claims fell 29,000 to 429,000 which is good news. On the other hand continuing claims rose by 247,000 to 4.681 million. Industrial Production results were at the high end of consensus but were a little muted. This mild slowdown comes on the heels of gains we have experienced over the past year. Today's Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a third consecutive decline led mainly by lower energy costs and, taken with the PPI data, shows no inflation in the pipeline at this time. Finally, Consumer Sentiment came in well below expectations with a reading of 66.5 which is the lowest since March of 2009. The recent declines in Consumer Sentiment have been partially attributed to the effects of the gulf oil spill and we can only hope that the cap which has stopped the flow of oil will be a success.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note has broken back below the 3.00% level and is currently trading at 2.94%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities are rallying on the weak economic data and we are seeing mortgage price changes for the better this morning. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates remain at terrific levels.

Next Week's Reports: Monday: Housing Market Index. Tuesday: Housing Starts. Thursday: Jobless Claims & Existing Home Sales.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Sycamore Valley Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:39:57 -0400

Sycamore Valley Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

I have two children: ages 6 and 2 so I have lots of experience with Danville parks and San Ramon parks. In the coming weeks I will lay out the low-down on the best this great area has to offer.

Sycamore Valley Park

A few years ago this spacious park had a playground face-lift and it is now one of the neatest, most creative playgrounds in the area. There are two sections - one for older kids and one for younger. The younger side has a space-age spinner for two and is self-propelled with a wheel in the middle (think the Tea Cup ride at Disneyland but more streamlined!). A small sand play area divides the two playgrounds. The older kids' playground however, has the majority of creative play attractions. It's nearly impossible to adequately describe the innovative structures on this side so hopefully the picture below will give you an idea. The contraption on the far right is something you actually stand and spin around on!

Of course, there is also a wildly popular "spray ground" water feature complete with two water spray guns and lots of sprinklers.

Sycamore is also home to a gorgeous water fountain and a large expanse of beautifully maintained lawn bordered by concrete trails which makes it a popular place to walk dogs and ride bikes. There is a large BBQ and picnic area, a bocce ball court and sitting further up the hill a huge artificial turf play field.

Even if you don't live in Danville, it is worth the trip if you are in the area to stop by this park with the kids.

For more information about Danville parks click here.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

San Ramon Central Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:01:15 -0400

Summer is in full swing and that means it's time to hit the parks. The San Ramon/Danville area has absolutely fantastic parks to take advantage of. With average summer temperatures around here in the high 80s, most of the parks also have water features to cool the kiddos down. A few parks even have newly updated play structures.

I have two children: ages 6 and 2 so I have lots of experience with Danville parks and San Ramon parks. In the coming weeks I will lay out the low-down on the best this great area has to offer.

San Ramon Central Park

We waited months for this landmark park to finish its much-needed playground renovation. It was worth the wait. The new equipment is 21^st century cool - a behemoth structure with much of it about 10 feet off the ground (don't worry, it's all fenced in!). Even my 2 year old can wander back and forth along the cat walk. Bigger kids will enjoy the climbing rope cluster. There are also a few man-hewn rocks to climb on.

The water feature at Central Park has always been a big draw but as you can see by the chain link in the photo, the city is still doing some work and it seems to be centered around the creek area. The water was not on when my daughter and I were last there but there were a few remnant puddles in the fountain area (see lower right corner of the picture) and she had a great time puddle-jumping.

The nice thing about this park is that there are amenities for both younger and older kids. While younger kids will enjoy the new playground, older kids flock to the basketball courts and skate board park. Just driving by on Bollinger Canyon Road it's not uncommon to see a few kids toting their boards across the street. The sports facilities are also separated from the playground by grass and foliage so they feel like two different parks.

The sheer size of this park makes it the epicenter of many San Ramon festivities. Our favorites are the San Ramon Art and Wind festival over Memorial Day weekend with great food, shopping and a fun kiddie carnival. We also love to attend the annual 4^th of July fireworks in the park. The vast lawn at the park and adjacent middle school provide plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy a great fireworks show.

The San Ramon public library is just across the street which makes for a nice place to cool down after some serious play. If you live nearby, check it out. If you're thinking of moving to the area, it's definitely one reason to consider this area home.

For more information on San Ramon parks click here.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Diablo Vista (“Snake”) Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:25:45 -0400

Diablo Vista ("Snake") Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

I have two children: ages 6 and 2 so I have lots of experience with Danville parks and San Ramon parks. In the coming weeks I will lay out the low-down on the best this great area has to offer.

Diablo Vista ("Snake") Park

Diablo Vista Park is lovingly referred to by locals as "Snake Park" because of the unique concrete and tile bedecked snake that winds down a gently sloping hill overlooking the playground. At the top of the hill is a truly minimalist water feature - just a few small geysers shooting up from the ground but this makes it perfect for littler ones.

The park below is a divided playground: one for older kids and one for younger. The latter was (thankfully) redone a couple years ago and has a wonderful rubber ground cover sure to fend off scraped knees and elbows. What used to be a large pit of sand is now a lovely patch of well-tended grass. There's also a large man-made rock which is a hit with older kids. The other side of the playground is much older and in my opinion, in need of replacing as well but has a great twisty slide with a net leading up to it.

At the other end of the parking lot are basketball and volleyball courts as well as a bar-b-que and picnic area. The rest of the land is devoted to sports play. My son has two years of Tee Ball under his belt at this park's expansive grassy fields. There is also a full baseball diamond and artificial turf soccer field.

If you live in the Crow Canyon/Bollinger Canyon corridor of San Ramon or Danville and have active kids, you will no doubt count this park as a second home and happily so.

For more information about Danville parks click here.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 14th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:56:39 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 14th 2010

Economic News: Yesterday's International Trade figures reveled an unexpected widening in the trade gap but there was a positive reading for US exports as they expanded across all sectors. Today's Retail Sales Report was a tad worse than expected but the electronics & appliance sector sported nice gains. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will be releasing the minutes from their last meeting at 11:00 AM today.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note is currently trading at 3.101%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities are trading within a range. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates remain at terrific levels.

This Week's Reports: Tuesday: International Trade Wednesday: Retail Sales & FOMC Minutes Thursday: Jobless Claims, Producer Price Index & Industrial Production Friday: Consumer Price Index & Consumer Sentiment.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 9th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:02:40 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 9th 2010

Economic News: The holiday shortened week did not bring much in the way of economic news. The Dow Jones Industrial Average made steady progress and moved back above the 10,000 mark. We will be greeted with a more active market calendar next week with the beginning of "earnings season" as well as readings on Retail Sales and the current inflation picture. The economic uncertainty in the Euro Zone as well as our weak labor markets should keep a lid on any near term rate increases by the Federal Reserve.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note is currently trading at 3.050%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities are doing fine. If you are in the process of purchasing or refinancing rates remain at terrific levels.

Next Week's Reports: Tuesday: International Trade Wednesday: Retail Sales & FOMC Minutes Thursday: Jobless Claims, Producer Price Index & Industrial Production Friday: Consumer Price Index & Consumer Sentiment.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update...

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 2nd, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:53:12 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for July 2nd 2010

Economic News: As the week progressed the economic data was not taken well by the stock market. This led to a continued rally in the bond market and lower interest rates. Tuesday's Case-Shiller Home Price Index was strong due to the housing stimulus (now mostly expired) but the New Home Sales data (based on signed contracts) did not look so hot. The Consumer Confidence figures came in well below expectations with a 10 point decline down to a reading of 52.9. Wednesday's ADP employment report also came in below the consensus figures. Reports on new Jobless Claims were also higher than expected and the four week moving average reached its highest level in three months. The Pending Home Sales numbers also disappointed even though there was an expected decline associated with the expiration of the tax credits at the end of April. Finally, the Employment Situation was announced this morning. The unemployment rate declined to 9.5% but the report in general was a mixed bag. Lots of Census workers were laid off and the private sector added 83,000 jobs.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note is currently trading at 2.975%. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities have shown strength in the "flight to quality". With the weakness in the news regarding the overall economy hit the stock market fairly hard but has certainly benefited mortgage rates. If you are looking to close on a purchase or refinance in the next 30 days today provides a great opportunity to lock.

Next Week's Reports: Thursday: Jobless Claims.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update & Have a Happy & Safe 4^th of July Weekend.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for June 28th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:46:23 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for June 28th 2010

Economic News: The only news released today was the Personal Income & Outlays report. Personal Income showed a nice gain in May as well as a 1.6% increase in the year over year numbers. Month over month consumer spending rose slightly and showed a 4.6% increase over the same time period last year. One confusing note on the extension of the Home Buyer Tax Credit is that discussions will begin again after the Fourth of July weekend. The only problem is the uncertainty for buyers who are unable to close escrow by this Wednesday, which was the original deadline.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note fell to 3.023% by the closing bell on Monday, continuing the rally from last week. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities showed continued strength as well with very aggressive rates over Friday's level. If you are looking to close on a purchase or refinance in the next 30 days today provides a great opportunity to lock.

This Week's Reports: Tuesday: Case-Shiller Home Price Index & Consumer Confidence. Wednesday: ADP Employment Report. Thursday: Jobless Claims, ISM Manufacturing Index, Construction Spending & Pending Home Sales Index. Friday: Employment Situation.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for June 25th, 2010

Cari Anderson (Diversified Mortgage Group) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:30:48 -0400

Cari Anderson's East Bay Mortgage Update for June 25th 2010

Economic News: The Existing Home Sales numbers announced Tuesday were a bit of a disappointment and the estimated annual sales rate came in much lower than expected. The New Home Sales figures announced on Wednesday also disappointed the markets. New homes sales fell 33% in May with a forecast annual rate of 300,000 units which is the lowest reading going back to 1963. Obviously the stimulus expiration is having an impact as supply of homes also increased in both the new & existing home space. As expected the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) met and made no change in the current overnight rate. Yesterday brought Durable Goods Orders which were not great but within the consensus. Jobless Claims were in line with expectations as well and while not signaling a near term improvement in the employment picture there was a nice drop in continuing claims. Finally, this morning's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report was revised downward for the first quarter of 2010 to 2.70% from the initial estimate of 3.20%.

Mortgage Markets: The yield on the 10 Year Note has fallen from 3.245% on Monday to 3.09% as of this morning. In addition, the Mortgage Backed Securities have rallied through the week but pricing looks like it may be a little worse this morning compared with yesterday's closing levels. If you are looking to close on a purchase or refinance in the next 30 days today provides a great opportunity to lock.

Next Week's Reports: Monday: Personal Income & Outlays. Tuesday: Case-Shiller Home Price Index & Consumer Confidence. Wednesday: ADP Employment Report. Thursday: Jobless Claims, ISM Manufacturing Index, Construction Spending & Pending Home Sales Index. Friday: Employment Situation.

Current Mortgage Rates

Stay tuned for the Next East Bay Mortgage Update.

Cari's Website Tri Valley Mortgage News East Bay Mortgage News

925.964.1213 Direct // 925.570.0613 Mobile

Cari CA Real Estate Broker License 01220718...NMLS License ID 234849