Appreciation increases in Contra Costa. The numbers for appreciation of Contra Costa's median home prices are in for November 2005.  The following numbers will show the difference between November 2004 and November 2005. Housing bubble?  While there may be a bit of a lull, it isn't uncommon at this time of year.  The prices continue to soar, the sales however, are slowing.  BUT, as is usual for January, the market is bustling once again.  A home I've had on the market since Thanksgiving, got 2 offers in January and lots of other interest.  Another home I just listed a week ago, already got an offer.  Just wait til February/March - the market will be booming right on schedule.

• Antioch $505,000 - UP 19% from 11/04
• Brentwood $715,000 - UP 38%
• Concord $529,000 - UP 23.2%
• Danville $1,096,500 - UP 35.4%
• Martinez $545,000 - UP 27.5%
• Moraga $892,000 - UP 28.5%
• Pittsburg $460,000 - UP 20.7%
• Pleasant Hill $602,500 - UP 14.9%
• San Ramon $758,000 - UP 7.5%
• Walnut Creek $687,500 - UP 31%

If you want to move up, move down or retire here in Contra Costa, the best bet always seems to be to sell in late February/March when the inventory is still a bit low.  Then you're ready to buy as the inventory starts to increase in March/April.  We start to see multiple offers and a frenzied market just about every spring starting mid-April through June. So beat the rush, and start getting ready now.  It's not too soon to prepare.  You can get some prep work done, get a staging consultation, start packing.  If you live near open space, take some photos now to preserve the lush green of winter.

The Contra Costa Times printed an article a few days ago, relating an opinion that the housing market simply suffers a 'small leak,' and notes that the markets in danger of any downturn is mostly the central valley markets, see the article here :

Contra Costa Times - Housing  Bubble to Suffer Slow Leak

Since the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, most of the buzz in the economy has been about real estate and housing construction.

In light of the considerable doom and gloom about the future of the real estate industry (as expressed Wednesday by UCLA Anderson Forecast economist Chris Thornberg at the Contra Costa Business and Education Summit), the billion-dollar question is:

Are we soon going to experience a real estate meltdown similar to the dot-com bust of 2000?  See more

Give me a call if you'd like to get a market analysis of your home - get your home's value.  A right price analysis is important...and can also yield you some clues in how to enhance your home's value.

Catherine Myers, REALTOR
Alain Pinel Realtors

925-683-2125

www.DiabloValley.net

Search the MLS, homes for sale and get relocation information for Contra Costa County. I specialize in Walnut Creek, Concord, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Alamo and Danville homes for sale.

(To be on my mailing list to be updated each month that new housing statistics come out, click here to contact me.)