Congratulations to Claudia Efthimos and Nancy Frimann

Signature Homes & Estates would like to extend Congratulations to Claudia Efthimos and Nancy Frimann for completing their course work and earning their GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) designation.

Fewer than 5 % of all Realtors hold this designation.

Currently, Signature Homes & Estates has the highest percentage of Realtors as agents who hold this designation.

Their knowledge will help all agents, but more importantly, help you as a client.

If you are thinking of buying a home in Gilroy or Morgan Hill, you can visit us on the web for more information about housing and living in Southern Santa Clara County, the southern gateway to Silicon Valley!

SIGNATURE HOMES & ESTATES

We can be reached at (408) 846-8284

Gilroy and Morgan Hill REALTORS

If you are a Realtor, and are located in the South County, and are an independent Broker with no affiliation to a franchise, we would encourage you to join us!
We hold a monthly meeting, tour houses, and discuss the issues relevant to our business.
You will get your business website linked to ours.
We hold our members to the highest standards, and quite frankly, get a lot done through our discussions. Come share your knowledge.
Contact me, Gary Frimann at EMAIL or at (408) 846-8284
Visit us on the web: South County Independent Brokers
Looking forward to meeting you.

Solar Power

For those of you interested in Solar power, here's some information:

California Solar Initiative
Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 1 on August 21, 2006 to help make California the nation's leader in solar energy and to meet the goal of his Million Solar Roofs Plan.
What Does The California Solar Initiative Do?
Expands California's solar rebate program to include customers of municipal-owned utilities such as SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) and LADWP (Los Angeles District of Water and Power.)
Mandates that solar rebates decline by 7% each year to ensure a mature, self-sufficient solar industry by 2015.
Increases the number of consumers who can receive credits for excess electricity produced by their solar power system. Currently, it is capped at 0.5 percent and now it is raised to 2.5 percent.
Mandates that solar power systems must be offered as a standard item on new homes - developers of more than 50 new single family homes must offer this option to customers beginning January 1, 2011.
What Does This Mean For You?
Stabilizes California's solar rebate program with long-term funding that ensures that rebate funds will not run out, thereby creating a stable solar industry which will be able to service the growing demand and need for solar power systems.
Makes your initial investment in solar power cost-effective because you will receive credits on your utility bills for the excess electricity that your solar power system produces.
Makes solar energy systems more affordable if you buy a newly constructed home.
What Is The Goal?
Add 3,000 megawatts of solar energy (equivalent to 300 peaking power plants or five modern electric power plants.)
Reduce greenhouse emissions by 3 million tons (equivalent to taking one million cars off the road.)

Silicon Valley is a perfect spot for solar with all of our days of sunshine. For further information on homes for sale in Silicon Valley CLICK HERE

Foreclosure report for US as of 02/2008

If you are an investor, here are the stats on Foreclosures in the US:
Below are listed the top 100 areas in the nation, along with the number of filings, the percentage rate and the percentage of change from 2006.
If you notice, the Bay Area has not been hit as hard as other places in the country. We still have a strong job market, which helps.

Gary Frimann
SIGNATURE HOMES AND ESTATES
(408) 846-8284
1 - DETROIT/LIVONIA/DEARBORN, MI - 72,616 - 4.9% - 68.2%
2 - STOCKTON, CA - 22,184 - 4.9% 271.3%
3 - LAS VEGAS/PARADISE, NV - 59,983 - 4.2% 169.1%
4 - RIVERSIDE/SAN BERNARDINO, CA - 102,506 - 3.8% 186.1%
5 - SACRAMENTO, CA - 49,532 - 3.2% 272.5%
6 - CLEVELAND/LORAIN/ELYRIA/MENTOR, OH - 49,071 - 3.0% 112.4%
7 - BAKERSFIELD, CA - 13,682 - 3.0% 244.8%
8 - MIAMI, FL - 51,662 - 2.7% 106.1%
9 - DENVER/AURORA, CO - 49,519 - 2.6% 27.8%
10 - FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - 45,367 - 2.6% 110.1%
11 - ATLANTA/SANDY SPRINGS/MARIETTA, GA - 81,038 - 2.5% 52.3%
12 - AKRON, OH - 12,359 - 2.3% 107.5%
13 - MEMPHIS, TN - 22,654 - 2.1% 30.4%
14 - FRESNO, CA - 12,330 - 2.1% 168.2%15 - DAYTON, OH - 14,285 - 2.1% 145.5%
16 - OAKLAND, CA - 39,483 - 2.1% 191.1%
17 - WARREN/FARMINGTON HILLS/TROY, MI - 30,378 - 2.1% 95.2%
18 - INDIANAPOLIS, IN - 25,695 - 2.0% 7.9%
19 - TOLEDO, OH - 10,056 - 1.9% 117.3%
20 - ORLANDO, FL - 24,004 - 1.9% 117.7%
21 - PALM BEACH, FL - 18,561 - 1.9% 88.9%
22 - PHOENIX/MESA, AZ - 56,040 - 1.9% 177.0%
23 - TAMPA/ST PETERSBURGH/CLEARWATER, FL - 41,539 - 1.9% 95.9%
24 - SARASOTA/BRADENTON/VENICE, FL - 11,807 - 1.8% 226.7%
25 - COLUMBUS, OH - 24,055 - 1.8% 86.4%26 - SAN DIEGO, CA - 38,917 - 1.8% 157.8%
27 - JACKSONVILLE, FL - 15,149 - 1.7% 39.0%
28 - DALLAS, TX - 49,133 - 1.7% -5.2%
29 - FORT WORTH/ARLINGTON, TX - 25,050 - 1.6% 2.4%
30 - CHICAGO, IL - 73,469 - 1.6% 50.2%
31 - VENTURA, CA - 6,261 - 1.6% 195.1%
32 - LAKE/KENOSHA, IL-WI - 5,034 - 1.5% 35.5%
33 - CINCINNATI, OH - 21,392 - 1.5% 104.4%
34 - CHARLOTTE/GASTONIA, NC - 13,032 - 1.4% 113.5%
35 - LOS ANGELES/LONG BEACH, CA - 93,696 - 1.4% 137.8%
36 - ST LOUIS, MO-IL - 19,084 - 1.3% 58.1%
37 - CAMDEN, NJ - 5,237 - 1.2% 42.4%
38 - ORANGE, CA - 23,002 - 1.2% 168.2%
39 - HOUSTON/BAYTOWN/SUGARLAND, TX - 39,220 - 1.2% 4.1%
40 - KANSAS CITY, MO-KS - 15,681 - 1.2% 83.7%
41 - WASHINGTON/ARLINGTON/ALEXANDRIA, DC-VA-MD - 28,455 - 1.2% 574.9%
42 - GARY, IN - 5,320 - 1.1% 41.3%
43 - NEWHAVEN/MILFORD, CT - 7,348 - 1.1% 340.2%
44 - SAN ANTONIO, TX - 13,699 - 1.1% 4.6%
45 - NEWARK, NJ - 15,403 - 1.0% 45.7%
46 - TUCSON, AZ - 7,372 - 1.0% 75.0%
47 - TACOMA, WA - 5,276 - 1.0% 39.0%
48 - GREENSBORO/HIGHPOINT, NC - 3,329 - 1.0% 137.5%
49 - MILWAUKEE/WAUKESHA/WST ALLIS, WI - 9,856 - 1.0% 79.5%
50 - WORCHESTER, MA - 6,993 - 1.0% 170.0%
51 - SAN JOSE/SUNNYVALE/SANTA CLARA, CA - 11,433 - 1.0% 161.6%
52 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT - 4,882 - 1.0% -17.0%
53 - RALEIGH/CARY, NC - 5,249 - 1.0% 122.8%
54 - SUFFOLK/NASSAU, NY - 11,880 - 1.0% 48.4%
55 - LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - 5,396 - 1.0% 15.5%
56 - TULSA, OK - 5,670 - 0.9% -3.7%
57 - OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS, NE-IA - 3,403 - 0.9% 59.7%
58 - AUSTIN/ROUND ROCK, TX - 10,100 - 0.9% -11.8%
59 - NASHVILLE/DAVIDSON, TN - 8,454 - 0.9% 54.0%
60 - MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL/BLOOMINGTON, MN-WI - 12,755 - 0.8% 146.8%
61 - EDISON, NJ - 15,800 - 0.8% 43.4%
62 - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - 7,042 - 0.8% -15.4%
63 - ROCHESTER, NY - 3,903 - 0.8% 126.8%
64 - ESSEX, MA - 5,378 - 0.8% 190.8%
65 - HARTFORD, CT - 7,427 - 0.8% 217.0%
66 - BALTIMORE/TOWSON, MD - 10,059 - 0.7% 544.4%
67 - SPRINGFIELD, MA - 5,190 - 0.7% 109.8%
68 - BRIDGEPORT/STAMFORD/NORWALK, CT - 5,091 - 0.7% 258.2%
69 - BOSTON/QUINCY, MA - 11,165 - 0.7% 199.5%
70 - BETHESDA/FREDERICK/GAITHERSBURG, MD - 4,179 - 0.7% 1288.4%
71 - ALBUQUERQUE, NM - 2,921 - 0.7% 5.8%
72 - KNOXVILLE, TN - 2,770 - 0.6% 46.8%
73 - PORTLAND/VANCOUVER/BEAVERTON, OR-WA - 5,834 - 0.6% 24.2%
74 - LOUISVILLE, KY - 6,233 - 0.6% -12.1%
75 - BIRMINGHAM/HOOVER, AL - 3,069 - 0.5% 63.2%
76 - NEW YORK/WAYNE/WHITE PLAINS, NY-NJ - 33,714 - 0.5% 74.0%
77 - EL PASO, TX - 2,317 - 0.5% -17.6%
78 - CAMBRIDGE/NEWTON/FRAMINGHAM, MA - 7,205 - 0.5% 209.2%
79 - PHILADELPHIA, PA - 16,246 - 0.5% -32.1%
80 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - 5,895 - 0.5% 116.7%
81 - SEATTLE/BELLEVUE/EVERETT, WA - 9,028 - 0.5% 16.4%
82 - BUFFALO/CHEEKTOWAGA/TONAWANDA, NY - 3,850 - 0.4% 113.5%
83 - PROVIDENCE/NEW BEDFORD, RI - 3,241 - 0.4% 354.1%
84 - NEW ORLEANS, LA - 4,501 - 0.4% 215.8%
85 - WILMINGTON, DE-NJ - 1,363 - 0.4% 157.5%
86 - PITTSBURGH, PA - 9,012 - 0.4% -29.6%
87 - NORFOLK/VIRGINIA BEACH/NEWPORT NEWS, VA - 2,321 - 0.4% 258.2%
88 - COLUMBIA, SC - 1,113 - 0.3% -2.9%
89 - CHARLESTON, SC - 1,043 - 0.3% 35.1%
90 - POUGHKEEPSIE/NEWBURGH/MIDDLETOWN, NY - 1,391 - 0.3 - 12.5%
91 - BATON ROUGE, LA - 997 - 0.3% -59.8%
92 - SCRANTON/WILKES/BARRE/HAZLETON, PA - 2,380 - 0.3% 23.7%
93 - WICHITA, KS - 1,322 - 0.3% -13.1%
94 - ALBANY/SCHENECTADY/TROY, NY - 1,617 - 0.3% 638.5%
95 - RICHMOND, VA - 1,090 - 0.2% 168.6%
96 - ALLENTOWN/BETHLEHEM/EASTON, PA - 834 - 0.2% 12.2%
97 - HONOLULU, HI - 621 - 0.2% 53.0%
98 - MCALLEN/EDINBURG/PHARR, TX - 339 - 0.1% -19.7%
99 - SYRACUSE, NY - 935 - 0.1% 128.9%
100 - GREENVILLE, SC - 306 - 0.1% -73.5%

Welcome to South County

Welcome to the South County Independent Brokers blog!
We are a group of Independent Real Estate Brokers who share some of the same interests of helping out clients. Fiercely independent, we are not associated with any real estate franchise, and therefore proudly can state we work only for our clients, not for a franchise, which is usually some distant business entity located in another state, perhaps, but we firmly believe all real estate is local.
Please visit us on the web!
SOUTH COUNTY INDEPENDENT BROKERS

You may contact us by visiting the brokerage webpage.
We are all Realtors, and serving the entire Silicon Valley.