Jon Bonfiglio – Amador County Gay Realtor

Jon Bonfiglio - Amador County Gay Realtor

As an Amador County gay Realtor, real estate is my passion. It has been in my blood from the beginning. As kid I dreamed of being an architect and attending Cal Poly. I would take floor plans from home magazines so I could remodel them to improve the layout and space flow. 

This all lead me to drafting classes throughout junior high and high school. My first job as a sophomore in high school was working for a small Electrical contractor in Fremont as a draftsman.

My love for drafting and homes all spurred from growing up in a family of Real Estate. My grandfather was a self employed contractor who bought and remodeled many homes in the Santa Cruz mountains.

In 2004 I decided that it was time for me to make the leap to owning my own office. I have since joined RE/MAX to provide worldwide service for my clients as an Amador County gay Realtor.

See Jon’s Expanded Listing on Gay Realty Network Here

Amador County Gay Realtors, Mortgage Lenders and Other Real Estate Professionals

Weird Real Estate: It’s the Treasure Island House!

The Treasure Island House

The Treasure Island House Melds Art Deco With a Pirate Ship

From “The Best of Zillow” via the folks at Bored Panda, I bring you the Treasure Island House.

According to Insider.com, this house was built in England by magazine publisher Felix Dennis (who published Maxim magazine, among others. It was last for sale in 2021 after Dennis’s death.

It was inspired by Dennis’s love of adventure novel “Treasure Island” and tithe barns, and is divided into three distinct wings. Its main pool area is designed to resemble the inside of a pirate ship. You ho ho ho, a pirate’s life for me. Pirating must be really lucrative!

I would totally live in this 12,000 square foot house. Anyone willing to give me $6 Million?

See more at Bored Panda

Weird Real Estate: Living in a UFO

Living in a UFO

From “The Best of Zillow” via the folks at Bored Panda, I bring you the “UFO Yurt.”

A little internet sleuthing reveals that it’s in Lake Placid, floriday, fitting in perfectly with the state’s What the F@ck” vibe.

I would totally live there. Except it’s in Florida, so nope. But maybe I could fly it somewhere else?

See more at Bored Panda

Weird Real Estate: The “Super Mario Castle” in Montana

Super Mario Castle in Montana

From “The Best of Zillow” via the folks at Bored Panda, I bring you the “Super Mario Castle” in Montana.

Though I’d just call it the “hell yeah, I’d totally live in a castle” house. Could you imagine the writer retreats you could host in this place?

And the epic Renaissance Faire on the castle grounds… I’m sold.

See more at Bored Panda

The Summer Real Estate Slump, Explained

summer real estate slump graph

As the mercury rises, will the housing market heat up—or continue to slump?

The story of the housing market over the past year or so has been how rising mortgage interest rates have decimated affordability, sidelining and pricing out would-be homebuyers. However, higher rates have led to an even larger problem: a worsening shortage of homes for sale and a likely summer real estate slump.

Homeowners have been reluctant to trade up or down, or relocate and give up their record-low mortgage rates. That’s left buyers with very little to, well, buy.

“The housing market’s going nowhere fast,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “It should be a weak summer.”

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Clare Trapasso
See the Full Story at Realtor.com

Real Estate Tips: Upgrade Your Home Before Selling?

Lesbian Renovation - Pixabay - upgrade your home

Is It Wise to Upgrade Your Home Before You Sell It?

One of the biggest questions many homeowners have is: Should you upgrade your home before you sell it? Is the investment going to pay for itself? Should you make specific decisions about your home that a future buyer may or may not be happy with? There are arguments for and against making lots of upgrades. A decent Realtor can help their seller research how much various upgrades may cost, and what might give them the most bang for their buck.

Most people start their home search online. So, the photos for a home are in most cases the first impression that a potential buyer gets of a house. And as many people say, you never get a second chance for a first impression. Most Realtors will try to get their seller to at least get the house de-cluttered, vacant or just as clean as possible for photos. If it’s in the seller’s budget, do we want to replace appliances? Do we want to put in granite or quartz countertops? Does the bathroom need an updated vanity? What kind of lights and ceiling fans do we have? Obviously, it comes down to budget. And each seller will have a different circumstance.

For many people, hardwood floors are much preferable to carpet. In some cases, just putting in new carpet can be a great upgrade. But if you can afford it, putting in hardwood floors, or luxury vinyl plank flooring can be a nice upgrade.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Joseph Hudson
See the Full Story at the Washington Blade

Texas Developer 3D Prints Concrete Homes on Location

Texas 3D Printed Home

The world’s largest community of 3D-printed homes is being built in Texas — and the neighborhood just unveiled its first completed house.

With walls “printed” using a concrete-based material, the single-story structure is the first of 100 such homes set to welcome residents starting September.

The community is part of a wider development in Georgetown, Texas called Wolf Ranch. It’s located about 30 miles north of Austin, the state capital, and is a collaboration between Texas construction firm ICON, homebuilding company Lennar and Danish architecture practice Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

On Saturday prospective buyers toured around the finished model home at the project’s grand opening, and some of the units have already sold, ICON spokesperson Cara Caulkins told CNN via email.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Oscar Holland
See the Full Story at CNN

Retro Real Estate: Selling Houses in the Good Old Days – Washington Blade

Retro Real Estate: Selling Houses in the Good Old Days - Washington Blade

Retro Real Estate: Life in the Good Old Days

This month I am celebrating 25 years of selling real estate in the DMV.

Prior to becoming a Realtor, I had bought and sold at least a dozen homes during the previous 20 years and had lots of experience with real estate agents in my retro Real Estate days. There were those who commanded my complete attention when they spoke and those who made me think, “I can do better than this.”

When I returned to D.C. from Minnesota in 1997, unemployed, I enrolled in real estate school and quickly learned that helping others do what I had done for years involved a whole new set of skills. The process and the rules continue to evolve.

With my D.C. license in hand, followed by Maryland and Virginia licenses by the end of the year, I set up shop in my unfinished basement and joined a Century 21 franchise. A year later I moved to Prudential (now Berkshire Hathaway), where I stayed for 15 years, then to Keller Williams, and in 2017, to RLAH @properties, which I consider my final resting place.

Full Story From the Washington Blade

3 Undeniable Ways a Realtor Can Help You Sell Your House in the Gayborhood

gayborhood - deposit photos

Attempting to sell a house in the gayborhood with the current real estate market conditions is tough. Interest rates remain sky-high. Many homebuyers are either priced out of the market or scared to jump in. Partnering up with a credible realtor is the best way to ensure your property will have the greatest chance of selling. However, it’s important to note that not all realtors are created equal. There are different marketing strategies that realtors use to connect you with people shopping for homes. It only takes one excited buyer to successfully sell a property in the gayborhood.

Here are 3 reliable ways that a realtor can help you sell your home located in the gayborhood.

  1. 3D Virtual Tours

3D virtual tours bring the online presence of your listing to life. Consumers – now more than ever before – shop online for nearly everything. This includes houses! Homebuyers oftentimes start their search by scrolling through listings on Zillow or Redfin. Creating a 3D virtual tour of your property enables people to become emersed in your property without having to drive there.

Naturally, this generates more potential buyers that will be interested in purchasing your home in the gayborhood. Additionally, it will weed out tire-kickers that aren’t as serious about your property. 3D virtual tours showcase the primary highlights and stunning interior features of a home. If your home in the gayborhood suffers from damages, like a bad roof, virtual tours of the interior can help show why your property is still worth buying. Realtors can use technology to their advantage to help homes sell quickly.

  1. Open House Events

Open house events help create urgency among a pool of prospective homebuyers. It makes sense, right? If you walk into a dark, vacant home that looks like buyers haven’t been through in months, there is less urgency to make an offer right then and there. However, if your realtor hosts a fun open house event, buyers will cross paths and the urgency to make an offer will arise. Plus, who doesn’t love a fun party in the gayborhood?

You can create a unique theme for your event and provide food to bring people together. Dress to impress and have fun. If you can generate a strong turnout for the open house event, buyers will start to sweeten their offers. Homebuyers oftentimes offer to pay for a portion of your closing costs once the property sells. Seller closing costs are expensive, especially if your home in the gayborhood sells for a high price. Every dollar counts when selling your home!

  1. Networking in the Community

Realtors are experts at networking within the community. You never know who you’ll meet and how you can add value to each other. Gayborhoods offer inviting communities filled with incredible people to connect with. Your realtor can strap on their walking boots and hit the pavement to help sell your home. Typically, realtors can find real estate meetups and other public events to attend. They can let everyone they meet know about your property and promote it. This strategy, tailored with an open house event, can be the exact dynamic duo you need to sell your house in the gayborhood.

How Can Buyers Fight Rising Interest Rates?

rising interest rates - deposit photos

Loan officers are projecting further increases in rates as the Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) attempts to control inflation. Basic economics tells us that more expensive credit slows spending, which, in turn, lowers prices. It can be a fine line to walk between inflation, control, and recession.

People who are seeking a conventional loan of $647,200 or less with a 20% down payment will likely receive the best 30-year fixed rate if they hold a salaried job and have a credit score of more than 740.

So, what can you do to minimize the effects of rising interest rates?

How to Fight Rising Interest Rates in Today’s Market

First, make sure your credit is squeaky clean. Consult a loan officer to get a copy of your tri-merged credit report (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union) to avoid any surprises. Do not start paying off debt or closing credit cards without your loan officer’s input. There is such a thing as good debt where credit is concerned.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

Authored By Valerie Blake
See the Full Story at the Washington Blade

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