The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index rose to 29 in May. That’s the highest reading since May 2007 and up from a downwardly revised reading of 24 in April.

The index rose for six straight months before falling in April.

Still, any reading below 50 indicates negative sentiment about the housing market. The index hasn’t reached hit that level since April 2006, the peak of the housing boom.

Homebuilders reported improving sales and higher traffic from prospective buyers. A gauge measuring confidence in sales over the next six months also rose, to 34 from 31.

The improved outlook follows other recent signs that the depressed housing market is slowly improving.

In March, builders requested the highest number of permits to build new homes and apartments in 3 ½ years. And the number of people who signed contracts to buy homes rose in March to the highest level in nearly two years.

Mortgage rates have fallen to record lows and hiring has picked up, making it easier for more Americans to buy homes. Still, many would-be buyers are having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can’t afford larger down payments required by banks.

Martis Camp has also announced that it will release the remaining 58 of their Cabin Homesites this summer to meet the continued demand of potential homeowners. These coveted homesites will start in the $500,000’s and will offer families an idyllic setting to build their perfect mountain retreat. The cabin home sites are just steps away from the Family Barn, Camp Lodge, Tom Fazio Signature Golf Course and will also feature easy access to all of the other community hubs, including the new Lookout Lodge, debuting Summer 2012.

“We have been very pleased with the strong sales activity and overall response to Martis Camp,” said Mark Johnson, General Manager of Martis Camp. “It’s been our vision from day one to create an incredible retreat for family and friends, and the continued growth and interest of the community is turning that initial vision into a reality.”

Summer is one of the most active seasons for Martis Camp members, with a full calendar of events and activities for all ages. The Family Barn is the community’s epicenter of recreation, complete with a bowling alley, family pool, basketball, floor hockey, a fishing lake and an outdoor amphitheater. Members can stop by the Folk School to get hands-on lessons in a wide range of creative pursuits, from photography to fly-fishing. There is also plenty of outdoor activities, including yoga classes, Saturday Nature Walks through the pristine community trails, golf clinics at the award-winning Tom Fazio golf course and Aqua Zumba for those looking to groove in the Camp Lodge’s saline pool.

Buyers are attracted to Martis Camp’s core value of family and community, as well as the full range of built and planned Club amenities, including the 7,500 square foot Lookout Lodge set to complete this summer. This exclusive slope-side clubhouse will feature indoor and outdoor dining, convenient shuttle service from home sites to the base of the mountain, as well as a private, direct ski connection to Northstar California™ Resort during the winter months.

The Barn will host International rock and roll band Wonderbread 5 at its outdoor amphitheater to kick off the annual Summer Concert Series. Family fun continues nearby as the Lake Tahoe SummerFest presents world-class concerts with performances such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, while the SummerFest art series provides a dynamic look into the world of impressionism. Members can gather at sunset with wine, a gourmet meal and enjoy first-class entertainment with friends and family as they experience Lake Tahoe’s 40th Annual Shakespeare Festival – a comedic spin on the classics that’s fun for the whole family.

ABOUT MARTIS CAMP:
Martis Camp is a private gated community located between Truckee and North Lake Tahoe in the Martis Valley. Situated on 2,177 acres with sweeping topography, the land itself embraces the true essence of High Sierra living. A year round community, Martis Camp Club offers private ski access via the Martis Camp Express Lift to Northstar California™ in winter and a Tom Fazio 18 hole golf course in the summer. Martis Camp Club members enjoy a vast array of amenities including the Family Barn complex with swimming, a bowling alley, art loft, movie theater, indoor basketball court, soda fountain and outdoor performance amphitheater; an 18-hole putting park; Sporting fields and pavilions; Camp Lodge with dining venues, club spa, fitness center and vitality pools; Folk School; Lost Library; 26 miles of private trails for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, a planned private Mountain Clubhouse at the base of Lookout Mountain, and planned tennis courts and pavilion. http://www.martiscamp.com

On the REAL Trends 500 report, Keller Williams brokerages represented 23 percent (116 offices) of the top 500 brokerages ranked by closed transactions and 24 percent (119 offices) of the top 500 brokerages ranked by closed volume. The number of KW brokers ranked on the list far surpassed all other major franchise players.

Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty, Inc., stated: “These results are proof that our people and their businesses are thriving. We’ve provided a strong platform and economic model that supports their productivity and profitability and they are winning in their local markets. We are so proud and honored to be in business with every agent and offices that contributed to this success.”

In addition to the overall rankings, Keller Williams offices made up more than 50 percent of the following lists: Top Firms Ranked by Closed Transactions per Office (more than 165 percent more transactions per office than its closest competitors), Top Firms Ranked by Closed Sales Volume per Office, Top Movers with Largest Percentage Increase in Volume, Top Movers with Largest Percentage Increase in Number of Transactions.

The rankings reflect a year of strong growth and forward momentum for the company in several key areas. Keller Williams Realty’s per agent productivity (in units closed) increased year over year, by 19 percent. The average gross commissions earned per agent also increased by more than 16 percent. And the company gave back more than $38 million to its associates in profit share in 2011, an 11 percent increase over the previous year.

Willis stated: “Our goal is to always be moving forward in every single key metric and we are — in agent count, agent productivity, office profitability and profit share. Just last month, our company grew by almost 1,000 associates. We’re not sure that any other company can say that in today’s market. Once again, our agents and offices are once again leading us to the top of the industry.”

“Our agents drive the success,” added Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. “None of this would be possible without their dedication and tenacity in today’s market.”

Last year, Keller Williams Realty surpassed Century 21 to become the 2nd largest real estate company in the United States and also recently announced its first overseas franchise in Vietnam and plans to add 50,000 global associates over the next 10 years.

For more details, the full reports are available on the REAL Trends Website: http://www.realtrends.com.

Borrowers of 30-year loans were charged an average rate of just 3.84%, down from its previous low of 3.87% set in early February, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey.

The average 15-year rate was 3.07%, down from the record of 3.11% set three weeks ago.

“Signs of slowing economic growth and inflation remaining subdued allowed yields on Treasury bonds to ease somewhat and brought most mortgage rates to new all-time record lows this week,” said Freddie’s chief economist, Frank Nothaft.
How much house can you afford?

The cheap rates, which have remained at or below 4% throughout 2012, have done little to boost new home sales. In fact, sales of new homes slowed even further in March.

And last week, the Census Bureau reported that homeownership in the U.S. fell to its lowest rate in 15 years during the first quarter.

As the economy continues to improve, Doug Lebda, CEO of LendingTree said he expects mortgage rates to slowly start climbing again.
6 ways to get a great mortgage deal

Borrowers who take advantage of today’s rates are getting a rare bargain.

At 3.84% over 30 years, borrowers pay only $936 a month for a $200,000 loan. Payments for a 15-year fixed rate at 3.07% would come to just $1,388 a month.

This article is from CNN Money

TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — Keller Williams Realty associates may be taking the day off on Thursday, May 10, 2012, but it will hardly be a day of rest. Associates with Keller Williams Realty have chosen to “Give Where They Live” as part of RED Day, one of the biggest events in the real estate industry.

Short for “Renew, Energize and Donate,” RED Day was created to unite Keller Williams Realty offices and associates in an international day of service.

As part of the RED Day effort, Keller Williams Realty has chosen to spend the day with two different organizations. One group of agents will be at the Family Resource Center of Truckee sprucing up the landscaping around the building. FRC promotes social and economic success in the community by providing education, mobilizing resources and advocating for change. A second group of Keller Williams Realty agents will provide a barbecue and do a sing-a-long with the patients at the Tahoe Forest Extended Care Center. In addition to Keller Williams agents volunteering their time, they would like to express gratitude to the following people who have contributed: Lori Wilson with Property ID, Tara Wells with Fidelity National Home Warranty, and SaveMart.

“This event is an entrenched part of Keller Williams Realty’s culture and displays the extraordinary effect a company can have when individuals come together to work as a team for the greater good of everyone.,” said Team Leader Geoff Ewry. “Last year, at the Family Resource Center we completed much needed building maintenance including scraping and replacing old paint and fixing damaged siding. We can’t tell you what an impact it made on each of us personally — it felt so great to give back to the community we know and love.”

During RED Day 2011, more than 40,000 Keller Williams associates nationwide participated in activities ranging from food and blood drives to cleaning up trash in public parks, doing yard work for neighbors in need or revamping gardens at nursing homes totaling more than 190,000 hours of service making RED Day one of the biggest events in the real estate industry.

For more information about RED Day visit www.kw.com/redday.

Just Sold: 2G at Tonopalo for $500K

Just Sold: 2c at Tonopalo for $525K

Just Reduced: 15D at Tonopalo for $198K

Check back with us here as we will be posting new listings shortly.

Americans continue to expect home prices to go up, with the projection averaging 1.3 percent over the next 12 months, the highest value recorded.

At 71 percent, a high percentage of Americans still say it is a good time to buy while the percentage who said it is a good time to sell was 15 percent, a 1 point increase from March.

“Overall, consumer views of housing market conditions have become more supportive of home purchases, and sustained healthy hiring is required to help realize these improved expectations,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae chief economist.

This article is an excerpt from DSNews.com. The full article can be read here.

May 6th
Sierra Senior Services Pancake Breakfast
10040 Estates Drive, Truckee Donner Senior Apartments. $7 Adults, $3 Children under 12. Pancake breakfast sponsored by a local service club or other affiliated group. 8 – 11 am. Sponsored by Tahoe City Rotary Club.
www.ttseniorscouncil.org or 530-550-7600

May 11th
North Tahoe Cruises Mothers Day Special
Mothers day special, all moms ride for free on the Emerald Bay lunch cruise. Departing 12 pm.
tahoegal.com or 530-583-0141

May 17th
2nd Annual High Fives Charity Golf Tournament
Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing. Registration: 10 am. Tee Off: 1 pm. Cost $150/ Single golfer or $500/ Team. Entry fee includes: 18 holes of golf w/ cart, door prize, high fives shirt, catered dinner by full belly deli.
highfivesfoundation.com

May 20th
5th Anniversary & Annular Eclipse Celebration
FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee. Noon – 8:30 pm. $14 Advanced purchase, $16 at the door. $8 Children. Bounce house, family games, eclipse viewing, live music, food: BBQ smoked over Eclipse barrel wood, Sushi from Drunken Monkey, and more. FiftyFifty beer, spirits, water and soft drinks for the kids!
www.fiftyfiftybrewing.com

May 26th
Outdoor Sport Rep’s Sale
Great deals on gear, footwear and clothing. Cross country skiing, hiking, backpacking, cycling. etc.
www.auburnskiclub.com

A little bit about Scott Zaleski:

Scott Zaleski left the fast-paced corporate world in San Francisco in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle in Tahoe. One of his main influences for his move was his Fiance’s Tahoe upbringing as a ski racer at Squaw Valley. Scott is an avid mountain biker and runner with accomplishments including the Boston Marathon, New York Marathon, Ironman Nice France and the Downieville Classic.

Scott is an entrepreneurial spirited, driven professional with over 10 years of success and experience in sales, business development, and client services. His high-level of integrity, respect, and focus are always centered on customer expectations, requirements, and goals.

Prior to his move to Tahoe, Scott excelled at various software sales roles ranging from small start-ups environments to large corporate organizations. Mostly recently, Scott led a successful stint at salesforce.com where he continuously exceeded his annual quotas and was part of the #1 global sales team in the world. Before salesforce.com, Scott served as VP of Sales for a small start-up company called QuestionPro where his contributions led to 1,390% in revenue growth in 3 years. Scott graduated from Lehigh University in 1998 with a BS in Chemical Engineering.

Scott’s main goal in Tahoe is to assist his clients in finding their own happy and healthy lifestyles in the mountains.

Scott Zaleski
(206) 257 9720 Direct
Email