Chuck Barberini Real Estate

  “Just Thinking" Last week my buddy T and I headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was more than a drive, it was an adventure, the kind Bilbo Baggins would have appreciated. We were towing a 20-foot trailer loaded with household odds and ends to help his sister and her husband finish their move from Santa Rosa to Santa Fe. You can take the girl out of the Santa, but you can’t take the Santa out of the girl. We left at noon on Monday and rolled in at 9:30 the next morning. After a full day of unloading, an early dinner, and an early night, we were back on the road by 7:30 Wednesday morning and finally pulled into our own driveway at 2:30 Thursday morning. A genuine whirlwind of an adventure. I came away with several observations and a couple of experiences that are worth sharing. First of all, California is freaking huge. We left Martinez, took 680 to 580 to I-5, and it was 268 miles just to Bakersfield. From there we jumped on CA-58 / Stockdale Highway and headed east looking for I-4...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter   Realtor.com research shows VA loans could help veterans buy homes four years sooner. Discover five VA loan benefits every real estate agent should know. Picture a first-time buyer who served in the military. She’s renting and trying to save 10% for a $419,250 home, which means coming up with $41,925 before closing. New Realtor.com research shows a 0% down VA loan could cut about four years off her wait, which helps explain why today’s veterans own homes at higher rates than non-veterans. The benefits don’t stop at zero down. VA borrowers are also securing lower mortgage rates, avoiding private mortgage insurance and qualifying with more flexible credit requirements. Unfortunately, plenty of veterans don’t know about the zero-down option, let alone the other benefits. A Veterans United Home Loans survey cited in the Realtor.com report found only about three in 10 veterans know a VA loan can be used with no down payment. This Veterans Day, Rea...

  “Just Thinking" I received a great deal of interest in my recent article about the undefeated, untied, and ultimately uninvited 1951 University of San Francisco Dons football team. Many people knew pieces of the story, but far fewer knew the full story. They didn’t realize that the Dons were offered a bid to the Orange Bowl, but only on the condition that they leave behind their two Black players, Ollie Matson and Burl Toler. Faced with that demand, the team made the historical decision that they would rather stay home than abandon their teammates. As I noted in that article, it is a story of courage, loyalty, dignity, and brotherhood that remains just as relevant today as it was on the day those young men chose to stand together. After that newsletter was published, one of my SI brothers, Mike, reminded me that there were also some pretty talented basketball players running around the Hilltop during that era. He was absolutely right. The University of San Francisco Dons men...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter NAR’s 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows 90% of buyers and 92% of sellers used an agent, both record highs, as FSBO sales held at 5%. In 2026, consumers have more housing information at their fingertips than ever. They can scroll just about every listing in the country on their phones. They can list their homes themselves on Zillow. Even with all that access to information and platforms, they’re using real estate agents at record rates. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just released its 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, showing that 90% of buyers and 92% of sellers worked with an agent, both record highs. For-sale-by-owner transactions held at just 5% of sales, matching the all-time low. The findings go beyond whether consumers hired an agent. They show how much buyers relied on their agents throughout the search, how often sellers chose full service and what the small share selling on their own did differently. Record 9...

"Just Thinking" This week, we are doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that: As you know from previous newsletters, I am no fan of this time of the year, The days get shorter, the weather gets colder, the rain is coming (El Nino) and now, switching off daylight savings time. I hate it, just when the days are already getting sorter we fall back. It’s 2026, why are we still changing our clocks twice a year, pick a time and stick with it. Happy Halloween, such an exciting time for kids of all ages to don their favorite costumes. Our old neighborhood was insane, they were literally busing kids in for trick or treats, our new place, not so much, we get maybe a dozen kids… Like a bartender that drinks his mistakes, I get the leftover candy. November 1 is All Saints' Day, honoring all the saints in heaven, both known and unknown. The Mexican holiday is Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), similarly celebrating those that have passed before us. Today there is a big Bir...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter President Trump’s October 22 executive order lays out four changes to lower housing costs, and almost all of them depend on future agency action. On Thursday, October 22, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order, “Decreasing Housing Costs for the American People.”  The order went out 12 days before the midterm elections, with four changes aimed at reducing regulatory and cost barriers to homeownership. However, almost every provision in the order depends on a future agency decision, funding, or a task force report.  Let’s look at the four biggest proposed changes and what has to happen before housing costs can be decreased.  The 4 Biggest Takeaways From the Housing Cost Order 1.       PMI Could Come Off Automatically The first change is about private mortgage insurance, or PMI. Under Section 2, the FHFA Director has to direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to set up a pilot program if he decides it’s ...

  “Just Thinking" My buddy Rich sent me an Instagram Reel the other day about the legendary 1951 University of San Francisco Dons football team "Undefeated, Untied, and Uninvited." He asked me, “Did you know about this?” I laughed and replied, “Uh, yeah!” I'm a City boy, and that's some San Francisco history right there. Plus, I'm a USF alumnus and a proud former stalwart of the Grey Fog. So yes, I know a little something about them Dons. We're talking about legendary names like Ollie Matson, Gino Marchetti, Burl Toler, and Bob St. Clair. The Dons finished the season with a perfect 9-0 record and a roster loaded with incredible athletes. Ten of their starters were drafted by NFL teams, nine went on to play in the NFL, five became Pro Bowl selections, and three were eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. By any measure, it was one of the greatest teams in college football history. Another fascinating connection to the 1951 Dons is Pete Roz...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter House Beautiful reports that more than 60% of U.S. households have at least one security camera, and some sellers are listening in on buyers during showings. Would you tour a home knowing the seller was watching (and listening) via security cameras? More than 60% of U.S. households have at least one security camera, according to SafeHome.org figures cited in a recent House Beautiful article.  The share was 52% in 2024, up from 42% in 2023. Not all states require full disclosure of any in-house active camera and their locations. For buyer’s agents, an innocent comment about the home’s condition, a buyer’s excitement or even their maximum budget can cost them negotiating leverage or the deal itself. For listing agents, sellers who listen in could be exposing themselves to legal risks. House Beautiful spoke with agents who’ve seen these situations play out. Here’s what happened and what agents on both sides of the transaction should be doing di...

When you picture buying your first home, chances are you’re imagining a traditional single-family house with its own yard, maybe a garage, and little extra room to grow. But with affordability still tight, getting everything on that list right away may come with a higher price tag than you’re comfortable with right now. So, if you’re running the numbers and buying a house like that feels like a stretch, there may be another way in. A condo. Because in a lot of markets, condos come with a significantly lower price tag. And that could make them a smart way to get your foot in the door. Condos Can Cost Less Than You Think According to a recent study by Zillow:  “ Condos are the most commonly affordable home type in virtually every metro. At the starter level, the savings can be pretty significant. Nationally, starter condos average $197,468 — that’s about 6% less than the typical starter home. ” And depending on where you live, the difference can be much bigger.  Zillow identif...