I was recently asked, “What is the difference between a mobile, manufactured, and modular home?” Turns out that even after 40 years in real estate, some questions still stump me. So, I did a little homework. Whether you are considering buying one of these to use as your primary residence or investing in one, it’s … Read more
Every licensed real estate agent or broker in California must put their clients’ needs before their own. They have what’s called a fiduciary responsibility, which means they are legally required to do what is in the best interest of the client. If an agent or broker puts their own needs above their clients’ needs, they … Read more
In the Ukiah Valley, we have a serious housing shortage. It’s so serious that local employers have had trouble recruiting qualified candidates to the area. Candidates come and interview for a job. They’re a perfect fit and receive a job offer. Then, they cannot find a house to live in, so they decline the offer … Read more
If you’re a first-time homebuyer trying to stretch your limited budget to get as much house as possible, you may be tempted to buy a fixer upper, a house in need of extensive repairs. They certainly can be priced right. If you’re like me and your construction skills are taxed when hanging a picture, I’d … Read more
I recently attended a meeting where the Adventist Health Ukiah Valley CEO, Jason Wells, announced his plan to recruit 30 new physician specialists as soon as possible. One of his biggest challenges is the lack of appropriate, market-rate housing for physicians and their families. He noted that when the fire in Paradise, California displaced many … Read more
The vast majority of residential real estate transactions follow a fairly familiar pattern. Sellers put their house up for sale. Buyers make an offer to buy it. They agree on a price and go into escrow. Disclosures and inspections and financing and a zillion other details fall into place (thanks to an enormous amount of … Read more
If it were up to me, all homeowners would be responsible for maintaining the section of road directly in front of their property out to the middle of the street. To make sure everyone maintained their portion of the road, a local committee of elected members would have the authority to keep the road in … Read more
Although this column is about real estate, it includes important information for anyone handling high-dollar transactions electronically. Whether you’re wiring money for real estate, a vehicle, or equipment, you can lose a lot of money in a hurry if you don’t know how to spot wire fraud. Sadly, this happened recently when a family here … Read more
Last week, I shared information about how to be the buyer whose offer is accepted. While I cannot provide a fail-safe way to guarantee your offer will be chosen, I can certainly give you good advice that will put your offer near the top of the list: get pre-approved for a loan. Remember, property owners … Read more