Many do-it-yourself homeowners enjoy upgrading their own home rather than hiring a licensed contractor to do so. As long as you do the work in accordance with current building standards and acquire all the necessary permits, this is perfectly fine—with one caveat. In California, if the work requires a building permit and you want to … Read more
Last week, I began deciphering acronyms and vocabulary commonly used in real estate transactions. Here are a few more that can be helpful, especially if things go sideways and a foreclosure is involved. Notice to Perform – This is the document used when the buyer and seller have a signed purchase and sale agreement (PSA) … Read more
If you are contemplating a real estate transaction in the near future (or if you’re involved in one right now), it can be difficult to translate all the acronyms and vocabulary used in the industry. Here’s a guide to the terms you need to know. DRE (Department of Real Estate) – The California Department of … Read more
Recently, I was reminded of a scam where the fraudster tries to sell a property they don’t own. It goes like this. The scammer finds an unoccupied property and checks public records to see if there are any loans or liens on the property. If there aren’t, and the deed was recorded decades ago—especially if … Read more
Here’s how to maximize your ability to buy the home of your dreams. Determine how much to spend. The first step for any homebuyer is to determine how much you can afford, and then how much of that you actually want to spend. Just because a bank offers you a big home loan doesn’t mean … Read more
As you prepare to sell your house, you may be tempted to engage in practices that could ruin your opportunity to get the best return on your investment. Here are some tips to come out on top. Don’t rush the process Selling a house can be nerve wracking, so it’s understandable when sellers jump at … Read more
Recently, homeowners in Rogina Heights were stunned to discover that after moving out of their home in preparation to sell, someone had setup living quarters there by crawling through the wood box (a box used to load firewood from the outdoors and access the wood from the indoors). Squatting is on the rise and removing … Read more
This is a great time to sell your house. The weather is beautiful and everything is blooming. However, no amount of sunshine and flowers can overcome crummy curb appeal. While there are a lot of things you can do to make your property more appealing, none of those things matter if prospective buyers never make … Read more
People sometimes get confused about how the capital gains tax exemption applies when it comes to selling a home. It’s worth understanding because it can have a huge impact on your proceeds. Capital gains tax is the tax on profits realized when you sell an asset such as stocks, bonds, precious metals, real estate, and … Read more