While each real estate transaction is unique, the questions buyers ask are often the same. Here are some of the most common questions answered. What credit score do I need to buy a home? Generally, your credit score will not determine whether you can get a loan; rather, it will determine how much you can … Read more
While each real estate transaction is unique, the questions sellers ask are often the same. Here are some of the most common questions answered. What should I do to prepare my house for sale? First, remove a third of the contents from your house, from furniture to artwork to clothes in your closet. If you … Read more
Recently, PG&E announced a planned 65% rate hike over the next three years, inspiring me to get a quote on installing solar panels. These days, there are a couple of ways to benefit from a solar installation. One is to install a system with no out-of-pocket expenses and then pay the solar company for your … Read more
If you own an investment property, I’ve got good news for you. The IRS has a regulation called a partial disposition election. It allows you to immediately benefit from any undepreciated value when you replace a depreciable structural component on your office building or rental property. It also provides tax benefits when you sell the … Read more
There’s a new law that requires real estate agents to enter into a contract with anyone they are working with, not just people interested in listing their property for sale. I know I’ve talked about this before, but given how many questions I continue to get, I thought I’d cover it in more detail. REALTORs … Read more
As of this writing on January 14, fires in the Los Angeles Basin have destroyed more than 10,000 structures (threatening another 52,000+) and burned more than 48,000 acres—and that’s just the Eaton and Palisades fires. As a result, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a moratorium preventing insurance companies from canceling or non-renewing homeowner policies … Read more
If you’re a landlord, what should you do if a tenant leaves personal property behind? While the answer may seem simple—just remove the items and move on—there are specific rules to follow, especially if you want to avoid disputes with former tenants or run afoul of the law. Here’s a guide to handling abandoned property … Read more
When people become interested in the real estate market, they often start online, perusing one of the myriad digital sites—from databases like Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin to broker and REALTOR websites to media publications. These can be a good place to start, but when you get serious about buying or selling real estate, these online … Read more
If you own your home or any investment properties, it’s likely that these are your most valuable assets, so it makes sense to take good care of them. One way to do so is to get periodic inspections, many of the very same ones you got when you first purchased the property. Although some problems … Read more