Owning a home can be costly in the best of times, so there’s no reason to waste money on expensive mistakes. Here are a few to avoid. No Building Permit If you plan to undertake major repairs or structural improvements to your home, you will undoubtedly need a permit to do so legally. Whether you … Read more
I was talking with recently elected District 1 Mendocino County Supervisor Glenn McGourty about the challenges we face with housing in the Ukiah area—both a lack of supply and a lack of affordability. As a supervisor, Mr. McGourty will have many opportunities to address regulations, existing and proposed. While the most onerous regulations usually originate … Read more
Spring is a wonderful time to sell your house. The sun is out. Flowers are blooming. And especially this spring, people are ready to do something other than stay at home. Smart sellers are preparing to put their houses on the market. If you want your house to stand out from the others, here are … Read more
When the pandemic hit, many people were forced to work from home. Now, a significant number of those folks are choosing to work from home indefinitely, either full-time or part-time. If you are a self-employed homeowner and working from home, it’s time to make your home work for you. It’s time to create a dedicated … Read more
On January 1, 2021, a new law took effect that requires sellers to disclose whether their residential property has been hardened against the threat of wildfire. The law pertains to residential properties with up to four units constructed prior to 2010 (including condominiums and manufactured homes) located in high or very high fire-hazard-severity zones—which includes … Read more
Since homebuyers want to purchase their new house at the lowest possible price and sellers want to sell that house at the highest possible price, usually it’s either a buyers’ market or a sellers’ market. Right now, however, it is both. How? Rock-bottom interest rates. Because interest rates are so ridiculously low right now, buyers … Read more
Every year, the California Association of Realtors does a year-end review of the housing market’s ups and downs. It’s always interesting to see how Mendocino County compares. This year, we’re mostly in line with broader trends, but there are a few interesting departures. Overall, the housing market has become more competitive as demand outstripped supply … Read more
The two biggest buyers of home loans just increased their fee on refinanced loans by a half of a percentage point, thereby reducing the price they’ll pay lenders for those loans. This will make home loans a bit more expensive for borrowers as lenders pass on that fee. This got me thinking, most folks don’t … Read more
In November, California voters approved Proposition 19, the Property Tax Transfers, Exemptions, and Revenue for Wildfire Agencies and Counties Amendment (2020) to take effect April 1, 2021. Presumably, they did so because they believed disadvantaged homeowners should be able to transfer their tax base when they purchase a new primary residence—like those who are disabled, … Read more