Be a Good Neighbor While Your Renovate
Having a good relationship with your neighbors can make life far more peaceful and enjoyable, so whenever you contemplate outdoor home projects—whether you’re installing a…
Category: Real Estate
Maintain Your Property
As I was driving into town to come to work this morning, I noticed the weeds growing up in the median strip on Perkins Street…
Becoming a First-Time Homebuyer
Home ownership isn’t right for everyone, but it can be a great investment and provide a huge sense of satisfaction. Before you cross home ownership…
Mortgage Do’s and Don’ts
Buying real estate is one of the biggest investments you’re likely to make. As such, mortgage lenders have to make sure you can afford what…
Basic Finance: Internal Rate of Return
This is the second in a series about finance. Because saving for a down payment can have such an enormously positive impact on which property…
Right Problem, Wrong Solution–Rent Control
In 1995, the California State Legislature enacted the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, preventing local governments from enacting rent controls on single-family homes and on housing…
How to Avoid Getting Dropped as a Real Estate Client
In my office, we have a list of individuals and organizations we won’t do business with—most are vendors, others are past clients who behaved so…
Way to Go, Ukiah!
Ukiah is my hometown and I love living here. I know it’s not perfect, but no place is. One of the many things I enjoy…
Play to Your Strengths
For the past couple columns, you may have noticed that I’ve written about financial equations and analysis. This is my happy place. My favorite part…
Basic Finance 101: Compounding Interest
When it comes to buying real estate, many people tend to get a little overwhelmed by the financial side of things as they try to…