How to get the most from your Realtor – part I

Selling your house often means selling the most valuable possession you’ve ever owned. Having a good Realtor to guide you through the process can reduce your stress and increase your financial return, not to mention assuring that you comply with all relevant laws and regulations. In short, a listing agent’s job is to get you … Read more


Why Now is a Good Time to Sell

If the housing market were a grocery store, the shelves would be sparsely stocked. In many ways, this is an opportunity for sellers to get top dollar for their property. A huge part of why housing inventory is so low is because prospective sellers worry that the current interest rates will keep buyers from paying … Read more


What To Do About Skyrocketing Insurance Premiums

For the last several years, rates for homeowner’s insurance for single family homes have skyrocketed. A few years back, a friend of mine paid about $1400 per year for insurance. Today, he pays about $28,000 per year—that’s a 20-fold increase. It’s enough to make you ask, “Do I really need this insurance?” The cost of … Read more


Questions to Ask When Buying a Home – Part 2

Last week, I shared some important questions that people who are in the market to buy a home should ask so they can make the best decisions possible. If you’re like most people, buying a home will be the largest purchase you’ll ever make, so I recommend finding out everything you can. In addition to … Read more


Questions to Ask When Buying a Home

If you want to buy a home, prepare to ask a lot of questions. This is not a time to be shy or to hold back because you think someone might be offended by a question. If you’re like most people, this real estate purchase will be the largest purchase of your life, so I … Read more


Get It In Writing

Recently, I received a letter from a woman who wanted to share her experience as a cautionary tale for trusting souls who may inadvertently lose their homes to unscrupulous family members. She and her sweetheart (they aren’t married) are in a legal mess because her partner made a verbal contract with his son, and according … Read more


What Happens to My Medicare Benefits If I Sell My House?

If you receive Medicare benefits, it’s important to know how selling your house may affect your taxable income—and therefore, your monthly Medicare premiums. While most everyone of a certain age is entitled to federal healthcare benefits through Medicare, high-income earners pay higher premiums for their coverage. In 2023, individuals with a modified adjusted gross income … Read more


We Should Only Pay Our Fair Share

Everyone likes roads, parks, streetlights, and a sewer system that extends all the way to their neighborhood. These amenities are useful and important for a safe and functional community. What everyone may not agree on is how to pay for these things. Years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that local governments could no longer force … Read more


As Fraudsters Get More Sophisticated, You Should Too

Technology continues to evolve, and with it, so do the ways we can be deceived. I’m not talking about artificial intelligence, but rather old-fashioned fraud perpetrated with new tools. In real estate, at least two types of fraud have happened right here in Mendocino County. Lest you think you’re immune, beware. The people who got … Read more