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 live within the Ukiah city limits or in the unincorporated part of Mendocino County, there’s a planning and building department for you! When do you need a permit? Any time … Read more
Whether the real estate market is booming or crawling, having a property appraised is a major hurdle for sellers, buyers and lenders. The appraisal is an objective, third-party report that reviews your property, the neighborhood, and comparable sales in the area to determine the value of your property. Before the appraiser schedules his inspection, I … Read more
Right now it’s a buyer’s and a seller’s market. How can it be both? It’s these low interest rates. Low rates allow more people to qualify for loans, bringing renters into the home-buying market. Low rates also make it easier for homeowners who want to upgrade to afford more expensive homes. On a typical $300,000 … Read more
Purchasing a to-be-built home is completely different from buying an existing home. When building your own home, whether it’s customizing a spec home or creating a custom home from scratch, you can avoid expensive misunderstandings by asking your contractor some key questions up front. Building a custom home on land you’ve purchased is a big … Read more
One of the most common questions any Realtor gets is, “Which lender can get me the lowest rates?” While rates are vital, the better question is, “Which lender provides the best value?” The loan officer handing your loan can either make life fairly simple or incredibly miserable. The one you found online may have promised … Read more
Okay, so you sold your property and allowed the buyer to pay you some of the purchase price over time: you are now in the business of loan servicing, a business so full of rules that many banks have opted out. Some of the rules are easy to comply with; others border on the impossible. … Read more
So you’ve closed escrow and are now proud homeowners. You’re ready to move in, but it’ll take more than arranging furniture to finish the job. Here are some recommendations to make your new home yours and only yours. Change the Locks If your house belonged to someone else and then went up for sale, it’s … Read more
When it’s time to buy a house, many different types of loans are available, depending on your status: are you a first-time homebuyer, a California veteran, or planning to renovate? This week, I’ll highlight the pros and cons of a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 203K loan. The FHA 203K loan is appropriate for those with … Read more
Last week I reviewed non-judicial foreclosures, but since this is a complicated subject, there’s more to be said. To bring you up to speed, here’s what happened so far: you determined your borrower will no longer pay on the loan, so you began foreclosure proceedings by contacting a foreclosure service company. They did their part … Read more