Most of us think we won’t be duped by a scammer, but these people are good at what they do and desperation sometimes causes us to bypass our common sense. With the rental market in Ukiah as tight as it is, people are frantic to find a place to live, which can cause them to … Read more
Many people believe spring is the best time to sell a house, so they take their property off the market during winter. It is precisely this behavior that could make your property a hot commodity during the coldest months. As I compare housing statistics from April 2015 to statistics in October 2015, I see some … Read more
Finding a way to support yourself financially in Ukiah can be tough, especially without a college degree, but if you have the right personality and work ethic, a career in real estate might be just what you’re looking for. Jobs range from sales agent to property manager to loan officer, and more. They all require … Read more
In June, I was talking with Ukiah Police Chief, Chris Dewey. We were reminiscing over the success of the Safe Ukiah contest, and we started talking about whether a Safe Mendocino County contest could produce even more good ideas on ways to keep our local communities safe. The next thing you know, we’re having lunch … Read more
Last week I talked about servicing a real estate loan yourself. That was a prelude to the next couple articles, which are in response to a reader’s question about foreclosures and what other options may exist when a borrower stops paying his loan. If a borrower misses a mortgage payment, there could be a perfectly … Read more
To own real estate you must hold title, and the way you hold title affects how the ownership of a property can be transferred; how the property can be financed, improved or used as collateral, and it has tax implications. Methods of holding title include limited liability companies (LLCs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs), … Read more
Recently, rural properties in California have had a harder time qualifying for homeowner’s insurance. After the big fires in 2014 (and the not-so-big Black Bart Fire locally), many insurance companies have declined new requests for coverage and even opted not to renew existing policies. Why? Because the Department of Insurance disallowed a rate increase for … Read more
Once winter weather hits in California, the housing market slows: homeowners don’t want to spend time outside sprucing up their property in cold, wet conditions and this weather usually means the holidays are approaching—when most people would rather spend time with family than focus on selling their home. It’s much more fun to think about … Read more
If you buy a home in a federally designated flood zone with a federally insured loan (and most loans fall into this category), you are required to purchase flood insurance. Sometimes, property that falls within a designated zone on a map isn’t all that likely to flood, yet the insurance is still required—with one exception: … Read more