With orange skies, smoky air, and wildfire evacuations to the north, south and east, it’s no wonder that people are beginning to question whether they should move out of Mendocino County or even out of state. I understand the inclination, but be sure to think things through before you make a hasty decision that won’t … Read more
Many homebuyers want the most favorable home loan terms they can get—the lowest interest rate and fewest points without the need for private mortgage insurance. One way to do this is to save your pennies until you can come up with a down payment that’s 20 percent of the sale price. On a $400,000 home, … Read more
When you’re looking for buyers or tenants for your property, you’ll have a hard time finding anyone who wants to sign on the dotted line if unpleasant odors are the first thing to hit people when they walk through the front door. Here are some tips to get rid of stubborn smells. Old Garbage and … Read more
This is the third in a three-part series about recommendations on how to perform an annual home safety audit. This time, I’ll focus on the outdoors, specifically, fire-safe landscaping. You may have noticed that in mid-May, workers could be found along many public roads clearing brush and removing low-hanging branches. They were hired to do … Read more
As I mentioned last week, once you’ve lived in a house for a while, little details often become invisible, which is why annual safety audits are such a good idea. Here’s a continuation of last week’s checklist to keep your home safe and in good repair. Kitchen Fire Extinguishers To keep everyone safe in the … Read more
When you are in the process of buying a house, you pay attention to the smallest details about the property. But after you’ve lived in a house for a while, those details often become invisible. This is why it’s such a good idea to do an annual safety audit. It forces you to pay attention … Read more
Summer is the perfect time to take on a few home maintenance projects, so before the sunshine gives way to fall showers, here are some recommendations. If you see peeling, cracked, or chipped paint, consider painting the exterior of your home to protect the siding underneath. Now’s also a great time to seal cracks in … Read more
If you’re a landlord or property manager, you know how important it is to screen tenants properly. This becomes more complicated when you consider renting to friends or family members. It’s one thing to tell a stranger you need to run a credit check and confirm their income level; it can feel very different asking … Read more
Your credit score is one of the ways mortgage lenders determine whether you’re a good bet, that is, whether to loan you money so you can buy real estate. Most credit scores range from 300 to 850, with higher scores indicating more creditworthiness. A good score is considered above 650. Your score is based on … Read more