When the shelter-in-place orders came down in Mendocino County and around the country, a certain unscrupulous portion of the population started wringing their hands in anticipation. When people are encouraged to do business online, especially high-dollar electronic fund transfers, the opportunity for fraud increases. If you are in escrow purchasing a property right now (or … Read more
Although it may feel like the Covid-19 pandemic will last forever, it won’t. If you want to be ready to buy a house as soon as things open up, here are some steps you should take today. Pick Your People Real estate is a team sport. If you think of it like baseball, we can … Read more
In my last column, I reviewed three California laws that interfere with negotiations between landlords and tenants. State Assembly Bill 1482 or the “Tenant Protection Act of 2019” went into effect January 1. It prevents residential landlords from raising rent more than 5 percent, plus the local rate of inflation, in a single year. State Senate Bill … Read more
California remains in the midst of a serious housing shortage. So, either lots of people need to move out of the State, or we need more housing—maybe both. Last year marked the seventh year in a row that more people moved out of the state than moved in. However, even with this exodus, we still … Read more
What’s the difference between a local real estate franchise and an unaffiliated real estate company? In most ways they are the same. They have the same licensing requirements and Realtors perform the same functions to help people buy and sell property. The differences between a franchise and an unaffiliated office are primarily in two categories: … Read more
As I mentioned last week, in the wake of COVID-19 the real estate industry, like many industries, is in the process of completely rethinking its service delivery model. People can’t very well meet in-person and then go through one another’s homes, touching things as they go and breathing in virus-laden droplets. We need to move … Read more
Until recently, homes for sale throughout Mendocino County were full of potential buyers ready to put a down-payment on their next home. Buyers spent weekends visiting open houses where they picked up finger foods before walking from room to room, opening cabinets, looking in closets, and sizing up spaces to see if their furniture would … Read more
I’ve been in real estate for more than 40 years, and the vast majority of transactions I’ve witnessed have been between people who are honest and forthright. However, I have also seen a few disreputable shysters take advantage of unsuspecting victims, which is why I recommend a trust-but-verify approach—and that includes always getting title insurance. … Read more
You’d be amazed how many people buy real estate from a neighbor or a friend only to find out they bought the property from someone who didn’t own it free and clear. People can have undisclosed rights to your property, so it’s important to be aware of these. How do you do this? Through title … Read more