How to Hire for Home Repairs

Are you considering a home remodel or building a new house? Here are some questions you should ask before you choose a contractor or other licensed professional. How long have you been in business? In a community as small as ours, word gets around if you don’t know what you’re doing. In big metropolitan areas, … Read more


An Expensive Calamity

Most folks in Mendocino County have heard of the Assessor’s Office, the Auditor’s Office, and the Tax Collector’s Office, but very few could tell you exactly what they do. As thousands of Mendocino County residents begin receiving notices about back property taxes, knowing who to turn to could become of great interest. It all started … Read more


California Unveils Shared Loan Program for First-Time Buyers

My friend Ginny Richards, a senior loan officer at Kind Lending in Ukiah, was just telling me about a new loan program from the California Finance Housing Agency (CalFHA). It’s called the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan, and if you’re a first-time home buyer, it could be worth looking into. What is the … Read more


10 Years Ago

Exactly 10 years ago this week, I started writing this weekly real estate column. Here was the inaugural column. By way of introduction, I’m Dick Selzer and I’ve been in Real Estate in the Ukiah Valley since the 1970s. After more than 35 years in the industry, I thought I’d share a few facts and … Read more


Be the Best Buyer You Can Be

When it comes to making the biggest purchase of your life, a lack of experience and strong emotions can get in the way. Here are a few tips to be the best buyer you can be. Be Persistent Start by setting realistic expectations. It’s rare that the first house you see will be the one … Read more


New Regulations to Save the Day

I don’t know if you’ve been watching the news, but the price of eggs has gone sky high. Apparently, the Avian flu has wiped out scores of birds, and the increasing costs of fuel and feed have only made matters worse. I was at the Lucky supermarket recently, and the egg cabinet was down to … Read more


Research Can Be Revealing

Real estate transactions can be complex and often require the expertise of many different people, from lenders to licensed contractors. Realtors can help you navigate the whole experience by providing support within the scope of their license, and by referring you to others as needed. Public Records Search One way Realtors can support buyers is … Read more


Maybe Slower is Better

As a board member of a statewide organization, I must sign an annual confidentiality agreement. This year, rather than signing a paper document, I received a request for an electronic signature. If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you know one of my favorite sayings: In any agreement, the large print giveth … Read more


A Doable New Year’s Resolution: Maximizing Your Credit Score

Now that we’re a few weeks into 2023 and your new year’s resolutions are already starting to seem like more trouble than they’re worth, may I suggest a pivot to a different resolution? Make this the year you maximize your credit score. It’s not difficult and it can have big payoffs. If you plan to … Read more