When you get a loan to buy a house, you can choose a fixed-rate or an adjustable-rate mortgage. A fixed rate means the interest rate stays the same for the life of the loan. An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) has a variable rate. Most ARMs provide lower interest rates at the beginning of the loan, and … Read more
City leaders are currently discussing ways to address the local impacts of our statewide housing shortage. This is a complex problem, so I don’t envy their task. What I can offer is a perspective, one based on more than 40 years in the real estate business. First, it’s important to gather accurate data. To that … Read more
Last week, I shared information about hard-money loans, which are loans that often work when conventional loans won’t. This week, I’ll talk about buying and selling notes secured by real estate, a close cousin to real estate-backed, hard-money loans. If you sold a property and carried the financing, you are now the proud owner … Read more
When you buy a property in California, you’re buying it “as-is” unless you negotiate a different agreement pertaining to a specific item with the seller. Without that special agreement, you’re accepting the property in its current condition. This is not to suggest that sellers can announce they are selling their property as-is, and then skip … Read more
Once you’ve purchased a new home, it’s time to make it yours. Creating a welcoming entrance is a lovely way to start: it will be something you and all your visitors can enjoy for years to come. Chances are, having just closed escrow, you’re not in the mood to spend a whole bunch of money. … 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
The Williamson Act is a California law that allows the County to comply with an owner’s request to re-zone property as agricultural land, provided the owner is willing to commit to a ten-year term. This limits the property taxes the owner has to pay to be based on agricultural revenues, and prevents the land from … Read more