If you’re at least 62 years old and you own your home outright, you can borrow against it and never have to pay back the loan. It’s called a reverse mortgage and it allows you to convert some of your home’s equity into cash. Unlike traditional mortgages, the loan does not have to be repaid … Read more
In a small community like ours, most people know several Realtors, so what do you do when it’s time to buy or sell property–who do you choose to represent you? The answer is simple: you pick the person who can best meet your needs (as opposed to the person you meet for drinks after work). … Read more
These days, buildings are a lot safer, more technologically advanced, and environmentally friendly than they once were, which is great. What isn’t great is the increased costs that occur when the government starts requiring every new home to incorporate each new innovation. If new technology is worthwhile and cost-effective, people will adopt it without the … Read more
Last week, I shared the tax benefits associated with having a home office. This week, I’ll share another way to reduce your tax burden: if you have a medical condition that requires upgrades to your home, you may be able to write off part of the cost of those upgrades. Before I go on, I … Read more
There are lots of great reasons to own a home. One of my favorites is the tax benefits. Many homeowners can write off the interest on their mortgage and on the amount they pay in property taxes. But if you have a home office, you may be able to take advantage of additional tax savings. … Read more
The City of Healdsburg is trying to bypass the Costa-Hawkins legislation by considering an ordinance related to “just cause for eviction.” In 1995, the California State Legislature enacted the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, preventing local governments from enacting rent controls on single-family homes and on housing built after 1995. Rent controls limit how much landlords … Read more
Even though most of us know there’s no such thing as a free lunch, we still get tempted when we see it advertised. Lately, I’ve seen lawn signs in front of homes for sale put there by Realtors who promise to buy your house if they can’t sell it to someone else. At face value, … Read more
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat just published an article highlighting Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to declare a State wildfire emergency, a declaration that will speed up the process for dozens of fire-prone areas to be cleared of underbrush and thinned of trees, including 36,000 acres in the Ukiah Valley. There will also be some controlled … Read more
Ukiah Unified School District has two excess properties, former school sites in Hopland and Redwood Valley. State of California legislation severely restricts public school districts from marketing and selling their properties without going through a very long and protracted process with any cash proceeds being restricted to capital improvements only. Therefore, the District’s best options … Read more