Oftentimes, I share real estate information from the perspective of either the buyer or the seller, but what if you’re both? Unless you’re a first-time homebuyer, chances are you’ll need to sell your current home to fund the purchase of your next one, and that complicates things. My first piece of advice is to forget … Read more
I was talking with a friend whose husband grew up in Ukiah and often gives directions based on landmarks that don’t exist anymore. “Keep going past the old Green Barn,” he’ll say, or “You know, it’s next to where Wildbergers used to be.” Hearing the names of these old businesses brought back a flood of … Read more
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 can charge their tenants. Proposition 10 would repeal the Costa-Hawkins legislation, thereby allowing local governments to adopt rent control ordinances without … Read more
As I was driving into town to come to work this morning, I noticed the weeds growing up in the median strip on Perkins Street near the Hwy 101 onramp and offramp. I’ve noticed these weed for weeks and they irritate me. If you checked the median near Hwy 101 on Gobbi Street, I expect … Read more
Ukiah is my hometown and I love living here. I know it’s not perfect, but no place is. One of the many things I enjoy about Ukiah is our unique sense of community. Last fall and again this summer, when fires threatened local homes, Ukiahans came together in truly remarkable ways. According to the logistics … Read more
Whenever I discuss the tax benefits of investing in real estate, I start with this disclaimer: I am not a tax professional and I am not giving advice here. My goal is to provide ideas for you to discuss with your tax professional. If you’re looking for a long-term investment, real estate is a great … Read more
There’s a wonderful children’s book series by Laura Numeroff, the first of which is If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. It goes through the problems of giving a mouse a cookie: if you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll probably want a glass of milk. If you give him milk, he’s likely to ask you … 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 some of the smart-home innovations made possible by modern technology, things like thermostats you can adjust with your cell phone regardless of your location, and smart doors and doorbells that allow you to unlock your door automatically or respond to a visitor at your door without being home. These are … Read more