How New Vacancy Tax In Berkeley And SF Could Affect Homeowners
In 2018 Oakland passed a vacancy tax that would resonate for future legislation proposals in the Bay Area. The idea was simple, tax property owners that had vacant properties they could otherwise be renting in order to add to the limited available housing supply. The problem was that Oakland starting in 2020 is now the […]
Housing Gains Slow For First Time Since May 2020?
Over the last few months we have been discussing some of the circumstances that have led to a crazy surge in housing demand, as well as some trends and legislation set to cool the hot streak. This year showed a visible movement of remote workers to new cities accelerated some of the largest growth spurs […]
Homeowners Underinsured Against Flooding And Earthquakes
The rain that impacted California last week ended up compounding into serious flooding and other issues that previously unaffected regions were not prepared for. For many years coastal cities and traditional flood zones knew the risks that came with heavy rain, but this month many areas were completely caught off guard. The big surprise for […]
Homeowners Need to Understand SB-9 and SB-10
California lawmakers are continuing to get creative in the pursuit of adding more affordable housing inventory going into 2022. As with most legislation the implications of SB-9 and SB-10, coming into effect January 1st 2002, will produce positives and negatives for most homeowners. Simply put, these new laws will allow homeowners the option to split […]
Home Valuation Insight From A Local Appraiser
The market has recently been adjusting and many of my clients are reaching out to me about what changes or features would best help their home value. I have my own opinions, but more importantly I was able to get some insight from a local appraiser on the trends he is seeing right now in […]
Home Sellers Are Beginning To Cut Prices…
We can feel a recent shift in the market due to many variables and as a result sellers are beginning to cut back their listing prices at a noticeable rate. When I work with a buyer or seller I always advise them that the listing price strategy used by sellers varies by city. In some […]
Foreclosures SURGE As Covid Mortgage Bailouts End
Before you start contacting me for the next amazing deal on a foreclosure property in the Bay Area, let’s review some of the information we have available… I have always marked this coming jump in foreclosures as more of a canary in the coal mine event than the beginning of a real estate downturn. California […]
Deciphering Capital Gains With Real Estate
Many homeowners that I work with are taking advantage of the amazing capital gains rules when selling their primary home or investment property. Most commonly they are looking to move or downsize and the large capital gains exemption they can take from the sale helps tremendously with the transition. For primary residences the capital gains […]
Crowdfunding For A Home Down Payment!
Many buyers wait until they have saved up enough money for a down payment to purchase their first home. With the new HOME FUND IT program I am working with through CMG loans, now prospective buyer can start crowdfunding a down payment from their network even years before they are ready to purchase. Previously gift […]
Co-Living Housing Making A Comeback As Housing Costs Soar
Co-living situations have been around for a long time, but in this era the opportunities have been streamlined as cities increase accessibility and startup companies cater to the demand. I remember around a decade ago that rent prices were about half of what they currently are where I live in the east Bay Area. Now […]