Making changes to the popular mortgage interest rate deduction would be “very bad policy,” Toll Brothers CEO Doug Yearley told CNBC on Tuesday. Industry sources told CNBC reducing the deduction is on the negotiating table as Republicans work to hammer out a tax reform package. “It would discourage homeownership,” Yearley said in an interview with […]
If A Tree Falls On Your House, Could It Be Inverse Condemnation?
In the week of Hurricane Harvey, it might be appropriate that we turn our attention to some of the laws and rules that apply when an uprooted tree causes damage to the property of someone other than the owner of the tree. Of special interest is the situation when a publicly-owned tree falls upon and […]
Listing Broker Not Liable for Prospective Buyer’s Injuries From Falling Into Empty Pool After Diving Board Collapses
The recently published case of Jacobs v Coldwell Banker held that a broker could not be held liable for injuries caused by 1) the collapse of a diving board since the broker had no notice of any defect in the diving board nor 2) for the empty pool since the danger was so obvious that any person […]
New Advances In Technology Make Going Green A Breeze
Did you know that an automatic dishwasher uses less hot water than doing dishes by hand, which equals an average of six gallons less per cycle, or more than 2,000 gallons per year? Considering that an individual American uses about 2,000 gallons of water per month, that’s a pretty significant number. The idea of “going […]
5 tips for investing in rental property
Rick Nayar bought his first rental property at the age of 27 – and had 25 by the time he was 30 years old. The owner of Orlando, Florida-based Centurion Realty Group, Artesian Title and Full Circle insurance companies, Nayar saw investment real estate as a good opportunity to build wealth and achieve monthly cash […]
Half of Homes Sold in Less Than a Month
Fifty-one percent of homes sold in July were on the market for less than a month, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ existing-home sales report, released Thursday. Properties typically stayed on the market for 30 days in July, down from 36 days a year ago. “Buyer interest in most of the country has held […]
What Is a Kick-Out Clause? Helping Sellers Get the Best Deal in a Timely Manner
monkeybusinessimages/iStock; realtor.com A kick-out clause gives sellers the ability to continue marketing a house in the event that they receive an offer with contingencies, or conditions that must be met. One of the most common contingencies is that the buyers must sell their current home. But a kick-out clause in the sales contract allows […]
The US housing market still has a serious hangover
U.S. home prices keep climbing as inventories sit at historic lows yet the pace of construction lags. What might stimulate builders is worsening affordability for millennials, and may be persuading baby boomers to stay put. A decade after the crisis, the American housing hangover shows few signs of lifting. Prices rose 5.8 percent in the […]
Will first-time homebuyers save California’s homeownership rate?
California’s typical first-time homebuyer population (aged 25-34) numbered 5,917,800 in 2016. This population is up 10% from before the 2008 recession, and growing. Despite our growing first-time homebuyer population, homeownership remains down. In 2016, the state’s homeownership rate fell to 53.8%. This is down from the recent peak of 60.7% in 2006. California homeownership has dropped steadily since the […]
How to Keep Your Second Home Safe
Posted on Aug 29, 2017 01:40 PM EDT How to Keep Your Second Home Safe If you are lucky enough to own a second home or a residence in your favourite country, then you will understand the anxiety behind wanting to keep it safe at all times. Of course, you can’t be in two places […]
Where Salaries Go the Farthest
You can get much more bang for your buck in some locales than others. While salaries may be highest in San Jose and San Francisco, for example, the cost of living is highest there too. But when salaries are adjusted for cost of living, the smaller metros tend to be where residents see their paychecks […]
5 Things to Never Tell a Contractor
Contractors may be your client’s go-to person during a home renovation. To ensure things go smoothly, realtor.com® warns of a few phrases homeowners should never say to the contractor, including: 1. “I’m not in a hurry.” Don’t put too much pressure on the contractor. This phrase implies the contractor and crew can take as much time as they’d like […]
Swap Out These 7 Things in Your House for a New Lease on Life
Freer Law/iStock You just can’t overestimate the effect your home can have on your mood. After all, it’s where you try to relax after work, and to get jazzed up for a new day. But some surprising things in it might actually be bringing you down, without your realizing it. Fortunately, a few […]
Top Entryway Decor Ideas for 2017
By Katherine Medlin, guest contributor The entryway is a significant space within a home — it’s the first thing a potential buyer sees, and it sets the stage for the whole vibe of the home. Buyers can form opinions on a home within seconds of opening that front door. Your clients can make a few simple changes […]
Fannie Loosens ARM Down Payment Rules
Fannie Mae is changing the requirement that borrowers pay a higher down payment to qualify for an adjustable-rate mortgage, announcing that it is bringing this type of financing more in line with that of fixed-rate mortgages. Now, borrowers can make as little as a 5 percent down payment on a one-unit primary property using an […]
People lined up for the Open House!!
WOW! People were stacked up waiting to get in to the Thousand Oaks open house at 1133 Calle Las Trancas!!! Several people here waiting as I drove up!
Bargain Bonanza: 7 Amazing Household Buys at the Dollar Store
gilaxia/iStock “I love paying more money,” said no one, ever. Let’s face it: Saving money is an American hobby—and shopping at dollar stores is an easy way to do it. We’ve already told you that you’re better off skipping the off-brand pet food and those dinged soup cans that cram the dollar store aisles. But […]
Buyers Want Bigger Yards Over Bigger Homes
A property that offers a great outdoor space is taking a higher priority among home buyers. In fact, home shoppers recently surveyed said they would be willing to sacrifice some space from a larger house in order to get a bigger yard. More than half of 1,000 buyers recently surveyed—or 56 percent—said they’d be willing […]
Boomers retire, and California trembles
Older Californians are growing in number, at 13.6% of the state’s population in 2016. The number of Californians 65 years of age and older increased 3% from the prior year. Four-out-of-five Baby Boomers are homeowners today and will remain so in retirement, though most will sell and downsize, purchasing a replacement home of equal or lesser […]
China may be crippling some of its largest companies with a crackdown on investment
China has tightened the purse strings on foreign investment, but the government’s crackdown could completely backfire, hurting the very companies it’s seeking to firm up. Chinese companies had been on a massive shopping spree — outbound deals hit a new record every year since 2009, soaring 500 percent to a whopping $200 billion last year. […]