So many of the chemicals we use everyday are actually quite toxic. They’re bad for us, bad for the environment, and just not safe. Here’s a great article about green, and safe, ways you can maintain your kitchen. A Healthy Shine: Green Cleaning Products for Your Kitchen
Green Cleaning in the Kitchen
November 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Changes in the American Home
November 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Wall Street Journal published this interesting article called Blueprint for the American Home
that describes the changes in design for today’s lifestyle. The best way to describe it is: “it’s designed for the way we live, not the way we aspire to live”. What a concept!
Using an iPad for Business
October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I’ve been wanting an iPad for some time now. As a true-blue Apple user, I already have an iMac, MacBook and iPhone. All 3 devices work very well for my business. I was concerned that there would be too much overlap in function between my current iMac/MacBook/iPhone setup and what the iPad does. I didn’t want to spend $600 on a toy. [Read more...]
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: A Look at Mortgage Lending Without Them
August 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
By: Dona DeZube
Some legislators say we don’t need mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. What would happen if lawmakers got their way?
Some in Congress want to shut down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They think the government shouldn’t be spending taxpayer money to support the mortgage market and that we should instead rely solely on Wall Street for mortgage market funding.
But that could cost you more than $1,000 a year in higher mortgage interest payments, and make it tough to find a 30-year fixed-rate loan when you want to refinance or buy. After all, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the FHA guarantee almost 90% of U.S. mortgage loans.
We looked at two hypothetical families—the Smiths and the Joneses, who each buy a $200,000 home with a 20% downpayment—and calculated how different their financial picture would be if one family didn’t have a government-backed loan.
Our scenario assumes a 1 percentage point difference in the two families’ loan rates. Some experts believe a 1% difference is conservative and would be even higher in a world without Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guarantees.
[Read more...]
The Value of a Home Warranty
August 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Your home is most likely one of your biggest investments. Unexpected repair or replacement costs of covered items can easily strain your budget. Plus, finding a qualified professional to solve your problems can be stressful and inconvenient. Many home warranties are renewable service contracts that cover the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances.
Basic coverage for most home warranties include: [Read more...]
How’s the Market? (Part 2)
March 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Last week I attended a presentation at the Sacramento Association of Realtors made by the Chief Economist from Freddie Mac – Frank Nothaft. He spoke about the housing market in the US, in California, and in the Sacramento metro area. We know what’s happened to us here in Sacramento. What we don’t know is that it’s worse here in Sacramento, than the rest of California [Read more...]
How’s The Market?
February 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
This is a question that I’m getting more and more these days. We’re reading stories about job growth, increases in real estate sales, good economic news in the Bay Area’s Silicon Valley. Things must be getting better, right? Well, if you live in the Sacramento area like I do, it’s going to be a while longer before the real estate market starts getting better, according to TrendVision [Read more...]
“HUD” Homes For Sale!
January 26, 2011 By 1 Comment
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development , or HUD, is becoming more of a player in the housing market. How does the US government end up with homes to sell, you ask? The answer is: from homes that have been financed with FHA loans. With FHA- backed loans, the government insures the lender against default by the borrower. When a homeowner defaults on an FHA loan, the lender is paid off and the home becomes the property of the government. HUD has the responsibility to sell the home on the open market. You can see the extent of the HUD homes for sale by visiting www.HUDHomeStore.com. [Read more...]
Short Sale-Forclosure Rules for 2011
January 10, 2011 By 1 Comment
The new year brings significant changes in California on how a short sale or a foreclosure affects homeowners! California Senate Bill 931, which went into effect on January 1 2011, restricts the circumstances which lenders can pursue deficiency judgements against the borrower. First deed of trust lenders can no longer pursue deficiency judgements after a short sale of 1-to-4 residential properties. This is a big change! Previously, the mortgage had to be “purchase money” and the home had to be owner-occupied in order to qualify for this exclusion. [Read more...]
Ten Things You Should Know About Your Property Taxes
December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Many people, including some real estate professionals have misconceptions about their property taxes. To help you better understand property tax laws in California, here are ten things that every property owner should know property taxes.
- Real property can only be reassessed if there has been a change in ownership, new construction or a decline in value. [Read more...]
