Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 170
A lien on property is something that financially burdens the property. Past due property taxes, unpaid child support, delinquent income tax, personal judgements, current mortgages, and fines from code violations are a few of the kinds of liens that will attach to real property. When we list a property, we have a title company provide a preliminary title report which lists everything that is recorded against the property. That report includes easements, deeds, CCR’s, liens a...
I bet when you think of Reators you don’t think of lobbying as part of our job. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every Realtor contributes financially to the Realtor Action Fund. This fund provides the funding for the government affairs staff at the California Association of Realtors to fight to protect private property rights, promote homeownership rights, oppose point of sale mandates, and have a voice at the table on all discussions that have to do with real estate....
Knowledge is comprised of many facets. Knowledge is fact based. It is based on the specific published words or data. Knowledge is also experience based. It is based on exposure to experiences that provide a basis to understanding the overall situation that exists. Knowledge is also derived from the wisdom of others. In real estate, a professional, licensed Realtor uses all three of these sources of knowledge to provide the best service to their client. A Realtor’s knowledge b...
Over the 24 years I’ve sold real estate, I have often thought of writing a book about the many experiences I have had with clients, agents and other providers who work in the industry. I have resisted, because the stories that, after the fact, are the most interesting, are often about situations that were horrible as I was going through them. Since this week’s letter is J, I decided to write about some of the jerks I’ve worked with and jerky experiences I’ve had. All names wil...
I touched on the subject of insurance previously, when I addressed the positive impact that adding home hardening features to a property has on the insurability of the property. The topic of insurance demands a deeper dive because, in California, securing affordable homeowners’ insurance is not an easy task. Insurance companies use the Federal Emergency Management Agency maps to evaluate the types of natural disasters that a property has the potential to experience. The F...
How many of you have heard the term “home hardening?” It has nothing to do with making the structure harder. Afterall, how would we do that? Pour concrete over the structure? Or overlay it with brick and mortar? No. Home hardening refers to preparing your home against potential wildfires. In the case of home hardening, it means, prepare. It took some searching to find why this term was chosen. I found it within the framework of computing systems. Read below and I think you’ll...
Guest house has a new name: Accessory Dwelling Unit. I don’t know if this new name has anything to do with the “woke” community or if it was a broader term created to define more uses, but either way, the ADU is a great way to add value to your property and perhaps more harmony to your extended family. California’s Accessory Dwelling Unit Law, Assembly Bill 68, took effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Under this law, homeowners can add an accessory dwelling unit to their property – even...
For nearly as long as I’ve been writing my column, the topic of the shortage of affordable workforce housing has been a key issue in real estate. There are many programs that address affordable housing, so people at the lowest of income levels, or those on state subsidies can secure housing. But affordable workforce housing is an even bigger problem within California. It doesn't matter which region a person lives in, the housing available close to employment is generally n...
What exactly does extension of time mean? If I’m parking my car at a meter with a limited amount of time on it, and I see the meter attendant approaching, I sure would like an extension of time to avoid that costly fine. Or if I’m on vacation and finally feeling relaxed, I sure would like an extension of time, so I could stay a little longer. But, as we all know, time doesn’t just extend. Time is finite. Time is exact. In a real estate contract, there are exact times that...
The word “disclosure” is a noun that means the action of making new or secret information known. Its antonym is concealment. What a simple definition, and the antonym is equally simple and profound. In California real estate, sellers have an obligation to complete two documents to aid in their required disclosures to the prospective buyers. The first is the real estate transfer disclosure statement and the second is the seller property questionnaire. Both forms are a ser...
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 in favor of supporting a set of policies intended to improve access and “social equity” in the cannabis industry. If you’re like me, you’re asking yourself, what in the world does “social equity” have to do with cannabis? Let’s start with the Wikipedia definition of “social equity.” Social equity is concerned with justice and fairness of social policy. Since the 1960s, the concept of social equity has been used in a va...
Being a buyer in this low inventory marketplace can be frustrating to say the least. Unless you are a buyer shopping above the $1,500,000 price range, you will be competing against many other hopeful buyers who want the same home as you. Homes that are priced correctly, are sold within a few days, often for over the list price. Currently we have less than a half month's supply of homes under $1,000,000. Over $1,000,000, we only have a three months' supply. There are only 64...
Last week, I reminded you how critical it is for all of us to show our gratitude by being generous to Fallbrook’s local merchants and restaurants. Since my writing of that article, I heard the sad news that one of our downtown merchants and possibly one of our restaurants will be closing at the end of the year. The need for your support is real, and critical. There is another community within Fallbrook that needs your support, especially at this time of year. Every nonprofit i...
At·ti·tude /ˈadəˌt(y)o͞od/ noun 1.a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior: "she took a tough attitude toward other people's indulgences" Synonyms point of view, view, viewpoint, vantage point, frame of mind, way of thinking, way of looking at things, school of thought, outlook, angle, slant, perspective, reaction, stance, standpoint, position, inclination, orientation, approach, opinion, ideas...
It just seems appropriate to share this poem, written in 1822, by American poet Clement Clark Moore. Enjoy your home, your family, and the magic of this beautiful time of year! ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their h...
Home for the holidays means something extra special this year. In past years, staying home was something you would choose to do, perhaps to slow things down and restore your energy or perhaps your bank account. This year, we have all been told to “stay at home,” so our options have been reduced by our inability to leave. So, what’s a person to do to turn these lemons into lemonade? Here’s a few ideas for you to consider. Let’s start with where we live, Fallbrook As I look out...
This is the time of year that everyone talks about gratitude. It’s as if there’s an obligation to bring it up because, after all, we have a holiday named after it, Thanksgiving. My first thought is, what a shame that we don’t talk about gratitude more regularly. It can’t possibly be that we as a people are only grateful from November to December each year, and the rest of the time, we’re just ______, fill in the blank. Thanksgiving does remind us to be grateful. I’m thankful...
I recently participated in an Economic Throw Down Discussion. The participating panelists came from across California. There were housing analysts, mortgage analysts, educators and real estate economists. There was one topic that truly piqued my interest because it resonates with real estate in Fallbrook. It’s the topic of migration. Migration can be outbound which generally occurs when homeowners leave California. Migration can also be inbound from one area of California t...
Integrity. This word has been in the news a lot lately. Integrity is the opposite to fraudulent, another word that has been in the news. Truth or transparency and deceit or deception are more tangible definitions. I wrote about integrity in the real estate transaction a few months ago, but after reading my own article under the lens of today’s integrity monocle, I believe right now is as good of a time as any to expand on integrity within a real estate transaction. Previously,...
On Nov. 3, voters made their voices heard on two real estate related propositions. Prop 15 would have changed how commercial properties and agricultural land have their property taxes assessed. Commercial property and agricultural land would have been re-assessed every three years, whether or not there was a transfer of title. In other words, the reassessment would not require a sale to occur but would instead become a calendared event. The proponents argued that large corpora...
4 started out as a year poised for some great reform in the housing arena. The California State Legislators sponsored multiple bills focused on streamlining the process to expedite housing development as well as modifications to zoning to allow for additional housing along transit corridors. The bills were crafted to provide solutions to the lack of housing supply. Then COVID-19 arrived, and all legislative plans shifted focus on emergency response to the virus. The...
Voter booklets are out. Ballots are out. It's time to get serious about the propositions on November's ballot. There are three that potentially impact real estate and your property values. The first one is Proposition 15. It has a title that is very misleading. It makes you think that it is all about funding our schools. The revenue created, if Prop 15 were to pass, would largely go to the schools but at the cost of commercial property owners across the state. It would change...
It’s been a hot couple of months! The weather’s been hot! The real estate market’s been hot! Downtown Fallbrook is hot! So where have you been? It’s been seven months since we were all told to shelter in place and wear a mask. Some businesses have been allowed to reopen in a limited way, while others remain shuttered or unable to afford to open, given the protocols required to open. They simply can’t afford to open up with the current restrictions. Thanks to Fallbrook...
Last week I wrote about the unpredictability of appraisals. Appraisals can be one of the biggest checkmates in the escrow process. One other challenging component of many of the transactions in Fallbrook is the septic inspection and certification process. This inspection, if requested by the buyers, is required to be completed and provided to the buyers within seven days of acceptance of the offer. Many of you understand septic systems because your home utilizes this...
The real estate transaction is complicated. There are multiple participants, there are multiple disclosures and reports, there are multiple points of negotiation, and there’s the appraisal. Appraisers are a bit like the wizard of oz. They have all the levers, they hide behind the curtain, and they decide what you get. We all know how that worked out for the cowardly lion, the tin man, and Dorothy. The wizard gave them what he determined they needed and sent them on their w...
