Ok, raise your hand if you LOVE paying insurance premiums. No? Me neither. It's a strange concept: hoping that misfortune WON'T find you, but paying little chunks of money in advance just in case. Over the decades (I won't say how many!) I have shelled out a substantial Continue Reading
Homes for “Military Warriors”
So many foreclosed homes sitting vacant, deteriorating by the minute, dragging neighborhood values down. What to do? A client recently sent a Sacramento Bee article to me about an amazing program called "Homes 4 Wounded Heroes" aimed at placing injured veterans in Continue Reading
What a Buyer Wants
What are today's home buyers looking for? According to a survey* of 22,000 recent home buyers, they plan to be “more practical” in their next purchase, focusing on livable space rather than "unnecessary upgrades." Extras such as pools, media rooms and even Continue Reading
Chico in Top 10 Again!
Once again, our little town of Chico is in a nationwide "Top 10" list of best places to live! This time it's the April 2010 issue of Men's Journal. I haven't seen the actual magazine yet (hopefully it's not sold out here in Chico), but I did catch the local Chico Continue Reading
CASH FOR CAULKERS
Heard of the new "CASH FOR CAULKERS" program the Obama administration is proposing? Also known as The Home Star Program, if approved by Congress it will offer rebates of $1,000 to $1,500, or 50% of the cost, for simple upgrades, such as windows and insulation, duct Continue Reading
Things a Burglar Won’t Tell You
Ever mentioned on Facebook that you are (or will be) out of town? Ever wonder whether burglars use Facebook? Read these tips from actual burglars (from Reader'sDigest.com) to help protect your home and possessions, especially during the holiday season. Many of us Continue Reading
Virtual Staging
Maybe 15 years ago, I attended a workshop by "Staging Guru" Barb Swartz, who coined the term "staging" and has been teaching Realtors how to enhance their listings since 1972. I wonder what Barb thinks about the new trend of "virtual staging"? Literally Continue Reading
Honey I Shrunk Our Property Tax Bill!
If you purchased your home within the past several years, it may behoove (don't you love that underused word?) you to check on your assessed value, as it's quite possible you are paying more in property taxes than you should, based on today's lower values. I recently came Continue Reading
California Rocks the Harris Poll!
For the sixth year in a row, California tops the list of states that Americans would choose to live in if they did not live in the states where they currently reside, according to the 2009 Harris Poll. Florida, which was the most popular state in 2001, retains second Continue Reading
Ballotpedia
Have you seen the new "Ballotpedia" web site yet? The site allows you to click on any state on the map graphic to get information about ballot measures and initiatives prior to the election. Click here to view the California site. In the tradition of Wikipedia, Ballotpedia Continue Reading
