Articles

Articles

  • What’s Ahead for the Housing Market

    What’s Ahead for the Housing Market
  • Top Reasons People Move

    Top Reasons People Move
  • WHY HIRE AN AGENT WHO IS A REALTOR?

    WHY HIRE AN AGENT WHO IS A REALTOR
  • SELLING A HOME IS EASY!

    SELLING A HOME IS EASY
  • BUYING A HOME IS EASY!

    BUYING A HOME IS EASY
  • Buying & Selling at the same time?

    When it comes to buying a new home at the same time you sell your current home, planning is key and timing is critical.
  • Home Appraisals - A NECESSARY STEP

    Home Appraisals - A NECESSARY STEP
  • ESCROW QUICK GUIDE - DEATH OF A PROPERTY OWNER

    The death of a loved one can be a life-changing and traumatic event. Setting affairs after a death should be straightforward.
  • Woohoo! Nationally, the US housing market is getting back to normal.

    Welcome to a Seller's Dream!
  • PROPOSITION 19 - Q & A

    PROPOSITION 19 - Q & A
  • The Magic of Owning a Home

    The Magic of Owning a Home
  • Transfer Tax Update for the City of San Jose

    Transfer Tax Update for the City of San Jose
  • Fixer Upper Money Pit

    Fixer Upper Money Pit
  • Closing Costs Cleared Up

    5 Electric Home Dangers
  • 5 Electric Home Dangers

    5 Electric Home Dangers
  • 5 Essentials

    When it comes to choosing a home to purchase, which amenities are non-negotiable and which ones are nice to have? These are the top five essential amenities home shoppers say are must-have in a home.

    5 Essentials
  • american dream home

    American Dream Home
  • burglars begone

    Home burglary generally has a pattern; criminals looking for an easy target they can rob fast. Career burglars shared this information to help you prevent break-ins.

    Burglars Begone
  • calling in the experts

    When purchasing a home, one of the most important steps is to the home inspection. While this will tell you a lot about the house, there are some items that a home inspector simply cannot evaluate.

    Calling in the Experts
  • design dilemmas

    Home trends come and go, but these are the ones people are most likely to regret in 10 years, according to social media users.

    Design Dilemmas
  • dont get sidelined

    There are a lot of assumptions about the housing market, but some of those beliefs may be causing you to miss out on a great house. Check out some of the biggest misconceptions that home buyers have.

    Dont Get Side lined
  • future proof kitchen

    The median price of remodeling a kitchen is $60,000. So how do you make sure the changes you make won't look dated in a few years? Here are some ideas to future-proff your kitchen.

    Future Proof Kitchen
  • HOAs: Protecting Home Values

    69 million Amercians live in 342,000 common-interest communities and the majority of owners say Homeowners Associations protect home values. Find out why.

    Hoa
  • homeownership benefits

    Homeownership Benefits
  • homeownership dream

    Despite affordability challenges, California renters continue to hold homeownership in high regard and aspire to purchase a home eventually.

    Homeownership Dream
  • inspection

    Inspection
  • The Truth about Lead-Based Paint Liability

    If you're a California homeowner, you may have seen recent news that you will be held criminally liable if your home contains lead-based paint. This is not true and is simply a scare tactic being used by paint manufacturers that recently lost a court ruling. Find out the truth below.

    The Truth about Lead-Based Paint Liability
  • maintenance must dos

    Maintenance must dos
  • making the move

    The average homeowner stays in their home for 10 years. Here are some telltale signs it's time to pack your bags and make the move.

    Making the move
  • mortgage musts

    Getting a mortgage may seem easy, but the truth is that there are a number of hoops to jump through and hurdles to cross before a mortgage lender will issue you a loan. Here are five essential steps that many buyers don't realize are needed for a mortgage.

    Mortgage musts
  • motivated millennials

    Millennials held the highest share of homebuying activity in 2018 out of all other generations for the fifth consecutive year. They boast a strong desire for homeownership and remain committed to achieving their home-purchasing goals.

    Motivated Millennials
  • outdated advice

    People who've gone through the homebuying process are often eager to give advice. Unfortunately, sometimes that advice is outdated.

    Check out some of the most common advice you may hear, which no longer applies given the current market.

    Outdated advice
  • popular projects

    58% of homeowners plan to spend money on home improvement projects this year. What are the most popular renovations?

    Popular Projects
  • Seller Slip-Ups

    Selling a home isn't easy. Avoid these common slip-ups that can cause your home to linger on the market.

    ller Slip-Ups
  • smart home hacked

    As the number of households using smart-home devices, such as voice assistants, thermostats, doorbells and televisions - continue to increase, so does the potential for your home to be hacked. Check out these tips from security experts on how to avoid having your smart home hacked.

    Smart Home Hacked
  • smart home tech

    More builders are outfitting newly constructed homes with smart-home technology and buyers are willing to pay extra for it.

    Smart Home Tech
  • staged homes

    Home staging is key to attracting home shoppers, and maybe even more so in an era where consumers are used to watching TV home-makeover shows.

    Staged Homes
  • The Stress of Surprise Repairs

    Nearly half of the homeowners experienced an unexpected home repair in the first year of homeownership and almost one-third did not have money set aside for home repairs or improvements. Homeownership involves more than just paying for your mortgage. Be sure that you're prepared for unexpected expenses.

    The Stress of Surprise Repairs
  • tackling the remodel

    The chief reasons homeowners undergo a remodel are because they desire better and newer amenities or they feel compelled to repair or replace old components in their homes. Here are some of the other reasons homeowners take on a remodel.

    Tackling the Remodel
  • try and try again

    Try and try again
  • Prevent Wildfires

    Mother Nature was not kind to California in 2017, with wildfires breaking out in all parts of the state, even during the non-traditional wildfire season. Fire officials sa that most homes that burn during a wildfire aren't ignited by dry brush, but instead by embers landing on the roof, through vents, or on decks and porches. Follow these tips to make your house more ignition resistant.

    Prevent Wildfires
  • Don't Fall Victim To Wire Fraud

    Scammers are stealing down payments via wire fraud and getting more clever every day. Be sure you don't fall victim to wire fraud by following these 3 steps.

    Don't Fall Victim To Wire Fraud
  • California homeowners face higher insurance costs after fires

    www.cbsnews.com
    January 31, 2019

    California's new insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara, delivered bad news earlier this week to Golden State homeowners about wildfire insurance losses and policy premiums. Lara said estimated insurance costs for the 2018 wildfires, which devastated towns such as Paradise and Redding and caused massive destruction in Malibu, had risen by $2.3 billion to $11.4 billion -- a 25 percent increase and a record for the state.

    Total losses from California's more than 8,000 wildfires exceeded $18 billion last year. But the steep insured losses also mean higher premiums for homeowners and businesses, including the 3.5 million homes in harm's way from future blazes.

    Just how much will rates rise? If a December 2017 report from the California Department of Insurance (CDI) -- issued before the state's worst fire year -- is any indication, those who previously paid $800 a year for a policy could now be charged up to $5,000. Insurers said additional hikes are inevitable.

    Follow the link below to read full article.

    Read full article here...

  • Family pets can have a significant influence when homebuyers are shopping

    Dog

    www.cbsnews.com
    January 31, 2019

    On average, prospective homebuyers visit 10 properties over 10 weeks until they find their new home. It turns out that one of the more prominent reasons a home search gets extended is furry and walks on four legs.

    That’s right: if a house doesn’t pass “the pet test,” it’s out of the running.

    The healthy economy that is spurring talk of a rate hike, however, isn’t permeating deeply into real estate.

    A survey by Realtor.com found that 75 percent of pet-owning home buyers would pass up an otherwise-perfect home if they didn’t think it was a good fit for their animals.

    That’s a significant percentage considering that finding the right property ranks as the most difficult step in home buying.

    Eighty percent of the people surveyed owned pets. Of those:

    87 percent took their pets' needs into account when looking for a home.

    Nearly 90 percent of pet-owning buyers said that their animals' needs were important or very important in their home-search process.

    90 percent of dog owners and 87 percent of cat owners said their pets' needs were important or very important during their home search. But reptiles (98 percent), horses (91 percent), and fish (87 percent) also factor into decision making.

    So, what are some of the most important features for pet owners?

    A large yard (45 percent)
    Any outdoor space (36 percent)
    A garage (33 percent)

    Source: Ann Timoney, Financial Advisor and Mortgage Advisor
    NMLS 233794 | CFP® - OPES Advisors
    750 University Avenue Suite 275, Los Gatos, CA 95032
    (408) 458-3504 Office | atimoney@opesadvisors.com