Insurance Challenges and Changes

Obtaining homeowners insurance has become an increasingly difficult proposition in California and other high risk states, as many insurers have stopped writing new policies and are sending non-renewal notices to existing homeowners. The escrow process during a purchase allows 17 days as a standard timeframe for buyer due diligence, which is often focused on property…

Read More

Understanding Escalation Clauses

Given historically low inventory throughout California, many sellers are experiencing multiple offers situations as buyers have few options to choose from. As some buyers lose out time and time again, they often become more aggressive with their offer price and terms. This sometimes leads to a buyer including an escalation clause in their offer. Note…

Read More

Fire Insurance Tips

In California, what seems to be a permanent wildfire season has caused millions of homeowners in fire-prone areas to pay soaring premiums for insurance coverage. Alternatively, many homeowners are simply being dropped by their existing carrier. As the severity of wildfires increase, insurance companies are becoming more and more reluctant to renew insurance policies and…

Read More

Rent Relief for Landlords and Tenants

Whether it’s a health-related event or a significant financial hardship, COVID-19 has affected all of us. As the nation continues to recover, the state of CA is committed to keeping families housed and recognizes that renters and landlords have enough to worry about. By implementing the COVID-19 rent relief program, the state wants to make…

Read More

Proposition 19, Simplified

Proposition 19 Simplified With California voters passing Proposition 19 in November 2020, there are various provisions home buyers and sellers should be aware of when considering a move. Let’s take a look at some of the basics How does Proposition 19 change the rules on tax basis portability? Prop 19 allows a homeowner who is…

Read More

How to Win a Bidding War in a Hot Market

Given low interest rates and an overall lack of inventory to choose from, many buyers are finding themselves in multiple offer situations and bidding wars to get the home of their dreams. This often times give a Seller more leverage in negotiations, leaving Buyers to find creative ways to make their offers more attractive. Let’s…

Read More

Coronavirus Market Impacts-6/24/20

As California entered its second month of reopening under phase 2, the recovery is proceeding at a cautious pace. While the rebound in the economy is uneven, the housing market continues to exhibit strength and remains one of the most promising sectors, poised to lead the economy forward.  Despite home sales declining more than 30…

Read More

Legal: Deposits and Liquidated Damages

When buying or selling a home, you will want a basic understanding of the Earnest Money Deposit and Liquidated Damages sections of a purchase agreement, prior to negotiating an offer. Once an offer has been accepted by both parties, the Buyer’s deposit is to be paid into escrow (a neutral 3rd party who holds the…

Read More

Understanding 1031 Exchanges

The 1031 Exchange is one of the single greatest wealth building tools available to the real estate investor. Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 allows investors to defer the payment of capital gains taxes when selling an investment property and exchanging into another investment property. While there are a few different ways to complete a 1031…

Read More

Q&A: The CA Moratorium on Evictions

With many industries in California shut down due to Governor Newsom’s Shelter At Home Order, many landlords and tenants are trying to figure out what to do when a tenant can’t pay rent. Here’s an excerpt from the California Association of REALTORS legal department updated 4/13/2020 regarding this issue. Does the Governor’s order establishing a…

Read More