Buying your first home can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. This can be true no matter where you live at. Beyond that, buying a home may feel like an even more complex task when the housing market is competitive. This can be particularly true when you...
What can you do if a deed’s legal description contains an error?
Tiny discrepancies in a deed's legal description of a real estate property can easily go unnoticed during a transaction and for years afterward. However, even the smallest of ambiguities can cause huge problems when they finally become apparent. Correcting description...
Most common new construction deficiencies
When buying a new construction home, you trust your builder to build a safe and quality structure that will shelter your family for years to come. However, when builders, contractors or manufacturers cut corners or perform subpar work, you may discover your final...
Tips for winning a real estate bidding war
Though the white-hot housing market shows some signs of a cooldown, housing inventory remains low, and competition among buyers is high. Migrations are a continuing by-product of increased career mobility, leaving real estate as a surging market. How can a prospective...
Town invokes wildlife protections to halt multi-family housing
The California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency Act requires cities to permit property owners to build an additional residential unit on parcels of land zoned for single-dwelling units. The law went into effect statewide on January 1, 2022. One California town...
Your guests may become tenants if you allow them to stay too long
With the growing population and rising cost of living, non-expensive housing is scarcer than ever before. The current housing shortage especially impacts individuals looking for their first, affordable abodes. Due to this crisis, it is not uncommon for individuals to...
How difficult is it to buy a home as an investment?
As you may have discovered, one of the universal complaints about Santa Rosa is that it costs too much to buy a house. The unspoken preface to that comment is that this is an extremely beautiful, accommodating area where many people dream of living. Perhaps you...
3 things to know about buying a property with a party wall
With the red-hot housing market throughout California, buying a single-family home can be out of reach for many. Condos, rowhomes and other multi-unit dwellings are often more affordable and more convenient for first-time homebuyers. If you are planning to purchase a...
Disclosing deaths when selling a home in California
California law requires property owners and real estate agents to disclose material defects to prospective buyers. These are issues that would either reduce the value of a house or apartment or prompt individuals shopping for a home to look elsewhere. The death of a...
What common real estate mistakes hurt sellers?
Once an owner sells a home, there is no going back and getting a better price. California property owners benefit from making sure they are going about the sale process the right way. Even a seemingly "small" problem, such as a rusted front fence or old paint on the...