All About Money
When is the best time to remodel?
Have you had a remodeling project on the back burner? The biggest problem I have with contractors is their workload, they often juggle several projects at a time. When is the best time to remodel? As the housing market slows, homeowners ...
How far to go when preparing your home for sale?
I have been selling Los Angeles homes since 1989. Each client has unique needs. One of the first things I want to know is how much effort a home seller is willing to put into preparing their home for sale. Selling your home in today's heated re...
Dealing with inspection renegotiations
We have a simple system when dealing with inspection renegotiations. In the ideal scenario our listing has sold in multiple offers. As I have already verified the buyer's down payment and spoken to their lender (assuming they are obtaining a lo...
Liquidating an Estate: Alhambra fixer closed
Our Alhambra fixer closed! And this is how it happened: I sold a San Gabriel fixer for a trustee several years ago. And she recently referred me to her co-worker who was the trustee of her father’s estate. Often the trustee is overwhelmed wi...
Is a reverse mortgage the right option for you?
How do you determine if a reverse mortgage is the right option for you? It really depends on your circumstances and needs. Many of us have different retirement goals. More and more seniors are opting to "age in place". This sometimes requ...
Why have a living trust?
One of the first things George and I did after having children was create a living trust. This is a legal document similar to a will. Both outline exactly what your wishes are in regard to your dependents, your heirs and your assets. A primar...
The Mills Act and historic preservation
The Mills Act is a California program that allows owners of qualified historic homes to receive a property tax reduction. Cities utilize the Mills Act to encourage historic preservation. Each local government establishes its own criteria. And...
The dirty secret of major real estate websites
The dirty secret of major real estate websites: This may come as a surprise. When you complete your contact information when accessing real estate web sites such as Realtor.com and Zillow you generally aren’t getting in touch with the actua...
