Why Real Estate Investors Continue To Make The Same Mistakes Over & Over Again?
Due Diligence Will Reduce Mistakes For Real Estate Investors Any time of day you turn on your television you can find several infomercials or shows which depict investing in real estate as an easy path to riches and wealth. Every day you get in front of your computer screen you will run across ads and…
Read MoreLook Carefully At A Home’s Square Footage – It Might Not Be What You Think It Is
If You Are Buying A Home Just For It’s Square Footage Think Again How does the real estate marketplace calculate and represent square footage of listed homes in marketing materials and in the multiple listing services? To be honest there are several common practices and it is quite possible that a home might have two…
Read MoreTo Gift Or Devise, That Is The Question!
Tax and Estate Planning is Critical to Avoid Unnecessary Tax Burdens and Consequences I have clients ask me all the time if it makes sense to give their property to their kids or should they wait to die and let their kids inherit it. The practical answer from a tax planning perspective is to allow…
Read MoreSix (6) Easy Ways to Save Money on Health Care Costs – And Invest in Real Estate with the Savings
How much money do you spend on health care? Each day that goes by your overall health care costs go up (even though you don’t realize it) for a few reasons; 1) inflation, 2) you get older every day, and 3) unless you are exercising regularly you are getting in worse shape day-by-day. These three…
Read MoreMost Common Real Estate Tax Audit Issues In 2014 And How To Avoid Them
Selling, Exchanging and Facilitating a Tax Deferral Strategy Requiring the Use of a Qualified Intermediary and IRC 1031 Requires Careful Planning and a CPA or Tax Attorney Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 Like-Kind Exchange Audits continue to find non-compliance in some common areas. Specifically, the following list of items are repeatedly flagged for audit by…
Read MoreThe High Price To The Low Bid – Why You Should Never Hire An Unlicensed Contractor To Work On Your Property (When A License Is Required)
It Never Makes Sense To Hire An Unlicensed Contractor – The Risks Far Outweigh Any Rewards And It’s Against The Law In California, like many states, contracting for work where the labor and materials are greater than $500 requires a contractor’s license – there are no exceptions. Month after month I hear stories of people, including…
Read MoreDurable Power of Attorney – What Is It And Do You Need One?
A Durable Power of Attorney Can Provide Peace Of Mind, Comfort, and Ease of Transition For Families As baby boomers approach retirement age there are many considerations which should be addressed regarding preparation for transitions and changes in their lifestyle. Generally, most people will have to rely on others to help them at some point…
Read MoreStraight Facts about Reverse Mortgages
Reverse Mortgages Are Not For Everyone, But They Are Great Products For Certain Individuals In Their Retirement Years With Limited Cash Flow You have probably heard the term “reverse mortgage” but do you really understand what one is? A reverse mortgage is basically a loan homeowners older than 62 years old can utilize to convert…
Read MoreHealth Care Retirement Costs For Couples Top $220,000 – Imagine A Real Estate Strategy To Help Pay For That
Planning For Retirement? Did You Know That The Average Couple Needs $220,000 For Health Care After 65? Real Estate Investment Strategies Which Can Help You Meet Your Retirement Obligations And Allow You Benefits You Haven’t Thought Of Are Available For You Wow, That’s A Lot Of Money Research and recent data show that in order…
Read MoreBaby Boomers, Property Tax Relief, and Downsizing Strategies
Why Baby Boomers Should Take Advantage of Prop. 60/90 and Transfer Their Property Tax Base Many baby boomers (those people born between 1946 and 1964) are in the middle of their transitions from working to retirement. During this time period it is difficult for many people to imagine their lives without the homes that they raised and educated…
Read MoreWhat California’s Water-Saving Plumbing Law Means to You
California Water-Saving Plumbing Law Effects Investment Property Owners, Sellers, Property Managers and Property Management Companies A California law enacted in 2009 is finally taking effect and causing concerns among property owners, sellers, buyers, and realtors. California Civil Code Section 1101.4 requires owners of single-family residences which were “built or available for use on or before…
Read MoreHome Improvements Critical Now More Than Ever
Home Improvements Cost-Value Cash-On-Cash Returns Rise as the Overall Market Rises I am often surprised when I see homeowners getting their homes ready to sell without anticipating doing any repairs or improvements. I am even more surprised when I see realtors counseling their clients not to do repairs or improvements because “the market is hot,…
Read MoreFlood Insurance Relief for Palo Alto
New Flood Insurance Law Provides Relief for Palo Alto Property Owners In March of this year President Obama signed into law the Federal Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 which amends previous law – now homeowners in flood plains and districts, like Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and Menlo Park will be provided relief.
Read MoreWhat the New Shared Fence Law Means to You
New Shared Fence Law As Of January 1, 2014 Have you ever heard “Good fences make good neighbors?” Now, adjoining landowners are statutorily equally responsible for shared fences and boundary fences pursuant to California Civil Code Section 841 which took effect January 1, 2014. Adjoining or contiguous landowners are now faced with a presumption that…
Read MoreComfortable and Cost Effective, Energy Efficiency in Homes
High Energy Efficiency of Your Heating and Air Conditioning Systems Makes Your Home Comfortable and Cost Effective With the rising costs of energy making your home more energy efficient is tantamount to a comfortable and cost effective living environment. Comfortable interior environments make for a more friendly and welcoming home. Improving the efficiency of your…
Read MoreBuying a Home?
Seven (7) Things to Consider and Research before Buying a Home So you’ve made the decision to stop renting and buy a home. Buying a home is very emotional, incredibly stressful, and requires diligence and strategy. To make sure your pursuit is not fraught with pitfalls you should consider the following ideas:
Read MorePalo Alto Main Library Gets a New Name
Palo Alto Main Library Name is “Rinconada” After a long drawn out process Palo Alto’s main library has been renamed to “Rinconada Library” by the Palo Alto City Council. Supporters of the new name have consistently argued that the library is not the main library because it is not the biggest library in the system,…
Read MoreShould El Camino be Pedestrian Friendly?
El Camino Real Sidewalk Widening Plan Hears Opposition from Palo Alto There is currently a wide-based effort to widen El Camino Real into a pedestrian friendly thoroughfare, however, those portions of real estate within the city limits of Palo Alto will not be widened without a fight. Palo Alto City Councilmembers have proposed an ordinance…
Read MoreMenlo Park to Revamp Downtown
Menlo Park Hiring Expert to Research Initiative to Revamp Downtown Plan The Menlo Park City Council has actually authorized investing up to $150,000 on a consultant to examine the brand-new effort proposed by locals that would significantly change the city’s downtown/El Camino particular strategy.
Read MoreThe Importance of Landscape Design and Architecture
Curb Appeal Adds Value to Your Home An important but often overlooked component of a well-designed residential property is the landscaping surrounding a home. Savvy homeowners know that 15-20% of a property’s value should be spent on well-thought out architectural design and installation of quality landscaping materials and elements.
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