After unprecedented cancellations in March due to COVID, it sounds like short term rentals are now seeing a surge in demand again Urban dwellers are looking to escape the "summer in the city" and are turning to vacation rentals for a reprieve. Sites like Airbnb and Vrbo are reporting a jump in numbers lately and also more bookings than last year at this time. People are tired of sheltering in place but most aren't ready to travel far afield. Ocean, lakes, mountains and nation

It's always good to get a referral when you are looking for a contractor or vendor and using the tips below will help you make the right decision. I welcome feedback on the vendors that I recommend because things change and I want to make sure my referrals meet your expectations. Read on.... Home improvement projects present the biggest opportunity for scammers to take advantage of homeowners, according to the Better Business Bureau’s Risk Index. Victims of home improvement s

Vacant land is a scarce commodity and we have a lot of homes that are 60 years and older. Tear downs are a new reality as buyers try and cre

Last September we were all concerned about the consequences of the first interest rate hike in years. The Fed was predicting 4 rate hikes in 2017 so we all had questions.... What would the hikes do to the refinance and purchase market? How high would the rates go? Well.......it's been 9 months and rates are still below 4%. The Fed just raised the interest rate this week so we'll probably see some slow movement up but....It's still a great time to finance your home. Take a lo

Every month we tentatively open our utility bills and hope for the best. Coastal summers are cool so we don't have to worry about air conditioners and our heat only comes on periodically in the early mornings. We're pretty lucky in that respect! Our highest utility cost comes from water. We have set days for watering and tiered rates for usage and during the summer months, we need to be careful about our water consumption. The article talks about utility cost as a percentage

For those of you with college aged kids, housing can be a huge part of their annual expenses. I was shocked to find that my niece was paying $750 per month to share a room with 3 roommates in Isla Vista near Santa Barbara. There were 12 girls sharing the house. That's a lot of rental income for the landlord and although some might not want to deal with student renters, many see this market as a lucrative investment opportunity. The only issue is, they need more inventory. Re

With driver-less cars in the news, Roomba sweeping floors and Alexa acting as your household assistant..

Here is some interesting information about cost of living rates in the US. No surprise to any of us......California ranks in the top tier. You'll also notice that the entire state is mentioned and not just individual cities! We live in a great state but we pay the price for housing, goods and services! Read on...... Just how widely can the cost of living vary from state to state? Financial website GoBankingRates.com culled 2016 data from the Missouri Economic Research and Inf

Based on the real estate frenzy that the Bay Area has experienced over the past few years, you might be surprised to know that the US luxury home market looks like a bargain compared to other countries in the world. Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Miami top the list of US cities but their percentages dwarf those of China and Canada . Read on..... Luxury real estate buyers may find bargains in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world. The U.S. is hardly the most exp

This article shares some interesting thoughts on why baby boomers are holding on to their homes and what the future has in store for them in the next few years. Most baby boomers sell their home to downsize but shortages in the market and increasing prices often make it a questionable move. Read on...... Baby boomers are expected to sell their homes in large numbers over the next decade. Arthur C. Nelson, a University of Arizona professor, predicts the “great senior sell-off”

I thought this article would be of interest. It gives us a good overview of real estate trends across the country and as always, California is at the top of the list. Homes are selling faster than last year and the Bay Area continues and appriasal turn times have improved and buyers are eager to close before the rates go up. It's good news for everyone! On the flip side, the inventory of homes for sale decreased by 6.6 percent at the end of March compared to a year ago, accor

James Mike gives us some insight on the first quarter of the California market

Many properties on the Monterey Peninsula are used as vacation rentals so I thought this article would be of interest to you. Take a look...