With a title like that, you probably think I’m going to talk about paint colors, changing the toilet seat, or should you add splashes of wallpaper or not. Probably the most important decision you will make once you buy a house is…drumroll: Which brand of cordless power tools will you commit to? Why is this…
I know you might be thinking, “Wait, isn’t the number one life goal to find inner peace, get married, achieve true happiness, or become a yoga guru?” And sure, those are all popular goals—but let’s talk about a truly achievable, life-changing goal that can actually fund your path to inner peace: Buy a house. Why…
There’s a reason why I’ve dragged my feet in converting my fixer garage into an ADU: Every year California improves statewide laws with regulations for building accessory dwelling units (ADUs). In 2025 some of the most exciting laws squash rules that some local cities were hoping to impose. Maxable is a company that provides end-to-end…
The choices: A. No landlord rulesB. Peace of mind and securityC. Investment and building equityD. Decorating/home design After many many years as I renter, I finally bought a home. Since then, I’ve gone through buying, owning, maintaining, paying for two East Bay homes, the first which I regretted. Although at the time, it seemingly met…
What if you could make not-too-expensive updates to the house you’ve loved for so many years to make it easier for you, and / or your loved ones, to age in place with accessible, safe features? AARP has put together what they call a “HomeFit” Guide to help you do just that. It’s a very…
Here’s a success story of a life-long renter who found and bought her perfect home, a condo. My client had a perfect process for searching for houses and condos that led to a winning offer. She knew exactly what her criteria were — the home had to: be in an easy commute location, easy to…
I buy my home buyer clients a home warranty for a typical reason: peace of mind. I’ll admit, it took my becoming a real estate agent to learn about the magic of home warranties. Most of us assume only new developments have warranties, just like a new dishwasher. Nope! In fact, I usually warn buyers…
Chicago Title put together a scary video of home title horror stories (for Halloween). There’s nothing funny about someone stealing your property through fraud or finding out that you don’t actually own the property you bought. Watch these horror stories if you have any doubts about the importance of title insurance. What is title insurance…
Building ADUs on a property with a single-family home or multi-family building has become the most popular way to think about multi-generational living or generating income during retirement. (The New York Times reports on the popularity of ADUs — although ignore the very low prices per square foot quoted!) But what if it turns out…
Buying a home in the East Bay may be the biggest financial decision of your life. Then again, you don’t want to wake up one day after 8 years of being at UC Berkeley and realize you’d spend $250,000 on rent without once considering buying. Count me as one of the people who wishes she…
