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The fight for condo transparency
DEAR BENNY: I live in a 35-unit condominium complex. The homeowners association is incorporated and is led by a board of directors elected by the homeowners. I am concerned about the way the board of directors conducts the overall operation of the association. Many practices are in opposition to the bylaws, and some of the needs of the community are being neglected.
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Avoid home improvement gimmicks that hammer resale value
Q: We are considering listing our vacation home, and I have a question for you on whether it would be worth it to invest the money putting siding on it or selling it as is? The home is located on a golf course and has a magnificent view of the first hole and surrounding lakes and mountains.
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Add power to purchase offer
Figuring out how much to offer on a home you'd like to make your own is never easy. A complicating factor is that although it appears that the housing market may be stabilizing, there is no guarantee that prices won't slip further.
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Appraisal rules tough on additions
Recently a homeowner in the hills above Oakland, Calif., applied for a refinance. An appraiser visited the property and measured both levels of the house. The appraiser called the homeowner a few days later to find out if the lower level had been added with a permit. The public record indicated the house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 1,513-square feet.
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A simple guide to home seller disclosure
How would you like to find out after you've closed and moved into your new home that the basement is rat-infested? You call a local pest company and discover that the sellers hired the company to treat the house for rat intrusion.
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CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
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Roya Kianmahd
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty
2701 Ocean Park Blvd., Suite 140
Santa Monica,
CA
90405
310.922.6974
310.922.6974
Contact Me
Visit My Web Site
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How pros drill through masonry
When it comes to drilling holes in concrete, concrete blocks, stone and other masonry, using a standard drill can be a real exercise in futility. The rotary motion of the drill bit -- even a carbide-tipped masonry bit -- is simply not sufficient to power through tough masonry surfaces.
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Water audits prepare you for the future
Despite a very wet season this past winter, the increase in rainfall didn’t make up for many years of below-average water levels. In 2009 California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in an effort to manage the drought crisis. Since then, many water companies have put into place mandatory water rationing with financial penalties for homeowners who don't comply. Before you find yourself paying more for your water, be prepared for the future by conducting a water audit (don't worry, you don't have to find all your water bills from the past two years).
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Seven rules for room additions
If you're happy with your home and your neighborhood but are craving a little more space, maybe adding on is a better alternative to moving out. Room additions can be a terrific alternative for many homes, adding space for a growing family and adding resale value at the same time.
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Neighbors pry over condo sale etiquette
DEAR BENNY: My wife and I own a condo in a two-unit building. Our downstairs neighbor, who bought the property only two years ago, recently put her unit on the market. Her inability to cover her mortgage obligation is the reason she is forced to sell now, instead of waiting for the market to improve.
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Good Faith Estimate contains some 'quirks'
As of Jan. 1, 2010, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) required lenders to provide mortgage borrowers with a new three-page Good Faith Estimate (GFE) to protect consumers who are applying for a mortgage.
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Share your love of California at www.yourpieceofcalifornia.com
There’s no doubt about it. California is a great place to live. Eternal sunshine, miles of gorgeous beaches, majestic mountains, and beautiful stretches of desert – this state has something for everyone. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder everyone would like to own their own piece of California.
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Protect real estate from Medicaid
DEAR BENNY: Seven years ago, when my mother was 80, my husband and I purchased cooperative apartment shares in a senior complex for her to live in. Since at least one of the tenants had to be over 55, we put her name on the shares, as well as my name. The actual paperwork reads: " 'My Mother's Name' or 'My Name' as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common."
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Sellers face new dilemma in timing the market
Some sellers have been biding their time for three years and now wonder if they should continue to wait or bite the bullet and sell now.
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Not all buyers are worth a counteroffer
After mustering the emotional energy to make an offer on a listing, it can be devastating if you hear nothing back from the seller.
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Presale inspections for smoother sales
Homes are selling for less. Everyone's trying to cut back. Yet, many real estate agents think it's wise for sellers to provide presale inspections for buyers to review before they write offers. Is the cost, which could run from a few hundred to $1,000 or more, worth the expense?
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How does your garden grow?
If you’d like to have a garden, but think you don’t have the space, think again. Urban gardening techniques are allowing small-space gardening to take root in unlikely places, such as balconies, raised planters, roofs, windowsills, and postage stamp-sized backyards. Condominium dwellers and homeowners alike are getting their fingers dirty and growing their own produce, succulents, and flowers in these tiny slivers of dirt.
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