March 2023

- Tom Brezsny

Stuff On The Brain

March 20, 2023I have “stuff” on the brain. I can’t help it. Once “stuff” gets in there, it’s hard to get rid of it. I’ll even be talking about “stuff” next Wednesday evening as part of a series of homeowner workshops entitled Preparing for Downsizing.  If you are struggling with “stuff” (who isn’t) this is the perfect opportunity to purge your soul of any guilt by hearing other people share their own stories about “stuff”.   What “stuff” am I talking about? George Carlin “stuff”. Marie Kondo...

- Tom Brezsny

Downsizing

March 13, 2023Continuing the conversation.... talking about people and their “stuff” and the struggles more aging baby boomers are having coming to terms with what we call, for lack of a better term, “downsizing”.   Let’s set the stage… For most of us, home is our largest asset and the place where the bulk of our future nest egg resides. At the same time, it’s also the centering place that nurtures our closely-held notions about comfort, privacy, shelter, security, safety, refuge. (Something the  pandemic reminded us of.)...

- Daniel Wolford

Out of town agents?

March 10, 2023It’s hard for me to even think of a good reason but I’ll try and suggest some reasons why… One…They either have a friend or family member that’s in the business and they promise to take extra care of them OR they’re friends with so many Realtors they can’t stomach choosing one. Sometimes they look for a Discount Broker who’ll stick their home on the MLS for a nominal fee. They don’t want any other services so they don’t care whether the Broker lives here...

- Daniel Wolford

Why do local jurisdictions institute point of sale ordinances?

March 8, 2023Well, It’s easier to make changes one house sale at a time rather than passing a law that makes EVERY homeowner have to do it all at once. People typically won’t feel sorry for you when you’re selling your house for A LOT of money and for those that aren’t selling it won’t affect them right away – so out of sight, out of mind. Not only that it puts the sellers, buyers agent & listing agents liability at stake. And I’m, Daniel. Your friend...

- Daniel Wolford

Problem solving on the fly!

March 7, 2023No two days in Real Estate are the same! We checked the comps, our clients are fully underwritten and we all expected to get great news once the appraisal was turned in and everything did for the most part but we were thrown a curveball. In order for the lender to fund they were requiring a railing to be installed on the back deck before they would fund. It is understandable because without the railing someone could simply walk out the slider and fall off...

- Tom Brezsny

Material World Part 2

March 6, 2023Continuing the conversation…. talking about people and their “stuff” and the struggles more aging baby boomers are having coming to terms with the fact that downsizing requires getting rid of the stuff they’ve accumulated over a lifetime.   Since more than 10,000 people in the U.S. turn 65 each day, in a culture woefully unprepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing demographic, there are some facts of life surfacing with greater frequency these days -  including the law of physics that makes it...

- Daniel Wolford

What is a non-contingent offer?

March 6, 2023What is a non-contingent offer in real estate? A non-contingent offer is an offer to purchase a property that does not contain any conditions that must be met before the sale can be completed. In other words, the buyer is committing to buy the property regardless of any circumstances, such as the results of a home inspection or the sale of the buyer's current home. Non-contingent offers are considered stronger than offers that are contingent on certain conditions, as they signal a high level of...

- Dax Nollenberger

Step-by-Step Guide to Owning a Santa Cruz Airbnb

March 6, 2023Creativity is often the name of the game when it comes to owning Santa Cruz real estate. I’m constantly brainstorming ways that I can help my clients own this super valuable appreciating asset. Many traditional investment strategies don’t quite pencil with our housing prices. Breakeven is considered a win, especially in the short term. The highly profitable rentals- short, mid, and long- are those that have been owned for a long time (and therefore have lower costs).  The curiosity/desire to know more about owning an...

- Daniel Wolford

Don’t forget to clean your gutters!

March 5, 2023During the breaks in the stormy weather it’s important to take care of the home systems you don’t think about like the gutters! Lots of debris can build up over the year and cleaning them out will help make sure the gutters won’t rust or backup during the heavy storms! And I’m, Daniel. Your friend in Real Estate. Continue reading Don’t forget to clean your gutters!