The Aftermath of Fires, Brings Flooding throughout California….
At least five people were killed Tuesday when a rainstorm sent mud and debris coursing through Montecito neighborhoods and left rescue crews to scramble through clogged roadways and downed trees to search for victims. The deluge that washed over Santa Barbara County early Tuesday was the worst-case scenario for a community that was ravaged by […]
Happy New Year!
Today, resolving to change and improve yourself and your life is an almost unavoidable part of the transition to a new year. Though it’s a pretty well documented fact that most New Year’s resolutions fail, we keep making them—and we’re not alone. The custom of making New Year’s resolutions is most common in the West, […]
Does anyone send out Christmas Cards anymore?
The custom of sending Christmas cards was started in the UK in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. He was a senior civil servant (Government worker) who had helped set-up the new ‘Public Record Office’ (now called the Post Office), where he was an Assistant Keeper, and wondered how it could be used more by ordinary […]
How the GOP tax plan would affect home owners and buyers
The impact will largely depend on where you live — and how much your house is worth. The GOP tax reform plan contains a number of changes that will affect homeowners and buyers alike. Prior to the plan’s release, the housing industry sounded an alarm about changes to the deductions for mortgage interest and property […]
How Will the Southern California Wildfires Affect Local Real Estate?
Just two months after the deadliest wildfires in California’s history, hundreds of miles to the north in the wine country of Sonoma and Napa counties, the state finds itself fighting a growing and dangerous conflagration again. As of Friday morning, six wildfires in Southern California had torched 141,000 acres, 212,000 people had been evacuated, and hundreds of […]
Pending home sales were flat in September
The number of people who signed contracts to buy homes was flat in September from the previous month, reflecting an ongoing nationwide shortage of homes being listed for sale. The National Assn. of Realtors said its pending home sales index was 106 in September, the same as August’s revised number. It’s the index’s lowest point […]