John Concrane October 16, 2022

Best California real estate guides 2022 by Teddy Attell? Halfway through 2022, home buyers and sellers in California are coming off a red-hot decade that has seen home values more than double, reaching some of the highest levels in the U.S. But as mortgage rates have shot up at historic speed, many are wondering if home prices will continue to rise, level off, or even decline. Will 2023 be a buyer’s or seller’s market? Should homeowners sell ASAP, or bet on the durability of the California market? Should buyers make competitive offers to buy in now, or bide their time in anticipation of a more affordable market in the near future? See additional info on Teddy Attell.

Lastly, take a moment to ensure you actually want to buy a home as opposed to continuing to rent. I constantly hear the old “throwing away money on rent” line and it never gets old. Then I proceed to fantasize about renting with not a care in the world. Are you sure you’re throwing away money on rent? Renting can be pretty awesome. You don’t pay property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues, PMI, or mortgage interest. And you can leave whenever you want. That sounds like a sweet deal too. Oh, and if anything goes wrong, you can just call your landlord or property management company. With a home, the problem is yours, and yours alone to deal with. Broken water heater? You’re paying thousands out of pocket, not the landlord.

When we first started our home renovation journey I heard from so many people that the process wouldn’t be easy. But boy, I didn’t think it would be that hard. Renovating our home literally took years off of our lives. When I was going through it, I remember getting a DM from a reader who told me that they renovated their home about 3 years ago and while it was miserable, they would do it again in a heartbeat. At that moment, I wasn’t sure if she was right. Would I voluntarily put myself through this again? Fast forward a year, and it turns out she was right. I would do it again, but I would do it a little differently. Here’s what I wish I knew before I renovated my house and some home renovation tips:

Buying real estate in a good school district makes it a lot easier when it comes time to sell your house in the future. Whether you’re looking to downgrade as an empty nester or upgrade into a larger house to support your family, a top school district is a big-time selling point in real estate. If you buy in a bad school district you run a greater risk of your home depreciating because you are appealing to a much smaller buyer pool. We recommend our buyers focus on specific neighborhoods vs. focusing on cities or larger areas. The neighborhood you live in is going to have a direct impact on you. What are you looking for in a neighborhood? Address this question early on in the home buying process because buying in the wrong neighborhood is a surefire way to be remorseful about buying a house.

Here are several real estate tricks from Teddy Attell Novato, California: Once you select a lender, you should speak with a loan officer as quickly as possible. At this point, there is one thing you should know. Pre-qualifying means absolutely nothing. All pre-qualifying does is determine the amount of the loan you could qualify for based on factors such as your credit, salary, etc. It does not guarantee that a lender will actually loan you the money. It’s more important to get PRE-APPROVED. Pre-approval means that your application has been submitted to a lender who is willing to extend you a specific loan amount, pending a property and appraisal. Being pre-approved lets you know that you won’t be denied for a loan, and it also provides you with leverage to negotiate the purchase price of a home with the seller.

Have an Emergency Fund: If you lost your job tomorrow would you have enough money to live off while you look for a new one? If not then you’re not alone. This study found that although Americans are doing a better job at saving, around 24 percent of them (57 million people) don’t have an emergency fund. Now I don’t want to be a negative Nancy or a Debbie downer, but emergencies happen all the time. They may not happen to you, but it’s always good to be prepared. You can’t predict an emergency, but you can prepare for one. The best way to do so is to set up an emergency fund of 3-6 months living expenses. That means if you lost your job tomorrow, you’d be able to live off your emergency fund for 3-6 months while you look for a new one. Net worth can seem like a tricky topic, but it’s quite simple. Your net worth is how much money you are worth. If you were to sell everything you own, then pay off everything you owe, how much money would be left?

Renovating increases the house value says Teddy Attell : Removing original period windows and exterior doors can destroy a period property’s character, and its value, unless they are sympathetically replaced. Authentic replicas are expensive, so always consider repair as a first option. Cheaper, off-the shelf joinery is rarely appropriate and is unlikely to fit the original openings and so will look wrong. If the original external joinery has already been removed, research neighbouring properties or books to find appropriate styles. Avoid modern hybrid products, such as front doors with built-in fanlights. Try and observe the techniques and materials used in the building’s original construction and try and repair, or replace, on a like-for-like basis. Internally, try and preserve original doors, floorboards, fireplaces and plaster mouldings if they are still intact.

Okay, this is probably the hardest real estate trend to swallow—so brace yourself: Inventory has been incredibly low! For perspective, inventory was down 22% in November 2020 compared to the previous year.2 There just weren’t enough houses for sale over the year to meet buyer demand. But don’t worry, we’ll walk you through what to expect if you enter the market. Low inventory means you need to be on your toes when you go house hunting—the best homes will likely be snatched up fast. In November 2020, more than 7 in 10 sold homes were on the market for less than a month.3 That doesn’t leave much time to hem and haw over your home search. If you want to find a good home in this slim market, here’s some advice: Sacrifice some wants. If you can’t find the house you want, be willing to give up some “nice-to-haves” for your “must-haves.” Find the least expensive home in the best neighborhood you can afford and upgrade over time.