You spent countless Sundays at open houses. You signed 50+ legal documents. You wrote a check for a single, heart-stopping, six-digit figure. And now, drumroll please…you’re the lucky owner of your very first house! Congratulations! Now it’s time to get to work. Here’s a checklist of all the things you should do when moving into a new house. Read more

For the uninitiated, real estate can be like learning a new language. In this article, we cover some of the basics, from key industry terms to commonly asked questions.

Distinguishing Designations
With all the different titles in real estate, it can be hard to keep track of who’s who. Here’s a simple breakdown of the main real estate designations:

Realtor: A realtor can be an agent, broker or other real estate professional. What defines a realtor is not their designation, but their adherence to the Code of Ethics set forth by the National Association of Realtors, which you can read here.

Agent: An agent possesses a salesperson license with the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Read more

A common misconception of home sellers is that in order to sell as quickly as possible, they need to invest a lot of money in remodeling. However, spending money on renovations can be a precarious financial gamble, as remodeling is by no means guaranteed to increase a home’s value. To increase the appeal of your home while still being cost-effective, start by doing a thorough cleaning. When potential buyers enter a home, the last thing they want is to smell pet odors or see disheveled rooms.

To that end, it’s also important to de-clutter your home by removing excess furnishings and accentuating the space by condensing and rearranging the remaining furniture. When people are looking to buy a home, Read more

Do you ever approach a large home improvement project or a major purchase with fear and trepidation? Right now, my husband and I are making some changes around the house—buying new appliances, a TV for the bedroom, drapes for the living room. We both dread the prospect of spending precious weekends at the mall or at appliance showrooms, and that’s after you invest time in figuring out what you want.

If you’re a savvy consumer like me, I do my homework, but streamline the process. For starters, I only go to trusted sources for information on products. Consumer Reports magazine is always my first choice when it comes to finding objective and independent ratings for most items. Read more