Barry Ripp ~ East Bay Area Real Estate

If you are preparing to move, you need boxes. If you recently moved, then you need someone to haul those pesky boxes away. Shareabox.com does both, connecting people and boxes. Share a Box was created by two green-minded REALTORS® who believe every box is begging to be used again, again, and again. Visit http://www.shareabox.com/ for more details.

For more green real-estate-related tips and content, visit C.A.R.’s Green Web site (http://green.car.org/).

                                                         To comply with the stricter lending guidelines of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and to avoid accusations that the loans sold to Fannie and Freddie are based on inflated appraisals, some real estate professionals have reported lenders lowering home values on appraisals submitted to them. However, effective Sept. 1, Fannie Mae is prohibiting the purchase of loans from lenders who change appraisers’ numbers.

Generally, lenders order a low-cost electronic valuation—based on publicly available statistical data—to review the accuracy of the information submitted by the appraiser. If there is a discrepancy between the electronic valuation and the appraiser’s report, the lender’s underwriters may reduce the appraisal figure.

 ~ Barry Ripp

From:  Calif. Assoc. of Realtors & LA Times

Summer’s warm weather is great, but it has some problems. Bugs, Mosquitos, etc. Just when you want to open a window, something flies in.  Spraying a bunch of chemicals around your home may not be a good idea if you have children or pets…and it’s not the “greenest” way to go.

Here are some more natural ways to get rid of pests.

To get rid of ants, try sealing of their entry point with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, garlic or mint leaves. (try one at a time to see which works best for you.)

For mosquitos, try planting marigolds. They give off a fragrance that the bugs don’t like. Lemongrass is another good idea, it contains citronella…which works well.  Also lookout for standing water, that’s where they’ll thrive.

Enjoy your summer!

Part One

1-   Remove the top set of cabinets doors, then paint them inside & out with a fresh coat of gloss paint.

2-   Hang matching pendant lamps on each side of the couch. This will free up space on the end tables.

3-   Create cubbies in a bookcase, by cutting vertical dividers to the depth of the unit. Secure them with glue & finishing nails.

4-   Paint your front door a vibrant color. Welcome your friends with a new color, like a rich red or another. Use exterior semi-gloss.

5-   Change the hardware in your kitchen. Give it a new look with new polished nickel knobs and handles.

1. Don’t buy if you don’t plan to stay
If you can’t commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner – even in a rising market.

2. Start by shoring up your credit
Since you probably will need to get a mortgage to buy a house; you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.

3. Choose carefully between points and rate
When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points- a portion of the interest that you pay at closing- in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time- say three to five years or more- it’s usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.

4. Hire a home inspector
A home inspector can let you know about potential problems. At best, you can move into the house confident that it’s in good shape; at worst, the inspector’s report can let you back out of the deal if the house has major problems. Most typically, the home inspection can allow you to negotiate the home price to account for necessary repairs.

5. Get professional help
Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an experienced agent, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

6. Bonus Tip: Be patient
Buying a home is one of the largest purchases most people will make in their lifetime. The key to avoiding buyer’s remorse is to be completely comfortable before signing on the dotted line.

Union City Eases Up (slightly) on Rental Owners: Rental property owners in Union City will now have until July 31 to comply with the businesses license requirement.  Any property owner renting a single family home, condo or multi-family development must have a business license. Those who do not currently have a license must also pay one year in arrears.

Union City staff will be sending a letter that includes this updated information to property owners early next week.

For more information please contact Christina Nitoff at (510) 675-5343.

Now that the real estate market is picking up, so is the rental market.  I have several homes and condos for rent, some available for immediate move in.

Please click the “RENTALS” link at the top of my website for information and a photo tour of these properties.

Please contact me for an appointment for viewing them.

 Thanks,   

  ~ Barry            510-794-7690   or   510-386-5066

I’m back from a week in paradise.  We stayed a week in Maui.  We all had a great time…of course, any week in Hawaii is better than a week at work.

It was a real family vacation…wife, daughter, my mother and mother-in-law.  I’ve been there several times, but this was my mother-in-law’s first time to Hawaii. She was pretty excited.

We visited my sister and her kids who live in Maui.   We also did many other “tourist” things. The Luau, underwater sub, and the trip to Hana.   On the way to Hana, I highly recommed making stops along the way. Bring a bag lunch and see the sights. And stop at the black sand beach and see the lava rock formations there.

We had a lot of clouds and a little rain almost every day, but we still warm weather dispite the rain.  I had plently of time to read a book and sit by the pool.  So now it’s back to work, and there’s plenty to catch up with.   Thanks for reading…and I hope you can take your own vacation soon.

Many small businesses that provide health insurance coverage to their employees now qualify for a special tax credit, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Included in the health care reform legislation, the credit is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they’re currently offering. The credit is available to small employers that pay at least half the cost of single coverage for their employees.

For example; small employers are considered to have fewer than 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees paying wages averaging less than $50,000 per employee per year. However, because the eligibility formula is based in part on the number of FTEs, not the number of employees, many businesses will qualify even if they employ more than 25 individual workers.

The maximum credit is 35 percent of premiums paid in 2010 by eligible small business employers. Eligible small businesses can claim the credit as part of the general business credit starting with the 2010 income tax return they file in 2011. For tax-exempt employers, the IRS will provide further information on how to claim the credit.