Barry Ripp ~ East Bay Area Real Estate

With the summer heat upon us, and low rain fall recently, we all need to do our part to conserve water. Here are a few ideas how you can do your part.

1. “Plant” Synthetic Grass If you are thinking about planting a new lawn this year, know that AstroTurf is back. It’s not what you think. Synthetic grass actually looks like grass, and it does not need a drop of water to maintain its lush green color. An additional bonus is that you’ll never have to mow the lawn again.

2. Water Efficiently Residential properties are regularly overwatered by 30 to 40 percent  http://www.stopwaste.org). Learn how to water your lawn efficiently and at the correct time of day. For example, watering your lawn either in the late evening or early morning reduces evaporation.

3. Go to a Car Wash Using a running hose to wash a car uses up to 150 gallons of water. Most car washes use about five to 10 gallons of water per car  http://www.epa.gov/). In addition, the water used to wash a car in a driveway goes from the street gutter straight to bay or rivers without being treated. Car washes must treat their water before it enters the water system. Many car washes also recycle graywater, keeping the environment clean and conserving at the same time.

4. Use a Broom Running a garden hose can waste up to 10 gallons per minute  http://conserve.sfwater.org) and is unnecessary when cleaning a driveway or sidewalk. The water from a garden hose also contributes to the pollutant waters already abundant in sewer systems.

5. Check for Leaking Sprinklers and Hoses A leaky faucet can waste 100 gallons a day  http://www.sscwd.org/), which includes outdoor systems. Check for and replace leaking hoses or sprinklers. Place automatic water shut-off nozzles on any hoses.

6. Plant Mulch Planting a layer of mulch around trees and plants, such as chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slows down evaporation. By doing so, 750 to 1,500 gallons of water can be saved a month  http://www.mwdh2o.com/).

I can be so easy to conserve. I found this information from a CAR newsletter and thought I’d share it with everyone. Enjoy.
~ Barry 

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make. You’ll want to protect it with title insurance when you buy the house.

Obviously, if you own the property, you have strong rights to it. But others may have rights too, through liens, unpaid taxes, etc. Even if you know nothing about these risks, as a homeowner you are still vulnerable to such claims on your property.

Title insurance, which protects against claims on your real estate by others, requires that certain risks be eliminated before the policy takes effect. It then cover hidden risks thereafter. If you have go to court in regard to your property, the title insurance company will pay for your legal counsel.

That’s why we use a title company during the escrow period when you buy a home. They will check the title and make sure problems are cleared up prior to closing escrow.

The cost of title insurance is usually less than 1% of the cost of your home. In some counties it’s customary that the buyer pays for it, and in other areas, the seller may pay it. Check with me for a list of those counties.

Furthermore, there are two policies for each transaction. One covers the buyer and the other covers the lender.

For other title questions, feel free to contact me.

If you’re buying a home, you’ll probably be signing up for homeowner’s insurance as well. In fact, most lenders will require it.

Most insurance policies include both property and liability coverage. The property section covers damage to your possessions, home, & garage from fire and more. Personal property coverage will usually pay 50% of replacment value, although there may be a limit on items such as jewelry.

The liability section typically covers expenses from any judgements against you, medical care for anyone (other than family) who is injured on your property, and the legal fees that may be incurred as a result.

Most lenders require that you have insurance before you close escrow so their interest is covered.

If you have questions about the real estate industry, please call me. I will be happy to help any way I can.