The first meeting was in January, and had some good suggestions. This meeting will present the Transit Systems findings and recommendations.

The meeting will be held at the senior center at 33997 Alvarado-Niles Road and  starts at 7:00pm. Further info regarding the meeting can be found at: www.uctransit.org or by calling: 510-471-1411.

A home protection plan, also called a home warranty, is an insurance policy that insures homeowners against defects in the major systems of their home. Most policies cover the heating, plumbing and electrical systems as well as built-in appliances like the stove, dishwasher and garbage disposal. Some companies will cover movable appliances like the refrigerator, washer and dryer for an extra charge. And some policies even include roof coverage-if you pay an additional fee.  The basic warranty plan costs about $300. per year.

Home protection plans are popular in the real estate industry because they provide a relatively inexpensive way to take care of home defects that develop soon after the home sale closes. For example, let’s say the water heater quits working the day after closing. That could be a fairly high expense for a new homeowner; however, if there is a home warranty in place, the hot water heater will probably be replaced for the nominal cost of a service charge…about $45 per call.

Some sellers offer to pay for a home protection plan to cover the home for the buyer for one year. If problems arise during that year, the buyers simply call the warranty company and pay the service charge. The warranty company pays for the repair or replacement.

Seller coverage is also available to cover the home during the listing and sale period. Seller coverage works the same as buyer coverage except that there are usually more limitations on the coverage. For example, the furnace is usually covered under both buyer and seller coverage. But, the amount of coverage offered under seller coverage is often less than the amount that’s available to the buyer if the furnace breaks down after closing.

One seller who had signed up for seller coverage was able to have some of the defects that were discovered during the buyer’s inspections fixed by the home protection plan company for the cost of a service charge. This was a great deal for the seller because it saved him money and he didn’t have to pay the policy premium until closing. Seller coverage is usually charged by the day.

If the seller of a home you’re buying does not offer to pay for a home protection plan, you can pay for one. Be sure to order it before the closing date.

 ~ Barry Ripp

Information was obtained in part by the CAR & Dian Hymer (who is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist.)

When the inspector checks the outside of the house, they will be looking for the following things: drainage conditions, roof, chimney, and more. Inside the house they will examine: doors, windows, plumbing, electrical, appliances, heating system and water heater. They will also crawl under the house and up in the attic as well.

The home inspector will provide a detailed report (about 30 pages) regarding the condition of the home. They might even recommend what steps to take to correct an issue.

A typical home inspection will cost approx $400. And it’s well worth the money, because it can save you thousands of dollars in possible problems.

~ Barry Ripp

Newark seeks input on Southwest Specific Plan:

The City Council will be holding a work session about environmental impacts and potential mitigation measures on Thursday February 25. Another meeting on Thursday March 11 will focus on financial issues related to the planned development including expected City revenues versus and the cost of providing services.

These meetings will be held at 5:30 pm in the Newark City Council Chambers: 37101 Newark Boulevard. For more information, please contact Terrence Grindall, City of Newark Community Development Director, at (510) 578-4208

Here are some tips that might be helpful for you to keep your garage in order.

1-   Make a Plan. …because organizing the garage may involve emptying and refilling it the same day,  so decide how to best organize your stuff first. Get storage containers ready too.

2-   Move everything outside & clean.  Sweep floors & wipe the shelves. Cat litter works well for soaking up oil spills.

3-   Sort. Group together your tools, garden equipment, sporting goods, etc.

4-   Evaluate.  Decide what you’re keeping and what you’ll donate, sell, recycle or trash.

5-   Put it back inside. Consider hanging bikes from the ceiling and brooms & rakes on the wall. Use stacking storage containers and label boxes too. Remember to keep things safe from falling.

Good luck.

In December, the median price of an existing, single-family home rose to $306,820, an 8.4% rise from Dec.’08, the second consecutive year-over-year increase, and the 10^th  straight month-over-month increase, according to C.A.R.’s December sales and price report.

 With affordability near-historic highs, low interest rates, and home buyer tax credits, many properties in California are receiving multiple offers and sparking bidding wars. Home buyers who find themselves in bidding wars should work closely with their REALTOR® to ensure they are crafting realistic offers that are more likely to be accepted by the seller.

  ~ Barry Ripp