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Whoever Has The Most Friends Wins; A Reminder That Hard Work Alone Doesn’t Cut It

NYU Professor, Scott Galloway, who I quote often b/c of his exceptional success in business, tweeted this: “People think of it as strong alpha males who deserve to win. That’s […]

September 18, 2020 3 min read
three young entrepreneur friends gather around a colleague sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen

How To Get A Home Loan In 7 Steps

Getting a home loan is easier than most prospective homebuyers often realize. Prospective homebuyers can get a home loan in these 7 easy steps!  This blog breaks the entire housing process down and...

September 18, 2020 3 min read
A young family celebrates after successfully completing the 7 steps needed to get a home a loan.

When Is The Best Time To Buy A House?

Are you considering buying a home in the Bay Area? Are you unsure of when the right time to buy is? There are many variables in the homebuying process, the first of which is deciding when to move....

September 18, 2020 4 min read
a couple who previously wondered when the best time to buy a house stand in front of their new home with their daughter beside them

Appraisal Issues – Low Values, Delays & Why; When Summer = Spring

Our Social Media Manager recently noted a lot of comments on social media  regarding appraisal issues – both low values and delays. The conditions that foster these issues are worse […]

September 17, 2020 4 min read
Home prices are skyrocketing due to limited inventory and incredibly high demand. As a result, the appraised values of homes are not meeting the purchase price due to a lack of comparable sales for appraisers to use.

Can You Be Too Old For a 30-Year Mortgage? Cheap PMI; Mortgage Calculators

A 90-year-old woman can still qualify for a 30-year mortgage even though it is very unlikely that she will be around to pay off the loan. This is because mortgage […]

September 16, 2020 2 min read
Two elderly women sit outside of their home and talk about the home they recently bought and had appraised for a 30-year mortgage with private mortgage insurance.

What Is Escrow: A California Homebuyer’s Guide

For many homebuyers in California, the escrow process can seem confusing or overwhelming, especially for first-time homebuyers. In order to help, we've outlined the process to help to provide a...

September 15, 2020 4 min read
Daughter running across lawn in front of home to her father

10% Down Jumbo Options; 80/10/10s; Rates Hit All-Time Lows – Yawn

RATES HIGHER THAN IN JULY DESPITE “RECORD LOWS” Housing Wire was reporting that mortgage rates hit all-time lows again last week – and I yawned again last week. This is […]

September 14, 2020 2 min read
a family of three stand in the doorway of their new home the mom and dad stand with their arms around one another while their curly haired daughter sitting on a moving box

4 Things to Know About VA Home Appraisals

VA home loans are one of the most common mortgage options among military members in California. The VA loan program offers 100% financing, which means you could buy a home with no down payment. This...

September 11, 2020 2 min read
A family of four sits on the porch of their home purchased with a VA home loan

What Are Closing Costs For Homebuyers?

“Closing costs” is an all encapsulating term that many homebuyers will hear often once their offer has been accepted. Closing costs consist of all the additional costs that homebuyers have to pay...

September 11, 2020 3 min read
A young homebuyer and home inspector look at the kitchen and asses additional repair costs that will need to be added to the total closing costs.

Mark Cuban Was Right; SF’s Death & Revival; IKEA & Honey Badgers

A few weeks ago I blogged about The Death of New York City, citing another blog by James Altucher that set out reasons why NYC is not going to recover: […]

September 11, 2020 3 min read
News of IKEA purchasing retail space in San Francisco was announced while raging wildfires cover the bay area in eerie orange light and smoke

Will Prepayment Penalties Return?

A young couple was sitting in my office crying. It was around 2005, they were on a very tight budget, their rate had just adjusted to almost 10%, they had […]

September 10, 2020 4 min read
A young couple looks at their loan information on their laptop computers at home and checks that they do not have any prepayment penalties in their loan information.

PMI Can Help Homebuyers In California

Weighing the pros and cons of PMI? Many homebuyers have questions about mortgage insurance so we've outlined the ins and outs for California homebuyers.

September 10, 2020 3 min read
Couple sit on couch talking with agent

Divorces Surge During COVID; Divorce Considerations That Affect Real Estate And Mortgages

FIRE CERTIFICATIONS NOTE: With wildfires still raging across California, underwriters are still requiring “Fire Certifications” for every property that is near a major fire. This is simply photo...

September 9, 2020 3 min read
A couple sits on a bench overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge as they talk about finalizing their divorce.

When Getting A Loan Is As Easy As Buying A Fridge At Best Buy

In 1999, I needed a new car. Not being particularly into cars, I asked a buddy, who was into cars, what kind of car he recommended. At that time, he […]

September 4, 2020 4 min read
Old blue truck parked in front of san francisco houses
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