Talk To CJ Brasiel, Real Estate agent San Jose, CA

How do I build equity in my home? Five steps to building home value.

by CJ Brasiel

Because real estate is cyclic and none of us have much control over a global economy, it is important to do everything we can to maintain and grow value in our homes. Here is an overview of some ideas on how you can build equity even in a down housing market:

1.) Leveraging your home can be a beneficial tax benefit as well as a good investment for your money. Consider interest rate and terms carefully when choosing any loan product to buy a home or refinance a home. With rates hovering at 4%, check in with your loan agent to see if re-financing makes sense. Obviously, the more cash in, the more initial value, but weigh that carefully against the cost of borrowing and cash flow.

2.) Know your neighborhood and local real estate market. Work with your real estate agent to choose the best neighborhood for historic value growth and value stability during tough times. Once you are living there, do everything in your power to keep the neighborhood positive. Neighborhood watch, involvement in local schools, participating in neighborhood associations, as well as local planning boards can help keep your neighborhood improving. Also work with your neighbors to maintain a pride of ownership in your neighborhood.

3.) Look at cost effective ways to improve the energy usage of your home. Consider greening your home in ways that make sense. There are many things you can do before you invest in solar to significantly impact energy usage of any home. Consider dual paned windows, weather stripping, caulking, tank-less water heaters, and other ideas to reduce your home’s energy usage. Recognize that there are energy related rebates from the government to help make your home greener. Take advantage of these opportunities whenever you can.

4.) Stay in touch with trends in housing and do your research before any major remodeling or updating project. Look at your home from a future perspective of 10 years. Granite may be the rave now, but greening your home with recycled materials, lower VOC based materials, and sustainable materials may very well be the standard for the next generation of home buyers. When you remodel, think about the floor plan and the demographic who might be buying your home. Especially in retirement areas, consider carefully before adding a second floor. Combined family living where parents join their children may require homes to have two master suites. Completing research before you remodel can make a difference in determining the value added to your home. Consider becoming an HGTV fan and consult with your real estate agent to ask about local trends and return on investment specific to your local market.

5.) Finally, keep up on home maintenance. The single most important item related to maintaining value in a home is maintaining the structure itself. Pass on expensive landscaping if you don’t regularly clean your gutters. The value of maintaining proper drainage, roof/attic ventilation, and major appliance health can make a big difference in how a buyer perceives the condition and therefore the value of your home. Keep records, and when you are ready to sell, hand them to your agent so they can include copies of them in the advertising binder for the house. Below is a chart from the California Building Association on home maintenance recommendations and frequency. To download the PDF chart click here.

Take care of your home and your neighborhood and you will tip the odds of growing your home’s equity in your favor. If you would like neighborhood market trends contact me or visit Home Values in San Jose.

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Downtown San Jose living. The 88 got it right!

by CJ Brasiel

After living in San Francisco for a few years, moving back to San Jose and its suburban nature took some getting used to. I missed the ability to walk to a variety of restaurants at any time of the day or night. I missed the ability to stop in at a library without getting in the car. I missed the urban architecture offered by the many new developments along the Embarcadero and Potrero Hill. However, lately, I am taking notice of San Jose’s new downtown developments, and in particular have created a warm and fuzzy feeling for The 88 high rise homes.

There are several new high rise developments around downtown San Jose but few can tout a Walk-able score of 100 like The 88. With the new Safeway Market in the same building, and within a block or two, multiple restaurants, movie theaters, and the Martin Luther King Library there is really no reason you would have to leave your neighborhood. Not to mention San Jose State University two blocks away, the San Jose Opera house another three blocks away, and the North First light rail station across the street, which also connects to the Diridon Cal Train Station. This is what is meant by urban living. Proximity, convenience, and culture.

The 88 is everything an urban dweller could want. Designed by the SB Architects and developed by Wilson, Meany, Sullivan ,who also developed the San Francisco Ferry Building and The Beacon residential development across from the San Francisco Giant’s ballpark. This team knows what they are doing. Elegance, functionality, wrapped into workable floor plans, make The 88 come together as homes any home buyer would enjoy.

But living at The 88 is not contained to your individual condominium. Living at The 88 expands to many other areas. The Media Lounge allows owners a big screen TV and complete kitchen to entertain a group of friends for movie night or sporting events. The lounge area around the heated lap pool offers comfy couches, lounges, complete with pillows and an incredible view of the mountains. This area also offers an outdoor grill and tables for your next get together with friends. To make sure you are able to work off all the food, a complete work out facility with the latest exercise equipment is available on site, complete with views.

Amazingly, it doesn’t stop there. With a complete concierge service included in the home owners’ association dues, the busiest home owner can make sure time off from work is fun instead of filled with running errands. Here’s a partial list: event planning, dog walking, errand running, personal shopping, shoe polishing, key holding, package services, plant care, private yoga, drop off postal items, and fresh flower delivery. This is easy living!

If you are interested in buying a home in downtown San Jose, The 88 wants to make sure you get the best deal for the best home. In August they are offering 2.875% Mortgage*, Plus Treats! What does that mean in terms of monthly payments? Under this program, buyers could purchase a 2-bedroom home at The 88 for a monthly mortgage payment of just $1500!

What is the treat? The 88 is playing host to the latest food-phenomenon to sweep the nation, and is bringing a series of food carts to the corner of 3rd and E. San Fernando Streets every Thursday from noon-2pm. The Carts of August showcase local food innovators who’ve taken their gustatory skills on the road, in pop-up carts such as Mogo Barbecue and Treatbot Karaoke Ice Cream, both of San Jose and Southern Sandwich Co. of Redwood City. For a few dollars, lunch-goers can try something new before these café-carts roll back to their usual Silicon Valley locations. The pulled pork sandwich from Mogo was incredible. Good size, fresh, lean, and potato salad that rivaled my Mom’s. All good.

San Francisco isn’t the only urban option for the Bay Area. San Jose downtown is newer, cleaner, safer urban option for the Bay Area. Take a walk, take a tour and let me know what you think of the changes. Stop in at The 88 and see all this high rise has to offer. Make it a Thursday event, ask for Joyce, and enjoy some good BBQ after your home tour!

*Conventional conforming 5/1 ARM @ 2.875% note rate. APR 3.22%. Fico score of 740. 25% down payment required. Loan amounts not to exceed $417,000. Programs, pricing, details and specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Certain restrictions and guidelines apply. Taxes and HOA are not included in the payment as shown above. Valid on qualified homes put into contract between 8/1/10 through 8/30/10.

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Behind on your mortgage? Check out this resource.

by CJ Brasiel

If you are behind on your mortgage payments and do not know what your options are, your first stop should be Making Homes Affordable web site. This site is full of great information and provides all the information about the new government based programs like HARP, HAMP, and HAFA. There is contact information for lenders and the ability to look up whether or not your home loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. There are nine options to foreclosure and this site helps each home owner understand what those options require and how they might be applied to each borrower’s situation. As a Certified Distressed Property Expert, I am available to answer questions about how you might be able to avoid foreclosure on your home. Contact me for a no-obligation, no-cost consultation. There are also several great counseling centers in the San Jose area that can also help review your options.

Tags: Sellers' Tips

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Why should I short sale my home?

by CJ Brasiel

Anytime a home owner can no longer afford to make their house payments and the home’s value is less than what is owed, a short sale should be considered. You do not have to be behind on your payments to request a lender to approve a short sale. For a home owner to qualify for a short sale there are three basic burdens of proof the lender will require.

1.) The owner must have a negative debt to income balance. Simply stated, the home owner’s income is not enough to pay their monthly bills. There are many reasons why monthly incomes change. Job loss, reduction in hours/salary, disability, and death.

2.) The owner must be insolvent. Meaning the home owner does not have any assets that can be sold to supplement their income or pay off the debt. This does not include retirement funds but there have been cases where the lender asked for the owner to pay some money at closing and this is the only place an owner can withdraw funds.

3.) There must be a documented hardship. The owner must be able to demonstrate that something has changed preventing them from being able to afford the home. There are many reasons for hardship. Common reasons are job loss, health issues, and divorce. Adjusting interest rates which increase the mortgage payment suddenly can also be a reason for a short sale hardship.

Assuming the above qualifications are met, the home owner should consider the following potential ramifications for selling the home for less than what is owed. In the state of California, there are recourse loans and non-recourse loans. Loans that were given for the initial purchase of a primary residence are considered non-recourse loans. This simply means any default amount or balance not paid, is forgiven without recourse. With a non-recourse loan the lender can not come after the mortgage holder for any unpaid balance once the debt has been settled.

Refinancing creates a recourse loan. If the borrower took on an additional loan, many times a home equity line of credit (HELOC), they have a recourse loan. With a recourse loan any debt not settled can be pursued by a lender. It is important to recognize that a loan modification can also change the note from a non-recourse loan to a recourse loan. If a new note is prepared for the loan (mortgage), the debt now becomes a recourse loan.

Prior to the housing crash, even though the settled debt may have been non-recourse, there were tax ramifications to short selling the home. Any forgiven debt was considered income and could be taxed accordingly. Every short sale will trigger the generation of a 1099 by the lender to the borrower. This will be the amount forgiven. It will be up to the borrower and their tax professional to determine whether or not this forgiven debt is taxable income.

Since the housing crash, the federal government and recently the state of California created legislation that provided mortgage debt tax relief. The federal legislation H.R. 1424, a part of the Bailout Legislation, extended relief through December 31, 2010. California SB 401, provides tax relief for forgiven debt between the years of 2009 and 2012 for a principle residence. It is very important to consult with a tax professional to understand how these tax laws are applied to your specific situation.

A short sale can reduce the amount of negative credit reporting on a borrower. If the borrower is not behind on payments and the short sale approval wording states the debt is settled completely, it is possible no credit hit will be recognized by the borrower. The credit hit comes from missing or late payments and settlement of debt with a statement of “less than balance owed” reported. Generally speaking, the credit hit from a short sale is less than a credit hit from a foreclosure or bankruptcy. A foreclosure and/or bankruptcy can affect a borrower’s credit for up to 7 years. However, even with a short sale, if a borrower has missed payments for a long time, the credit hit keeps adding up and eventually may be as bad as a foreclosure. This is the reason why it is so important to address the problem as soon as possible.

Ultimately, if you are wondering whether or not a short sale is the right decision for your situation it comes down to these considerations:

1.) Do you have a legitimate hardship that will make you unable to make your monthly mortgage payment? If you borrowed truthfully, owe more than your house is worth and circumstances outside your control have created an inability to pay back the debt by the agreed upon terms, you should investigate whether or not you qualify for a short sale.

2.) Do you want to save your credit as much as possible so that you may purchase a home again in the near future? If you have any intention of being a home owner in the future, saving your credit is critical. Anything you can do to reduce negative reporting will have an impact on your ability to borrow in the future.

3.) Are the legal and tax implications acceptable on a short sale for your specific situation? There are legal and tax implications to forgiving debt whether it is a short sale, foreclosure, and or bankruptcy. The only way to know how they will impact your specific situation is to consult with an attorney and tax professional.

Once you have answered these questions and a short sale proves to be the best option, consult with a trained short sale specialist. Short sales require a unique set of skills for a real estate agent and the short sale approval can very much depend on how your agent negotiates with the lender and buyer. As a Certified Distressed Property Expert, I have the training, resources, and experience necessary to serve as your short sale agent. If you would like to discuss your options with no obligation, contact me. Consulting with professionals will help you determine quickly whether or not a short sale is the right answer for you.

Tags: Sellers' Tips

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Why buy a house?

by CJ Brasiel

Ahhh, the question that will be on everyone’s mind for at least the next decade. I bought my first house in the late 1980′s. I sold it about a year and a half later and had to pay at the closing table. My interest rate was about 8% on that loan. The first month I moved in, the AC condenser line clogged up and I came home after a 12 hour shift to find the carpet saturated down the hall. But I loved the yard. It was lush, had a huge deck, and I had countless parties with friends and the memories still make me smile. My dog ran a raccoon up the tree in that yard. The oak tree in the front yard destroyed my septic drain field and that cost me a couple of thousand dollars to fix. I loved that house. I remember inviting my parents over for dinner and they didn’t get lost. This was the first time they didn’t have to try to find a “unit number” in a huge apartment complex. They simply pulled up in my drive way. I loved that house.

Then I moved to Texas in 1992. Beautiful newly constructed home on about 5 acres. I remember when my parents came for Christmas, my Dad told me “Hon, you’ve really made it.” My parents believe owning a home is a sign of success in your life. It was a responsibility that took hard work and many weekends of my time. Can you imagine weed-whacking about a mile of ditch in Texas summer sun? Uh-huh. Responsibility. I loved that house. My dogs could run all around until they wore out. Chasing rabbits, squirrels, and other neighborhood dogs.

Why buy a house? When I went to sell that house, I found out that I had about $10,000 of subterranean termite damage. I also learned that you can’t remove a basketball hoop once it has been cemented into the ground. The buyer’s asked for it back, with concrete, upright. I also realized that negotiating moving packages was part of every job interview from that point on. With only 18 months in the home, I barely made enough to pay the movers.

I was thrilled to be in California and could not wait to find my “dream home” in the place I believed I would stay forever. I spent two weeks and looked at about 40 homes. This was 1994. Interest rates were about 8.5%. After coming from a “mansion” on 5 acres, I now looked at condos with less than 1000 square feet and pet restrictions for twice the amount I paid for my home in Texas. I looked at foreclosures (because that is where the “deals” were. NOT.). I remember seeing a house that did not have any toilets (yep-just holes where they were meant to be) and smelled so bad I could not even decide what needed to be fixed.

Of course, I finally found a home. A small, cheaply constructed, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, zero-lot line home to buy. I couldn’t really afford it. But somehow I did. I loved that house. It became my comfy spot after long hikes in the Santa Cruz mountains. It became my base for long bike rides along McKean Road. It had a great little patio. The dogs were happy and I painted the walls the color I had always wanted.

I later sold that house and moved into a bigger home in a better neighborhood. I made twice as much as I paid for that little house. That house allows me to live in the house I do today. I love this house. In Willow Glen, my all- time favorite little downtown and neighborhood. Great yard. Great neighbors. I owe more than the house is worth. But I don’t plan on moving anytime soon. (Although, we are thinking about a ranch somewhere in Almaden Valley…)

For too long, houses have been treated as everything but what they are really meant to be for people. For practicality, houses are meant to be shelter. Emotionally, they are meant to be homes. Whether you rent or buy the decision ultimately comes down to what do you want or need in a home. That decision has little to do with market. That decision has little to do with profit. That decision has little to do with the bank, or the bail out, or the tax exemption, or potential, or value. It has to do with you. It is time to stop treating real estate like a simple stock. It is time to stop believing that owning a home is the American “dream”. In fact, many can now document that “dream” can be a very real nightmare.

Why buy a house? Because, you want to. Because, you can afford to. Because, you like weird paint colors. Because, you________( fill in the blank). With every decision in life, it is personal and it doesn’t work for everyone. No big cha. Probably the only saying that is true about houses has nothing to do with whether or not your rent or own. Home is where the heart is.

Tags: Buyers' Tips

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Where does the San Jose Housing Market go from here?

by CJ Brasiel

Last week I heard the saying that 80% of the statistics quoted are made up on the spot. Certainly, most have heard the saying that “statistics can be made to say anything you want”. The exact reason why most marketing experts look at trends more than a single number stat. With that said, I took time to revisit some of the “stats” that I ran last year to compare to where we are now.

The bulk of the foreclosures occurred in late 2008 than in 2009. By 2009, the banks were quite tired of seeing their brands splattered all over the evening news with interview after interview with homeless sellers talking about their recent foreclosure with You-Know-Who-Bank. Not to mention, the tax payers came to the rescue and actually provided incentives to banks who did not foreclose.

In that same time period we began to see more and more short sales come to the market and home owners were given some chance to save their credit while re-grouping for where they would live next. Short sales quickly became a third of the San Jose housing market. Equally, less than 1/3 of the short sale deals would actually close. Buyers were not patient to wait for 6-12 month approvals and with lots of houses on the market, they moved on quite quickly to the next house. (Graph 1 March 2009)

“Affordability” played a role as well. In 2005 the median home price in San Jose was $685,000. In 2009, the median home price had dropped to $450,000. Many buyer’s who simply had been priced out of the market and wisely rejected exotic home loans found themselves with a real chance to own a home in the Bay Area. Throw in some tax incentives and a revised conventional loan limit from $417,000 to $729,000 and a demand was created. It worked. In late 2008 San Jose held nearly 8 months of housing inventory. In late 2009, there was less than 4 months of inventory on hand. [click to continue…]

Tags: Market Information

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Are you sure I can’t keep my pigs?

by Karen Negrete

Disclaimer: What you’re about read is true. Only the inanes have changed to protect other stagers from pointing and laughing at my clients.

When I’m called in to stage a house, the Realtor and I will chat about anything I should know before I go in so I won’t be shocked…like the homeowner usually answers the door naked. I’m telling you right here and now that unless it’s Robert Downey Jr. answering the door, the Eeeeeuuuwww Factor will be set to Code Orange.

So my Realtor lets me know that her seller’s house is decorated in a style that can only be described as “Late Green Acres-Early Hee Haw”. In other words….“country”. Additionally, Mrs. Home Seller is really into pigs. So I go to meet with them and Mr. Home Seller answers the door with clothes on and I walk in. From my vantage point, I see pigs (note that’s pigs…plural); we’re talking pig pictures, 25 or so stuffed pigs in various parts of the house, pig wall hangers for oven mitts…that themselves look like pigs, pig wall stencils, blankets, fireplace screen, lamps shades, etc. Oh, just kill me now. The sellers seemed like very nice people that understood the need for their house to be staged and were prepared to follow my every instruction.

I wrote up my VERY specific list of things they needed to remove from the house and as always, I went over my list with them and explained the reasoning behind asking them to remove things like certain pieces of furniture, heavy drapery and…all things porcine because the pigs may be the only thing that buyers will remember about the house. Studies have shown that buyers can get distracted by looking at personal photos, extensive collections, a motorcycle in the living room, etc. and will forget about the actual features of the house which is why stagers are always whining about needing a house to be as visually neutral as possible. (Plus we don’t want Realtors to be referring to their house as the “pig house” to other Realtors. Call me persnickety (I won’t answer) but it sends the wrong message.) The sellers understood everything I had asked them to do and I left them to do the right thing.

A week or so later, I got a call from the Realtor with the report that Mrs. Home Seller was in agreement with everything I told them to do….but…..she wanted to know if she really had to get rid of her pigs? She thought they made the house look “homey”. If you’re very quiet, you’ll be able to hear a collective groaning from stagers from around the world.

Good people, read me now and hear me later. Here is just one example of why you MUST make your house visually neutral: Young Mr. Silicon Valley Guy is ready to buy his first home. He’s pre-qualified, has a big down payment and wants a 30 day close of escrow …or less if he can get it. He pulls up in his shiny black BMW in front of the “pig house”. He’ll take one, maybe two steps inside and then will be a blur as he’s making it for his car. And you’ve just lost your perfect buyer.

If a seller insists on keeping their pig collection or a Smurf alter or wallpaper depicting risqué behavior, they’ve effectively sliced their pool of buyers down to what I call “a needle in a haystack buyer”. So…..if you want to sell your house quickly, step away from the pigs and do what the nice stager asks you to do. And whatever you do, make sure you have clothes on when you answer the door. But I’ll bend the rules for you, Mr. Downey.

This has been another message from Karen Negrete IRIS™, your friendly stager.
Interior Redesign Industry Specialist™

Tags: Sellers' Tips

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Moving? Want to help someone with extra household items?

by CJ Brasiel

Whenever the moving process begins, inevitably there are items you don’t really want to move with you but are in good condition and could be valuable to someone else. You can try to organize a yard sale to help reduce the belongings but many times only the ultimately organized can make time for sorting, pricing, and answering ads on Craigs List during their own moving process. It is not uncommon to find yourself a week before the open house or a week before the moving van comes with a multitude of items that you wish could simply, “find another home for”. A home for items that could be appreciated and not simply wasted by being dumped into the over crowded landfill. A home for items with useful life that could help someone else start or re-start their lives.

With that in mind, I wanted to provide a list of resources of where you can consider donating items. This also takes time but will provide you with a good feeling when it is all done. This list is not complete and I hope that readers will comment below on other places they have used in the San Jose, Santa Clara County area for donations. Special thanks to Cyndie and Mario Le Chuga for sharing their homework and their friendship with me.

Organization	Items they take?	Address/Phone	Web Site
Good Will	Accepts your new or gently used items — like clothing, appliances and furniture.	1080 North Seventh Street, San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 869-9198	http://www.goodwillsv.org/
Salvation Army	clothing, appliances and furniture	359 North 4th Street, San Jose, CA 95112-5254 (408) 283-3864	http://bit.ly/cGbRv3
Sacred Heart	food, blankets, clothing, baby diapers (sizes 4, 5, 6)	1381 South First St. San Jose, CA 95110 Todd Madigan – (408) 278-2180 toddm@sacredheartcs.org	http://www.shcstheheart.org/
Second Harvest	Meals in a can (stew, chili, soup) Tuna and canned meat Peanut butter Canned foods with pop-top lids Low-sugar cereals100% fruit juices in single serving boxes Canned fruit packed in juice Canned vegetables (low salt)	750 Curtner Avenue, San Jose CA 95125 (408) 266-8866	http://www.shfb.org/
Domestic Violence Council	Children’s clothing (for 9-12 year olds) Diapers Size 4, 5 and 6 Socks/Underwear Comforters and blanketsPillows (standard) TowelsFull and twin sheet sets2x3 throw rugs to place next to the beds		http://www.sjfamilyshelter.org/
Victory Outreach	Clothes, Furniture, Appliances, Tools	590 Shawnee Lane San Jose, CA 95123 408-578-0800	http://www.victoryoutreach.org/
InnVision	Jackets, shoes, towels, toiletries, clothes, small appliances	974 Willow Street San Jose, CA 95125 Phone: 408-292-4286	http://www.innvision.org/donate_newlikenew.php
Santa Clara County Animal Shelter	cat toys(mousies, feather wands) dog toys and treats newspaper and bedding (towels, blankets, pet beds).	2750 Monterey Rd San Jose, CA 95111 or 12370 Murphy Ave., San Martin, CA 95046	http://www.southcountypets.com/ http://www.sanjoseanimals.com/

Tags: Buyers' Tips, Sellers' Tips

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Where are the buyers’ markets in San Jose and Santa Clara County?

by CJ Brasiel

The median price for single-family, re-sale homes reached its highest level since August 2008: up 34.6% year-over-year to $632,450. The sales price to list price ratio, a good indicator of demand, for single-family, re-sale homes in Santa Clara County was 101% in April. This is the tenth month in a row the indicator has been over 100%. Home sales were up 4.1% from March, but down 1.4% year-over-year. Pending sales reached record levels in March with 2,519 homes under contract. This bodes well for sales in the next few months. Inventory also increased in April from March: up 8.2%, and it was up 0.2% compared to April 2009. This is the first time inventory has been higher than the year before since January 2009. Seems like home owners are beginning to feel more confident in the market. Of the 1,022 homes put on the market in April, only 85 were bank-owned.

So where are the buyers’ markets? The buyer markets are no longer on the East Side of San Jose (Berryessa, Alum Rock, Milpitas, Evergreen). Most of the deals under $500K have been scooped up in the last two years. Except, central San Jose. Downtown, areas around

Burbank (San Carlos Avenue) have some homes under $500K for sale. This may also be due to the many new condo complexes struggling to fill their units with residents. The deals are in the $700K-$1M range now. Areas where the average sales price tips about $700K show a buyer’s market. Affordability at play again. The ability to obtain a jumbo loan at play again. To meet the “conventional” loan which is secured on the secondary market, 20% is required. Better rates if you do not exceed the $729,000 limit on your loan. We are now looking at a buying pool that has over $100,000 to place as a down payment and more often, $200,000 is needed to secure a decent interest rate.

Note the graphs below to see the trends. RED is a seller’s market. Below the line GREY, is a buyer’s market. If you want more specific information about where the opportunities are for home purchases, contact me .

Downtown San Jose housing market trends:

[click to continue…]

Tags: Buyers' Tips, Market Information

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How Will New Lead Regulations Impact Home Renovations?

by CJ Brasiel

Lead poisoning is a serious issue. According to researchers, “Lead poisoning can lead to learning disabilities, behavioral problems and, at high levels, seizures, comas and death”. Children under the age of six are at a higher risk due to their natural tendency to place things in their mouths.

This new regulation requires professional renovators and home owners alike be educated on the proper method for disturbing areas that may be contaminated with lead. This is normally related to homes built prior to 1978 when lead was used in plumbing materials and paint. Due to the durability of lead paint, there may deep layers on window sills, trim, and door casements. If these areas are going to be sanded, prepped with a pressure washer, or removed, adequate precautions must be taken. This includes but is not limited to proper dust control, particle containment and proper disposal of all materials.

If you are planning on painting or renovating your home and it was built prior to 1978, your contractor should be trained in lead removal and have one certified worker on the job to supervise the process. The training for contractors is anywhere from $75-$250 and the estimated cost for the process requirements per job range from 5-10% additional for each job. Your contractor should provide you with a pamphlet informing you of the health issues related to lead.

This new regulation, going into effect April 22nd, 2010, has many in an uproar. Including my father who has been a painter for nearly 60 years and describes the hand mixing of lead and linseed oil with his bare hands to create the right color. My father is 84 and shows no signs of lead poisoning. He believes this issue will place additional cost on the contractor because of training and the fact that each job must be supervised by a certified worker. Therefore, all of his job supervisors must be trained. With the economy so poor he believes this will only hurt small contractors like himself. For the first time, he is considering retirement. (So, I am thinking this regulation might be a good thing if for no other reason than this.)

This new regulation is not much different than the regulation regarding the removal and disposal of heating ducts and “popcorn” (acoustic) ceilings that may contain asbestos. These materials must be handled carefully, and over the years proper safety precautions for workers have become routine.

The bottom line, the additional cost will be a big issue to some. The potential for a safe home environment will be worth the money to many.

Tags: Buyers' Tips, Sellers' Tips, home renovation, lead, paint, regulation

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Does a Pool Add Value to a Your Home?

This is one of those questions like the chicken and egg type debates. It depends. It depends on where you live, what type of pool it is, the condition, and a couple of more small details. Understanding more details about pools will help evaluate what value it brings to your home. Whether you are looking [...]

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Bright Spots in South Santa Clara County – San Martin, Morgan Hill, Gilroy

The municipalities of Silicon Valley attract a lot of attention and have certainly become the central focus of many home buyers. But more and more, the south end of Santa Clara County is being recognized for its opportunities in housing and general lifestyle. Morgan Hill, San Martin, and Gilroy make up the south county [...]

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