Wisdom & Wit

What You Need to Know About FDIC Insurance:  Those who are going to lose money either did not take the time to learn about the FDIC insurance rules for full coverage, or they assumed that the bank teller who told them their money was safe knew what he or she was talking about. Big mistake. And it...

On Tuesday (7/15) a divided Pleasanton City Council approved language for a second hillside protection initiative to be placed on the November ballot.  Pleasanton voters will now have two hillside ordinances to consider. The first was written by a group of Pleasanton residents including former Ci...

Last week the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported the adoption of a new law that dictates how foreclosed properties must be maintained and managed and requires lenders to provide options for home owners facing foreclosure. According to C.A.R. the following two provisions of Sen...

If you or your client are moving homes this summer, take note of these green moving tips, and put some green back in your pocket. Have less stuff. It's simple - the less stuff you have, the less packing materials you'll need, and the less gas you'll use hauling it all around town. Get rid of exce...

Here is a great Green Tip of the Week..... Blu-ray discs hold five times more content than traditional compact discs and are composed of 50 percent paper, allowing them to be shredded, and making them easier to dispose of than traditional compact discs. Considering Moving to the East Bay?    ~   ...

With month coming to a close we are about to celebrate Lughnasadh which is August 1st or the first full Moon in Leo.  It is a celbration in honor of the god Lugh's wedding to Mother Earth. My partner has been working on this season and the corn dolly which is symbolic of transformation. The corn ...

Heating and air conditioning usually represent the biggest portion of home energy bills. As we head into the hottest part of the year, here are some ideas from author and home improvement expert Don Vandervort that will help you stay cool...and save money in the long run: Get 'In the Zone': Crea...

I just read an article on what happens to all the latex paint that is dropped off at hazardous waste centers?   Did you know it's recycled and is being resold at your local paint distributors, Dunn-Edwards and Kelly-Moore, for example. Recycled paint may sell for less, but the quality and viscosi...

I have been showing property to several different buyer's and we keep running into properties that are in ill repair or just trashed.  Many of them are short sales and REO's.  The buyers keep insisting on viewing these homes as they hear from the media what great buys they can get from this type ...

I just received word from my accountant there are some important changes that took effet as of July 1, 2008 that could have an effect on our next tax return. The IRS is increasing the standard mileage rate for business to $0.58.5/mile effective July 1, 2008.  The previous rate was $0.50.5.  This ...