FRIDAY - eyes on the weekend
- Tour an Inspiring Edible Garden in the Santa Ynez Foothills
- The Equifax Breach: What It Means, and What To Do - Written by a friend in the know
- Experts: Bay Area, prepare for future flooding
- Co-borrowing to buy a home is gaining popularity
- How Immigrants Are Transforming the American Dream—and Real Estate Along With It
- Granny flats are on the upswing
- California’s housing costs are driving its No. 1 poverty ranking
- 28 Outdoor Projects Everyone Should Know About
Enjoy!
The Equifax Breach: What It Means, and What To Do - Written by a friend in the know
Experts: Bay Area, prepare for future flooding - Some parts of the Bay Area are already incorporating climate information into their planning. For instance, San Francisco’s “Great Highway” is being re-routed because of erosion. Voters in the nine counties surrounding the bay recently passed a $12 annual tax on every parcel of real estate, with the money going towards climate adaptations.
Co-borrowing to buy a home is gaining popularity - Home buyers are increasingly taking on co-borrowers to help gain an edge, defray costs and shoulder the burden in a housing market characterized by relentless demand and tight inventory. A new report from real estate information provider Attom Data shows that in the second quarter, 22.8 percent of mortgage purchase applications involved a co-borrower, up from 21.3 percent in the prior quarter and 20.5 percent in the year earlier.
How Immigrants Are Transforming the American Dream—and Real Estate Along With It - In 2016, about 40.7 percent of immigrants were homeowners compared to 66.1 percent of native-born Americans, according to a realtor.com® analysis. “Just like those born in the U.S., [immigrants] view home buying as putting down roots in the community,” Painter says. “On average, where immigrants are settling, property values have gone up.”
Granny flats are on the upswing - Accessory dwelling units are increasingly being used by homeowners to add small secondary housing options on their property. These “granny flats” may be in the form of a converted garage or even a tiny home in an oversized backyard. As more municipalities look to grant permits for these structures, some hope the trend can help alleviate housing shortages. Many forms of guest houses were deemed illegal in California up until recently. But a new law that took effect at the beginning of this year makes ADUs easier to add, leading to an upswing of these units in the state. If just 10 percent of California’s single-family homeowners added granny flats to their properties, 600,000 new units could be added to the state’s housing supply, according to USMondularInc, a firm that specializes in secondary housing units.
California’s housing costs are driving its No. 1 poverty ranking - New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show California has the country's highest poverty rate, with nearly one in five residents facing economic hardship when factoring in living costs such as housing. The California Budget and Policy Center blamed high rents for keeping 20.4 percent of the population in poverty. Sara Kimberlin, a senior policy analyst at the center, said fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the most populated parts of the state is more than $1,500 a month. But if someone is looking to spend 30 percent of their income on rent — what is generally considered reasonable — a minimum wage worker would only be able to budget $546 a month. That means a single mother earning that income, for example, wouldn't be able to find an affordable place for herself and her children.
28 Outdoor Projects Everyone Should Know About - Learn how to refinish your wood deck, make a garden fountain, add a shed and more. Some of my faves:
