I happened to drive down a street that looked like no one took any pride in ownership of their homes. And, I mean NO ONE! It looked like a slum but a slum with homes worth $600,000 to $700,000 if these houses were in good shape. It got me to thinking about what must go into someones mind when they just stop taking care of their property.

If a property is being sold as a Short Sale it means that the loan on the property is for more money than the property can be sold for. There is a shortage of funds due the lender. Sometimes a lender will forgive this amount and sometimes it will not. If the amount is forgiven it may not be a win for the seller because they may have to show this amount “forgiven” as income in their taxes the following year. It must be shown as income because it was money that was owed by the seller through a note to buy the property, but not paid back to the lender and the IRS looks at this as money in your pocket even though you never see the money.

Your house has been on the market for two and one half months. You’ve been a good member of the Clean Counter Club but it’s getting harder and harder to do it everyday. Days get interrupted. Dinners are interrupted. Saturday open houses. Sunday open houses. Keeping the house picked up is a chore. Keeping the toys off the floor is almost impossible now. Keep the kids clean? It’s summer and oh, so impossible to do!

Since I like to write about happenings between Millbrae and San Carlos, summer means free concerts and each of our towns has some for you to pick from.  Make a picnic and grab your blankets to sit on and/or to possibly bundle up.  Bring the family and enjoy the music.  Free is good. When you’re [...]

You know it’s Spring when Art Festivals begin and this weekend Belmont kicks off the Art Festival Season in San Mateo County.  The Belmont Sidewalk Festival starts today and runs through Sunday at the Carlmont Village Shopping Center on the Alameda and Ralston.
This is always a great way to spend a few hours during the weekend and it [...]