New Construction Pitfalls to Avoid

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Today, we identify three common pitfalls to avoid when buying a home directly from the builder. Listen up to save time and money!

• Not doing research. There are a lot of new home communities. You need to know the difference and values of each. You should also compare these options to homes on the resale market. Maybe they will work better for you!
• Not reading the fine print. Builders have different build times. You need to read the fine print in order to know how long the build will take, and when your deposit becomes non-refundable.
• Not hiring a real estate agent. This is the biggest mistake you could make. It is no cost to you to have an agent represent you on a new home purchase. The real estate agent will make sure you get the value you deserve. Remember, the real estate agent must be with you on the first visit to the builder. If not, the builder may not allow them to represent you.

If you have any questions about real estate, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Do Solar Panels Affect Your Central Valley Home Value?

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Do solar panels affect your home value? This is a common question and an important one to know the answer to before buying a home with solar or installing it on your current home.

There are two ways to purchase solar: you can buy it outright or do a solar lease. If you pay for it outright, you pay for the technology up front and not over time. If you do a lease, you make a small down payment or no down payment and you pay for the solar with your power bill on a monthly basis over the period of 15-20 years.

If you pay for the solar panels outright, it's a home renovation like a kitchen remodel -- it's an enhancement that will add value to your home almost instantly.

If you do a lease, it's a bit trickier; you're obligating your property, so it's like tying another loan to the home. That lease has to be paid for either by you or the next buyer, so it might have a negative equity impact when you go to sell.

If you're going to stay in the home long-term, we recommend leasing the solar panels. On the other hand, if there's a chance you'll be moving, it may be better to not buy solar panels or to purchase them and pay for them outright.

Basically, you need to get all the information about solar panels up front before you make a decision. If you would like help with the process, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! We're here to be your real estate resource and would love to hear from you!

Sponsor an Adoption in Manteca!

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The Ripon and Manteca Animal Shelter is a wonderful organization, and I’m very dedicated to their cause. Today I’d like to talk about some things that you can donate in order to help them serve their mission.

They need basic things like non-clumping cat litter, treats for cats and dogs, blankets, beds, and toys. They use these to put in kits when the pets are taken home by adoptees. Typically, a round of shots and neutering can get expensive, so families who receive these gift baskets with their pets are always very grateful.

Speaking of this, you can write checks or pay cash donations in order to cover the costs of shots and neutering/spaying procedures. You can make your check out to the city of Manteca or Ripon if you would like to sponsor an adoption. You can drop off cash or checks to our office in Ripon at 1408 W Main St.

If you’d like to donate to the shelter in Manteca you can drop money and checks off at 1600 W Yosemite Ave, Suite 1, between 8am and 5pm. We look forward to seeing you stop by! We will be taking donations through the end of March.