Proposition 33: VOTE NO

Let me clear up misperceptions about Proposition 33: VOTE NO. It is a deeply flawed rent control initiative that will hurt both California's renters and housing providers. Despite some confusion I’ve seen and heard about what this measure would do, let me be crystal clear: Prop 33 would dismantle key protections under the 1995 Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (passed by the California Legislature) and lead to harmful consequences for the housing market. 

Here’s why you should vote NO: 

(1) Prop 33 would cripple development of new rental properties: Prop 33 would allow rent control on properties built after 1995. Right now, Costa-Hawkins prevents rent control on newer buildings, so that developers continue to invest in creating rental housing. If Prop 33 passes, rent control could be imposed on all properties, even new construction. Why would any developer build in California if their units could be immediately subject to rent control? This will absolutely bring development of new rental properties to a screeching halt, worsening the housing crisis. How would this be good for anyone? 

(2) Prop 33 would eliminate fair rent adjustments after a tenant moves out: Under Prop 33, housing providers would no longer be able to raise rents to market rates after a tenant moves out. Currently, Costa Hawkins allows "vacancy decontrol" which permits rents to be reset to a market-rate when a tenant vacates a unit. This ensures housing providers can cover costs like renovating the unit, maintenance, and the rising costs of property taxes and insurance. Without this, providers will absolutely struggle to keep up with the increasing costs of maintaining their properties and keep up with inflation, leading to financial strain and fewer rental options as these housing providers decide to go out of business. How does that help tenants? 

(3) Prop 33 would hurt “mom and pop” property owners: Prop 33 would even allow rent control to be applied to single-family homes, which are currently protected under Costa-Hawkins. This move would further discourage single-family homeowners from renting out their properties, shrinking the already limited rental market and reducing housing options for families. I’ve personally talked to several rental homeowners who are fearful of Prop 33 passing and would sell these homes immediately - which would take these rental homes off the rental market. How’s that good for tenants? 

Prop 33 is literally a recipe for disaster. It will stifle new housing development, punish housing providers, and ultimately lead to fewer (not more) rental options for Californians. We are currently over 3 MILLION housing units short of what we need in California according to the California Department of Housing & Community Development. Let’s focus on fixing our severe housing shortage and on BUILDING MORE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE. Please - vote NO on Prop 33.

Some strategies to sell your Sacramento home during the Autumn season...

Autumn in Sacramento brings a unique charm with its more crisp, temperate weather and red and golden-hued leaves (the leaves in the City of Trees can be off the hook!) -- and it offers an excellent backdrop for selling your home. Additionally, there tend to be fewer homes on the market in the fall, which can create an opportune time for sellers to sell with less competition from other homes. However, preparing your property for sale during this season requires a slightly different approach to highlight its best features and appeal to potential buyers. Here are a few ideas to optimize your home for a sale during the fall season.

1. Embrace the Season with Curb Appeal. Autumn in Sacramento can be stunning, with the changing foliage creating a lovely picturesque setting. Enhance your home’s curb appeal by keeping your yard clean and manicured. Power wash the exterior of your home and walkways for a crisp appearance. Clear your roof and gutters of debris, and consider trimming trees or other foliage that may be in contact with your home. Rake leaves regularly to avoid the appearance of clutter, and consider planting seasonal flowers or adding potted mums to brighten up the entrance. A welcoming front porch with cozy fall decor like pumpkins or a tasteful wreath can make a strong first impression. 
2. Optimize Indoor Comfort. As temperatures start to drop from our crazy hot summer days, ensuring your home feels inviting inside is crucial. Make sure your heating system is in good working order and consider scheduling a HVAC maintenance tune-up (and keep the documentation for disclosure!). Adding plush throw blankets and pillows can create a cozy atmosphere that buyers will find appealing. Clean or replace air filters to ensure good air quality and a comfortable indoor climate. 
3. Highlight Energy Efficiency. Autumn is a great time to showcase your home’s energy efficiency. Highlight features like double-pane windows, modern or extra insulation, or a programmable thermostat. Additionally, many homebuyers these days are often impressed by things like heat-pump HVAC systems that run on electricity instead of natural gas. If your home is exceptionally energy efficient, you might also considering gathering a year of utility bills to disclose to your buyer as well to highlight your low SMUD or PG&E expenses. These upgrades can attract buyers looking to reduce energy costs, especially as colder weather approaches. 
4. Focus on Natural Light. Sacramento’s autumn days are shorter, so it’s essential to maximize natural light indoors. Clean your windows to let in as much sunlight as possible and consider using light-colored, sheer window treatments to brighten up rooms instead of heavy curtains. Consider repainting dark walls and ceilings in light colors, such as whites or creams to help reflect natural light and make rooms feel brighter and more spacious. Choose decor items that reflect light, such as mirrors, metallic finishes, or glass vases. These can help bounce natural light around the room and enhance the overall brightness. Proper lighting can make spaces appear larger and more inviting. 
5. Address Seasonal Maintenance. Autumn is the perfect time to tackle seasonal maintenance tasks that might catch a buyer’s eye. Clean gutters to prevent potential water damage, check the roof for missing shingles, and ensure that exterior drains are clear. Addressing these issues proactively can prevent last-minute repairs and boost buyer confidence. And again, keep any documentation from maintenance to disclose to your next buyer.

By focusing on these autumn-specific strategies, you can make your Sacramento home stand out in the market. Embrace the season’s charm to create a welcoming environment that potential home buyers will be eager to call home.

Sellers, receive a high dollar request for repairs? Get a second opinion...

The buyer on one of my recent listings submitted a whopper of a Request for Repairs...the scope of work consisted of several big-ticket items -- replacing the sewer line, re-plumbing the entire house, and making substantial repairs to the swimming pool and pool equipment. I think the full value of the work based on the bids the buyers had obtained was in the $50,000 range. YIKES! 

The seller, of course, was understandably upset about this and they were trying to wrap their minds around either absorbing the costs of repairs or absorbing a massive price reduction. Even in this hot Sacramento real estate market, some sellers may consider negotiating or accepting requests like this without questioning the validity of the request. Sellers, please don't do that.

I immediately wanted to know two things: (a) were these issues legitimate? And (b) if the issues were legitimate, were the bids the buyers provided competitive prices? 

Some home sellers do not realize -- in the face of massive requests like this, you can and should get a second opinion. We quickly called a couple of my go-to contractors and the seller's pool guy for second opinions and competitive bids.

So to replacing the sewer line: (a) yes the issue was partly legitimate. As it turns out the second contractor was of the opinion that only about half the repairs recommended by the buyer's contractor were actually necessary. And (b) the competitive bid was about a third the price ($8,700 vs. $28,000)!

To re-plumbing the entire house: (a) no, not legitimate. The seller had disclosed some plumbing leaks and the buyer decided that they would prefer to re-plumb the house, however this work turned out to be an upgrade rather than a necessity. And (b) the seller did not obtain a second bid and flatly rejected this part of the request.

To resurfacing the swimming pool: (a) no, not legitimate. They stated that resurfacing would be an upgrade and not a necessity.  And (b) the seller did not obtain a second bid and flatly rejected this part of the request.

Repairing the pool equipment: (a) yes, some repairs were necessary. And (b) competitive bid was much less!

In the end, the seller agreed to reduce the price by $10,000 to offset the future expense of repairs, and the buyer completed the purchase of the home as-is...$10,000 is still a chunk of money but still less than the cost of the legitimate repairs...and without validating the request and getting other opinions and bids, that could have easily been a much higher number, and it is a FAR cry from a $50,000 haircut. This is a great outcome for the seller.

So the moral of the story -- sellers, don't let a buyer walk all over you. Validate exorbitant requests like this one and get second opinions and competitive bids.

Excessive pet urine destroys stuff, in case you were totally wondering...

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then it must also be worth about an 9.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale of smell. 

Be glad you can't smell this photo, because your eyes would water and you might want to take an immediate shower.

This is an image of what the subfloor looks like after carpet and pad were removed from a bedroom where a tenant kept a dog who who urinated excessively in the house (in violation of the rental lease, of course). In preparing this home for sale, BEFORE new flooring could be installed in this room, a contractor treated the subfloor with an enzyme in an attempt to kill the odor. They then had to apply an oil based sealer. And then new carpet, pad, and baseboards were installed, and the room painted. 

To remove and dispose of the carpet, pad, tackstrip, baseboards and get rid of the smell cost about $750, plus the cost of reinstalling new flooring. Overall this owner was fortunate that the pet urine seemed to be isolated to this one room, because doing this treatment throughout the entire 2000sf+ home would have been ridiculously expensive. For what it's worth, this owner is replacing all of the flooring and painting the entire interior of the house, so everything will be crisp and clean eventually. And the seller will disclose this to buyers...

The moral of the story: housebreak your pets. Or don't have them...

Erin, where are all the homes that should be for sale in Sacramento?

I was quoted in a Sacramento Bee article last week, that among other things discussed the imbalance of supply of homes for sale and demand to purchase homes. I was quoted in the article saying "At some point there is going to be this backlog of sellers who have forgone selling. We are going to see those people put their houses on the market."

BUT WHEN?

That is a fabulous question. I thought I'd take a minute to describe some of the things I have been hearing from my clients, as well as some of the bottlenecks and challenges sellers have in this environment. At some point the trickle of new listings will be a little more steady, but we have some things to work through in our Sacramento real estate market.

(1) Some sellers still do not feel safe having buyers in their homes. Some homeowners who want to sell have a higher or lower risk tolerance than others. While the COVID19 vaccine has recently become more widely available, it will still be several months before the majority of the population in our region has been fully vaccinated. And cautious sellers who fear catching COVID19 have been staying put. I have conversations with would-be sellers in this category all the time. It does seem like there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but every would-be seller will have a different comfort-level here.

(2) The court systems have been backed up. You may not realize how many transactions are dependent on court orders or other legal processes. For example the probate court system, which governs who will manage the estate of a deceased person, was closed for a few months. There is a tremendous case backlog, and those who will ultimately decide if and when to sell a home that was owned by someone who died are not able to manage the estate affairs without a court order. I have one client who filed for probate back in the summer 2020 who was just recently finally granted authority to handle his father's estate. Courts also often weigh in on the sale of homes in divorce/family law and bankruptcy cases too.

(3) There is an eviction moratorium and various "just cause" ordinances in place preventing landlords from displacing tenants. While I feel for the plight of tenants who face a COVID19-related hardship, there are property owners who would love to sell if they were able to end the tenancy of their current renters. It is often challenging to sell a home with tenants for a variety of reasons. I was contacted by a single-family homeowner last year who had a non-paying tenant, and ultimately they were advised by their attorney that they could not evict the tenants and should not try to sell until the tenants were either paying rent or move out. 

(4) There is a moratorium on foreclosures. While we have been in an increasing price market for a while in Sacramento and distressed property listings (short sales and foreclosures) account for a very small fraction of listings, these listings are not coming on the market as quickly. (4b) Homeowners who are unemployed or under-employed are propped up by federal stimulus, additional pandemic unemployment insurance income, and loan forbearance. At some point, some of these homeowners will sell when the federal assistance expires.

(5) It can be a little more difficult to prepare a home for sale. I have spoken to many contractors are reluctant to work on occupied homes. For those that do, their schedules tend to be booked out for weeks or months. Some organizations have stopped taking certain donated items, so clearing out the house can take longer. Many building materials, supplies, and appliances have become scarce and can be difficult or expensive to obtain. (I personally am still waiting for delivery of a new cooktop I ordered in early March. I will be lucky to have it by the end of May according to the supplier. No it is not stuck on the Ever Given!)

(6) Where will the seller move once they sell? In this low inventory environment for both purchasing AND renting homes, sellers often express concern that if they sell their home they may not be able to purchase or rent something else. Not every seller has an easy move-out plan. I easily have 8 would-be sellers who would list tomorrow if they were confident in finding a replacement property. There are still plenty of ways to work through this, but some of the options can be a little stressful for risk-averse sellers/buyers.

So hopefully this is informative. And as I was quoted in the Sacramento Bee article -- at some point sellers who have not listed their homes WILL sell. I have a queue of many people who very much want to sell. And at some point we will see those homes come to market. There are ways to work within many of these challenges with a little creativity and determination. I am still listing plenty of homes...

The good news is I am seeing a little more inventory as we inch more into the spring. This is the time of year when we normally see more listing inventory...and I can only hope it takes some of the upward pressure off the market for home buyers, as the current trajectory of the market is not sustainable for the long term. but we all know there is less that is the normal we are all used to. 

Call 811 before you dig!

I attended a presentation by a representative from PG&E in Sacramento earlier this week, and among other things he emphasized the importance of calling 811 before doing any digging or landscaping so that utility providers can visit your home and mark the locations of underground utility lines. Gas lines, water lines, electric lines, communication lines among other things are buried underground. PG&E frequently receives emergency calls when homeowners are digging and unexpectedly hit gas lines. Breaking a gas line can be very dangerous since gas is highly flammable and easily ignited. Be careful!

City of Sacramento offering free leak repair services to qualified households

The City of Sacramento is offering free leak repair services to qualified households until March 31, 2018. This is a great opportunity to have a city contractor to investigate, repair or replace fixtures at no cost!

The program, called "Leak Free Sacramento" is available to those Sacramento home owners who meet the following criteria:

• Live within a Disadvantage Area Community (here is a map);
• Complete and submit the application (linked here);
• Single family residential homeowners that are customers of Sacramento County Utilities;
• Show irregular water usage, need leak detection and repair or replacement services;
• Applicants must own both the home and the land (for example, mobile homes on rented land do not qualify); and 
• Applicants must be the permanent resident of the home.

The program may be used to repair leaks and install water efficient fixtures. Residents can contact the program at 916-808-5605 or email leakfree@cityofsacramento.org. Do not wait! This program is available for a very limited time between March 19, 2018 - March 31, 2018.

New flooring and fresh paint can be a huge improvement and help maximize your selling price when preparing a home for sale...

Often, I list property for clients where the home has been occupied for many years and then is vacated before the listing goes on the market. Perhaps the seller purchased another home first, moved out, and then listed the home. Or in other scenarios, the property was occupied by tenants who did not leave the home in stellar condition. Whatever the case, sometimes after a long term occupant, a vacant home will not look or smell its best.

Case in point: in an upcoming investment property listing, the tenants vacated the property after living there 8 years. I viewed the property while the tenants were still living there and thought to myself that once they moved out the unit would probably just need a deep cleaning and would ready for market. It became clear after they moved out though, that the unit needed more than a deep cleaning. Their possessions masked the rips and stains in the carpet, and there was a distinct pet odor that remained. Also, after 8 years the white walls were really dingy. 

My sellers live out of the area, so I met my go-to contractor at the home and he bid replacing the flooring and repainting the interior, among a few other repairs. The before and after differences are amazing! The unit is now ready for occupancy, whether by a new owner occupant or new tenant. 

It does not always make sense to make improvements to a home before listing it though...depending on numerous variables, such as the target buyer for the property, overall condition of the home, the location of the property, and overall market conditions, a seller might be better off selling the property in its current condition. I of course help advise my clients accordingly. It is my goal to maximize the return on any pre-sale repairs or improvements, and sometimes that means it does not make sense to do much, if anything. Or, as in this case, spending some money up-front should yield a three-fold return on the investment with a much higher selling price. 

What needs to be removed from a home before the close of escrow?

Sometimes sellers, in their haste to move out, decide to "gift" to the buyers some of their personal property. And when I say "gift" what I really mean is - they can't fit all of their stuff into the U-Haul, or are too lazy to remove the junk from the garage and make that final dump run, or they think because the house wasn't fully cleared out when they bought it as a bank repo they can just leave it in a sub-par state for the new owners. WRONG. Sellers are contractually obligated to remove all debris and personal property prior to closing.

A seller's "gift" is often a buyer's unwanted crap that they then have to remove, donate or dispose of. I recently had a seller client who left all kinds of stuff in the property despite our conversations that they would remove everything and have the home cleaned and ready to go...escrow closed, buyer got the keys and was really upset. And rightfully so.

The buyer's agent called me to make me aware of the situation. Of course I was horrified. I had to have a pretty blunt conversation with my seller (which candidly, I never want to have to do) to emphasize that what they did was not ok and they needed to take responsibility to correct this situation. Needless to say, they paid someone to come and remove the junk-- and probably paid a lot more to have that done on short notice after the fact than they would have if they had proactively done it before they moved out.

A little planning is the key to an less stressful move-out. And I have a lot of go-to people who can help off-haul junk, clean, or whatever. Ask me for help! It is a hectic time for sure. However, a seller's poor planning is absolutely NOT the buyer's fault. And no matter which side of the transaction I am on, I will do my very best to ensure that the property is turned over to the buyers in the condition it should be.

Measure twice, cut once...or in this case order the right size doors once...

I was showing a really nicely renovated Antelope home to a buyer client the other day, and wanted to take a look inside the fireplace. That's something I routinely do, looking for evidence of cracks inside the firebox area and other things...the doors of the fireplace were open and pushed to either side. When I was done looking inside the fireplace, I went to shut the doors. Ooops! They don't exactly fit this space. Sounds like a request for repairs in the making.

Heirs: please do not throw out home maintenance records if you find them...

I listed a Sacramento home recently where the owner passed away earlier this year. The person selling the home is the "successor trustee" of the owner's Living Trust -- the niece of the owner. She came out from Texas to go through the house, clean it out and get it ready for sale.

I visited the house the other day as they were packing items up to move and getting ready for a huge garage sale, and the niece handed me a box. Looking inside, I discovered the owner retained records for EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean everything. Every appliance she purchased, service records for maintenance, extended warranty information and more dating back nearly 40 years.

We were able to purge a little of it -- for example the central heat and air system she installed in the 1980s was replaced just a few years ago. And the coffee maker she bought in 1996 was being sold in a garage sale and not coming with the house.

Homes that are sold by the successor trustees of a living trust where the owner has passed away or become incapacitated are exempt from many of the typical disclosures given to buyers during a home sale. Often, successor trustees have never occupied the home and don't know pertinent information about the home. If you are ever in the position to have to sell the home of a deceased person via a probate estate or a living trust PLEASE do not throw out these records if you find them while sorting out the affairs of the estate. This sort of cache of information is absolutely invaluable to the new owner.

Proactively avoiding appraisal conditions issues where I can...

I have written in the past about repairs required by appraisers as a condition of funding a loan on a property, and thought I would post this with a slightly different spin: pro-active repairs before the appraiser has the chance to require them!

I keep my eyes open for red flags on properties that I am listing or where I am representing buyers...in this case, on a property one of my buyers is in contract to purchase, I noticed an electrical outlet without a cover plate, and a hole in the wall where some speaker wiring was popping out. These were both in the little alcove where a television would likely be.

So today, prior to the appraisal which should happen next week, I spent $1.28 and went by the property and installed two cover plates.

My buyer is using a FHA loan which comes with a heightened standard for condition of the property, and an appraiser would definitely call this condition out to be repaired. When an appraiser calls out repair items, that also means they have to revisit the property once the repairs have been completed to visually verify the repairs are done. The fee for the 2nd visit is $150. So for $1.28 and an extra trip to the house, I likely saved my client the $150 re-inspection fee.

It's wise if you are a buyer or seller to address these issues up front so they are non-issues later.

Be sure to keep your central heating and air conditioning system healthy...

While the temperature on average Sacramento summer days tends to be between the upper-80's and low-90's, a couple times each summer we usually see the weather extend above 100 degrees for a several days or a week straight. Those days I usually crank up the air conditioning, binge watch something on Netflix, head to the movies, or do other indoor activities. Or if you are Nugget, my sweet mini aussie, you might lay directly on the HVAC floor vent to cool down. The LAST thing anyone wants during that hot week is to turn on the air conditioner and find that it is not working.

HVAC maintenance is really important. I highly recommend having your unit(s) professionally serviced at least one per year...and in the meantime there are a couple of DIY things you can do as well.

First, be sure to change your HVAC filter at least every other month -- maybe more often if you notice the filter looks dirty. As more particles are caught in the filter, the more clogged it becomes. If it becomes difficult for the unit to suck air through the filter, you unnecessarily burden your system. Not only will that cost you more in monthly utility bills, but it makes the system work harder and will possibly be more prone to failure. Filters are relatively inexpensive, and I tend to keep a few on hand and replace them as often as I need to.

Second, if you have an outdoor unit as I do - it is important to keep the top and sides free from debris. I have lots of leaves in my backyard and they tend to fall into that top exposed fan area. I use a shop vac to clean them out. Also, try not to stack things on top of them...it's best to allow unrestricted air flow.

Third, whether your interior vents are in the floor or ceiling, occasionally take the vent covers off and clean them out. The vents in my house are on the floor, and they get dusty, dog hair and other small debris gets caught in them, etc. Again we take the shop vac and clean them out and wipe off the vent covers.

Doing these little maintenance items can help make sure that the air flows nicely...

Where to get free sandbags in the Sacramento area...

With the torrential rain forecast for the Sacramento area this coming week, many homeowners should stock up on sand bags to prevent flooding in their homes...here are locations where free sand is available:

C-Bar-C Park in Citrus Heights (city of Citrus Heights residents only)
Folsom Fire Station #36 in Folsom (city of Folsom residents only)
Jose P Rizal Community Center in South Sacramento
Lowe's Parking Lot in Rancho Cordova (city of Rancho Cordova residents only)
Orangevale Community Center in Orangevale
Point Pleasant United Methodist Church in Elk Grove
Port of West Sacramento (city of West Sacramento residents only)
Sacramento County Branch Center in the Mather area
Sacramento Metro Fire Station #106 in the Arden area
Sacramento Metro Fire Station #55 in the South Sacramento area
Westside Park in Rio Linda
Wilton Fire Station in Wilton

Many locations have free bags for you to fill as well, however I would suggest that you bring your own bags and a shovel. Most of these locations are completely self-service.

Things that appraisers believe are adverse conditions that must be repaired prior to closing...Part 2...

A few months ago I wrote a post showing what one appraiser called out as an adverse condition -- exposed raw wood that needed to be repainted prior to closing...I felt that appraiser was being pretty picky since it was a few square inches of lightly worn paint on a 10-year old home.

Today's scenario is much more egregious -- this is some very obvious dryrot on the exterior siding of the house. Luckily, when I met the sellers to list the property, I noticed the deteriorated siding and trim, and we got a pest inspection before the house went on the market. The seller disclosed the pest inspection report to the buyer in advance, and the buyer agreed to take the house as-is...however the appraiser came along and required the repair work be done prior to closing the transaction. So, the buyer ended up paying for this work to be completed before closing.

One thing to note -- this was required of a conventional loan. A common misconception is that only FHA or VA loan appraisers will note deficiencies in a property and require repairs prior to closing. Conventional appraisers will too if they feel the damage is severe enough, or if the item poses a health and safety hazard.

Is your house a 1970's throwback? A small investment in neutralizing the decor may payoff for home sellers...

Often times I list property for folks who have lived in their homes for decades, or for a family who inherited property from long-term owners. Homes that have been well loved and well lived-in are often in good shape structurally, however cosmetically they tend to be a little dated. Sometimes it makes sense for the sellers to invest a little money in neutralizing some of these things before selling a home.

It doesn't always make sense to make improvements to a home before putting it on the market though. Depending on numerous variables, such as the target market buyer for a property, the overall condition of the home, the location, and just how pervasive the cosmetic dating is will play into what, if anything, it makes sense to improve.

These are options that I review with the sellers so that they get the most bang for the buck -- flooring and paint tend to get a really good return on the investment, and generally spending a few thousand dollars yields a much higher return in property value and a higher selling price. The home will photograph better, and have a more wide appeal to the target market with neutral colors, and will ultimately be more turn-key for the new owner.

After strategizing different ideas with the sellers of this particular property shown in the photos, they decided it was worth the investment to scrape the wallpaper, paint the walls, replace the shag carpet, and replace the vinyl flooring.

Not every seller has the resources to do improvements to a home before selling it, and not all improvements will have a positive return, but generally neutralizing a property with very distinct outdated décor will payoff.

I have a full slate of contractors and suppliers who can assist as well. Often times folks who are selling homes under these circumstances live or have relocated outside of the Sacramento area, and I have lots of experience helping to get bids and facilitate this work from afar.

Need a new water heater? A new one may not fit in the existing space....

As I was meeting a new seller client a few weeks ago and walking through her house for the first time, I noticed her water heater appeared that it was at the end of its useful life. Seriously, it looked like it had boiled over! She is fortunate though; since her water heater is not confined inside a closet, and instead just sits against a wall in her garage, she will not have to make many modifications when she has the water heater replaced.

Due to new requirements of the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA), after April 16, 2015 all water heaters manufactured in the United States must meet higher energy efficiency standards. As a result, these new models of water heaters generally have wider tanks and some different technology components.

What does this mean for you? If you have to replace a water heater that is located in a closet, your closet may not be large enough to accommodate your new water heater. Added costs may include retrofitting or expanding the closet, or even relocating your water heater somewhere else inside your home. Or perhaps you may opt to install a tankless water heater instead, which takes up less space?

As you are planning and budgeting for household repairs, increased costs from the new standards may be something to consider.

Did you know that the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District will provide you free Mosquitofish??

If you have any standing water at your property, you probably host a breeding ground for mosquitos. Many people do not know that the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District will provide you free Mosquitofish upon request. Just fill out the online request form and a technician will come out to your house and give you as many as you need to keep the mosquitos under control. They also provide other free residential services.

Showed up for home inspections and found a small lake on the side of the house instead...

So I arrived at a Tahoe Park house I have in contract with one of my buyer clients a couple weeks ago to do inspections, and found a lot of water in the gutter out front. My first thought was the seller was over-watering the grass. Then as I got out of the car and approached the house, I could hear the sound of running water. That's not good. I immediately opened the lockbox and went inside the house. Luckily there was no evidence of water inside and I did not see anything leaking in there. I went into the backyard and did not immediately see anything until I went around the side of the house so see what's in the photo...standing water. I found the main water shut-off and turned it off. The sound of the running water, which was coming from under the house, stopped thankfully.

Luckily we caught this early-ish...a roof inspector had visited the house the previous afternoon and said there was no water, so it had been spewing water for much less than a day at the most. This de-railed our inspection plans for the day -- the home inspector and termite inspector have to go under the house, and it was WAY too wet for that.

The seller had a plumbing contractor address the issue under the house where a connection between two pipes had basically blown out. A week later the sub-area of the house had dried out and we completed the home and termite inspections. Both buyer and seller are thankful it was not worse. And my buyer is thankful this happened before she owned the house...

Does your electric clothes dryer plug match what is in your future home?

Most often when showing homes, my buyer clients will briefly look in the laundry room to see if the dryer connection is gas or electric. Most often though, they do not realize that not all dryer plugs are the same. Some have 3 prongs and some have 4 prongs in different configurations. If you are looking for a home and have an electric dryer, you may want to check to see what type of plug configuration you have. This client got all moved in to his new Carmichael home and realized the plug on this dryer did not match what was already there. It took a couple days to get an electrician out to the house to change it out.