Patty Manzi's Tri-Valley Real Estate Blog

There has been much publicity in the media, and no doubt from your local real estate agent, that the time has come that house payments may be less expensive than rent payments.

While this is certainly true in some geographic areas, like right here in the Pleasanton & Tri-Valley areas, there is more to maintaining a household than the actual house payment itself.  Once you make the leap from renter to homeowner, many maintenance issues and expenses that a landlord has taken care of now become the responsibility of the homeowner.  These additional expenses could wipe out any monthly savings you were expecting to gain in your reduced payment.

For example:

• Utilities – as a homeowner these are now solely your responsibility (water, garbage, gas/electric, cable, phone, internet) .
• Property Taxes – in Alameda County, taxes are approximately 1.25% of the purchase price of the home.  ($500,000 home = $6250 year in property taxes, or $520.84 per month).
• HOA Fees – if you buy in a homeowners association, be prepared to pay monthly.  The cost depends on amenities at the complex (pool, common areas, maintenance, etc.)  Do your homework on this!
• Yard maintenance – you now have to buy a lawn mower, edger, blower, tree/shrub trimmer OR hire a gardener
• Pool maintenance – you must consult with an expert at your local pool store on how to maintain your pool, then purchase chlorine, a brush, net, and other chemicals and cleaning supplies OR hire a pool service to maintain your pool.
• General Home Repairs and Appliances – the home you buy might be in great shape when you buy it, but over time, you will need to maintain many things that may have been taken care of by a landlord while you were renting.  New water heater = $1000; New heater = $3000; new air conditioner = $5000 +; new refrigerator = $2500; washer/dryer=$1500, New Roof – $10,000+; along with various other repairs like, leaky faucets, plumbing leaks, plumbing stoppages, electrical issues, painting, flooring, garage doors/openers, leaky windows, roof leaks, chimney cracks, fences & gates,  the list goes on.
• Insurance – if you have a mortgage, you will be required to carry homeowners insurance on your property. The cost of the insurance is based on the replacement value of your home.  For example on my 1800 sf home in Pleasanton, my annual insurance is approximately $700.  If you are in a flood zone, add another $500+ per year.  If you want Earthquake Insurance, add some more $$.

So, when you are planning to make the leap from renting to homeownership, make sure you consider ALL the expenses you will incur, not just the amount of your house payment. Some of the expenses can be tax deductible, but many are not.

As always, it is a good idea to consult with a real estate professional, professional lender, and CPA to help you gather information to assist you in your home buying decision.

Image via Wikipedia

 

You’ve all heard the cute bedtime cliche:  “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!”  BUT – Bedbugs are quite real, and far from cute.   Bed Bugs are small, brown insects with flat, oval-shaped bodies.  They feed on the blood of humans and/or animals.    They tend to live in bed mattresses and feed on the bed occupants at night.  (ugh!)  The female bedbug lays up to 5 eggs a day and 500 over a lifetime!  (double ugh!)

Bedbugs are believed to have originally migrated to the US from Europe in the 17th century.  During World War II there was a successful effort to control them and reduce the occurrence of infestations.  5 years ago pest control companies reported only one or two cases per year, now they are reporting one or two a week!  (eeek!) 

Bedbugs show up in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, hotels, shelters and vehicles.  They will hide in luggage, boxes, shoes and other mobile objects.  They only come out at night, so you may never see them.  The picture above  shows the distinguishing characteristics of a bedbug:

• Mahogany to rust brown/red color
• Six legs
• Short golden body hair
• Two antennae

The first sign of an infestation is small brown or red dots on bed linens or mattress, almost like someone sprinkled paprika.  These are bug ‘droppings’ and blood spots.  Eggs and molted skins may also be visible.  Heavy infestations can also have an odor.  Bed bug ‘bites’ on human skin result in red, itchy welts (red dots with a lighter ring around them).

Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but they do tend to congregate in ‘favorite’ hiding places like:

• Mattresses
• Furniture crevices
• Wood trim
• Electrical boxes and outlets
• Floors
• Behind wallpaper and picture frames

If you have bedbugs or suspect you have bed bugs do it yourself methods just plain wont work!    Contact a professional pest control company to eradicate the infestation immediately. 

You can prevent infestation by vigilantly assess your surroundings, especially while travelling.   Pull bed covers down at night and look for movement or spots on the sheets.  Inspect the crevices or lining of your luggage and clothes for bugs or spots.  Vacuum your mattress regularly, inside your closet where you keep your shoes, and inside your luggage if you have recently been travelling.

I just returned from a lovely lunch at Massimo’s in Walnut Creek, California.  This was the location for our monthly NARPM meeting (National Association of Residential Property Managers).  Today’s topic was fire safety as it pertains to rental properties, but the subject is valid for ALL types of properties.  

One (1) gallon of gasoline has as much explosive power as 16 tons of dynamite!  Gasoline should always be stored in the proper container and NEVER stored inside your house or garage.

When talking about electrical outlets, the rule of thumb is one plug per socket!  If you must use an extension device of some sort, use a surge protector with multiple sockets.  Get the type with heat sensing device that will shut the strip down if it gets too hot, or the type that has a cooling fan.  Never plug a surge protector into another surge protector.

Don’t store chemicals under your kitchen sink if you have electrical cords under there as well (like garbage disposal or dishwasher). 

Don’t store ’stuff’ in the furnace or water heater closets.  No card tables, paper bags, chemicals, paint, etc……the only thing that should be in the closet is the furnace or water heater.  If your water heater is exposed and up on a platform, don’t use the platform to store your laundry bleach or extra paint cans.  There is a FLAME inside the water heater…..!

De-Clutter!  Clutter can cover up all types of hazards.  It also makes for very efficient fuel in the event of a fire.

Never mix cleaning chemicals. 

Never leave things cooking on your stove or in your oven unattended.  This is the number one cause of kitchen fires.  Never throw baking soda, salt, or flour on a fire in the kitchen.  If a pan catches on fire on the stove, cover it with another pan, lid, or baking sheet – then call 911!

Clean our your dryer vent lines every 6 months.  Ever wonder where those missing socks went to?  Probably stuck in the dryer vent line plugging up all the lint.  Perfect fire hazard!

Check the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months, and replace the detectors every 10 years, or whenever necessary.

GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!  Mount it to the wall in your kitchen.  If you use it, replace it or refill it.  Yes, we know they are ugly, but a fire is uglier.  Spend a few more bucks and get the chrome one. 

If you have a fire, even a small one on your stove that you put out yourself, ALWAYS call the fire department anyway.  Sparks can get sucked up into vents spread into the attic.  Sparks can get behind appliances and furniture and smolder in the flooring/carpet/wall.  Electrical wires can be burning behind sheet rock walls.  The fire department is more than willing to check out the situation for you.

Its better to be safe than sorry!

Here’s an earth friendly recipe for an all purpose cleaner.

Dissolve 4 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water and apply with a sponge or spray bottle. Rinse with water. It can be used to clean and deodorize kitchen and bathroom surfaces!

Here are a few new ideas to try while getting through your spring cleaning!

1. Dusting with a paintbrush can be an effective way to get into those hard to reach cracks & crevices, etc.

2. Kids smelly shoes? Here’s a solution. Put some tea leaves into a pair of stockings and stuff each into a shoe. Leave for a day or two and the smell vanishes.

3. Treat stubborn bathtub stains with a paste made from cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide. By the time the paste dries, the stain should be gone.

4. To remove sticky residue/glue, try one of these: mayonnaise, peanut butter, nail polish remover, “Goo Gone”, or any oil.

5. Erasers will remove black heel marks on floors and Artgum erasers will clean bone colored shoes.