California to Offer $3,000 Subsidy for Earthquake Retrofitting

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re living near a major earthquake fault. Now if you’re unsure if you live near an active fault, this web site . Temblor, co-founded by Ross Stein from the USGS, is very useful for determining the proximity to, and estimating the damage from, an earthquake near your home.

We don’t have to go into graphic details about what could happen to your home and those who may reside within in the event of a significant earthquake, but here’s a good image from the California Earthquake Authority as to what damage can be done to homes with older unbraced foundations.

Sure one can purchase earthquake insurance, but that only helps to rebuild after the devastation of an earthquake has occurred. What earthquake retrofitting is designed for is to help prevent damage to your home, property or lives during or after an earthquake.

We did a blog post not long ago about the benefits of an automatic gas shut off valve. This article has to do with the program California is offering of up to $3,000 of a subsidy towards retrofitting your home’s foundation to help withstand an earthquake under a program entitled Earthquake Brace and Bolt, or EBB.

Limitations apply, for example Belmont didn’t even make the cut this year for retrofits, while San Carlos, Foster City, San Mateo and Redwood City along with a whole host of other cities nearby did. This is a link to a complete list of towns covered by the program this year. 

Additionally, this is not for homes with a slab foundation, or homes built after 1979, and there are other restrictions such as the height of your home’s cripple wall, so follow this link to get some more details from their short video.

The window for registration is open now and closes fast:

2019 EBB Program ZIP Codes – Registration Period will Open October 9 – November 13, 2018

Drew & Christine Morgan are REALTORS/NOTARY PUBLIC in Belmont, CA. with more than 20 years of experience in helping sellers and buyers in their community. As Diamond recipients, Drew and Christine are ranked in the top 50 RE/MAX agents nationwide and the top 3 in Northern California.  They may be reached at (650) 508.1441 or emailed at info@morganhomes.com.

For all you need to know about Belmont, subscribe to this blog right here. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Morganhomes and on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/morganhomes

The information contained in this article is educational and intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute real estate, tax or legal advice, nor does it substitute for advice specific to your situation. Always consult an appropriate professional familiar with your scenario

 

 

When Less is More in the Kitchen…

If you’ve ever heard the term “form over function”, this $100,000+ great kitchen defines the term. Sometimes people just have more money than common sense and this kitchen is a great example of putting only the monetary assets one has to use. While on the surface, it looks to be a wildly fantastic kitchen, and we’re sure whomever designed it intended it to deliver just such a wow factor, but clearly they under-baked their ideas when it came to functionality.

kitchen

One needs to look no further than a professional kitchen layout—kitchens I spent many years in—to learn what makes sense and what is senseless.

professional-kitchen

A professional kitchen is designed for efficiency, while most home kitchens lean toward aesthetics first, and efficiency a distance second. Both of these chefs will have access to a sink directly behind them on either side of the cook island.

It’s clear to see that the large behemoth island in this designer showcase kitchen would quickly become nothing more than an obstacle to efficiency. In order to get from the stove to the sink one must walk clear around. And where do your guests sit? Not in the way we hope!

Go ahead, add another stick of butter—then put your Fit Bit on and watch you burn those pre-dinner calories.

Drew & Christine Morgan are REALTORS®/NOTARY PUBLIC in Belmont, CA. with more than 20 years of experience in helping sellers and buyers in their community. They may be reached at (650) 508.1441 or emailed at info@morganhomes.com.

For all you need to know about Belmont, subscribe to this blog right here. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Morganhomes and on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/morganhomes

The information contained in this article is educational and intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute real estate, tax or legal advice, nor does it substitute for advice specific to your situation. Always consult an appropriate professional familiar with your scenario.

Free Solar Panels May not be Such a Bright Idea

Solar power leases may have pitfalls. We’re seeing more and more solar panel popping up on home these days and with them come issue when trying to resell one’s home. Studies have suggested that the addition of solar panels on a home can boost a home’s value. But sometimes those solar panels can sabotage a deal when it comes time to sell.Solar Power Savings

Selling Green Homes

Making the Case for Energy-Efficient Homes

Energy-Efficient Mortgages Gain Popularity

More Builders Find the Sun Is a Selling Point

Do Green Homes Fetch Higher Sales Prices?

More companies are offering home owners a contract to lease solar panels where they pay no upfront costs for the installation and could start saving on their electricity bills right away. But some home owners who sign onto these deals are finding some snags when they go to sell.

Many potential buyers are leery of taking on the leasing payment contracts for the next 15 to 17 years because they often have to qualify on credit from the solar companies themselves, in addition to the mortgage. Also, some buyers are hesitant to sign a contract because they’re concerned the solar equipment will become obsolete or won’t amount to a big savings in the end after paying the leasing fee.

We asked Solar city over to our home in Belmont for an estimate. Of course the carrot is free installation, but the savings is minimal. Since they are leasing you the equipment, they take an override on the energy their panels on your roof produce–and they sell that energy to you at a reduced rate–but it’s not anywhere close to free, as if you owned the equipment.

But we’re seeing issues trying to re-sell home with leased solar panels. Some home buyers are refusing to buy the house unless the seller buys out of the remaining lease payment stream — which could be $15,000 or more. If you’re going to eventually buy-out the contract anyway, it’s a far better idea to but it up front and enjoy 100% of the energy dollar savings.

In Fresno, Calif., a couple trying to sell their house told The Los Angeles Times that it attracted multiple offers but two sets of buyers backed out of the contracts due to the leased solar panels on their roof. The buyers felt the long-term cost of the lease agreement was too high or they were concerned about the credit qualifications they had to meet in order to take over the lease. Ultimately, the couple selling the home had to pay $22,000 to break the lease with the solar company so that they could sell the house.

With the rising popularity of solar, we already have seen several disputes arise over solar panel leases, and we expect the problem will get nothing but more frequent.

Residential solar installations are rising dramatically — up by 50 percent per year since 2012, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Before you sign on the dotted line for a solar lease, check with your accountant for tax consequences if you purchase the system, you might qualify for a tax incentive write-off. A simple home equity line of credit may be all you need to qualify to own 100% of the power your home generates.

Source: “Leased Solar Panels Can Complicate – or Kill – a Home Sale,” The Los Angeles Times (March 22, 2015)

Revitalizing a home in Belmont (with background music)

Many of you saw this home on our web page and at the open house. Several homes in the Hallmark area of Belmont have languished on the market for months without selling and everyone has been asking us how we sold our listing so fast. Well, here’s the answer in video form. Obviously we had to price the home attractively but we also had to add value. Preparing a home for sale takes a lot more than staging. Thanks to a cooperative seller, we transformed this home in only a few weeks and the transition was phenomenal–then we listed and sold the home in a week. Take a quick peek at this short video where we show you before and after results–then call us to transform your home for sale.





Download Revitalized Belmont Home

Making Your Home “Market Ready” For Sale

You’ve no doubt heard the term “staging” a home but there’s a lot more to getting your home ready for sale than just bringing in plants and re-arranging furniture.

The terms “staging” typically implies a professional designer has been retained to make a house look like a model home, yet there’s a lot more that goes in to staging a home. Often times, a home will need a complete facelift, as is often the case with trustee sales. Vacant homes always show better professionally staged, and even homes with modern amenities can use some detailing.

We break down staging into two categories. 1) Vacant homes for whole house staging and 2) Occupied homes for staging augmentation. Professional designers are akin to artists and often prefer a vacant home to an occupied one since they are beginning with a blank canvas, or palate if you will.

But getting a home ready for the final touches of furniture, plants and pictures often requires weeks of renovation. We coordinate with our design consultant to first identify our market segment–the buyer who will likely purchase the home. Then we take instructions as to what color scheme to employ and begin the process of renovation or upgrades. Some of the typical enhancements include:

·         Fresh Paint

·         Refinished hardwood flooring

·         New carpeting

·         New bathroom or kitchen tile, granite or other contemporary materials

·         Kitchen cabinet re-facing or replacement

·         Bathroom fixture replacement

·         Hall and entry lighting enhancement

·         Landscaping and fresh lawns

There’s no need to be anxious about the renovation process. As your “project manager”, we coordinate all enhancements with our professional team of property enhancement experts; from tile people to painters, handyman, hardwood floor experts and carpet installers.

The video you are about to see highlights several homes we’ve staged for sale and shows before and after images. If ever the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” rings true it’s in this short video, enjoy.