By Mark Glover Sac Bee

California landlords, who have long had the right to restrict pets, noise and even water beds in their units, can now prohibit smoking under a new law that took effect Sunday.

California Senate Bill 332, authored by state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sept. 6.

With Brown's signature, Padilla said, "we will see the availability of smoke-free, multifamily housing grow throughout California."

The new law requires landlords to specify in their lease/rental agreements areas where smoking is prohibited on their properties.

Craig Powell, whose Sacramento company Powell Properties LP owns a handful of upscale apartment noted that many apartment owners already have smoking prohibitions, but the new law will reinforce their stand.

"I think what this does is provide legal clarity … putting (landlords) on solid legal ground if they choose to have those restrictions."

Powell said he has had in-unit smoking restrictions at his properties for nearly a decade without a serious challenge to their legality.

Padilla said he was troubled by the fact that no state laws specifically addressed smoking restrictions in multifamily housing units, such as apartments and condos. The senator said multifamily residences account for more than 30 percent of California housing.

"While more than 86 percent of Californians do not smoke, there is currently very little smoke-free housing in California," Padilla said. "Living in multifamily housing should not compromise the health of renters or their children."

By Les Christie @CNNMoney

Flippers, the real estate investors who buy homes on the cheap and quickly resell them at a profit, just got a reprieve from the Federal Housing Administration.

In an effort to help stabilize housing prices and unload some of the foreclosures that are flooding low-income communities, the mortgage insurer extended a waiver of its anti-flipping regulations through 2012.

The waiver, which was initially issued in 2010 and set to expire this month, suspends regulations that prohibit the agency from insuring mortgages used to purchase homes that are bought and resold in less than 90 days.

"This extension is intended to accelerate the resale of foreclosed properties in neighborhoods struggling to overcome the possible effects of abandonment and blight," said Acting Federal Housing Administration Commissioner Carol Galante.

Low-income neighborhoods are particularly plagued by foreclosed homes that lower property values and act as magnets for crime and other social ills. Real estate flippers often rehab these damaged homes before reselling them, improving conditions for neighborhoods.

There were 3 homes sold in Sierra Oaks, Wilhaggin, Del Dayo and Shelfield in the month of January 2012 .  This is a decrease from the 6 sold in  December 2011.  Here are the addresses and specific details:

Currently there are: 46  active listings, 8 active short sale listings, 6 contingent short sale listings, and 11 pending sales.

If you would like more information (pictures, listing history, what type of sales they were, etc.) feel free to call or email and I’d be happy to provide that for you.  Call or email me if you are looking to buy or sell in the Sierra Oaks, Wilhaggin, Del Dayo and Shelfield areas.

There were 11 homes sold in College Greens / Glenbrook for the month of January , 2012.  That is a slight decrease from the 16 sold in  December .  Here are the addresses and specific information.

Currently there are: 17 Active listings, 7 Active short sale listings, 12 Contingent Short Sales  and 18 Pending Sales

If you would like more information (pictures, listing history, what type of sales they were, etc.) feel free to call or email and I’d be happy to provide that for you.  Call or email me if you are looking to buy or sell in the 95826 zip code.  Check back each month for the updated statistics, as I keep a close eye on the 95826 zip code, where I live and own rental property.  Let me know if there are any particular properties you have questions about. 

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon

We knew reports of the death of American home ownership were greatly exaggerated (nod to Mark Twain), and now we’ve got the numbers to prove it.

A just-released survey by the Meredith Corp., which publishes Better Homes and Gardens magazine, says the vast majority of people polled believe owning a home is a smart financial move and a source of pride.

Here are some results of the 2,500 people surveyed online:

·         86% of home owners still feel owning a home is a good investment.  

·         85% feel "owning a home is one of their proudest accomplishments."

·         69% of Americans who don’t currently own a home agree with the statement, "No matter what happens in the U.S. housing market, owning a home is still an important goal in my life."

·         68% of Americans plan to spend money on their homes in the next six months, with roughly half (49%) expecting to pay up to $1,000.

A thousand bucks may not seem like a lot, but it goes long way toward improving the value and comfort of your home. Here are some projects we recommend:

1. Add a new entry door. Spruce up your curb appeal and save energy by upgrading your exterior door. Steel doors, which can mimic many types of wood, typically run for $400 at big-box stores and offer the strongest barrier against intruders.

2. Get organized. Decluttering and maximizing storage space are inexpensive ways to transform a home. Add space to kids’ rooms by installing platform or bunk beds ($400-$600); neaten piles of shoes with shoe organizers ($20), which can do double duty as catch-all organizers in family room closets and kitchen pantries; extend bookshelves to the ceiling, creating storage in otherwise dead space.

3. Save with a programmable thermostat. Switching from a manual to a programmable thermostat (less than $500) can save you up to $180 a year in energy costs. The latest models offer remote programming via the Internet.

4. Replace cabinet hardware. If you’ve got traditional knobs and pulls, try contemporary; change from staid to whimsical. Big-box retailers often have huge selections for budget prices. (10-pack for $20).

5. Update bathroom flooring. Give bathrooms a quick facelift by replacing old tile with vinyl flooring or ceramic tile, which can cost as little as $3 per square foot for material and installation.

6. Create luxury with a shower panel. Turn you bathroom into a spa with a programmable shower panel with adjustable spray jets, fog-free mirror, and multifunctional shower head. Most systems easily attach to existing plumbing. Panels typically sell for $360.

7. Turn a mudroom into a garden room. Bring nature inside by recasting your drab mudroom into a flower-filled garden room. (If you already have a utility sink, you’re halfway there. If not, it will cost you $200 to $350 to tap into existing, nearby plumbing, and $80 for a plastic tub.) Repurpose an old wood table into a potting bench. And hang your basket collection from J-hooks attached to a forged iron curtain rod ($100).

What improvements have you made recently under $1,000? What are you planning to do in the next six months?