japantown san jose: It's written in the sky! - 03/18/22 12:11 PM
Many homeowners love to sell their home but fear there is nothing to buy. With careful preparation, negotiated rent back and or correct plan in place, everything is possible. If that still makes you nervous, we can make sale contingent on you finding the right home first! This way you don't sell if you don't find the right "next" home.  Simple as that! Connect today to discuss your plans!
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japantown san jose: Don't forget! - 01/29/22 11:16 PM
Don't forget!!! Second Installment of the 2021-2022 Property Taxes is Due February 1 and Becomes Delinquent after April 11. This date is not expected to change due to COVID-19, however, assistance is available to persons with disabilities. Residents can view and pay taxes online at www.sccdtac.org. Unpaid property taxes will become delinquent if not paid by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 11, 2022. What are the penalties? A 10% penalty and a $20 cost will be added to the unpaid balance. Checking Account Payments (eChecks) are free online. The payment process is easy to complete on mobile devices using the SCC … (1 comments)

japantown san jose: Are You a Homeowner Thinking About Climate Change? - 01/26/22 02:25 PM
Are You a Homeowner Thinking About Climate Change?
Americans are more aware than ever of the effects climate change and natural disasters can have on their homes. According to a report from realtor.com:
“More than 3 in 4 recent buyers, 78%, took [natural disasters] into account when choosing the locations of their homes, . . .”
The study also found that many existing homeowners (34%) have already considered selling their houses and moving to a new location because of the changing climate. If you’re like those homeowners and are weighing your options about what to do next, here’s some information to keep in mind as you begin the process … (2 comments)

japantown san jose: How to Save for Your Retirement - 01/16/22 04:42 PM
How to Save for Your Retirement Having a student loan payment each month as a college graduate leaves little room in the budget to contribute to a retirement savings account.
College grads without student loans are much more likely to save for retirement. By the time they reach age 30, grads without student loans are predicted to have double the amount saved for retirement as individuals with student loans, according to a study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
What can those with student loan debt do to fix this?
Pay Your Student Loans First
If you can’t afford to save … (4 comments)

japantown san jose: 5 Ways to Add Chic Vibes to Your Bathroom - 01/16/22 04:35 PM
5 Ways to Add Chic Vibes to Your Bathroom Looking to add some of your own personal chicness to your bathroom? Below are a few ways you can add a little oomph to your powder room.
Climbing plants. Climbing vines indoors can add a jungly, naturalistic element to your space. Some of the coolest vines for interiors are ivy, heartleaf philodendron, jasmine and betel leaf plant.
Art. Don’t be afraid to add some unique art to your bathroom! A cool painting or sculpture can make a great focus piece.
Lighting options. From an interesting lighting fixture to a colored bulb or recessed lighting beneath, … (0 comments)

japantown san jose: Real Estate Professionals Are Experts at Keeping You Safe When You Sell - 01/10/22 09:23 AM
If you’re on the fence about whether or not you want to sell your house this year, there’s good news. For nearly two years, real estate professionals have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of buyers and sellers during the pandemic.
Today, they’re seasoned experts, not just in the art of buying and selling homes, but also in how to keep you safe throughout the process. Real estate professionals have learned new technologies plus safety and sanitation measures. As new variants emerge, those lessons continue to be key ways agents add value.
Real Estate Advisors Stay Current on Guidance for In-Person ShowingsAgents don’t leave your health up to chance. … (2 comments)

japantown san jose: Maintaining Your Kitchen Appliances - 01/09/22 01:07 PM
Maintaining Your Kitchen Appliances Being a homeowner can be costly, but some expenses can be trimmed with regular maintenance. Since so many appliances run in the kitchen, it’s one of the best places to start.
Here are some of the best ways to keep your kitchen appliances running well so that they last through their normal lifetime, and hopefully beyond:
Refrigerator
Refrigerators have a life expectancy of 13 years, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Mold should be the main thing to try to prevent the spread of in a refrigerator. This requires regularly removing all food from it … (2 comments)

japantown san jose: Smart Thermostats: Top 4 Expert Picks - 01/09/22 01:03 PM
Smart Thermostats: Top 4 Expert Picks Programmable thermostats let you set the temperature in your home and have the thermostat change it based on the time of day. What makes them ‘smart’ is that they can learn from your behaviors, let you control the climate remotely, show you energy consumption in real-time and even adjust themselves based on conditions like humidity.
You can tell them to shut off after you leave for work and spring back into action in time to ensure the house temperature is comfortable by the time you get home. Many models can be managed from your phone … (2 comments)

japantown san jose: Steps to Take After Identity Theft - 01/08/22 02:58 PM
Steps to Take After Identity Theft Reacting quickly is essential after you’ve been the victim of identity theft. It can lessen the damage by thieves and lower the stress of having your credit card lost or stolen.
You may notice when you get home that your credit card is missing. Or you may get an email from your credit card company that there is some suspicious activity on your account.
Whatever alerts you to identity theft, here are some steps to take immediately after realizing it:
Get on the phone
Depending on the circumstances, you may want to first call the … (1 comments)

japantown san jose: How to Check If a Debt Collector Is Legitimate - 01/07/22 11:05 AM
How to Check If a Debt Collector Is Legitimate Figures from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) show that about 70 million people—more than a quarter of adults in the United States—either have a debt in collection or have been contacted about one.
Some of those people are wrongly contacted by debt collectors. Reasons include contacting the wrong person for the wrong amount, or for debt that can’t legally be enforced, according to the CFPB.
Some calls are from debt collectors who aren’t legitimate and don’t represent an original creditor or don’t own the debt. In other words, they’re outright scams.
… (1 comments)

japantown san jose: Retro Colors Make a Comeback: What's Hot in Decor Right Now - 01/07/22 10:57 AM
Retro Colors Make a Comeback: What's Hot in Decor Right Now Everything old is new again, and that goes for decorating with color. While the last decade in home décor has largely been defined by white and varying shades of beige and gray, today’s designers are harking back to yesteryear with paint colors, furniture and even kitchen appliances.
Part art deco, part ‘50s suburban and part ‘60s mod, these awesome retro colors are fresh and refreshed to fit today’s tastes, say the color mavens at Sherwin Williams, whose wall color faves this year include shades of pink, aqua and pale or … (3 comments)

japantown san jose: Financial Priorities for Newlyweds - 01/07/22 10:55 AM
Financial Priorities for Newlyweds Deciding where to live, if you’re going to have children, and who takes out the garbage are some of the big and small decisions newlyweds have to make together after the wedding gifts are put away and they’re ready to start their lives together.
There are also financial decisions to make as a married couple, though they may not be as easy to discuss as who’s making dinner on Sunday nights.
Here are some financial priorities newlyweds should set — together:
Set a budget: A good way to start is by living within your means and setting a … (1 comments)

japantown san jose: Retirement May Be Changing What You Need in a Home - 01/06/22 12:44 PM
The past year and a half brought about significant life changes for many of us. For some, it meant entering retirement earlier than expected. Recent data shows more people retired this year than anticipated. According to the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, 2021 saw a retirement boom:
“At least 1.7 million more older workers than expected retired due to the pandemic recession.”
If you’ve recently retired, your home may not fit your new lifestyle. The good news is, you’ve likely built-up significant equity that can fuel your next move. According to the latest Homeowner Equity Insights report from CoreLogic, homeowners gained more than $50,000 in equity over the … (2 comments)

japantown san jose: New Tricks for Old Throwaway Items - 01/06/22 11:04 AM
New Tricks for Old Throwaway Items For many of us, mom’s ‘use-it-up, make-it-last, wear-it-out’ mantra was our introduction to thriftiness—a traditional value that has largely been kicked to the curb due to a more materialistic lifestyle.
But the truth is, most of our common throwaway items have not yet reached their full potential. Here are a few smart re-uses that will help keep junk out of landfills and make our life a little easier:
Banana peel as silver polish. Run the peel through the blender with enough water to make a paste. This makes a great silver polish when applied with a … (3 comments)

japantown san jose: There Won't Be a Wave of Foreclosures in the Housing Market - 01/06/22 10:45 AM
When mortgage forbearance plans were first announced and the pandemic surged through the country in early 2020, many homeowners were allowed to pause their mortgage payments. Some analysts were concerned that once the forbearance program ended, the housing market would experience a wave of foreclosures like what happened after the housing bubble 15 years ago.
Here’s a look at why that isn’t the case.
1. There Are Fewer Homeowners in Trouble This TimeAfter the last housing crash, over nine million households lost their homes to a foreclosure, short sale, or because they gave it back to the bank. Many believed millions of homeowners would face … (0 comments)

japantown san jose: Why Waiting To Sell Your House Could Cost You a Small Fortune - 01/05/22 11:02 AM
Many homeowners who plan to sell in 2022 may think the wise thing to do is to wait for the spring buying market since historically about 40 percent of home sales occur between April and July. However, this year’s expected to be much different than the norm. Here are five reasons to list your house now rather than waiting until the spring.
1. Buyers Are Looking Right Now, and They’re Ready To PurchaseThe ShowingTime Showing Index reports data from more than six million property showings scheduled across the country each month. In other words, it’s a gauge of how many buyers are out looking at homes … (1 comments)

japantown san jose: Love whom you work with! - 01/05/22 10:59 AM
Happy Valentine! Love is always something to celebrate not just today, but daily. Love is everywhere if you choose to see it. Par of mine is loving what I do. Love is seeing the excited face of a first time home buyer or home seller getting the price they wanted. Homeowners making their house a hoe and creating memories, sacred space and all it's suppose to be. Most of all I love working with you and thank you for your trust in my commitment to get you what your heart desires in regards to your Real Estate holding. It's one form … (0 comments)

japantown san jose: Avoid the Rental Trap in 2022 - 01/04/22 10:41 AM
Are you one of the many renters thinking about where you’ll live the next time your lease is up? Before you decide whether to look for a new house or another apartment, it’s important to understand the true costs of renting in 2022.
As a renter, you should know rents have been rising since 1988 (see graph below):
In 2021, rents grew dramatically. According to ApartmentList.com, since January 2021:
“. . . the national median rent has increased by a staggering 17.8 percent. To put that in context, rent growth from January to November averaged just 2.6 percent in the pre-pandemic years from 2017-2019.”
That increase in 2021 was far greater than … (2 comments)

japantown san jose: How Much Do You Need for Your Down Payment? - 01/03/22 12:34 PM
As you set out on your homebuying journey, you likely have a plan in place, and you’re working on saving for your purchase. But do you know how much you actually need for your down payment?
If you think you have to put 20% down, you may have set your goal based on a common misconception. Freddie Mac says:
“The most damaging down payment myth—since it stops the homebuying process before it can start—is the belief that 20% is necessary.”
Unless specified by your loan type or lender, it’s typically not required to put 20% down. According to the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of … (3 comments)

japantown san jose: 5 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Saving Money - 01/03/22 11:16 AM
5 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Saving Money The savings rate in America is pretty abysmal. Fifty-seven percent of Americans have less than $1,000 in their savings accounts, according to a 2017 GOBanking Rates survey.
Without savings, people can be forced to take on debt when they lose their job, get sick or have major car repairs. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to trick yourself into saving money, whether for retirement, college, a new car, vacation or a rainy day. Here are five:
Automatic Transfers
Having money automatically moved from your paycheck to a retirement account, or from your checking account … (0 comments)